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Thirty Cases of Major Zeman

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Thirty Cases of Major Zeman
Vladimír Brabec as Major Jan Zeman
CzechTřicet případů majora Zemana
Created byJiří Sequens
Starring
Country of originCzechoslovak Socialist Republic
Original languages
  • Czech
  • Slovak
No. of episodes30 (list of episodes)
Production
Running time45-90 min
Original release
NetworkCzechoslovak Television
Release1975 (1975) –
1980 (1980)

Thirty Cases of Major Zeman (Třicet případů majora Zemana) is a Czechoslovak action-drama television show intended as a political propaganda to support the official attitude of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia. The series were filmed in the 1970s.

Each episode encompasses one year, and investigations are stylized to that year. Most are inspired by real cases. The series follows the life of police investigator Jan Zeman during his career from 1945 to 1973.

Cast

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Plot of the first episode

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The first episode takes place in 1945. Young Jan Zeman is returning from a Nazi concentration camp. On the train he meets Václav Kalina, who tells him about his plan to join the police force. Jan returns to his home village and finds only his mother there. He discovers that his father has been murdered during the celebrations. The police are unable to find the murderer and close the case. Jan begins investigating on his own. He reveals a conspiracy and calls his friend Václav Kalina at Brno police headquarters; eventually, the murderers are captured. Kalina induces Jan to join the police and serve with him.

List of episodes

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Episode Date Title Aired
1 1945 Smrt u jezera (Death at the Lake) 1974
2 1946 Vyznavači ohně (Fire Devotees) 1974
3 1947 Loupež sladkého I (The Robbery of the Sweet I) - About profiteering on deficiency of Insulin. 1974
4 1947 Rubínové kříže (Ruby Crosses) - inspired by Bandera's terrorist activities on the Czechoslovak territory. 1975
5 1948 Hon na lišku (Fox Hunt) - section about Victorious February 1975
6 1949 Bestie (The Beast) - about illegal crossing of the Czechoslovak state border, inspired by Hubert Pilčík 1975
7 1950 Mědirytina (The Copperplate) - about counterfeiting of Ration stamps used until 1953. 1975
8 1951 Strach (Fear) - inspired by Mašín's sons 1975
9 1952 Loď do Hamburku (The Riverboat to Hamburg) - one of the episodes about agent Pavel Bláha. 1975
10 1953 Vrah se skrývá v poli (The Murderer Hides in the Field) 1975
11 1954 Křížová cesta (Way of the Cross) - one of the episodes about agent Pavel Bláha. 1976
12 1955 Kleště (The Tongs) - one of the episodes about agent Pavel Bláha. 1976
13 1956 Romance o nenápadné paní (Romance of an Unobtrusive Lady) 1976
14 1957 Konec velké šance (The End of Great Chance) - one of the episodes about agent Pavel Bláha. 1976
15 1958 Kvadratura ženy (Woman Quadrature) - about dissected female body. 1976
16 1959 Dáma s erbem (The Lady with a Coat of Arms) 1976
17 1960 Prokleté dědictví (The Cursed Heritage) 1976
18 1961 Bílé linky (The White Lines) 1976
19 1962 Třetí housle (The Third Violin) 1976
20 1963 Modrá světla (Blue Lights) 1976
21 1964 Pán ze Salcburku (A Gentleman from Salzburg) 1978
22 1965 Tatranské pastorále (High Tatra Pastorale) 1978
23 1966 Šťastný a veselý (Happy New Year) 1978
24 1967 Klauni (Clowns) 1978
25 1968 Štvanice (The Hunt) - episode about end of political steps to the freedom. 1978
26 1969 Studna (The Well) - horror episode about apocalyptic deaths in a country house. 1978
27 1970 Rukojmí v Bella Vista (The Bella Vista Hostage)- episode about sabotage against Czech shipment for Chile. Spy story having allusion to political situation in Chile 1978
28 1971 Poselství z neznámé země (The Message from an Unknown Land) - continue of The Bella Vista Hostage 1978
29 1972 Mimikry (Mimicry) - episode about plane hijack, with allusion to the music band Plastic People and young long-haired sympathizers of rock music called máničky. 1978
30 1973 Růže pro Zemana (The Rose for Zeman) 1979
Screenshot of the episode "Mimikry (Mimicry)", showing máničky as a harmful, criminal and drug-using social class.


Controversy

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A re-broadcast of the series in the Czech Republic in 1999, caused controversy and public criticism about the series, which was accused of conveying communist propaganda and portraying those who think differently politically as criminals.[1]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Peter S. Green (1999-10-01). "History or Propaganda?/ Communist-Era TV Show Stages a Controversial Return : 'Major Zeman' Leads Czechs to Question Their Past". International Herald Tribune. Retrieved 2021-08-31.
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