„A VŠICHNI DOHROMADY UDĚLÁME MOC…“ (DOMÁCÍ A ZAHRANIČNÍ OHLAS CÍSAŘOVA PEKAŘE)
“TOGETHER WE CAN DO A LOT…” (LOCAL AND ABROAD REMINISCENCES OF THE EMPEROR´S BAKER)

Summary/Abstract: The film The Emperor’s Baker (1951) presents a classic example of the fact that every work of art mirrors the time of its making. Critics from the Eastern block valued on one hand a peaceful usage of nuclear energy represented by the Golem figure and wonderful acting of Jan Werich as the emperor Rudolf II, on the other hand they criticised the insufficient role of the people as the creator of historical progress. Werich’s longing to shoot a good comedy went against the idea of the role of cinematography in cultural education that ideologists had. Western critics looked on the film with suspicion. Even though they valued its artistic qualities, they couldn’t put aside the ideological message behind it. The film was most criticised in Austria where there was a strong urge to look up to historical figures of Habsburg origin. Although Werich’s portray of Rudolf II is not as simple as seen by Austrian journalists, when the film was rated, historical myths won over the objective and critical view.

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