The Portrait

Released
1948
1h 27min
2 votes
FantasyHorror

Synopsis

People are afraid of the usurer Chazaj and are convinced that he is the bearer of evil. One day Chazaj pays a visit to the poor artist Simon Jordán and asks him to paint his portrait. Simon agrees but as he progresses with the work his mind conjures up terrible thoughts and in the end he commits suicide. The portrait looks lifelike and Chazaj is content with the results. After Chazaj's death the picture changes hands and brings misfortune to all who own it. The last victim is the young painter Roman who buys Chazaj's portrait in a bazaar. He finds a treasure in the frame and begins to live well off it. The comfortable life suits him so well that he rejects his original artistic aims and becomes a painter of fashionable kitsch.

Détails techniques

Titre original

Podobizna

Langue originale

CS

Langues parlées

Czech

Production

Compagnies de production

Československá filmová společnost

Pays de production

Czechoslovakia

Mots-clés

based on short story