The Portrait

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.

Cast

Otomar Krejča

Simon Jordán / Stepán Jordán

Luba Skořepová

Martina Jordánová

Vladimír Šmeral

Painter Roman

Ladislav Kulhánek

Professor Mikulás

Karel Dostal

Extortioner Chazaj

Rudolf Deyl

Jáchym

Felix le Breux

Marcel Bernard

Růžena Šlemrová

Mrs. Viktorová

Ludmila Píchová

Líza Viktorová

Emil Bolek

Bussinesman Viktor