Karel Čapek: Krakatit (1978)

Krakatit is one of Čapek's most famous works. This was mainly due to the 1948 film adaptation directed by Otakar Vávra. In addition to the familiar storyline, which focuses on the shaky invention of engineer Prokop (named after the Krakatoa volcano located on the island of Anak Krakatau in the Sunda Strait between the islands of Sumatra and Java) and which urges caution when using overly powerful and abusable chemicals, there is also Prokop's love story. In it, the protagonist, a violent and even caustic scientist, is torn between his tender feelings for the country girl Anča and his love for the mysterious, almost oriental princess Willa. Directed by Josef Melč and starring Jaromír Spal, Miroslav Moravec, Václav Postránecký, Milena Steinmasl, Miloš Nedbal, Anna Vetlinska, Otakar Brousek st., Václav Švec, Jan Waldman, Jorga Kotrbova, Josef Chvalina, Jiří Holý, Jaroslav Wagner-Klenka, Igor Smržík, Jan Přeučil, Ladislav Pesek, Ladislav Potměšil, Radim Vašinka.