However, Žák-Marušiak delivered barely a third of the screenplay before the team's departure for Slovakia, some of it arrived by mail during the shoot, and the rest did not reach them before the film was finished. It was typed in Slovak, on a US typewriter without diacritics, with English camera directions. The screenplay had features of a shooting script. The novel was the filmmakers' original inspiration for making the movie. Tatra Film commissioned the screenplay from the Slovak-American Jozef Žák-Marušiak (1885–1979 immigrated in 1911) from Lakšárska Nová Ves, western Slovakia, who based it on a two-volume novel by the Slovak-American journalist Gustáv Maršall-Petrovský (1862–1916). It was filmed on location in the vicinity of the Siakeľ brothers' birthplace in Slovakia, on two sets constructed at the site, and finished on the sound stage at the A-B Studio in Prague. The producer of Jánošík was Ján Závodný (1890–1980) from Brezová pod Bradlom in western Slovakia, a co-founder of Tatra Film, who owned the 500-seat Casimir Theater (later Jeff Theater) in Chicago. Both had experience with film equipment and processing, and limited experience with filmmaking from working for the Selig Polyscope Company in Chicago (some sources misidentify them as its owners or founders). Among the founders of Tatra Film were the brothers and future filmmakers Jaroslav Siakeľ and Daniel Siakeľ (1886–1964 immigrated in 1905) from Blatnica, Turiec County in central Slovakia. Its Board of Directors also included President Samuel Tvarožek, Vice-President Richard Blaha, and Business Manager Ján Šimo. The company's chief founder was its Secretary Samuel Fábry, a Chicago businessman. Chicago Ave., and incorporated in Illinois with a capital stock of $50,000 (as printed on its shares sources mention lower amounts). The film Jánošík was made and financed by the Tatra Film Corporation founded by Slovak-Americans in Chicago at 1543 W. He used the names Jaroslav and Jerry in personal contacts. Born in Blatnica, Turiec County in central Slovakia and baptized Ludvik Jaroslav Siakeľ, he immigrated to the United States in 1912 at the age of 16 and used Ludwig Jerry as his given names in English. The film was directed by Slovak-American Jaroslav Siakeľ (1896–1997). The central narrative is framed in a story set around the time of the film's release, in which a hiker (Theodor Pištěk) and friends (Mária Fábryová, Jozef Chylo) pause at a mountain sheepfold where the head shepherd comments on the hiker's stature similar to the legendary Jánošík's and narrates for them the film's storyline. With the help of a betrayer, the Count's men learn about Jánošík's whereabouts and overpower him and his band during a drinking party in a tavern. However, his frequent calls and yet another scuffle with the Count prove to be his undoing. The local priest (František Horlivý) helps Jánošík with the cover-up during his visits to the village. Jánošík rekindles a love affair with his childhood sweetheart Anička (Mária Fábryová), who is sexually harassed by the Count. Jánošík's band parties in the mountains, robs traveling noblemen, and uses disguise to rob the guests at the noblemen's County Ball only to redistribute the booty among the farmers. While on the run, Jánošík finds himself fighting on the side of a band of highwaymen in a skirmish with the Count's cohort commanded by Pišta (Jozef Chylo), discards the frock, joins the band, and takes over the band's leadership. Jánošík assaults the Count and escapes from the village. Count Šándor (Vladimír Šrámek), however, would not release Jánošík's father (Karel Schleichert) from his weekly obligations for her funeral and has the father caned, which proves fatal for the old man. Juraj Jánošík ( Theodor Pištěk), a young, imposing seminary student, returns to his home village to find that his ailing mother has just died. The location is the Kingdom of Hungary's north-western Carpathians with a Slovak majority population. The story is set in the early 18th century when many farmers in the Habsburg monarchy were obligated to work in a nobleman's fields for two days a week. Jánošík placed Slovak filmmaking as the 10th national cinema in the world to produce a full-length feature movie. It shows the filmmakers' experience with early American movies in camera work, in the use of parallel narratives, and in sequences inspired by Westerns. It relates the popular legend of the highwayman Juraj Jánošík. Jánošík is a Slovak black-and-white silent film from 1921.
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