In the tense dramatic situation of a June night in 1815, a few hours before a battle that seems lost in advance, Napoleon has a choice: either go into battle and risk not winning it, or not go into battle, which of course means abdicating. To give up absolute power and offer his military experience to the people, to the republic...
It is 1955 and the government in Czechoslovakia has declared an amnesty for post-war emigrants. Many of them returned to their families, only young Pavel Kocián's single mother waits in vain for him. Despite her protests, Tomáš Stach, an assembler, is accommodated in her flat as a lodger. Until recently, his fiancée Jana was also waiting for Pavel's return, but she has given up hope and visits Mrs Kocián only out of pity. One evening, an unknown man who introduces himself as Jonáš and claims to know Pavel visits her.
In early 20th century Czechoslovakia, a gravely ill chemist recalls his discovery of a powerful explosive and how it landed in the hands of anarchists.
Four short stories by the greatest Czech satirist Jaroslav Hašek. "Soup for Poor Children" tells the story of how Prince Robert himself cooked soup for poor children, "Meeting of the Municipal Council in Mejdlovary" is the history of filling the position of municipal policeman, "Trampotes of Mr. Tenkrát" shows how strange events lead to marriage and promotion, "Revolt of the Convict Šejba" depicts the victorious fight of the convict Šejba for a dumpling for ministering at mass.
Pavel, a young student living in Prague in 1942, hides a Jewish girl in his apartment building's attic. Amidst the brutality of the occupying German army, love blossoms between the two. He is her only link to the outside world. Then the two are discovered by Pavel's mother, who forces the residents of the apartment building to decide whether Hana can remain.
A Czech ship's doctor accidentally meets his fellow expatriates on a tropical island. Under his influence, a sympathetic young woman, who has gone abroad with her sickly old father and her selfish and unprincipled husband, decides to return to her homeland...
A Czech fairy tale about a princess named Lada who runs away from home in a mouse fur disguise in order to escape an unwanted and forced marriage.
Wandering through the forest, a woodcutter finds a golden fern whose seed turns into a beautiful woman - they fall in love. After getting drunk in a village feast, he gets to sign up to the army. The fairy gives him a shirt to wear and asks him to swear he will never abandon it. At the war front, he falls in love with the the colonel's daughter and will have to perform various feats to get her attention.
Two marriageable girls, Princess Disperanda and her maid Káča, sign a betrothal with their own blood in exchange for fairy-tale grooms. Although both devilish betrothals accidentally fall into the hands of the brave retired soldier Martin Kabát, the cunning devil Solfernus takes possession of them through cunning, and Martin has no choice but to go to the burning hell.
A poor musician with a good heart, as a reward for sharing even the last piece of bread despite being hungry himself, is rewarded with a miraculous napkin on which the best delicacies appear. However, a greedy innkeeper steals it from him along with a miraculous donkey from which ducats are pouring...
During the Nazi occupation of a Czech city civilians are being rounded up on the slightest of pretexts and shot. One day three high school boys who crack jokes about a recently deceased "hero of the Reich" are pulled out of school by the Gestapo.
In a country whose people have just been successfully persuaded of their superiority and the justification for military expansion by the fiery speeches of a dictator, the bacillus of a highly destructive form of leprosy has spread. It is called morbus Tshengi, or popularly „white disease“. The only one who has developed an effective cure for it is a physician of the poor named Galén. But he refuses to reveal the secret of his cure as long as the powerful destroy human lives through wars.
A spring is hidden in the Iron Mountain but the people of Arzen cannot get to it and they are suffering from thirst.
The gullible buyer Žemla Martin (Francis Smolik) finally opened his dream shop. After a while, you get a lot of friends. Especially the former captain Kyllijána (Vlasta Burian), who come to him to drink brandy debt and sit on a bag of peas, where he talks nonsense. Its debt is starting to grow nicely. Later dupe marry an evil Pavlina Šustrová (Ela Poznerová). It can also bring their calculating mother, widow Catherine Šustrová (Antonie Nedošínská). These two together with a bun Kyllijánem use, but outside him are friendly. Later, when Žemla catches his wife cheating when he has become the father of a foreign child, and when he discovers that the shop is broke and completely vyjedený, poisoning. A best friend Žemlův captain Kylliján happily drunk debt for plum deleted.
Dvořák's well-known composition reappears again and again in the serious moments of the lives of the father and son Hupeks - talented non-professional musicians for whom music gives them the opportunity to rise above difficulties and problems...
A comedy about a caring protector of the family who had help, good advice and understanding for everyone. No one in the family calls Anna Svojanovská anything other than Kvočna - everyone is used to running under her protective wings as soon as any problems arise. And what a blessing this mother and grandmother has to deal with!
Rich spinster Berta celebrates her sixtieth birthday. Her faithful admirer Dr. Jelinek proposes. But Berta can not forget Edward, the great love of her life, and refuses the offer…
Even the pre-Blohemian times were not idyllic. Even a bachelor, invited by the consuls to Rakovník to elevate the local education system, finds out. But the stingy and proud townspeople soon grow to dislike him, and even love does not develop according to his wishes.
A morally questionable lord comes to the aid of a working class man who is to be executed for speaking out about thieving rich scoundrels sticking it to the poor.
The story of high school students, talented Jan and Karel, who has a problem with math. Their life affects pedantic professor of mathematics Klec, that goes with them on a school trip, which escalates the conflict between them. Jan wants to escape, but Professor Donat will discourage him. Karel fails the exam of mathematics and decides to commit suicide.
A dashing but mysterious man saves a gambler from suicide, crashes the posh party of a prominent industrialist, falls in love with his daughter, and finds himself in a web of intrigue revolving around her blackmailing fiance and a gang of counterfeiters.
Five crime stories connected by the narration of police superintendent Bartosek.
Seventh form pupils at a grammar school in Přívlaky are preparing for a secondary school sports competition. Class creep Krhounek gives the class teacher Lejsal a copy of the seventh form’s magazine Roar. Most of the teachers insist on severe punishing the culprit. The author does not own up and consequently the whole class is punished by being banned from taking part in the schools competition. The most gifted pupil, Benetka, rather sharply criticises the school in a homework essay on a subject of his choice. The strict Czech language teacher is convinced Benetka is the author of the school magazine. Benetka denies the charge but his expulsion from school is proposed anyway on account the views he expounded in his essay. Eventually, Boukal, the author of the school magazine comes forward and admits to writing it. The pupils are allowed to take part in the contest and thanks to Benetka they win. In the meantime however the teachers vote to expell him.
The bickering of envious mistresses, the criminal intentions of fraudsters and the love of two young people are at the center of events, in the middle of which unfolds the fate of the city executioner Jiří, who longs to break free from his destiny and become a proper burgher. He is not heard, but he manages to expose the iniquities and their culprits, reunites a hard-pressed couple in love and his undeniable merits for the city and eventually bring him luck.
Czechoslovak drama film about soldiers returning from World War II
A wealthy playboy leads an irresponsible life until he meets an attractive and hard-working woman who leads him to transform his ways.
The generally respected director of a small-town savings bank, Hlavsa, commits embezzlement because of his wasteful and spoiled wife, and when the situation cannot be saved, he shoots himself. His mother, a simple village woman, takes in her widowed daughter-in-law and teenage grandson on the condition that they both help her to compensate for all the damage. For the city lady, the hard village work is suffering. The same goes for young Bořík, a gifted pianist who finds it difficult to give up his dreams of an artistic career...
This Czech sophisticated romantic comedy, filmed by director Anton also in a parallel French version ("Une petite femme dans le train"), casts beautiful Czech star Baarova in the role that Meg Lemonnier played in the Gallic version.
Tragicomic events in the idyllic town of Rukapán reveal both the prejudices of the local residents and their solidarity. The chronicle of the town of Rukapán captures the funny and tragic fates of its inhabitants at the end of the nineteenth century. Poacher Matěj saves the council of Zimmerheier in a buried mine, mayor Buzek is warned by an angel to stop drinking, and other events form a mosaic of the small town.
The story of the love life of sisters Lea and Ema Pohl and the comical escapades of Kristýna Žitná, Ema's classmate.
The heroes of the Czech film comedy are the students of the Business Academy, who sleep in the school desks under the avalanche of a large amount of study material, without which they say they will not be able to do without in their future profession. One of the least popular teachers is the strict and unyielding Professor Wolf, proud of his textbook. Nevertheless, student life is relatively calm, but only until the holidays come and the students go directly to the field for their holiday practice. The film follows how unhappy the first encounter with business reality turned out for three of them, for Karel Zeman, Ivan Javorský and Vašek Pelíšek...
A young and beautiful princess and her senile husband arrive at a castle near the village. The healthy air is supposed to help them with their busy heir. The princess accidentally meets the village shepherd Sochor and soon gives birth to a son. The young man from the village in question then marries and has only daughters. The princess returns after years with her clever son. He falls in love with Sochor's daughter, but her father drives him with a belt...
There are fairy tales that appear on TV screens every Christmas and there are fairy tales that have somewhat fallen into oblivion and few people remember them anymore. This is one of the lesser known ones. Its plot certainly needs no further introduction. After all, the fairy tale story of the Swimmer, the charcoal-maker's son, to whom the judges attribute the hand of a royal princess born at the same moment, is one of those which are not forgotten. And the Swimmer's difficult journey in pursuit of an almost impossible task, the three golden hairs of Grandfather Allfather, who is the Sun and dislikes mankind, is as fabulous as the advice he brings to three towns beset by strange woes.
Lola Holm, a medical student, is studying for her final exams. She rejects the courtship of psychiatrist Associate Professor Linn. Bank cashier Goll lives extravagantly and his salary is not enough for his excesses. He is in need and has mental problems. He seeks medical help and accidentally meets Lola. At first, she rejects Goll's attentions, but then she can't resist him and becomes his mistress. Goll embezzles money. He is exposed and faces imprisonment. He turns to his uncle for help, but he rejects his request...
A daughter of a celebrity family experiences a holiday adventure with a mysterious young man. Though she is strongly attracted to him, she is also concerned about his sinister, panicky speech, his fierce charisma.
The imperial councilor Ullik decides to modernize his old mills by installing a new turbine. His eccentric brother-in-law Artuš tries to prevent this, as the construction work disrupts the statics of the tower in which he lives. Ullik's older daughter Tynda is a talented singer. The bewitched girl secretly accepts the courtship of the virile Václav, the son of the night watchman. Her younger sister, the doctor Marie, wins the heart and hand of the astronomer Zouplna, despite her father's prohibition...
Intern Plichta arrives to work at a country estate, where there is a strict ban on marriage for officials, issued by the count. However, Plichta meets Jiřina Krátká on the way, falls in love with her and intends to marry her. Adjunct Ptáček and intern Ráček are also vying for Jiřina. All the officials already have brides in mind, whom they call chicaneries. The news of the count's death causes a stir, and twelve merry-making parties are planned at the estate at once...
Attorney František Uher is known for his patriotic mindset and active assistance in disputes between the Czechs and the Austrian justice system. One of his clients is the poet Šulc, who, while staying with Uhry, discovers that the lawyer's wife Anna is flirting with Uhry's cousin Hojer. When Anna does not respond to Šulc's warning, the poet draws attention to Anna's relationship with Uhra. Uher wants to know the truth, so he returns early from a business trip and actually catches Anna cheating. Disappointment brings him to the "Batalion" pub in Old Prague, where Šulc also used to go some time ago. Here, Uher becomes a mentor to the poorest, but gradually falls into alcoholism. He once again finds strength and stands on the side of justice when he accuses the police in court of murdering poor Lojzík, who wanted to marry the unfortunate waitress from "Battalion" Mimi. After appearing in court, Uher is arrested and "Battalion" is closed. After his release, Uher becomes an organist...
The biographical film about the prematurely deceased violin virtuoso Josef Slavík takes place entirely like a haunting dream, in the mind of a feverish artist who remembers how he amazed Paganini himself with his playing.
The fiddler Valenta has troubled his wife with his drinking and disorderly life. His daughter Rozárka and her younger sisters go to their aunt's in Prague, and their father sets fire to the abandoned house. Rozárka is suspected...
In the Škoda factory, where they are feverishly rearming in 1914, works the foreman Kalina, the father of the young men Pavel and Jan. Pavel is a supporter of the monarchy, while Jan, on the contrary, defends the idea of our national independence. Just before mobilization, Jan escapes to Russia, where he joins a group of volunteer legionnaires called the "Czech Company", fighting against the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. Pavel enlists in the Austrian army. The brothers do not meet again until July 1917 in the battle of Zborov in Ukraine, which marked a successful breakthrough of the Austro-Hungarian front.
Vojtěch's beloved Frantina is leaving for Prague to work. Vojtěch promises his dying mother that he will become a priest. His brother Karel is to inherit the mill. However, during the feast, he attacks the weak Josífek and then flees the village. He hides in a quarry with an unknown vagrant. While blasting a stone in the quarry, the vagrant dies, and Karel exchanges his documents for his own. Vojtěch is still thinking about Frantina in the seminary.
Summer 1916. A transport of Russian prisoners of war passes through Brno. The health of Russian officer Ryepkin deteriorates so much that he is taken to an Austrian military hospital. He almost dies and needs a transfusion. The German nurse Mathilda is the only one with the same blood type. However, because she hates everything Slavic, she hesitates to help and the chief physician, MUDr. Šrámek, has to remind her of her human duty.
The economic crisis affects the lives of many people. Professor Václav Junek gradually discovers how significantly his idealistic vision differs from the real life of his four children. The eldest son Zdeněk has been an unemployed engineer for two years. Daughter Pavla, a doctor, works in a hospital for a very low salary. The second daughter Hanka has left her job as a stenographer and wants to become a film actress...
The Czech revival movement is divided at the end of the first half of the 19th century. While the older generation, such as František Palacký, urges restraint, students lean towards radical positions. A report on the revolutionary events in Paris prompts Czech Prague residents to write down the demands of the Czech nation for self-determination and the proclamation of a constitution. Tensions peak during the All-Slavic Congress in Prague's Žofín. Vienna rejects the Czech demands and the congress is brutally dispersed by the Austrian police. Prague begins to build barricades...
The leader of the emerging organized labor movement in the 1880s, Ladislav Zápotocký-Budečský, is exiled to his native village, where he works as a tailor and continues to raise social awareness among members of the working class.
A story about the conditions in Bohemia in the second half of the nineteenth century, when small-town officials, such as Hrdlička, succumbed to the predators of the emerging large financial and industrial bourgeoisie, represented by Jestřáb.
Frona Filípková, out of a desire for a better life, married Floriš Zobač on the land. However, the ownership of the land has affected both her husband and her father-in-law, who, out of hatred, intrigue against the emerging agricultural cooperative and against each other, so Frona looks for a way to free herself.
Directed by Svatopluk Innemann.
The year is 2163. Starship Ikaria XB 1 embarks on a mission deep into space in search of alien life. During their perilous journey the crew confront the effects of a malignant dark star, the destructive legacy of the 20th century and, ultimately, the limits of their own sanity.
Vladimír Olmer is a student at the Faculty of Medicine. His father, a famous Prague surgeon, is rightly proud of him. One day, Vladimír accidentally meets his former classmate Emil Prokeš. He introduces him to his frivolous friends, who only care about how to earn money for an idle life without any effort. The trusting Vladimír takes a liking to his new friends, especially when the beautiful Helena shows interest in him. Soon, parties with alcohol are more important to Vladimír than his studies. Mirek, his only real friend, warns him in vain. His frivolous life ends with a fateful party at which Emil is shot. The case cannot be covered up, the security services get involved, and Vladimír is expelled from the faculty for a year.
"The Rally" is based on a communist writer Vaclav Řezáč's well-written novel of the same name
An anti-war black comedy set during the Thirty Years' War. It follows ploughman Petr, recruiter Matěj and country girl Lenka who get caught up in both sides of the war and experience many adventures before they find happiness. The film combines live action with animation to suggest the artistic style of the engraver Matthäus Merian.
Two good friends return from long-term military service: Jan Cimbura from Semic and Josef Piksa from Putim. Piksa farms on his own, Cimbura accepts service with the Hradiště farmer and mayor of Kovanda. The farmhand Cimbura is a real treasure for the farm. He is strong and hardworking, he doesn't drink or smoke. He can keep his eyes on the girl Marjánka, and Cimbura likes her too. However, Cimbura doesn't want to and cannot marry. First, he wants to become independent, and that may take years....
The first part of the "Hussite Revolutionary Trilogy", completed with Jan Žižka (1955) and Proti všem (Against All Odds, 1957). The film captures the period from May 1412 to the summer of 1415, a turbulent time in the Czech Kingdom, during which there were protests in Prague against the sale of "omnipotent indulgences" whose sale throughout the kingdom was announced by Pope John XXIII. The ideological leader of this movement is the preacher Master Jan Hus, whose words, calling for the elimination of church abuses, are listened to in the Bethlehem Chapel by thousands of ordinary Praguers, Czech lords and Queen Sophie, wife of the Czech King Wenceslas IV.
A construction comedy about the labor struggle of two groups of workers in a Prague factory. The old group is led by the grinder Karhan, while the young group is led by his son. The struggle between the two groups leads to the emergence of socialist competition and cooperation, in which the old share their experience with the young, and the young share their new ideas.
Widowed yeoman Tuma and his household are on their way to help the town of Kourim, which is under attack by the papist troops. His son Ondra is secretly following his father. Miksík the castellan, who is responsible for Ondra, finds himself forced to set off after the boy. They are both captured by soldiers from Kutná Hora. Miksík sacrifices himself to give Ondra a chance to flee. On the way, Ondra runs into the orphan Sulík. The two boys become friends and begin to wander together.
Concert master Karel Mašek is a drunk, as well as engineer Danda and other regular guests of the pub U Kroců. Mašek returns from the pub in the morning and promises the woman that he will stop drinking. But he failed again, and the orchestra players refuse to play with him. Danda returns home without a bag and goes to Krocs again in the morning, even though he has an important job at work. He has been degraded to subordinate job position, but he refused to admit it at home.
This exemplary "psychological drama" depicts the difficulties with which a new socialist mindset is born. Director Jiří Sequens warns against ill-advised marriages into the families of the defeated bourgeoisie, because the former royalty refuses to accept a man from a different social class. The heroes of this film will find out. The former owner of a pharmacy refuses to accept that his daughter has married a mere technical draughtsman. However, her father's hateful schemes cause the sensitive woman to attempt suicide.
The bridegroom Jan Kaspar is an officer in the Klement Gottwald's Nová Hut rolling-mill. After bidding farewell to his freedom, he accidentally takes a sip from the bottle of tetrachlore which he stores at home. He disregards the dizziness, but the next day, he faints in the factory and has a brain concussion. During her regular tests, doctor Dudková is shocked by a high percentage of residual nitrogen found in Kaspar's blood. Doctor Bohácek, with whom Dudková consults, thinks that it is a liver disease and informs the head physician Filip. The doctors know nothing about tetrachlore and are in the dark about the case. Despite that, they immediately start to fight for Kaspar's life and their struggle consequently affects their personal lives.
The history of the rebellion of the brave Chody, led by Jan Sladký Kozina and Matěj Přibek, against the violent tyranny of the foreign nobleman Maximilian Lamminger of Albenreuth. Based on the novel of the same name by Alois Jirásek.
Working in the city office is a bitter clerk who believes he has only 14 days to live and so he bravely stands up to his bureaucratic director.