For the Freedom of a Nation
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1920Production year
1920Premiere
12 November 1920Runtime
112 minDirector
Václav BinovecCategory
filmGenre
dramaTypology
featuretheatrical distributionlongOriginal title
Za svobodu národaCzech title
Za svobodu národaEnglish title
For the Freedom of a NationSynopsis
Student Jiří Voldán, after the mobilisation order of 1914, is called up to serve in the Austro-Hungarian army to fight against Russia. With his Czech and Slovak compatriots he decides to cross to side with the Russians. He is wounded and in a Kiev military hospital he meets the Slovak nurse Maryša who has fled from the Hungarian authorities. Jiří recovers and joins the Czechoslovak legion which takes him to Italy and France. He is arrested twice during the War and condemned to death for treason. His friends, however, set him free. After the declaration of Czechoslovak independence Jiří and Maryša return to Prague. Their happiness, however, does not last long. News arrives of the occupation of Slovakia by the Hungarians and Jiří is again forced to fight. Maryša is wounded in battle and she dies in the arms of a distraught Jiří.
Note
The film contains authentic shots of autumn 1918, Karel Kramář, Václav Klofáč, general Josef Šnejdárek and T. G. Masaryk in the USA. Working shots are included in the film How films were made in our country (compiled by Bohumil Veselý, 1954).
Photos
Cast
V. Ch. Vladimírov
Jiří Voldán
Suzanne Marwille
ošetřovatelka Maryša
Evžen Georgij Jevgeněv
nadporučík Szabo
Marie Ptáková
Jiřího matka
Václav Vydra st.
německý velitel von Bühren
L. H. Struna
Slovák Miško
Jan W. Speerger
horník z Těšínska/Jan Hus
Václav Kubásek
pěšák Kubík
kapitán Zaňka
ruský velitel
Alois Tichý
dobrovolník
Václav Zatíranda
dobrovolník
František Marek
dobrovolník
Jaroslav Svára
dobrovolník
Karel Votruba
dobrovolník
Václav Rapp
dobrovolník
Mario Karas
Jan Amos Komenský
Ferry Seidl
Jan Žižka
František Rybín
popravčí legionářů
Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk
on sám, TGM v USA
Karel Kramář
on sám, ve vězení
Crew and creators
Director
Screenstory
Screenplay
Director of Photography
Jindřich Brichta, Alois Jalovec, Otto Heller, Svatopluk Innemann, Václav Münzberger
Production Designer
Consultant
npor. Nesměrák
Production info
Original Title
Za svobodu národa
Czech Title
Za svobodu národa
English Title
For the Freedom of a Nation
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distribution
Genre
drama
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1920
Production Year
1920
Production specifications
date of censorship 1920
date of censorship 18 June 1922
date of censorship 03/1933 (konec povolení k promítání 1938)
Premiere
premiere 12 November 1920 /unsuitable for youths/ (kino Světozor, Praha)
Production
Copyright Holders
Studio
Distribution
Technical info
Duration typology
feature film
Duration in minutes
112 min
Original length in metres
3 200 meters
Distribution carrier
35mm
Aspect ratio
1:1,33
Colour
tinting, black & white
Sound
silent
Versions
Czech
Dialogue languages
without dialogue
Subtitles languages
without subtitles
Intertitles languages
Czech
Opening/End credits languages
Czech
