The daughter of a land owner, Zdenka Menšíková, is an exceedingly mischievous girl. Her father, a widower, marries for the second time, even though her daughter does not agree with the match. Zdenka makes all kinds of trouble for her stepmother. When the care of a strict governess proves to be of no help at all, her father decides to send Zdenka to a boarding school. Christmas approaches and Zdenka is saddened to receive a letter from her father in which he tells her it would be best if she stayed at the boarding school for Christmas. Zdenka sends some presents home with a letter in which she asks her stepmother for forgiveness. Several weeks later she receives news from home that her stepmother has given birth to a little boy. Celebrations are being organised at the boarding school. During a drill, the little ward Lo becomes ill and she dies shortly afterwards. Spring arrives and Zdenka says farewell to Ellen and returns home. She is welcomed by the family, including her little brother Jiříček, she has to face the attentions of Mr Alfréd but finally accepts an offer of marriage from Sýkora, the son of a landlord.
The novel "Svéhlavička" (A Mind of her Own), written by Emmy von Rhoden, was adapted for its Czech publication by Eliška Krásnohorská; this adaptation was used for the film. In the introductory titles the film-makers thank the following firms for lending their products during the making of the film: Weigert, Spálená street (ladies´ toilets), Gottwald and Co., Národní street (iron furniture), Bondy, Wenceslas Square (children´s clothing), Münzberger and Štěpnička, Spálená street ("cutlery and porcelain"), Hronek, Old Town Square (work coats).
svéhlavička Zdena Menšíková
velkostatkář a okresní starosta Menšík, Zdenin otec
Zdenčina nevlastní matka, příbuzná Sýkorových
kočí Mates
zahradník v penzionátu
služka u Menšíků Kačenka
chovanka v penzionátu Lili
statkář Sýkora
advokát Jiří, Sýkorův syn
vesnický kluk
ředitelka penzionátu slečna Záleská
učitelka slečna Hodanová
Čechoameričanka Ellen Greyová, chovanka v penzionátu
chovanka v penzionátu Milada
učitel češtiny dr. Dvorecký
učitelka angličtiny
starý učitel Kročenský, Menšíkův přítel
Zdenčin ctitel pan Alfréd
Alfrédův otec
host na večírku v penzionátu
host na večírku v penzionátu
obsluhující u stolu
holčička Lilli-Lo, chovanka v penzionátu
žena v černém na pohřbu
Emmy von Rhoden (Svéhlavička – román), Eliška Krásnohorská (Svéhlavička – román)
Fotoatelier Benda (fotograf)
Svéhlavička
Svéhlavička
A Self-Willed Girl
film
featuretheatrical distribution
comedy
Czechoslovakia
1926
1926
date of censorship 1926
date of censorship 03/1933 (konec povolení k promítání 1938)
premiere 7 January 1927 /unsuitable for youths/ (kino Lucerna /2 týdny/, Praha)
feature film
97 min
2 750 meters
35mm
1:1,33
black & white
silent
Czech
without dialogue
without subtitles
Czech
Czech