People in the Valley [German version]

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1937

Production year

1937

Premiere

13 May 1938

Runtime

91 min

Category

film

Genre

drama

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Film state

lost film

Original title

Lidé pod horami [německá verze]

Czech title

Lidé pod horami [německá verze]

English title

People in the Valley [German version]

Parallel title

Menschen in den Bergen

Synopsis

Brychta, a solitary eccentric and owner of a mill in the mountains, is set on marrying Tereza, the ward of a farmer named Havrda. They live in a small village comprising only a few cottages and all the men in the community are wild about the beautiful, fair-haired Tereza. She, however, only has eyes for the stable-boy Martin but he rejects her, intending to marry another. Brychta goes to court Tereza and sees her embracing Martin. The miller returns home and, in his bitter disappointment, dams up the stream - the only source of water for the village. Farmers Albín, Rybák, Hájek and Havrda discover what he has done and start breaking down the dam. Brychta tries to stop them, threatening them with his rifle. Tempers rise and Albín kills him with a hoe. The men weigh down Brychta's body with a boulder and throw him in the pond. A wandering accordion-player named Jozífek stumbles across the old mill and, finding it empty, steals some money he finds there. His unexpected extravagance leads to his imprisonment and he is charged with the murder. Albín is tormented by his conscience and begins to suffer fits. Tereza, who discovers the truth about the murder, becomes the victim of accusations from her guardian who claims she is at fault for all that has happened. The farmers return to the mill to bury the body, but are arrested. They are judged to have acted in self-defence, however, and the court lets them go free. Tereza leaves the village and the farmers return to their normal lives.

Note

Josef Toman adapted the original film story into the novel Wasp´s Nest. The film materials are believed lost.

Cast

Willi Volker

sedlák Havrda

Jiřina Štěpničková

Anka, Havrdova schovanka

Leo Mittersteiner

mlynář Hans Brychta

Rudolf Stadler

sedlák Hájek

Marion Wünsche /ž/

Hanka, Hájkova dcera

Viktor Afritsch

sedlák Rybák

Karl Trabauer

sedlák Albin

Else Lord /ž/

Marie, Albinova žena

Fritz Klippel

čeledín Štěpán

Alexander Fischer-Marich

potulný muzikant Zedníček

Walter Szurowy

čeledín Martin

Crew and creators

Assistant Director

Josef Zezulka

Screenstory

Josef Toman

Director of Photography

Ferdinand Pečenka, Josef Střecha

Production Designer

Karel Petr Adam

Set Designer

Arnold Reimann

Film Editor

Jan Kohout

Production Manager

František Jerhot

Cooperation

Willy Ströminger (fotograf)

Music

Music Composed by

Erno Košťál

Music Performed by

Orchestr F.O.K. (Music Conducted by Erno Košťál)

Production info

Original Title

Lidé pod horami [německá verze]

Czech Title

Lidé pod horami [německá verze]

English Title

People in the Valley [German version]

Parallel Title

Menschen in den Bergen

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Film state

lost film

Genre

drama

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1937

Production Year

1937

Production specifications

start of filming 28 July 1937
end of filming 24 August 1937
date of censorship 02/1938
withdrawal from distribution 1 June 1940

Premiere

premiere 13 May 1938 /unsuitable for youths/ (kino Urania /1 týden/, Praha)

Production

Meissner, Wolframfilm (zadavatel)

Copyright Holders

Národní filmový archiv

Distribution

Wolframfilm

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

91 min

Original length in metres

2 600 meters

Distribution carrier

35mm

Aspect ratio

1:1,37

Colour

black & white

Sound

sound

Sound system/format

Tobis – Klang

Versions

German

Dialogue languages

German

Subtitles languages

without subtitles

Opening/End credits languages

German

Awards

Vítěz

Event: Soutěž Filmového studia na původní filmové drama

1936
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Josef Toman