An old farmer from Chodsko, Záhoř, persuades young Podestát that he returned a loan of 300 gold pieces to his father before the latter's death. Out of miserliness Záhoř is even prepared to perjure himself before the court. The angered creditor warns him of God's wrath. Záhoř's sons, Matěj and Vondra, are wooing the same girl, the smith's daughter Nana. She chooses to marry the younger and more sensitive Matěj who, being the married son, then becomes the manager of the estate. But Matěj being slightly slothful, Vondra ends up playing a greater part in the running of the estate and in Nana's life. Nana reveals she is expecting Vondra's child, and Matěj decides to go to America. Vondra notices Matěj has some money and assumes that he stole it from Nana. The brothers quarrel and in an unfortunate accident Vondra kills Matěj. A neighbour sees Vondra burying the body. Old Záhoř wants to return the money but Podestát refuses it as it is cursed. The farmer in despair burns the banknotes in his barn and causes a fire. The whole farm burns down; only a shaken Nana and her baby boy escape the blaze.
This theme had already been treated in a Czech film under the same title (1929; directed by Josef Medeotti-Boháč). The film materials are believed lost.
sedlák Thomas Zahor
Andres, Zahorův syn
Matthias, Zahorův syn
kovář Drastil
Nana, Drastilova dcera
Drastilova žena
sedlák Podestát
Jan Vrba (Boží mlýny – román)
Willy Ströminger (fotograf)
Orchestr F.O.K. (Music Conducted by Jiří Fiala)
Boží mlýny [německá verze]
Boží mlýny [německá verze]
God's Mills [German version]
Die Gottes Mühlen
Gottes Mühlen
film
featuretheatrical distribution
lost film
drama
Czechoslovakia
1937
1937
start of filming 3 September 1937
end of filming 29 November 1937
date of censorship 01/1938
date of censorship 12/1940
withdrawal from distribution 18 May 1945
premiere 15 November 1938 /unsuitable for youths/ (kino Urania /½ týdne/, Praha)
feature film
87 min
2 460 meters
35mm
1:1,37
black & white
sound
Tobis – Klang
German
German
without subtitles
German