The Wife Smells a Rat

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1938

Production year

1938

Premiere

14 October 1938

Runtime

79 min

Category

film

Genre

comedy

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Manželka něco tuší

Czech title

Manželka něco tuší

English title

The Wife Smells a Rat

Protectorate parallel title

Die Gattin ahnt etwas

Synopsis

Elderly counsellor-business Křelina is an enemy of all nature-lovers, preferring the comfort of his armchair. After an argument with his wife he finds himself among hikers who take him out on an excursion. His sojourn in the open countryside completely changes him. In order to be able to enjoy the outdoor life uninterrupted, Křelina feigns illness and tells his wife that he has to go off to a spa. In reality he is out sitting round camp fires with the hikers. He befriends Jiří who, unbeknown to him, loves his daughter Věra. Although the young couple are in love, Mrs Křelinová considers her right-hand man, Mr Vaňous, to be her daughter's official suitor. On Vaňous's advice, Mrs Křelinová sets off to visit her husband at the spa, also to check up on him. When she discovers that she has been deceived, she makes some investigations with Mr Vaňous and soon finds out that Věra has been meeting Jiří in secret at a cottage and that her husband is also one of the hikers. She is most surprised, however, by the change in her husband. He has become the energetic man she had always longed for, thus she forgives him for his little deception. (According to promotional material issued at the time the film was made)

Note

The last quarter of the film is lost.

Cast

Jára Kohout

obchodní rada Tomáš Křelina zvaný strýc Tom, majitel domu

Růžena Šlemrová

Křelinova žena

Zita Kabátová

Věra, dcera Křelinových

Anna Letenská

Anežka, služebná u Křelinových

Jára Pospíšil

advokát Jiří Netolický, student filozofie

Bedřich Veverka

vrchní tajemník Vaňous

Alois Dvorský

ševcovský mistr Václav Drbohlav

Jarka Pižla

tramp Franta Drbohlav zvaný Zrzavý Frank, ševcův syn

Betty Kysilková

pradlena Anna Vyskočilová

Jiřina Sedláčková

Máňa, dcera Vyskočilové

Ludvík Letenský

holič Lojza

Jaroslav Marvan

MUDr. Šmejkal, Křelinův přítel

F. X. Mlejnek

vrátný Vyzina

Milka Balek-Brodská

Vyzinova žena

Filip Balek-Brodský

hráč karet, Křelinův přítel

Marie Oliaková

žena na schodech

Crew and creators

Assistant Director

Jiří Kratina

Based on

Máňa Dubská (Manželka něco tuší – román)

Director of Photography

Míla Vích

Production Designer

Alois Mecera

Film Editor

Marie Bourová

Sound Designer

Stanislav Vondraš

Production Manager

František Navrátil

Cooperation

Willy Ströminger (fotograf)

Music

Music Composed by

Sláva Mach

Music Performed by

Orchestr Harryho Ostena (Music Conducted by Sláva Mach)

Songs

Mně stačí jen nepatrná maličkost /Mně stačí jen maličkost/ (valčík a waltz)

Song Composer Sláva Mach
Writer of Lyrics Jan KaplanBedřich Šulc
Singer Jára Pospíšil

Svorně k cíli (pochod)

Song Composer Sláva Mach
Writer of Lyrics Jan KaplanBedřich Šulc
Singer Pěvecký kvartet Kansas Bedřicha Kertena

Tmou mé sny jdou (tango)

Song Composer Sláva Mach
Writer of Lyrics Jan KaplanBedřich Šulc
Singer Jára Pospíšil

Svět je pro kočku (polka)

Song Composer Bedřich Kerten
Writer of Lyrics Jan KaplanBedřich Šulc
Singer Pěvecký kvartet Kansas Bedřicha Kertena

Zapomenout (tango)

Song Composer Sláva Mach

Production info

Original Title

Manželka něco tuší

Czech Title

Manželka něco tuší

English Title

The Wife Smells a Rat

Protectorate Parallel Title

Die Gattin ahnt etwas

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

comedy

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1938

Production Year

1938

Production specifications

date of censorship 10/1938
date of censorship 02/1940
withdrawal from distribution 02/1945

Premiere

premiere 14 October 1938 /unsuitable for youths/ (kino Ráj /3 týdny/, Praha)

Production

Excelsiorfilm

Copyright Holders

Národní filmový archiv

Distribution

Excelsiorfilm

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

79 min

Original length in metres

2 245 meters

Distribution carrier

35mm

Aspect ratio

1:1,37

Colour

black & white

Sound

sound

Sound system/format

Visatone

Versions

Czech

Dialogue languages

Czech

Subtitles languages

without subtitles

Opening/End credits languages

Czech