School Is the Foundation of Life
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1938Production year
1938Premiere
11 November 1938Runtime
81 minDirector
Martin FričCategory
filmGenre
comedyTypology
featuretheatrical distributionlongOriginal title
Škola základ životaCzech title
Škola základ životaEnglish title
School Is the Foundation of LifeProtectorate parallel title
Die Schule, Grundstein des LebensSummary
Together with Journey into the Cesta do hlubin študákovy duše (Journey into the Depth of the Student's Soul, 1939), this comedy from the proven director Martin Frič is one of two ageless films that still win over audiences thanks to their intelligent humour. In a story inspired by the humourist Jaroslav Žák’s musical comedy and sketches of the same name, gymnasts get into trouble because of their humorous class magazine Řev septimy (The Roar of the Seventh). If the author of a text ridiculing the teaching staff does not own up, the seventh-year students face being banned from participating in an eagerly anticipated high-school sports tournament. The students, however, have no idea who wrote the scathingly ironic article... Perfect casting also contributed to this film’s popularity and it does not matter that Ladislav Pešek, who played the student Čuřil, was 32 when the film was made František Filipovský (who played the swot Krhounek) was just a year younger.
Synopsis
Seventh form pupils at a grammar school in Přívlaky are preparing for a secondary school sports competition. Class creep Krhounek gives the class teacher Lejsal a copy of the seventh form's magazine Roar. Of all the teachers, only two are able to laugh at the humourous descriptions of them - the young teacher Bartoš and the old and wise teacher Gábrlík. The others insist on severe punishing the culprit. The author does not own up and consequently the whole class is punished by being banned from taking part in the schools competition. The most gifted pupil, Benetka, rather sharply criticises the school in a homework essay on a subject of his choice. The strict Czech language teacher is convinced Benetka is the author of the school magazine. Benetka denies the charge but his expulsion from school is proposed anyway on account the views he expounded in his essay. Bartoš the teacher calls on the author of the school magazine to come forward, and Boukal, top of the class, admits to writing it. The pupils are now allowed to take part in the contest and thanks to Benetka they win. In the meantime however the teachers vote to expell him. Though poor, Benetka is able to complete his education at another school because the necessary money is given to him by Koďousek, a teacher who wants to make up for having also voted for his expulsion.
Photos
Cast
Theodor Pištěk
ředitel reálného gymnázia
Marta Májová
Anna, manželka ředitele gymnázia
František Kreuzmann
profesor latiny Lejsal, třídní septimy
Milada Smolíková
Lejsalová, manželka latináře
František Smolík
profesor přírodopisu Gábrlík
Ladislav Boháč
profesor francouzštiny Bartoš
Jaroslav Marvan
profesor češtiny Kolísko
Václav Trégl
profesor matematiky Ludvík Koďousek
Karel Postranecký
profesor dějepisu Mykiska
Čeněk Šlégl
profesor tělocviku Lusk
Marie Burešová
suplující profesorka Božena Lachoutová
Lola Skrbková
profesorka přírodopisu Suchánková
Gustav Hilmar
školník Mleziva
Jaroslav Průcha
nezaměstnaný dělník Jindřich Benetka
Antonín Novotný
septimán Jindra Benetka
Karel Jičínský
továrník Krhounek
František Filipovský
septimán Ludvík Krhounek
Miloš Šubrt
kantýnský Hájek
Věra Gabrielová
septimánka Máňa Hájková
Ladislav Pešek
septimán Áda Čuřil
R. A. Strejka
septimán Tonda Holous
Zorka Janů
septimánka Jiřina Nováková
Zdeňka Baldová
matka kvintána Živného
Milivoj Uzelac
septimán
Antonín Padrlík
septimán
Vladimír Cikán
septimán
Jarmila Holmová
septimánka
Ladislav Velíšek
kvintán
Josef Kemr
tercián Vávra
Václav Piskáček
otec terciána Vávry
Vladimír Salač
sekundán
Marie Pilská
matka sekundána
František Roland
zemský školní inspektor Randa
Alois Dvorský
profesor
Leopold Horešovský
číšník
Dagmar Appelová
holčička
Milena Velíšková
septimánka
Marie Přikrylová
matka studenta Řeháka
František Šimon
reportér přeborů
Jaroslav Palát
septimán Boukal
Dubbing
Martin Frič
hlas z rozhlasu
Crew and creators
Director
Assistant Director
Based on
Jaroslav Žák (Škola základ života – kniha), Jaroslav Žák (Škola základ života – divadelní hra)
Screenplay
Director of Photography
Camera Operator
Production Designer
Set Designer
Costumes
Make-Up Artist
Film Editor
Sound Designer
Production Manager
Cooperation
Willy Ströminger (fotograf)
Music
Music Composed by
Music Performed by
Orchestr F.O.K. (Music Conducted by Julius Kalaš)
Songs
Maminko, mámo
Song Composer Jaroslav Mottl
Writer of Lyrics Jaroslav Mottl
Singer Ladislav Pešek
Production info
Original Title
Škola základ života
Czech Title
Škola základ života
English Title
School Is the Foundation of Life
Protectorate Parallel Title
Die Schule, Grundstein des Lebens
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distribution
Genre
comedy
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1938
Production Year
1938
Production specifications
start of filming 18 August 1938
end of filming 3 September 1938
date of censorship 11/1938
date of censorship 03/1940
withdrawal from distribution 03/1945
withdrawal from distribution 15 October 1993
Premiere
premiere 11 November 1938 /suitable for youths/ (kina Adrie /4 týdny/ a Juliš /4 týdny/, Praha)
Production
With support
Copyright Holders
Studio
Distribution
Technical info
Duration typology
feature film
Duration in minutes
81 min
Original length in metres
2 310 meters
Distribution carrier
35mm
Aspect ratio
1:1,37
Colour
black & white
Sound
sound
Sound system/format
Tobis – Klang
Versions
Czech
Dialogue languages
Czech
Subtitles languages
without subtitles
Opening/End credits languages
Czech
Awards
Vítěz
Event: Ceny ministra průmyslu, obchodu a živností
1939
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Martin Frič
