Ladislav Brom made this sports comedy in 1938, working from a script written by Karel Steklý – soon to become a successful director himself – which was based on Eduard Bass’ humorous and eponymous book. Similarly to the book, the film’s main attraction is a team of 11 gifted footballers – all sons of garage owner Klapzuba. In addition to delving into the temptations of going professional (and jeopardising family harmony), this easy-viewing movie also features a romantic flare-up involving centre forward Pepík Klapzuba (Jan Šebor) and pretty Eva (Hana Vítová). The parents are played in what was an internationally successful motion picture by Theodor Pištěk and Antonie Nedošinská, while other parts are assigned to equally prominent contemporary stars of the silver screen. The footballers were mostly played by non-actors and professional athletes. In its day the film attracted attention not just for its sporting theme, but also for its patriotic feel.
The owner of an auto-repair shop, Klapzuba, has eleven athletically talented sons. The former internationalist Hájek persuades them to form their own football team. The boys train hard and play their first successful match. Two of the brothers, Pepík and Jarda, go for a drive in the repaired automobile of banker Šlejhar. On the roadway they aid two young girls who have wrecked their car. Eva Bínová, the daughter of the president of the S. K. Meteor company, and her friend Helena would like to go to the week-end house. The young men fix the car and Pepík has his eyes fixed on Eva. Helena discovers in addition that according to the licence plate number of the car, Pepík is the banker's son. Helena's friend wants to make use of this connection and she stops by the actual banker's son, Professor Šlejhar. But the young professor understandably denies any connection with Eva. Thus the annoyed girl ends the short acquaintanceship. The brothers leave for a tour and spread the fame of our football at home and abroad. The builder Bína invites Pepík over and offers him a professional contract. Eva, who has grasped the accidental confusion of before, makes her peace with Pepík. The amateur football club The Klapzubas is not able to financially sustain itself and therefore its members are compelled to sign transfers to other clubs. In the evening before the European Cup the national team disintegrates due to the various injuries of the players. The Klapzuba eleven are once again reunited, returning to amateur football and forming the new and successful national team.
Among other shots, used in the film, are shots from the World Cup match between Czechoslovakia and Brazil in Bordeaux in France (1938) and shots from: the match between Czechoslovakia and Bulgaria (1938), the match between Czechoslovakia and Wolverhampton Wanderers (England) and the match between Slávie and Genova (1938). Theodor Pištěk acts Krištof Klapzuba, but his auto-repair is named Kryštof´s.
majitel autosprávkárny Krištof Klapzuba
Kamilka, Klapzubova žena
Jarda Klapzuba
Pepík Klapzuba, střední útočník
Standa Klapzuba
Láďa Klapzuba
Béďa Klapzuba
Olda Klapzuba
Franta Klapzuba
Václav Klapzuba
Honza Klapzuba, brankář
dvojčata Cyril a Metoděj Klapzubové
stavitel Ing. J. Bína, předseda S. K. Meteoru
Eva, Bínova dcera
kapitán fotbalové asociace
mezinárodní agent Dostál
fotbalový nadšenec Novák
Bivoj, Novákův syn
Helena, Evina přítelkyně
redaktor Palička
profesor Šlejhar, syn bankéře
funkcionář S. K. Meteoru
majitel benzinové pumpy Hájek, trenér a bývalý fotbalista
hlasatel Běhounek
sekretář fotbalové asociace
klubovní lékař
člen výboru fotbalové asociace
Bárta, host u Bínů
ředitel kladenských železáren, host u Bínů
host u Bínů
Bártova žena, host u Bínů
lékař
barman, kamarád Pepíka Klapzuby
mladý fotbalista
divák na kopané
divák na kopané
divák na kopané
zákazník u pumpy/divák na kopané
druhý hlasatel
komorná u Bínů
Eduard Bass (Klapzubova jedenáctka – povídka)
Antonín Frič (fotograf)
Orchestr F.O.K. (Music Conducted by Josef Dobeš)
Song Composer Josef Dobeš
Writer of Lyrics Ladislav Brom
Singer mužský sborFanda MrázekJiří VondrovičRaoul SchránilJan ŠeborVilém ŠťovíkJosef HampacherJosef ZemanKarel FořtFrantišek Kuželbratři Ronkové
Song Composer František Svojík
Writer of Lyrics Ladislav Brom
Singer Míla Spazierová-Hezká
Song Composer Josef Dobeš
Writer of Lyrics Ladislav Brom
Singer Míla Svoboda [dab]Oldřich KovářJaroslav Marvan [dab]
Song Composer Josef Dobeš
Writer of Lyrics Ladislav Brom
Singer mužský sbor
Klapzubova XI.
Klapzubova XI.
The Klapzuba's Eleven
Die Klapzuba XI
film
featuretheatrical distribution
comedy, sport
Czechoslovakia
1938
1938
date of censorship 08/1938
date of censorship 05/1940
withdrawal from distribution 18 May 1945
date of censorship 3 October 1945 (konec povolení k promítání 3. 10. 1946)
date of censorship 12 September 1946 (konec povolení k promítání 12. 9. 1947)
withdrawal from distribution 11 August 1947
withdrawal from distribution 31 August 1976
premiere 2 September 1938 /suitable for youths/ (kina Letka /2 týdny/ a Metro /1½ týdne/, Praha)
renewed premiere 12 October 1945 /suitable for youths/
renewed premiere 9 July 1968 /suitable for youths/
renewed premiere 27 September 2018 /suitable for all ages without limit/
An older Czech film based on a literary masterpiece by Eduard Bass. (1968) / no caption (2018)
Reiter (původní 1938), Státní půjčovna filmů (obnovená 1945), Ústřední půjčovna filmů (obnovená 1968), Národní filmový archiv (obnovená 2018)
feature film
91 min
2 600 meters
35mm, DCP 2-D, BRD
1:1,37
black & white
sound
Visatone
Czech
Czech, Hungarian
Czech
Czech
Event: Státní záruky Československé vlády na výrobu filmů
1938
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Reiter-film