The Guild of the Kutná Hora Virgins
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1938Production year
1938Premiere
16 September 1938Runtime
94 minDirector
Otakar VávraCategory
filmGenre
historical, comedyTypology
featuretheatrical distributionlongOriginal title
Cech panen kutnohorskýchCzech title
Cech panen kutnohorskýchEnglish title
The Guild of the Kutná Hora VirginsWorking title
Mikuláš Dačický z HeslovaSummary
Director Otakar Vávra shot this costume comedy in 1938 on a generous budget. Despite its playful tone, the film bolstered the Czechoslovak nation’s self-confidence as it faced the fascist menace. The story’s protagonist is a well-educated, hedonistic nobleman named Mikuláš Dačický, who in the silver mining town of Kutná Hora, in the era of Emperor Rudolf, advocates for the rights of miners and the expulsion from the city of thieves and newcomers. The Kutná Hora aldermen want to unseat Mikuláš over fears their profits will decline and they will lose their positions, but above all because their wives and daughters find the gallant knight irresistible. The lead role was entrusted to experienced actor Zdeněk Štěpánek, who also worked on the script and who, as Mikuláš, portrayed one of Vávra’s liveliest characters. For the supporting roles, Vávra relied on first-rate dramatic actors.
Synopsis
In 1590 Kutná Hora is a wealthy and important town. Silver is mined, coins are minted, and the town is the seat of the chief master of the mint. But the lust for wealth has lured many foreigners and crooks to the town. Their swindling has lowered revenues from the mines and it is the miners who bear the burden of economising measures. When miner Jakub protests against this in public, he is arrested and condemned to death. Knight Mikuláš Dačický then arrives in the town, a cultivated man and poet but also a great profligate and lover of beautiful women. The alchemist Wolfram persuades the aldermen to give him money in return for a promise to produce a great quantity of silver. Mikuláš urges the honourable citizens to expell the swindling thieves and aliens. The aldermen, concerned for the virtue of their wives and daughters, take advantage of this and accuse Mikuláš of witchcraft. Emperor Rudolf II, who judges the case, takes kindly to Mikuláš and grants him safe-conduct out of Prague. Mikuláš returns to Kutná Hora just in time to save Jakub's life and to expose Wolfram as a trickster who was trying to sneak away with the aldermen's money.
Note
The film was presented at the 6th Venice Film Festival, 1938.
Photos
Cast
Zdeněk Štěpánek
Mikuláš Dačický z Heslova
Ladislav Pešek
Očko, sluha Dačického
Václav Vydra st.
nejvyšší mincmistr Vilém z Vřesovic a z Doubravské Hory na Vchynicích
Helena Friedlová
Ludmila z Vřesovic a Na Dobřeni, rozená Voděradská z Hrušova, Vilémova manželka
František Smolík
nákladník a šepmistr Tobiáš Tříska
Jiřina Šejbalová
Žofka, Třískova žena
Theodor Pištěk
rychtář Mikuláš Vodňanský z Čažarova
Antonie Nedošinská
Vodňanská, rychtářova žena
Elena Hálková
Eva, rychtářova dcera
Gustav Hilmar
krejčí Mládek
Hana Vítová
Alžběta, Mládkova dcera
Adina Mandlová
povětrná holka Rozina
Bedřich Karen
alchymista David Wolfram
František Kreuzmann
hofmistr Felix z Hasenburka
Ladislav Boháč
panoš Zdeněk Lorecký z Elkuše, Dačického přítel
Zvonimir Rogoz
urburní písař
Anna Steimarová
stará panna Apoléna
Jaroslav Vojta
páter Bonifác
Božena Šustrová
služka Máří
Karel Dostal
císař Rudolf II.
Otto Rubík
nákladník Jan Dačický, Mikulášův bratr
Jaroslav Průcha
havíř Jakub
L. H. Struna
havíř
Václav Trégl
kat
Zorka Janů
služka u Třísků
Marie Ježková
nahluchlá měštka Babeta Sládková
Jan W. Speerger
biřic Janek
Vladimír Řepa
konšel Kaše, přísedící u soudu
Stanislav Neumann
písař Václav Alexy, zapisovatel u soudu
Jelizaveta Nikolská
cikánská tanečnice
Světla Svozilová
vdova Veronika
Milada Smolíková
měšťka
František Roland
bakalář
Petr Lotar
konšel Jindřich Labuška, přísedící u soudu
František Velebný
hlásný
Antonín Volný
mincíř
Vladimír Štros
mincíř
John Gollwell
člen hofmistrovy družiny
Anna Gabrielová
komorná
Josef Kraus
katův pomocník
Vladimír Majer
hostinský Mědínek
Elsa Vetešníková
číšnice
Josef Loskot
chasník v hostinci
Emil Dlesk
chasník v hostinci
Eva Prchlíková
panna
Karel Černý
dveřník císařův
Alois Dvorský
žalářník
Raoul Schránil
Mirek, pobočník hofmistra Felixe
Marie Oliaková
měšťanka v hostinci
Crew and creators
Director
Assistant Director
Rudolf Stahl, František Urbánek, Jindřich Fiala, Václav Berdych (adept režie)
Screenstory
Based on
Ladislav Stroupežnický (Paní mincmistrová – divadelní hra), Mikuláš Dačický z Heslova (Paměti), Ladislav Stroupežnický (Zvíkovský rarášek – divadelní hra)
Screenplay
Director of Photography
Production Designer
Set Designer
Costume Designer
Costumes
Make-Up Artist
Film Editor
Sound Designer
Production Manager
Cooperation
Willy Ströminger (fotograf), F. X. Mlejnek
Music
Music Composed by
Music Performed by
Orchestr F.O.K. (Music Conducted by Jaroslav KřičkaMiloš Smatek), Sdružení starých viol Pro arte antiqua
Songs
Kdo tě sázel, víno mé
Singer Zdeněk ŠtěpánekLadislav BoháčJaroslav VojtaFrantišek RolandLadislav Pešek
Sladká bella, bellissima
Singer Zdeněk Štěpánek
Vyjdu si já na vršíček
Singer Božena Šustrová
Production info
Original Title
Cech panen kutnohorských
Czech Title
Cech panen kutnohorských
English Title
The Guild of the Kutná Hora Virgins
Working Title
Mikuláš Dačický z Heslova
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distribution
Genre
historical, comedy
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1938
Production Year
1938
Production specifications
start of filming 25 June 1938 (ateliéry)
end of filming 26 July 1938 (ateliéry)
date of censorship 09/1938
withdrawal from distribution 1 June 1940
date of censorship 1952 (konec povolení k promítání 1957)
withdrawal from distribution 31 December 1991
Premiere
premiere 16 September 1938 /unsuitable for youths/ (kina Blaník /4 týdny/ a Lucerna /4 týdny/, Praha)
renewed premiere 1 July 1952 /unsuitable for youths/
Production
With support
Copyright Holders
Studio
Laboratories
Distribution
Technical info
Duration typology
feature film
Duration in minutes
94 min
Original length in metres
2 690 meters
Distribution carrier
35mm
Aspect ratio
1:1,37
Colour
black & white
Sound
sound
Sound system/format
Tobis – Klang
Versions
Czech
Dialogue languages
Czech, Latin
Subtitles languages
without subtitles
Opening/End credits languages
Czech
Awards
Vítěz
Event: Odměny ministra průmyslu, obchodu a živností
1939
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Lucernafilm s.r.o.
Vítěz
Festival: 6. mezinárodní filmový festival Benátky
1938
Benátky / Italy
Otakar Vávra
