Following on from his student comedy Škola základ života (School is the Foundation of Life, 1938), Martin Frič's next picture drew on the "Joe College" texts by author Jaroslav Žák. Cesta do hlubin študákovy duše (1939) went beyond its inherently patriotic theme, and beyond the limits of mere undemanding entertainment. The story framework consists of the narrative of a grammar school physics teacher named Rabiška, who has long, and with an exacting passion, taught his pupils. The central characters are the sensitive seventh-grader Vaněk (Rudolf Hrušínský), who is a talented pianist, and the kindly old natural sciences teacher Matulka (Jindřich Plachta), who, due to cold feet, has himself yet to pass the final state exam. With the help of their young Latin teacher Voříšek (František Vnouček), the students employ a small ruse to help their favourite teacher. Among the stand-outs of the cast are in particular František Filipovský, then 32, who plays the class wally František Mazánek, and Ladislav Pešek, then 33, who appears as an energetic student called Kulík.
Grammar school professor Rabiška has for many years been keeping a record of events at the school and collecting curiosities confiscated from the students during lessons. In year seven there are different types: Kulík, a talented footballer but a bad student, diligent Mazánek, Chalupová, who is top of the class, and many others. Vaněk is a gifted musician and he is having little luck with his studies. After poor mid-year results Vaněk's father sells his piano because it is keeping his son from his studies. The perceptive young professor Voříšek is convinced of the lad's talent and has a word with his father. On one occasion the nice geography teacher Matulka gets so annoyed by some student prank that he collapses. The students are shocked. When they then find out that Matulka failed his finals because of nerves and is therefore very poorly paid, they think up a plan to help the professor. Under the pretext of buying collections of insects for the school Matulka demonstrates his phenomenal knowledge to university professor Vondrák, and his performance is accepted as an examination. Beaming with joy, Matulka is warmly welcomed by his seventh-year students. Professor Rabiška is able to record that students have not only minds, but also hearts.
profesor přírodopisu Matulka
profesor fyziky Rabiška
profesor matematiky Vobořil
profesor francouzštiny Šeda
profesor tělocviku Tuřík
profesorka zeměpisu Rázová
profesor chemie Kahuda
profesor latiny Petr Voříšek
profesor
profesor
profesorka
ředitel gymnázia
školník Peťule
univerzitní profesor dr. Vondrák
septimán Vojtěch Kulík
septimán Jan Vaněk
septimán Antonín Peterka
septimán Šíma
septimán Ladislav Mazánek
septimánka Zdeňka Chalupová
septimán Pošusta
septimán Midloch
prodavačka v trafice
Kulíkův otec, strážník
Kulíkova matka
Vaňkův otec
Vaňkova matka
Pošustův otec
septimán
septimánka
stěhovák
tercián Josef Ždimera
student na studentském věnečku
host na studentském věnečku
dirigent na studentském věnečku
orchestr na studentském věnečku
Jaroslav Žák (Cesta do hlubin študákovy duše – román)
Willy Ströminger (fotograf)
Orchestr F.O.K. (Music Conducted by Roman Blahník)
Singer Ferenc Futurista
Cesta do hlubin študákovy duše
Cesta do hlubin študákovy duše
Journey into the Depth of the Student's Soul
Weg in die Tiefe der Studentenseele
film
featuretheatrical distribution
comedy
Czechoslovakia
1939
1939
start of filming 22 September 1939
end of filming 12 October 1939
date of censorship 25 October 1939
date of censorship 05/1940 (kulturně-výchovný)
date of censorship 1943 (predikát „uznáníhodný film“)
date of censorship 19 September 1944 (predikát „uznáníhodný film“ /16mm verze/)
withdrawal from distribution 18 May 1945
date of censorship 21 June 1945 (konec povolení k promítání 21. 6. 1946)
withdrawal from distribution 7 January 1948
withdrawal from distribution 31 May 1993
premiere 31 October 1939 /suitable for youths/ (kina Adrie /3½ týdne/, Hvězda /3½ týdne/ a Juliš /3 týdny/, Praha)
renewed premiere 09/1944 /suitable for youths/ (16mm verze)
renewed premiere 1 December 1945 /suitable for youths/
renewed premiere 1 August 1963 /suitable for youths/
Elekta (původní 1939), ČMÚ (obnovená 1944 /16mm verze/), Státní půjčovna filmů (obnovená 1945), Ústřední půjčovna filmů (obnovená 1963)
feature film
94 min
2 600 meters
16mm, 35mm
1:1,37
black & white
sound
Tobis – Klang
Czech
Czech
without subtitles
Czech
Event: Anketa deníku Večer – O nejlepší český film roku 1939 a o nejoblíbenější českou filmovou herečku a herce
1940
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Jaroslav Marvan
Event: Anketa deníku Večer – O nejlepší český film roku 1939 a o nejoblíbenější českou filmovou herečku a herce
1940
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Jindřich Plachta
Event: Anketa deníku Večer – O nejlepší český film roku 1939 a o nejoblíbenější českou filmovou herečku a herce
1940
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Event: Anketa deníku Večer – O nejlepší český film roku 1939 a o nejoblíbenější českou filmovou herečku a herce
1940
Praha / Czechoslovakia