Grandmother
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1940Production year
1940Premiere
15 November 1940Runtime
97 minDirector
František ČápCategory
filmGenre
poeticTypology
featuretheatrical distributionlongOriginal title
BabičkaCzech title
BabičkaEnglish title
GrandmotherProtectorate parallel title
GrossmütterchenSummary
This 1940 adaptation of a novel by Božena Němcová was perceived as a manifestation of the patriotic spirit by audiences in the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia. Seasoned director František Čáp employed his skill to tell the story of an old woman leading a simple life who finds a new home in Staré bělidlo after joining her daughter Terezka Prošková’s household. She quickly endears herself to everyone in her midst with her intrinsic wisdom and affectionate yet prudent disposition. The old woman’s granddaughter Barunka (Nataša Tanská) is the one most affected by her wisdom... The stylish narrative by Čáp is supported by the love stories, happy or otherwise, of village girl Viktorka (Jiřina Štěpničková), publican’s daughter Kristla and Miss Hortensie, foster daughter of the local landlady, Princess Zaháňská. The film also provides poignant views of the Bohemian countryside, captured by Karel Degl’s camera work. The title role in Babička was a first major film role for Terezie Brzková, 65 at the time. She only went into film after retiring from the stage, but continued right up until 1959.
Synopsis
Prošek's children impatiently await the arrival of their grandmother to Staré bělidlo. The woman in peasant dress immediately wins them over with her kindness and wisdom. In the same way she easily makes the acquaintance of the neighbours who soon begin confiding in her their sorrows. The aged woman is touched above all by the story of crazy Viktorka who as a young woman fell in love with a jaeger, left with him and likely lived happily. Her husband, however, fell in battle and she returned to her native village. But she was no longer able to live among people. She wandered through the forest until one day during a storm she was killed by a falling tree. This unfortunate woman grandmother could no longer help. But here are Kristla and her Jakub, who must leave for fourteen years of military service, and then the princess's ward Hortensie who suffers for the love of a painter. When grandmother wins the affection of the princess, she puts in a word for the young couple and also obtains a position for poor Kudrna. Grandmother is dying and has just one wish: to see Barunka, who was her favourite. The young girl now lives in Vienna, but she comes home in time to say good-bye to her grandmother.
Note
This theme had already been treated in Czech film under the same title (1921; directed by Thea Červenková).
Film online
Photos
Cast
Terezie Brzková
babička
Světla Svozilová
Terezka Prošková, babiččina dcera
Karel Třešňák
Jan Prošek, Terezčin manžel
Nataša Tanská
Barunka, starší dcera Proškových
Jiří Papež
Jan, starší syn Proškových
Jiří Krchňavý
Vilím, mladší syn Proškových
Jitka Dušková
Adélka, mladší dcera Proškových
Dagmar Appelová
Adélka, mladší dcera Proškových jako starší
Marie Glázrová
kněžna Kateřina Vilemína Zaháňská
Nora Cífková
komtesa Hortensie
Jiřina Štěpničková
Viktorka
Gustav Nezval
černý myslivec
Božena Šustrová
Kristla
Karel Kolár
hostinský, otec Kristly
Jiří Dohnal
chasník Míla Jakub
Theodor Pištěk
otec mlynář
Marie Blažková
mlynářka
Marie Skalická
Manči, dcera mlynářových
Jaroslav Průcha
riesenburský myslivec
Vladimír Řepa
poklasný Kudrna
Anna Steimarová
kovářka věštkyně
Stanislav Neumann
písař Piccolo
Josef Vošalík
správce zámku
Anna Letenská
správcova žena
Jan W. Speerger
komorník na zámku Leopold
Milada Horutová
Vorša
Ladislav Janeček
Tomeš
Vladimír Štros
kočí Václav
Jaroslav Liška
Vavřínek, Kudrnův syn
J. Štveráková
Cilka, Kudrnova dcera
L. Štípková
Bětka, Kudrnova dcera
Emanuel Hříbal
důchodní
Slávka Rosenbergová
důchodního žena
Josef Šula
host na zámku
Jaroslav Orlický
komorník na zámku
Filip Balek-Brodský
komorník na zámku
Věkoslav Satoria
komorník na zámku
R. Holub
dítě
M. Kácha
dítě
Majsl
dítě
A. Mazal
dítě
M. Střelák
dítě
Helena Málková
dítě Kudrnových
Jiřina Bohdalová
dítě na dožínkách
pes Lev
pes Sultán
pes Stella ze Stožce
pes Tyrl
Commentary
Crew and creators
Director
Assistant Director
Based on
Božena Němcová (Babička – román)
Screenplay
Director of Photography
Production Designer
Set Designer
Costume Designer
Make-Up Artist
Film Editor
Sound Designer
Production Manager
Karel Šilhánek, Vilém Brož (ředitel výroby)
Consultant
Karel Hašler (umělecký poradce), Milan Maralík (jazykový poradce)
Cooperation
Antonín Frič (fotograf)
Music
Music Composed by
Music Performed by
Orchestr F.O.K. (Music Conducted by Jiří Fiala)
Songs
Hioro, horo, vysoká jsi
Na zámku
Song Composer Jiří Fiala
Production info
Original Title
Babička
Czech Title
Babička
English Title
Grandmother
Protectorate Parallel Title
Grossmütterchen
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distribution
Genre
poetic
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1940
Production Year
1940
Production specifications
start of filming 1 September 1940
end of filming 7 October 1940
date of censorship 11 November 1940 (kulturně-výchovný)
date of censorship 1943 (predikáty „umělecky zvlášť hodnotný film“,„kulturně hodnotný film“ a „film pro Den hrdinů“)
date of censorship 16 February 1945 (predikáty „umělecky zvlášť hodnotný film“,„kulturně hodnotný film“ a „film pro Den hrdinů“ /16mm verze/)
date of censorship 05/1945 (konec povolení k promítání 30. 6. 1948)
withdrawal from distribution 18 May 1945
withdrawal from distribution 31 January 1950
withdrawal from distribution 1 May 1993
Premiere
premiere 15 November 1940 /suitable for youths/ (kina Blaník /2 týdny/ a Lucerna /2 týdny/, Praha)
renewed premiere 02/1945 /suitable for youths/ (16mm verze)
renewed premiere 13 July 1945 /suitable for youths/
renewed premiere 1 January 1967 /suitable for youths/
Production
With support
Copyright Holders
Studio
Laboratories
Distribution
Lucernafilm (původní 1940), ČMÚ (obnovená 1945 /16mm verze/), Státní půjčovna filmů (obnovená 1945), Ústřední půjčovna filmů (obnovená 1967)
Technical info
Duration typology
feature film
Duration in minutes
97 min
Original length in metres
2 768 meters
Distribution carrier
16mm, 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, German
Awards
Vítěz
Event: Stuhy časopisu Český filmový zpravodaj
1941
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Lucernafilm s.r.o.
