This film represents the sole – albeit accomplished – directorial effort of actor and occasional screenwriter Josef Gruss. Adapted by Otakar Vávra from a 1941 comedic novel by Karel Poláček, Hostinec „U kamenného stolu“ (The Stone Table Inn) was made in 1948, but only found its way into cinemas in September 1949 – by which time the recent communist putsch had begun to lead to the censorship of Czechoslovak cinema. The film is set during the easygoing (pre-Nazi occupation) days of the First Republic, taking place in a pub in the fictional spa town of Džbery. A feud between the married owners, Božena and Šimon Tatrmuž, is causing the regular guests a headache. Two brothers who haven’t spoken for years – Tomáš and Spytihněv (played by Rudolf Hrušínský and Svatopluk Beneš), who are nephews of Božena – take charge of the prosperous but now paralysed business.
Year 1925. Same as every year, the family of the official Dyndera come to have their holiday in the small spa resort Džbery, and, as usual, they stay in the At the Stone Table inn. Spytihněv and Tomáš, the nephews of the Tatrmuž married couple who are the owners of the inn, come to stay with them for the holiday. They haven't spoken to each other since they quarreled about a glass marble as little boys. From the moment of their arrival, Spytihněv and Tomáš are fascinated by Dyndera's daughters, Věra and Alena, and they start to flirt with them. A promising start to the holiday idyll is disturbed by the owner's wife Božena running off with Beno Mertens, an actor from the travelling company. Unhappy Tatrmuž shuts himself inside his room and the nephews have to take over the running of the business, changing places as manager and head waiter each week. The inn is not quite flourishing under their management. The Dyndera family can't stand seeing Tatrmuž's grief and the bankruptcy of the company so they decide to act. The energetic wife of the official finds the innkeeper's wife and persuades her to come back. A few remaining guests welcome Božena back warmly, Tatrmuž forgives his wife, and the nephews can devote themselves to their girls, who manage to reconcile the two young men.
The novel was published in 1941, when writer Karel Poláček, being a Jew, was not allowed to publish, and painter Vlastimil Rada covered the author under his name.
hostinský Šimon Tatrmuž
hostinská Božena, Tatrmužova manželka
Tomáš, Tatrmužův synovec
Spytihněv, Tomášův bratr
rada Rudolf Dyndera, soudce v. v.
Cecílie, Dynderova manželka
Věra, dcera Dynderových
Alena, dcera Dynderových
Lubomír, syn Dynderových
tragéd mistr Beno Mertens
advokátní písař Alois Netrefný zvaný Percy
bankovní účetní Ondřej Badalec zvaný Gaston
kuchařka Terezka
podomek Hanzlián
nervózní host v restauraci
manželka nervózního hosta
ženich
nevěsta Blaženka
svatební host Bedřich
otec nevěsty
pikolík
služebná v kuchyni
ředitel divadelní společnosti Bóža Kolbaba-Lipský
vrchní Antonín
výrobce rakví Damián Rozmajzl
Rozmajzlova žena
student filozofie Jindřich Kebrle, Lubomírův domácí učitel
barmanka
divák na představení
divák na představení
divačka na představení
muž ve dveřích krámu
krejčí
host v hotelu
lovec autogramů
lovec autogramů
mladík v restauraci
sázející se muž
Zdeňka Petřková
Karel Poláček (Hostinec „U kamenného stolu" – román)
FISYO (Music Conducted by Otakar Pařík)
Singer Rudolf Hrušínský
Singer Rudolf HrušínskýSvatopluk BenešDagmar SedláčkováDagmar Frýbortová
Lázně Libverda
Hostinec „U kamenného stolu“
Hostinec „U kamenného stolu“
The Stone Table Inn
film
featuretheatrical distribution
comedy
Czechoslovakia
1948
1948
start of filming 5 August 1948
date of censorship 19 March 1949 (konec povolení k promítání 19. 3. 1954)
withdrawal from distribution 31 December 1975
premiere 23 September 1949 /unsuitable for youths/ (kina Blaník /4 týdny/, Moskva /1 týden/ a Arbes /1 týden od 30. 9./, Praha)
V. výrobní skupina Vávra – Feix, Karel Feix (produkční šéf V. výrobní skupiny), Otakar Vávra (umělecký šéf V. výrobní skupiny)
feature film
99 min
2 825 meters
16mm, 35mm
1:1,37
black & white
sound
mono
Czech
Czech
without subtitles
Czech