The Stone Table Inn
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1948Production year
1948Premiere
23 September 1949Runtime
99 minDirector
Josef GrussCategory
filmGenre
comedyTypology
featuretheatrical distributionlongOriginal title
Hostinec „U kamenného stolu“Czech title
Hostinec „U kamenného stolu“English title
The Stone Table InnSummary
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.
Synopsis
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.
Note
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.
Photos
Cast
Saša Rašilov
hostinský Šimon Tatrmuž
Jiřina Šejbalová
hostinská Božena, Tatrmužova žena
Svatopluk Beneš
Tomáš, Tatrmužův synovec
Rudolf Hrušínský
Spytihněv, Tomášův bratr
Stanislav Neumann
rada Rudolf Dyndera, soudce v. v.
Růžena Šlemrová
Cecílie, Dynderova žena
Dagmar Frýbortová
Věra, dcera Dynderových
Dagmar Sedláčková
Alena, dcera Dynderových
Antonín Mikulič
Lubomír, syn Dynderových
Jiří Plachý
tragéd mistr Beno Mertens
Josef Chvalina
advokátní písař Alois Netrefný zvaný Percy
Václav Špidla
bankovní účetní Ondřej Badalec zvaný Gaston
Milada Smolíková
kuchařka Terezka
Emil Bolek
podomek Hanzlián
Václav Trégl
nervózní host v restauraci
Jindra Hermanová
žena nervózního hosta
Josef Kotapiš
ženich
Věra Kalendová
nevěsta Blaženka
František Černý
svatební svědek Bedřich
Josef Vošalík
otec nevěsty
Antonín Jedlička
pikolík
Dagmar Zikánová
služebná v kuchyni
František Roland
Bóža Kolbaba-Lipský, ředitel divadelní společnosti
Jindřich Láznička
vrchní číšník Antonín
Richard Záhorský
výrobce rakví Damián Rozmajzl
Marie Nademlejnská
Rozmajzlova žena
Jiří Valenta
student filozofie Jindřich Kebrle, Lubomírův domácí učitel
Marcela Sedláčková
barmanka
F. X. Mlejnek
divák na představení
Jan W. Speerger
divák na představení
Helena Hradecká
divačka na představení
František Marek
muž ve dveřích krámu
Václav Vaňátko
krejčí
Milka Balek-Brodská
host v hotelu
Stanislav Novák
lovec autogramů
Zdeněk Borovec
lovec autogramů
Stanislav Fišer
mladík v restauraci
Bolek Prchal
sázející se muž
Commentary
Crew and creators
Director
Continuity
Zdeňka Petřková
Screenstory
Based on
Karel Poláček (Hostinec „U kamenného stolu" – román)
Screenplay
Director of Photography
Production Designer
Assistent Production Designer
Costume Designer
Make-Up Artist
Film Editor
Sound Designer
Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Music
Music Composed by
Music Performed by
FISYO (Music Conducted by Otakar Pařík)
Songs
Ach, proč mi serdce nedáte
Kdybych já věděl, že zítra umřu
Singer Rudolf Hrušínský
Jenom ty mě, můj koníčku
Štěstí potkáš jenom jednou
Singer Rudolf HrušínskýSvatopluk BenešDagmar SedláčkováDagmar Frýbortová
Tango argentino
Locations
Lázně Libverda
Production info
Original Title
Hostinec „U kamenného stolu“
Czech Title
Hostinec „U kamenného stolu“
English Title
The Stone Table Inn
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distribution
Genre
comedy
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1948
Production Year
1948
Production specifications
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
premiere 23 September 1949 /unsuitable for youths/ (kina Blaník /4 týdny/, Moskva /1 týden/ a Arbes /1 týden od 30. 9./, Praha)
Production
Copyright Holders
Studio
Distribution
Creative Group
V. výrobní skupina Vávra – Feix, Karel Feix (produkční šéf V. výrobní skupiny), Otakar Vávra (umělecký šéf V. výrobní skupiny)
Technical info
Duration typology
feature film
Duration in minutes
99 min
Original length in metres
2 825 meters
Distribution carrier
16mm, 35mm
Aspect ratio
1:1,37
Colour
black & white
Sound
sound
Sound system/format
mono
Versions
Czech
Dialogue languages
Czech
Subtitles languages
without subtitles
Opening/End credits languages
Czech
