Thirst

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1949

Production year

1949

Premiere

24 March 1950

Runtime

102 min

Category

film

Genre

drama

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Žízeň

Czech title

Žízeň

English title

Thirst

Synopsis

The catastrophically dry weather of 1947 causes immense problems in the countryside. In the small village Klíčov, only farmers Hánek and Bervida and the old Hromádka have water. The others must queue every day for a drop for themselves and their cattle. All the villagers lament over their previous decision to turn down the cooperative chairman Kouba's proposal to built a new village water-supply system. Hánek and several others avoid the state supplies and, with Bervida's help, sell their milk and butter on the black market. The agricultural officer Šejna promises Kouba to support him in the building of the water-supply system which the citizens now had approved unanimously. Kouba vigorously sets off, trying to get the material, organizing brigades, discussing the channel for the water-supply system. Also Bervida pretends to help, but in fact he sabotages the collective work in various ways. One day he is full of promises, the next day he threatens or blackmails. Eventually, his true intentions are revealed. But the inhabitants of the village soon enjoy the first water which flows to the village green in the wooden troughs.

Cast

Oldřich Vykypěl

sedlák Ludvík Hánek

Otto Čermák

Hánkův otec

Hermína Vojtová

Hánkova matka

J. O. Martin

kolář Josef Kálal

Josef Kozák

chalupník Hromádka

Antonie Hegerliková

Lída, Hromádkova dcera

Josef Bek

Vladimír Kouba, předseda MNV Klíčov

František Klika

statkář Bervida

Josef Chvalina

Arnošt, Bervidův syn

Miluše Zoubková

Eva, Bervidova dcera

Karel Svoboda

Jiří, Evin přítel

Miroslav Svoboda

řídící učitel

František Marek

obchodník Jáchym

Bohumil Smutný

kovář František Šrámek

Miloš Hájek

sedlák Vidlák

Eman Fiala

sedlák Mašek

Emil Kavan

vedoucí brigády

Viktor Očásek

cihlář Ševčík

Bolek Prchal

Horák, správce na statku

Hynek Němec

chalupník Zeman

Arna Pekárková

Koubova matka

Jiří Roll

zemědělský referent Šejna

Jaroslav Vlk

muž u Bervidy ve skladu

Josef Toman

chalupník Mrázek

Libuše Zemková

Anička Kálalová

Ladislav Bacílek

muž na schůzi MNV

Zemanová

Marie, děvečka u Hánků

Karel Příhoda

Marie Mikotová

Ivan Cuhra

Ctirad Stehlík

Jan Vodrážka

Václav Vodrážka

Crew and creators

Second Unit Director

Václav Berdych

Screenstory

Jan Kloboučník

Director of Photography

Bohumil Kolátor

Production Designer

Josef Gabriel

Make-Up Artist

Ladislav Bacílek

Film Editor

Jan Kohout

Sound Designer

Milan R. Novotný

Production Manager

Ladislav Terš

Unit Production Manager

Věra Pečenková

Music

Music Composed by

Jiří Fiala

Music Performed by

FISYO (Music Conducted by Milivoj Uzelac)

Songs

Okolo Suče voděnka teče

Singer Josef Bek

Production info

Original Title

Žízeň

Czech Title

Žízeň

English Title

Thirst

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

drama

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1949

Production Year

1949

Production specifications

date of censorship 14 December 1949 (konec povolení k promítání 14. 12. 1954)
withdrawal from distribution 24 June 1954

Premiere

premiere 24 March 1950 /suitable for youths/ (kino Alfa /4 týdny/, Praha)

Copyright Holders

Národní filmový archiv

Studio

Barrandov

Creative Group

VII. tvůrčí kolektiv Jana Kloboučníka, Jan Kloboučník (vedoucí VII. tvůrčího kolektivu)

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

102 min

Original length in metres

2 898 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