Even after twenty years of marriage Marie is trying to keep her family and her adolescent children together. Her husband, on whom the family is dependent, does not have any time for the children, he ignores his wife and regularly meets up with his mistress. Honzík, the eldest son and the daughter Helena are on their mother's side, but the father buys little Vašík's favour with presents. Honzík leaves for his army service. During a goodbye family dinner an incident occurs - the telephone rings and the obstinate lover wants to speak to the father. He pretends it is a wrong number. He then treats Honzík so badly that their grandmother takes Vašík home with her and the older children try to persuade their mother to leave their father. Marie moves in with her mother-in-law and Helena soon follows. Marie finds work and gets her first wage. She is proud that she can look after the children herself. She refuses the money which her husband wants to send for Vašík's keep. The father buys his son a bicycle with the money and the latter has an accident. The bicycle is destroyed and Vašík is afraid to go home. He seeks out the army barracks where Honzík is posted while both his parents look for him desparately. Finally both boys set off for home. Marie welcomes them in their new home at her mother-in-law's. Their contrite father also arrives at the house. He rings the bell and hopes they will open the door for him.
matka Marie
otec
syn Honzík
dcera Helena
syn Vašík
babička, otcova matka
Fanynka, otcova přítelkyně
prodavačka v automatu Boženka
Andulka, Honzíkova přítelkyně
Andulčina matka
taxikář František, Boženčin muž
Jirka, Vašíkův kamarád
strojmistr v tiskárně
dělnice v tiskárně
trafikantka
žena v umývárně
dělnice v tiskárně
taxikář
číšník v zájezdním hostinci
vedoucí v automatu Koruna
zákazník v automatu
přítel Heleny
René Mattes, Alena Svozilová (2)
František Zapletal (vedoucí kostymér), Miloslava Skořepová
Josef Vlček, Bohumír Brunclík (zvukové efekty)
Karel Brož (vrchní osvětlovač), Karel Ješátko (fotograf)
FISYO (Music Conducted by František Belfín)
Singer mužský sbor
Kruh
Kruh
The Circle
film
featuretheatrical distribution
drama, psychological
Czechoslovakia
1959
1959
literary Screenplay approved 17 December 1958
technical Screenplay approved 10 March 1959
start of filming 11 March 1959
end of filming 26 June 1959
projection approval 6 September 1959
withdrawal from distribution 1 April 1966
preview 20 November 1959 (kino Sevastopol /1 týden/, Praha)
premiere 27 November 1959 /unsuitable for youths/ (kina Jalta /3 týdny/, Arbes /1 týden/, Kyjev /1 týden/, Mír /1 týden/, Odboj /1 týden/, Vzlet /1 týden/, Radost /½ týdne/, Oko /1 týden od 4. 12./ a Flora /1 týden od 11. 12./, Praha)
Tvůrčí skupina Šmída – Kunc, František Břetislav Kunc (vedoucí dramaturg tvůrčí skupiny), Bohumil Šmída (vedoucí výroby tvůrčí skupiny)
feature film
78 min
2 212 meters
16mm, 35mm
1:1,37
black & white
sound
mono
Czech
Czech
without subtitles
Czech