Lesson
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1971Production year
1971Premiere
14 January 1972Runtime
92 minDirector
Dušan KleinCategory
filmGenre
spyTypology
featuretheatrical distributionlongOriginal title
LekceCzech title
LekceEnglish title
LessonSummary
Genre specialist Dušan Klein hit on the idea of filming a pedigree spy thriller. This 1971 motion picture, which takes place during the Second World War in politically neutral Switzerland, was the result. The setting meant the director managed to escape the forced politicisation associated with the application of the “normalisation” period to Czechoslovak cinematography. Karel Höger is the mainstay of this film, scripted by Pavel Hajný. He takes the main role of the emigrant Lenz, a former German university professor who accepts an offer to pass on secret Nazi information to the Allies. Over time, Lenz gets the feeling that his risky activities have not had any particular outcome. Naturally, this is not true ... Lenz is thus a prototype of the common man who has decided to wage a personal battle against Nazism in an amateurish way – but not without success.
Synopsis
In 1951, six years after the war, Georg Lenz, a man working consistently and successfully against the German fascist regime during the WW II, was sentenced to a three-year correction for spying against West Germany. Georg Lenz, a German university professor escaped the country for Switzerland after the Nazis got to power. He settled in Zurich, established a books-and-paintings store, and married a young, pretty Evi. Their calm life is disturbed by a visit of major general Strobach, an ex-school mate. Strobach hates Hitler and his regime and wants to fight against them. He brought Lenz a radio transmitter for his sending messages acquired from the Hitler general staff and Lenz is supposed to transmit them further to the particular stations and organizations. After a short hesitation, Lenz agrees. The transmitter starts to operate on the day when Poland is attacked. Lenz's activities are watched by the Swiss Secret Service and German counterespionage agency. Lenz gradually becomes an object of a British and Soviet intelligence service. His reports and journalist feature stories revealing Lenz's knowledge of Nazi plans infuriate Berlin and cause a decision to destroy him. He is rescued by the Swiss. His wife, however, pays her life for helping a British spy Stone, who she is likely in love with. After the war, Lenz is awarded a medal. When he finds out about Germany rearmament, he feels his mission has not been completed yet.
Photos
Cast
Karel Höger
profesor Albert Lenz
Jana Brejchová
Evi, Lenzova žena
Leon Niemczyk
Voice by Jan Kačer
úředník britského vyslanectví Stone
Ilja Prachař
plukovník Knitter, šéf švýcarské tajné služby
Wilhelm Koch-Hooge
Voice by Jiří Holý
důstojník SS Hasse, šéf protišpionážního centra
Vladimír Šmeral
švýcarský generál
Radovan Lukavský
generál Kurt Strobach, Lenzův přítel
Vladimír Brabec
inspektor Franz Rohde
Bořivoj Navrátil
Hasseho pobočník
Vlastimil Hašek
rámař Hohner
Oldřich Velen
Bierman, soused Lenzových
Otakar Brousek
Jorge
Svatopluk Matyáš
Jacques
Oto Ševčík
německý agent Müller
Václav Lohniský
německý agent Ulrich Lutych
Luba Skořepová
Lutychova žena
Václav Mareš
agent Werner
Ladislav Trojan
agent Krause
Miriam Kantorková
hospodyně Holanová
Jan Faltýnek
zahradník Holan
Zlatomír Vacek
generál Lidtke
Karolina Slunéčková
britská agentka Anna Liesenbacherová
Jiřina Bílá
Knitterova hospodyně
Adolf Filip
poručík odposlechové služby
František Hanus
advokát
Zdeněk Hodr
belgický atašé
Josef Chvalina
Graber
Vlasta Jelínková
Stoneho hospodyně
Josef Koza
švýcarský strážník
Ivo Niederle
korunní svědek
Jindřich Narenta
německý major
Jan Pohan
švýcarský důstojník
Jiří Kodet
belgický tajemník
Karel Peyr
britský vyslanec Brown
Hana Čížková
Brownova sekretářka
Karel Hábl
německý důstojník
Stanislav Hájek
topič Kärschke, německý agent
Marie Hübschová
úřednice
Milan Charvát
novinář
Zdeněk Blažek
novinář
Pavel Jiras
muž se samopalem
Bohumil Koška
letecký důstojník
Václav Kotva
švýcarský policista
Eduard Pavlíček
koncipient
Vít Pešina
letecký důstojník-radista
Jan Sedliský
letecký důstojník-radista
Luděk Sobota
prodavač v elektro
B. Vedralová
Biermanová
Adolf Švorc
hudebník
V. Dufek
hudebník
Miroslav Angr
hudebník
A. Kalašová
dubl za Janu Brejchovou – nebezpečné scény
Dubbing
Richard Honzovič
komentář týdeníků v kině
Crew and creators
Director
Second Unit Director
Assistant Director
Jiří Býček
Continuity
Screenstory
Screenplay
Shooting Script
Dramaturg
Director of Photography
Camera Operator
Production Designer
Assistent Production Designer
Set Designer
Vladimír Mácha, Lubor Mašek, Václav Kozel
Costume Designer
Costumes
Make-Up Artist
Film Editor
Assistant Film Editor
Sound Designer
Special Effects
Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Vladislav Špidra, Antonín Navrátil
Unit Production Manager
Alena Koubová
Consultant
František Kruml
Cooperation
Hana Stibůrková (klapka), Jaroslav Trousil (fotograf)
Music
Music Composed by
Selected Music
Johann Strauss ml. (Povídky z vídeňského lesa)
Music Performed by
FISYO (Music Conducted by František Belfín)
Songs
Škoda lásky /Barrel Polka/
Song Composer Jaromír Vejvoda
Singer sbor
Production info
Original Title
Lekce
Czech Title
Lekce
English Title
Lesson
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distribution
Genre
spy
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1971
Production Year
1971
Production specifications
literary Screenplay approved 12 November 1970
technical Screenplay approved 12 February 1971
start of filming 17 March 1971
end of filming 1 June 1971
the first film copy approved 8 October 1971
projection approval 2 November 1971
withdrawal from distribution 31 December 1986
Premiere
premiere 14 January 1972 /suitable for youths/ (celostátní)
premiere 20 January 1972 /suitable for youths/ (kino Letka, Praha)
Production
Copyright Holders
Studio
Distribution
Creative Group
Dramaturgická skupina Zdeňka Dufka, Zdeněk Dufek (vedoucí dramaturgické skupiny), Výrobní skupina Bohumila Šmídy, Bohumil Šmída (vedoucí výrobní skupiny)
Technical info
Duration typology
feature film
Duration in minutes
92 min
Original length in metres
2 600 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
