In 1974, director Jaroslav Balík decided to relate the stories found within Prague’s Ženské domovy [note: women’s home for working single women]. Balík was assisted in adapting the tales he heard from women of all ages and backgrounds by author and screenwriter Jan Otčenášek. The lives of the inhabitants of the women’s home are all linked by a common desire to find a partner: Jiřina has managed to marry, but her protégé, salesgirl Soňa, bemoans her friend’s departure from the facility. Marriage poses a problem for Zuzana, too, as she is seeing married man Richard. A new arrival in the home, Vlasta, tries in vain to rekindle a relationship with her husband, who has recently returned from exile. It seems that only trade union official Anežka has a chance at a secure relationship. The film’s protagonists assist each other in overcoming their respective issues. The large female cast offered director Balík the opportunity to feature a number of talented actresses, including Marta Vančurová, Ida Rapaičová, Marie Rosůlková and Hana Maciuchová.
Vlasta has moved to a women's hostel located in one street of Prague's Old Town. She takes the place of Jiřina, who has left the hostel after getting married. The wedding was a true feast, only a shop-assistant Soňa cannot get over Jiřina's departure and sees it as a betrayal. This shy girl grew up in a children's home and thus grew very close to her room-mate. The rational Vlasta completely rejects Soňa's tears. Women living in the hostel are of different ages, characters and also experience. Zuzana shows off with her great love, Richard, who is in reality a married man and sees the girl only as a means of entertainment. Two oldest inhabitants of the hostel - lieutenant's widow nicknamed generálka (The General) and the usherette called Kalvodová - are constantly quarrelling. Vlasta works in a bus repair garage and is very cautious about courting the handsome engineer called Bém. On a trip to Sázava, Vlasta refuses Bém's proposal of marriage. In a fit of rage, she then tells the co-inhabitants of a hostel many hurtful truths about their lives. Kalvodová, whose fiancé was killed during the Nazi occupation, begs Vlasta to spare the quarrelsome General. Vlasta is embarrassed. What is more, Zuzana in despair attempts to commit suicide. Anežka, active in the Trade Unions, meets her ex-husband and the now mature relationship leads to their re-marriage. Vlasta is happy that her husband returns from a four-year emigration, although the relationship ends as both of them have changed. Zuzana becomes wiser. Even Soňa finds her own independence. Aided by Bém, Vlasta starts demanding studying.
autoopravářka Vlasta Bezděková
odborová funkcionářka Anežka Faltová
Zuzana Šmídová, úřednice Čedoku
prodavačka nábytku Soňa
uvaděčka Kalvodová
vdova po podporučíkovi zvaná Generálka
letuška Lída
kadeřnice Ivanka
ošetřovatelka Jiřina
vedoucí autoopravny Ing. Honza Bém
Zbyněk, Vlastin manžel
Vojta, Anežčin bývalý manžel
Ing. Richard Jakš, Zuzanin milenec
Hynšt, mistr v autoopravně
automechanik Berka
automechanik Bandaska
automechanik Jindra
vrátný Chvátal
Jarda, Ivančin přítel
Slávka
Maruška
Kateřina
Jitka
Petra
Alena, Zuzanina kolegyně
Míša
fotoreportér
fotoreportér
funkcionář
dělník
dělník
sekretářka u Faltové
Rudolf, Jiřinin ženich
mladík
dívka ve sprše/žena za oknem
dívka ve sprše
hudebník
hudebník
hudebník
hudebník
hudebník
dubl za Idu Rapaičovou – jízda na motocyklu
Jiří Kratochvíl, Hana Cvejnová
Jiří Bžoch, Karel Kracík, Dana Smržová
Petra Havlínová, Ladislav Beneš
Pavel Mangl
Ivana Švejdová (klapka), Oldřich Křesina (vrchní osvětlovač), Jan Kuděla (fotograf)
FISYO (Music Conducted by František Belfín)
Song Composer Karel Mareš
Writer of Lyrics Zdeněk Borovec
Singer Petra Janů
Song Composer Ivo Tijardović
Writer of Lyrics Jiří Voldán
Singer ženský sbor
V každém pokoji žena
V každém pokoji žena
A Woman in Every Room
V tomto roce v tomto dni...
film
featuretheatrical distribution
psychological
Czechoslovakia
1974
1973—1974
literary Screenplay approved 22 October 1973
start of filming 1 November 1973
technical Screenplay approved 20 December 1973
end of filming 4 July 1974
projection approval 10 July 1974
withdrawal from distribution 31 December 1986
gala premiere 9 October 1974 (kino Lucerna, Praha)
premiere 10 October 1974 /unsuitable for youths/ (kino Lucerna, Praha)
premiere 25 October 1974 /unsuitable for youths/ (celostátní)
Dramaturgická skupina Vladimíra Kaliny, Vladimír Kalina (vedoucí dramaturgické skupiny)
feature film
99 min
2 780 meters
16mm, 35mm
1:1,66
colour
sound
mono
Czech
Czech
without subtitles
Czech
Event: Múzy pražských diváků
1975
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Marta Vančurová
Event: Literární soutěž k 25. výročí Února
1974
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Jan Otčenášek
Event: Literární soutěž k 25. výročí Února
1974
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Jaroslav Balík