Viewed as the last major triumph of state-run Czechoslovak film production, this nostalgic tragicomedy also provided a feature-film directorial debut for the then 26-year-old Jan Svěrák. Obecná škola (The Elementary School, 1991) received an Oscar nomination in 1992 for Best Foreign Film. Written by the director’s father, Zdeněk Svěrák, the film showcases the talents of both men – especially the burgeoning talent of its young director. The young Svěrák would go on to direct his father in the Oscar-winning comedy and drama Kolja (Kolya, 1996) four years later. In his script for The Elementary School, Zdeněk Svěrák fills the story with autobiographical moments – he initially hoped that the project would be taken on by director Vít Olmer. But in spite of taking over “foreign” material, Jan Svěrák proved to be the perfect director for this film, filling the story with playful, dynamic and heartfelt moments. The story takes place during the first “liberated” post-war school year of 1945-6, on the outskirts of Prague. The protagonist is 10-year-old Eda Souček (Václav Jakoubek), who, along with friend Tonda, experiences various boyhood adventures. But all of these pale in contrast with the brave, heroic deeds proudly recalled to the pupils by their new teacher – the strict, but fair patriot Igor Hnízdo (exquisitely played by Jan Tříska). Hnízo arrives at the school like a bolt of lightning, replacing the worn-out Maxová (Daniela Kolářová). The pupils are spellbound by this apparent hero in their midst – as are the various women who encounter Hnízdo, including Eda’s mother (Libuše Šafránková). However, the new teacher’s reputation as a war hero turns out to be rather imagined – though this does little to decrease his skills as a teacher. For Eda, another, truer hero is to be found in the form of his unassuming, pedantic father, electric plant worker František. Jan and Zdeňek Svěrák brilliantly mine the brief hope-filled post-war years, presenting a euphoric time filled with ideals and expectations. Ultimately, however, a dark shadow in the form of the growing communist strength is set to quash such hopes. But for all its allegorical potency, The Elementary School shines most brightly as a celebration of boyhood imagination and adventures, the optimistic atmosphere of which very much reflects the post-1989 Velvet Revolution time in which the film was made.
It is shortly after the Second World War. The ten-year old pupils of a boy's class in a small elementary school in the Prague suburbs excel at lacking of discipline. Tonda Čejka steals props from an illusionist during his school performance. His friend Eda Souček obeys his advice to remove the mudguards from his father's bicycle. The resulting racing bicycle certainly does not please father Souček riding in the pouring rain. An insufficiently vigorous teacher ends up in a mental asylum and is replaced by the new teacher Igor Hnízdo. The boisterous boys are totally fascinated by him. His attire reminds them of a military uniform and the teacher is always ready to use the cane tucked into his high boots. But Hnízdo's punishments are fair and, moreover, his lessons are extremely interesting. He, for example, accompanies his lesson about the martyr Huss by playing the violin, thus moving the "rough" pupils to tears. They also breathlessly listen to his stories from various war fronts whose rather ostentatious hero is no one but himself. But Hnízdo also has an uncontrollable passion for women. One of his lovelorn acquaintances, a tramdriver's wife, writes a letter denouncing him, and the teacher faces a prison sentence for seducing underage twins. Eda, as well as others, senses that the teacher probably makes up his heroic exploits a little. But they all eventually stand up for him, disclaiming his physical punishments. A doctor's examination of the twins proves the teacher innocent. Eda's real hero becomes his inconspicuous father who – although an eternal civilian – courageously disarms a bazooka found during a school trip. Tonda loses his fingers in one of his experiments and thus donates his accordion to Eda. The news that the electrician Souček nicknamed Transformer was hit by electricity and was burnt to death, was fortunately false. A theatre performance – a celebratory sketch written by Hnízdo on the occasion of the first anniversary of the republic's liberation – ends with a fight among all the actors-pupils which occurs right in front of their parents' eyes.
učitel Igor Hnízdo
tatínek František Souček
maminka Součková
ředitel školy
Eda Souček
Tonda Čejka, Edův kamarád
spolužák Rosenheim
Tramvajáková
Tramvaják
učitelka Maxová
Čejková, Tondova matka
karbaník Bohouš Čejka, Tondův otec
dvojče Květa Fabiánová
dvojče Růža Fabiánová
fakír Josef Mrázek alias Rádži Tamil
soused Cyril Plíha
školník
řidič autobusu
Voice by Zlata Adamovská
poštovní úřednice
školní inspektor
učitelka Plecitá
Fabiánová, matka dvojčat
hospodský Lukeš
harmonikář Ferda Kavka
Voice by Jan Hraběta
dispečer Skokan
drbna Mlejnková
vrátný
gynekolog MUDr. Kalaban
Rosenheimová
zmrzlinář Vaněk
starý pán
stará paní na hřbitově
Dušička
Lerch
Máček
Lakatoš
Chramosta
Potužník
Hejnic
Stavinoha
žák
žák
žák
žák
žák
žák
žák
žák
žák
žák
žák
žák
žák
žák
žák
František Nejedlý, Hana Hebrová
Gabriela Muchová, Jan Hraběta, Ivana Adamovská
Michal Erazim, Jiří Matějka, Eva Slívová, Robert Vlček
Jaroslav Kolman (pyrotechnik)
Josef Basakin, Pavel Bačkovský, Vladimír Švestka
prof. Jaroslav Ruis , Jaroslav Tomsa, Ing. Miloš Pína, mjr. Jaroslav Šebek
Monika Machytková (klapka), Alena Červená (fotografka), Jaroslav Trousil (fotograf), Ivan Frössl, Ivo Brumar, Dalibor Adámek
Antonín Dvořák (Symfonie č.9 e moll /Z Nového světa/ – Largo), Antonín Dvořák (Humoreska), Jiří Traxler (Potkal jsem svůj sen)
FISYO (Music Conducted by Štěpán Koníček)
Song Composer Jiří Traxler
Writer of Lyrics Jiří Traxler
Singer R. A. Dvorský
Writer of Lyrics Karel Tůma
Singer Jan Tříska
Song Composer Jaromír Vejvoda
Writer of Lyrics Jaromír Vejvoda
Singer Bořivoj Pencsbor
Singer dětský sbor
Song Composer Jaromír Vejvoda
Song Composer Matvej Isaakovič Blantěr
Writer of Lyrics Alexej Alexandrovič Surkov
Singer Jan Tříska
Singer klukovský sbor
Obecná škola
Obecná škola
The Elementary School
film
featuretheatrical distribution
comedy
Czechoslovakia
1991
1990—1991
the end of the distribution monopoly 7 August 1996
premiere 8 August 1991 /suitable for youths/ (kino Blaník, Praha)
gala premiere 10 October 1991 (kino Blaník, Praha)
Tvůrčí skupina Miloslav Vydra – Dana Dudová, Miloslav Vydra (vedoucí tvůrčí skupiny), Dana Dudová (vedoucí produkce tvůrčí skupiny)
feature film
90 min
35mm
1:1,66
colour
sound
mono
Czech
Czech
without subtitles
Czech
Event: Anketa českých filmových kritiků o nejlepší český film let 1990 – 2019
2020
Praha / Czech Republic
Festival: 14. mezinárodní filmový festival Fantasporto Porto
1994
Porto / Portugal
Jan Svěrák
Event: Anketa časopisu Kinorevue
1993
Praha / Czech Republic
Event: Anketa časopisu Kinorevue
1993
Praha / Czech Republic
Festival: Festival evropského filmu La Baule
1992
La Baule / France
Exhibition: 24. národní přehlídka filmů pro děti Ostrov
1992
Ostrov nad Ohří / Czechoslovakia
Václav Jakoubek
Event: 64. ročník Ceny americké Akademie filmových věd a umění Oscar 1991
1992
Hollywood, Los Angeles / United States of America
Exhibition: 24. národní přehlídka filmů pro děti Ostrov
1992
Ostrov nad Ohří / Czechoslovakia
Exhibition: 24. národní přehlídka filmů pro děti Ostrov
1992
Ostrov nad Ohří / Czechoslovakia
Exhibition: 24. národní přehlídka filmů pro děti Ostrov
1992
Ostrov nad Ohří / Czechoslovakia
Festival: 5. mezinárodní festival filmů pro děti Bellinzona
1992
Bellinzona / Switzerland
Exhibition: 24. národní přehlídka filmů pro děti Ostrov
1992
Ostrov nad Ohří / Czechoslovakia
Zdeněk Svěrák
Event: Prémie Českého literárního fondu v oblasti filmu za rok 1992
1992
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Zdeněk Svěrák
Event: Ceny Trilobit za rok 1991
1992
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Jan Svěrák
Festival: 13. festival české a slovenské filmové veselohry Nové Město nad Metují
1991
Nové Město nad Metují / Czechoslovakia
Jan Svěrák
Event: 6. Fórum mladého filmu Bratislava
1991
Bratislava / Czechoslovakia
Festival: 31. festival filmů pro děti Zlín
1991
Zlín / Czechoslovakia
Event: Československá nominace na Cenu americké Akademie filmových věd a umění Oscar 1991
1991
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Festival: 5. festival českých a slovenských filmů Finále Plzeň
1991
Plzeň / Czechoslovakia
Festival: 31. festival filmů pro děti Zlín
1991
Zlín / Czechoslovakia
Festival: 13. festival české a slovenské filmové veselohry Nové Město nad Metují
1991
Nové Město nad Metují / Czechoslovakia
Zdeněk Svěrák