From the Czech Mills

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1929

Production year

1929

Premiere

5 July 1929

Runtime

98 min

Category

film

Genre

comedy

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Z českých mlýnů

Czech title

Z českých mlýnů

English title

From the Czech Mills

Synopsis

The soul of the Czech journeyman-miller wants to go up to heaven but in the Book of Life there is no mention of journeymen-miller. So St. Peter has to use his heavenly telescope. Three journeymen-millers arrive at Mařatka's mill - Long, Short and Sharp-Eyes - and the miller immediately finds work for them. The ranger Srna wants the miller's daughter Anička for a wife and, in return for the miller's consent, he tells Mařatka that he will arrange large flour orders for delivery to the castle. Anička, however, is fond of the handsome Karel. Anička's betrothal to Srna approaches and the miller begins to regret that he gave his word to the ranger. So he accepts Sharp-Eyes' offer in order to save Anička. The journeymen-millers think up a trap for the ranger. During the betrothal ceremony, they ask "fate" whether Anička and Srna are supposed to be wed. At that moment, due to the journeymen-millers invisible wizardry, plates start to fall off the wall and the ranger runs off in shame. Long, as a reward, gets permission to marry the housekeeper Baruška of whom he has grown fond. Anička is finally able to marry her beloved Karel. St Peter is satisfied with what he has seen and he allows the journeymen-miller's soul to come up to heaven.

Note

The short animated passages in the film were created by Karel Dodal. The film begins with a motto: Love never freezes in Czech mills. According to director Miroslav J. Krňanský, the film was mostly directed by Ferry Seidl. Krňanský only directed the scenes in which Seidl himself was on set.

Cast

František Růžička

mlynář Mařatka

Nora Ferry

mlynářova dcera Anička

Jiří Hron

Aniččin milý Karel Sezima

Jan Richter

fořt Srna, Aniččin nápadník

Jindřich Plachta

krajánek Dlouhý

František Černý

krajánek Široký

Ferry Seidl

krajánek Bystrozraký

Darja Hajská

Baruška, služebná ve mlýně

K. Baťha

prášek Ferda

Karel Schleichert

dědeček Pištora

Filip Balek-Brodský

soused deroucí peří

Milka Balek-Brodská

sousedka deroucí peří

Jarka Pižla

mládek ve mlýně

Alois Dvorský

host na zásnubách

Ella Nollová

matka Karla Sezimy

Marie Nademlejnská

zámecká slečna Josefinka

Marie Černá

komorná na zámku

Luigi Hofman

sluha na zámku

Břetislav Heinc

sluha na zámku

Čeněk Šlégl

Artur, nápadník zámecké slečny

Josef Kobík

hostinský

Josef Šváb-Malostranský

host na zásnubách

Emilie Nitschová

host na zásnubách

Bohumil Kovář

svatý Petr u nebeské brány

Crew and creators

Based on

Karel Tůma (Z českých mlýnů – humoresky)

Director of Photography

Jan Stallich

Production Designer

Alois Mecera

Art Director

Karel Dodal (animované části)

Make-Up Artist

Josef Kobík

Animation

Karel Dodal (animované části)

Special Effects

Karel Dodal

Titles Designed by

Karel Dodal

Cooperation

Willy Ströminger (fotograf), František Horký (konečná úprava filmu)

Production info

Original Title

Z českých mlýnů

Czech Title

Z českých mlýnů

English Title

From the Czech Mills

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

comedy

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1929

Production Year

1929

Production specifications

date of censorship 17 April 1929

Premiere

premiere 5 July 1929 /unsuitable for youths/ (kina Adria /1 týden/, Hvězda /1 týden/ a Flora /1 týden/, Praha)

Production

Elekta Journal

Copyright Holders

Národní filmový archiv

Distribution

Elekta Journal

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

98 min

Original length in metres

2 800 meters

Distribution carrier

35mm

Aspect ratio

1:1,33

Colour

black & white

Sound

silent

Versions

Czech

Dialogue languages

without dialogue

Subtitles languages

without subtitles

Intertitles languages

Czech

Opening/End credits languages

Czech