For His Native Soil

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1930

Production year

1930

Premiere

24 October 1930

Runtime

77 min

Category

film

Genre

drama

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Za rodnou hroudu

Czech title

Za rodnou hroudu

English title

For His Native Soil

Synopsis

Petr Svozil has his beloved Anna, a girl from a smithy, and the entire surroundings consider their relationship ill-matched, because Petr is an educated man. Brother Jan would rather pay off Petr to keep disgrace from befalling the entire family. Petr and Anna marry and leave to Prague. Petr, however, looks for work in vain and on the advice of the landlord leaves for America. Anna remains and earns some money by sewing so she can provide for herself and her son who was born after Petr's departure. Hopeful letters arrive from her husband, but war breaks out and she finds herself in poverty. In desperation she seeks refuge at Jan's, who, haunted by remorse, accepts her into his farmstead. Anna and child soon recover. Jan, who secretly loves Anna, is called to arms. In a military hospital in France he encounters his brother Petr who has been fighting as a volunteer in the American Army. The mortally wounded Jan with his last ounce of strength tells Petr all that has happened and for the last time he sings his beloved song Kde domov můj. At the end of the war Petr returns home to run the farm together with his Anna.

Note

In the film numerous documentary shots from the First World War are used. The film is silent. The only speaking scene is in the military hospital where Rovenský sings Kde domov můj.

Cast

Josef Rovenský

hospodář Jan Svozil

Jan W. Speerger

Petr, Janův bratr

Anita Janová

Anna, Petrova žena

Ada Velický

pan domácí

Josef Zezulka

strážník

Crew and creators

Screenstory

I. Humhalová

Director of Photography

Jan Stallich, Václav Vích

Cooperation

Willy Ströminger (fotograf)

Music

Music Composed by

Erno Košťál

Songs

Kde domov můj

Song Composer František Škroup
Writer of Lyrics Josef Kajetán Tyl
Singer Josef Rovenský

Production info

Original Title

Za rodnou hroudu

Czech Title

Za rodnou hroudu

English Title

For His Native Soil

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

drama

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1930

Production Year

1930

Production specifications

date of censorship 10/1930 (kino Avion /3 týdny/, Praha)
date of censorship 02/1936 (konec povolení k promítání 1941)

Premiere

premiere 24 October 1930 /unsuitable for youths/ (kino Avion /3 týdny/, Praha)

Production

AB, Oldřich Kmínek

Copyright Holders

Národní filmový archiv

Laboratories

AB

Distribution

Primus

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

77 min

Original length in metres

2 200 meters

Distribution carrier

35mm

Aspect ratio

1:1,19

Colour

black & white

Sound

sound

Sound system/format

Tobis – Klang

Versions

Czech

Dialogue languages

Czech

Subtitles languages

without subtitles

Intertitles languages

Czech

Opening/End credits languages

Czech