Children of a Great Love

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1936

Production year

1936

Premiere

13 November 1936

Runtime

90 min

Category

film

Genre

drama

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Děti veliké lásky

Czech title

Děti veliké lásky

English title

Children of a Great Love

Parallel title

Ave Maria

English parallel title

Ave Maria

Working title

Mater Dolorosa / Požehnaná mezi ženami / Mateřství

Synopsis

In a mountain village live Ivan and Marja and their little boy Kája. The young couple are forced by a money lender to sign a bill of exchange for a higher sum because they cannot pay back their debt before harvest-time. Kája is too lively a boy, which proves to be disastrous. Hiding in the hay he is accidentally killed by his father's scythe. Ivan, in shock, flees into the forest. Marja tries her utmost to run the household by herself. Ivan is presumed dead. The lumberjack Jan, who has always been fond of Marja, moves in with her but their relationship is platonic. Jan pays off the money lender and patiently waits for Marja to forget her dead husband. On Christmas Day Marja glimpses Ivan looking in through the window. The villagers, woken by events, go off in search of Ivan with torches. Marja finds him in a cave. She still loves him and makes love to him despite his now being mentally deranged. Ivan then disappears again into the forest. Marja finds out she is pregnant and in time gives birth to a baby boy. News of the birth stirs Ivan from his apathy, he comes back to Marja, and happiness returns to the household.

Cast

Ladislav Brom

chalupník Ivan

Lída Želenská

Marja, Ivanova žena

Štefka Pálek

Kája, Ivanův syn

Josef Klapuch

dřevorubec Jan zvaný Velký Dobrák

Ella Nollová

Anna, starostova žena

Míša Kováč

četník

M. Zemanová

venkovanka

pes Brazan

černý německý ovčák

Dubbing

Alois Dvorský

hlas vesničana

Crew and creators

Assistant Director

Josef Zezulka

Screenplay

Karel Steklý

Director of Photography

Jaroslav Blažek

Camera Operator

Václav Huňka

Production Designer

Alois Mecera

Set Designer

Ferdinand Kliment

Sound Designer

Josef Zora

Production Manager

Jan Reiter

Cooperation

Antonín Frič (fotograf)

Music

Music Composed by

Josef Dobeš

Music Performed by

Pražský symfonický orchestr (Music Conducted by Josef Dobeš)

Songs

Ave Maria

Song Composer Charles Gounod
Singer Marta Krásová

Píseň hor

Song Composer Josef Dobeš
Writer of Lyrics Ladislav Brom
Singer mužský sbor

Ukolébavka

Song Composer Josef Dobeš
Writer of Lyrics Ladislav Brom
Singer Lída Želenská

Jen dál a dál

Song Composer Josef Dobeš
Writer of Lyrics Ladislav Brom
Singer Ladislav Brom

Production info

Original Title

Děti veliké lásky

Czech Title

Děti veliké lásky

English Title

Children of a Great Love

Parallel Title

Ave Maria

English Parallel Title

Ave Maria

Working Title

Mater Dolorosa / Požehnaná mezi ženami / Mateřství

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

drama

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1936

Production Year

1936

Production specifications

start of filming 08/1936
end of filming 15 September 1936
date of censorship 11/1936

Premiere

premiere 13 November 1936 /unsuitable for youths/ (kino Kotva /1½ týdne/, Praha)

Production

Reiter

Copyright Holders

Národní filmový archiv

Distribution

Elekta

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

90 min

Original length in metres

2 570 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

Opening/End credits languages

Czech