Battalion

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1937

Production year

1937

Premiere

1 October 1937

Runtime

93 min

Category

film

Genre

drama

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Batalion

Czech title

Batalion

English title

Battalion

Synopsis

Barrister František Uher is known by his patriotic views and he actively assists in the litigation of Czechs with Austrian justice. One of his clients is the poet Šulc who during a stay at Uher's discovered that the barrister's wife Anna flirts with Uher's cousin Hojer. When Anna pays no heed to Šulc's warnings, he points out Anna's relationship to Uher. Uher wants to know the truth, so he returns home prematurely from an official trip and actually catches Anna in infidelity. Disappointment leads him to the Old-Prague beerhall Batalion, where Šulc has also come some time ago. Uher becomes a counsellor for the most wretched, but gradually he succumbs to alcohol. He once again finds his strength and stands up on the side of right when he accuses the police in court of the murder of poor Lojzík, who wanted to marry Mimi, the unfortunate waitress of Batalion. For his performance in court Uher is incarcerated and Batalion closed. Upon being released from prison Uher becomes an organist. He forgives his wife, whom Hojer has thrown out, but he does not want to live with her. He then soon dies in Batalion where he has been invited to its reopening. His funeral is attended by all the poor folk from Batalion. Šulc also comes and here he meets Mimi. Perhaps he will be successful in freeing her from her destitute and desperate life.

Note

This theme had already been treated in a Czech film under the same title (1927; directed by Přemysl Pražský). The film was presented at the 5th Venice Film Festival, 1937.

Cast

František Smolík

JUDr. František Uher, poslanec za Rokycany

Helena Bušová

Anna, Uhrova žena

Hana Vítová

Marie Žďárská zvaná Mimi

Jaroslav Průcha

básník Václav Šulc

Václav Trégl

válečný vysloužilec František Vondruška

František Kreuzmann

zloděj psů Beznoska

Ladislav Pešek

Honzík, Beznoskův pomocník

Eduard Kohout

Ferdinand Koranda

Milada Gampeová

Frau Mastná

Ella Nollová

harfenice, Vondruškova družka

Mařenka Zieglerová

šenkýřka v Batalionu

Eman Fiala

pianista Lojzík Chrastil, zvaný Chrastítko

Vlasta Hrubá

pouliční holka Otyla

Raoul Schránil

nadporučík Karel Hojer, Uhrův bratr

Jiří Vondrovič

sluha u nadporučíka Hojera

Vladimír Řepa

konfident Benda

Gustav Hilmar

otec Mimi

Dagmar Vondrová

Žofinka, komorná Uhrovy ženy

Růžena Pokorná

návštěvnice Batalionu

Marie Popelková

návštěvnice Batalionu

Alfred Baštýř

návštěvník Batalionu

Frank Rose-Růžička

návštěvník Batalionu

Antonín Žďárský

návštěvník Batalionu

Antonín Strnad

vězeňský kněz

Karel Němec

soudní zřízenec

Vladimír Smíchovský

přísedící u soudu

Julius Baťha

přísedící u soudu

Jan Černý

přísedící u soudu

Emanuel Kovařík

soudní zapisovatel

Karel Postranecký

člen senátu

Marie Přikrylová

majitelka módního závodu

Antonín Jirsa

Černý Kilián

Miloš Šubrt

drožkář

Jaroslav Marvan

státní návladní

Crew and creators

Assistant Director

Walter Schorsch, Vladimír Čech (adept režie)

Based on

Josef Hais-Týnecký (Batalion – román), Josef Hais-Týnecký (Batalion – divadelní hra)

Director of Photography

Jan Roth

Camera Operator

Jaromír Holpuch

Production Designer

Štěpán Kopecký

Film Editor

Antonín Zelenka

Sound Designer

Josef Zora

Production Manager

Jan Sinnreich

Cooperation

Willy Ströminger (fotograf)

Music

Music Composed by

Josef Stelibský

Music Performed by

Orchestr F.O.K. (Music Conducted by Josef Stelibský)

Songs

Do naší ulice sluníčko nepřijde /Do naší ulice.../ (valčík)

Song Composer Josef Stelibský
Writer of Lyrics Jaroslav Mottl
Singer sbor

Pryč a pryč je všecko

Singer Hana Vítovásbor

Nemám nic než to, co mám

Song Composer Josef Stelibský
Writer of Lyrics Jaroslav Mottl
Singer Hana Vítová

Ta rakouská monarchie

Singer Jaroslav Průcha

U kanonu stál

Singer Václav Trégl

Production info

Original Title

Batalion

Czech Title

Batalion

English Title

Battalion

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

drama

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1937

Production Year

1937

Production specifications

start of filming 20 May 1937
end of filming 7 June 1937
date of censorship 09/1937
withdrawal from distribution 05/1940
date of censorship 05/1940 (neschváleno do distribuce)
date of censorship 6 August 1946 (konec povolení k promítání 6. 2. 1947)
withdrawal from distribution 9 January 1948
withdrawal from distribution 4 February 1960
projection approval 1969
withdrawal from distribution 31 December 1991

Premiere

festival premiere 29 August 1937 (5. mezinárodní filmový festival Benátky)
premiere 1 October 1937 /unsuitable for youths/ (kina Adria /2 týdny/ a Hvězda /2 týdny/, Praha)
renewed premiere 20 September 1946 /unsuitable for youths/ (kino Letka /3 týdny/, Praha)
renewed premiere 22 August 1952 /unsuitable for youths/
renewed premiere 31 October 1969 /unsuitable for youths/

Production

Metropolitan

Copyright Holders

Národní filmový archiv

Distribution

Metropolitan (původní 1937), Státní půjčovna filmů (obnovená 1946), Rozdělovna filmů Československého státního filmu (obnovená 1952), Ústřední půjčovna filmů (obnovená 1969)

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

93 min

Original length in metres

2 660 meters

Distribution carrier

35mm

Aspect ratio

1:1,37

Colour

black & white

Sound

sound

Sound system/format

Tobis – Klang

Versions

Czech

Dialogue languages

Czech

Subtitles languages

without subtitles

Opening/End credits languages

Czech

Awards

Vítěz

Event: Ceny ministra průmyslu, obchodu a živností

1937
Praha / Czechoslovakia
František Smolík

Vítěz

Festival: 5. mezinárodní filmový festival Benátky

1937
Benátky / Italy

Vítěz

Event: Odměny ministra průmyslu, obchodu a živností

1937
Praha / Czechoslovakia

Vítěz

Event: Ceny ministra průmyslu, obchodu a živností

1937
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Jan Roth