Morality above All Else

Professor Karas always makes a big show of how morally decent he is, wherever he goes. He enforces the motto "Morality above all else" on the life of his wife Karolína and their two children, eighteen-year-old Eva and thirteen-year-old Ivan. The professor, however, carefully hides the fact that he has a child out of wedlock named Věra. The girl wants nothing except to be close to her father so she becomes part of the family as Eva's governess. The modern girl has a wonderful effect on the starchy members of the family. The young doctor Jílovský falls in love with her, however, Karas is still afraid to admit his family relationship with Věra. Thus it happens that his secret nocturnal visit to his daughter's room is considered the flight of a married man. The next day Jílovský rebukes Věra for what has happened and he and the other members of the family discover who the "other man" was. When Karas, urged on by his friend Mach, decides to come clean about his identity, he finds that everyone already knows and they are all glad since they have grown very fond of Věra. Eva and her mother, under Věra's influence, have been transformed into elegant ladies. Eva finds the love of the sculptor Konrád, Karolína earns the admiration of her husband, now delighting in his new - found wisdom and Věra gets her beloved Jílovský.