Her Step-Daughter

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1938

Production year

1937—1938

Premiere

11 March 1938

Runtime

81 min

Category

film

Genre

drama

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Její pastorkyně

Czech title

Její pastorkyně

English title

Her Step-Daughter

Synopsis

The widowed daughter-in-law of old woman Buryjovka, known as Kostelnička, is proud of her pretty and well-bred adopted daughter Jenůfa. Both of the old woman's grandsons - her actual one Števa and her slightly neglected step-grandson Laco - take a fancy to the young girl. Skirt-chaser Števa seduces Jenůfa and she becomes pregnant. Laco, who suspects nothing, out of jealousy disfigures Jenůfa's face with a knife. Števa no longer wants to hear any talk about a wedding; he seduces another girl, the magistrate's daughter Karolka. Kostelnička makes it known everywhere that Jenůfa has left for employment in Vienna, and she locks her up in a closet so that no one will learn of her disgrace. Jenůfa gives birth to a son. The only one who goes to inquire about Jenůfa is Laco. He discovers by accident where the girl is and learns of everything. Even like this he is willing to marry her. When Jenůfa comes down with a high fever, Kostelnička takes advantage of the situation and carries off the child. She tells the recovered Jenůfa that the child has died. On the day of Jenůfa's wedding with Laco the people discover under the ice the small corpse of an infant. The desperate Jenůfa recognizes her child by his clothes. Kostelnička, whom false pride has led all the way to murder, confesses to her crime. Laco stays with Jenůfa. Karolka, who was to have married Števa, refuses the bridegroom, who is to blame for the entire tragedy.

Note

This theme had already been treated in a Czech film under the title Her Stepdaughter (Dir: Rudolf Měšťák, 1929).

Cast

Marie Ptáková

výměnkářka stařenka Buryjovka

Leopolda Dostalová

Kostelnička Buryjovka, stařenčina snacha

Marie Glázrová

Jenufa, pastorkyně kostelničky

Ladislav Boháč

Laca Klemeň

Jiří Dohnal

Števa Buryja, Lacův nevlastní bratr

Hermína Vojtová

rychtářova žena

Vlasta Hrubá

Karolka, dcera rychtářových

Jaroslav Marvan

c. a k. plukovní doktor

Ella Nollová

selka Kolušina

Filip Dávidík

pasáček Jano

Raupachová

Crew and creators

Assistant Director

Eduard Šimáček

Based on

Gabriela Preissová (Její pastorkyňa – divadelní hra)

Screenplay

Otakar Vávra

Director of Photography

Jaroslav Blažek

Production Designer

Štěpán Kopecký

Set Designer

Arnold Reimann

Film Editor

Antonín Zelenka

Sound Designer

Vilém Taraba

Production Manager

Jan Sinnreich

Consultant

Ladisla Rutte (národopis)

Cooperation

Willy Ströminger (fotograf)

Music

Music Composed by

Miloš Smatek

Music Performed by

Orchestr F.O.K. (Music Conducted by Miloš Smatek)

Songs

Konopa, konopa, zelená konopa

Singer Marie Glázrová

A já musím byť voják

Singer Jiří Dohnal

Vinšujem ti, kamarádko

Singer ženský sbor

Production info

Original Title

Její pastorkyně

Czech Title

Její pastorkyně

English Title

Her Step-Daughter

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

drama

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1938

Production Year

1937—1938

Production specifications

start of filming 25 November 1937
end of filming 21 January 1938
date of censorship 02/1938 (kulturně-výchovný)
projection approval 14 November 1945 (konec povolení k promítání 14. 11. 1946)
projection approval 27 September 1946 (konec povolení k promítání 31. 5. 1947)

Premiere

premiere 11 March 1938 /unsuitable for youths/ (kina Máj /1 týden/ a Světozor /1 týden/, Praha)
renewed premiere 7 December 1945 /unsuitable for youths/

Production

Lloyd

Copyright Holders

Národní filmový archiv

Distribution

Lloyd (původní 1938), Státní půjčovna filmů (obnovená 1945)

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

81 min

Original length in metres

2 310 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