The Guild of the Kutná Hora Virgins

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1938

Production year

1938

Premiere

16 September 1938

Runtime

94 min

Category

film

Genre

historical, comedy

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Cech panen kutnohorských

Czech title

Cech panen kutnohorských

English title

The Guild of the Kutná Hora Virgins

Working title

Mikuláš Dačický z Heslova

Summary

Director Otakar Vávra shot this costume comedy in 1938 on a generous budget. Despite its playful tone, the film bolstered the Czechoslovak nation’s self-confidence as it faced the fascist menace. The story’s protagonist is a well-educated, hedonistic nobleman named Mikuláš Dačický, who in the silver mining town of Kutná Hora, in the era of Emperor Rudolf, advocates for the rights of miners and the expulsion from the city of thieves and newcomers. The Kutná Hora aldermen want to unseat Mikuláš over fears their profits will decline and they will lose their positions, but above all because their wives and daughters find the gallant knight irresistible. The lead role was entrusted to experienced actor Zdeněk Štěpánek, who also worked on the script and who, as Mikuláš, portrayed one of Vávra’s liveliest characters. For the supporting roles, Vávra relied on first-rate dramatic actors.

Synopsis

In 1590 Kutná Hora is a wealthy and important town. Silver is mined, coins are minted, and the town is the seat of the chief master of the mint. But the lust for wealth has lured many foreigners and crooks to the town. Their swindling has lowered revenues from the mines and it is the miners who bear the burden of economising measures. When miner Jakub protests against this in public, he is arrested and condemned to death. Knight Mikuláš Dačický then arrives in the town, a cultivated man and poet but also a great profligate and lover of beautiful women. The alchemist Wolfram persuades the aldermen to give him money in return for a promise to produce a great quantity of silver. Mikuláš urges the honourable citizens to expell the swindling thieves and aliens. The aldermen, concerned for the virtue of their wives and daughters, take advantage of this and accuse Mikuláš of witchcraft. Emperor Rudolf II, who judges the case, takes kindly to Mikuláš and grants him safe-conduct out of Prague. Mikuláš returns to Kutná Hora just in time to save Jakub's life and to expose Wolfram as a trickster who was trying to sneak away with the aldermen's money.

Note

The film was presented at the 6th Venice Film Festival, 1938.

Cast

Zdeněk Štěpánek

Mikuláš Dačický z Heslova

Ladislav Pešek

Očko, sluha Dačického

Václav Vydra st.

nejvyšší mincmistr Vilém z Vřesovic a z Doubravské Hory na Vchynicích

Helena Friedlová

Ludmila z Vřesovic a Na Dobřeni, rozená Voděradská z Hrušova, Vilémova manželka

František Smolík

nákladník a šepmistr Tobiáš Tříska

Jiřina Šejbalová

Žofka, Třískova žena

Theodor Pištěk

rychtář Mikuláš Vodňanský z Čažarova

Antonie Nedošinská

Vodňanská, rychtářova žena

Elena Hálková

Eva, rychtářova dcera

Gustav Hilmar

krejčí Mládek

Hana Vítová

Alžběta, Mládkova dcera

Adina Mandlová

povětrná holka Rozina

Bedřich Karen

alchymista David Wolfram

František Kreuzmann

hofmistr Felix z Hasenburka

Ladislav Boháč

panoš Zdeněk Lorecký z Elkuše, Dačického přítel

Zvonimir Rogoz

urburní písař

Anna Steimarová

stará panna Apoléna

Jaroslav Vojta

páter Bonifác

Božena Šustrová

služka Máří

Karel Dostal

císař Rudolf II.

Otto Rubík

nákladník Jan Dačický, Mikulášův bratr

Jaroslav Průcha

havíř Jakub

Zorka Janů

služka u Třísků

Marie Ježková

nahluchlá měštka Babeta Sládková

Jan W. Speerger

biřic Janek

Vladimír Řepa

konšel Kaše, přísedící u soudu

Stanislav Neumann

písař Václav Alexy, zapisovatel u soudu

Jelizaveta Nikolská

cikánská tanečnice

Světla Svozilová

vdova Veronika

Petr Lotar

konšel Jindřich Labuška, přísedící u soudu

John Gollwell

člen hofmistrovy družiny

Josef Kraus

katův pomocník

Vladimír Majer

hostinský Mědínek

Josef Loskot

chasník v hostinci

Emil Dlesk

chasník v hostinci

Karel Černý

dveřník císařův

Alois Dvorský

žalářník

Raoul Schránil

Mirek, pobočník hofmistra Felixe

Marie Oliaková

měšťanka v hostinci

Crew and creators

Based on

Ladislav Stroupežnický (Paní mincmistrová – divadelní hra), Mikuláš Dačický z Heslova (Paměti), Ladislav Stroupežnický (Zvíkovský rarášek – divadelní hra)

Director of Photography

Jan Roth

Production Designer

Štěpán Kopecký

Set Designer

Arnold Reimann

Costume Designer

J. M. Gottlieb

Film Editor

Antonín Zelenka

Sound Designer

Vilém Taraba, Josef Zora

Production Manager

Jan Sinnreich

Cooperation

Willy Ströminger (fotograf), F. X. Mlejnek

Songs

Sladká bella, bellissima

Singer Zdeněk Štěpánek

Vyjdu si já na vršíček

Singer Božena Šustrová

Production info

Original Title

Cech panen kutnohorských

Czech Title

Cech panen kutnohorských

English Title

The Guild of the Kutná Hora Virgins

Working Title

Mikuláš Dačický z Heslova

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

historical, comedy

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1938

Production Year

1938

Production specifications

start of filming 25 June 1938 (ateliéry)
end of filming 26 July 1938 (ateliéry)
date of censorship 09/1938
projection approval 1 January 1952

Premiere

premiere 16 September 1938 /unsuitable for youths/ (kina Blaník /4 týdny/ a Lucerna /4 týdny/, Praha)
renewed premiere 1 July 1952 /unsuitable for youths/

Production

Lucernafilm

Copyright Holders

Národní filmový archiv

Distribution

AB

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

94 min

Original length in metres

2 690 meters

Distribution carrier

35mm

Aspect ratio

1:1,37

Colour

black & white

Sound

sound

Sound system/format

Tobis – Klang

Versions

Czech

Dialogue languages

Czech, Latin

Subtitles languages

without subtitles

Opening/End credits languages

Czech

Awards

Vítěz

Event: Odměny ministra průmyslu, obchodu a živností

1939
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Lucernafilm

Vítěz

Festival: 6. mezinárodní filmový festival Benátky

1938
Benátky / Italy
Otakar Vávra