God's Mills
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1937Production year
1937Premiere
25 February 1938Runtime
90 minDirector
Václav WassermanCategory
filmGenre
dramaTypology
featuretheatrical distributionlongOriginal title
Boží mlýnyCzech title
Boží mlýnyEnglish title
God's MillsSynopsis
An old farmer from Chodsko, Záhoř, persuades young Podestát that he returned a loan of 300 gold pieces to his father before the latter's death. Out of miserliness Záhoř is even prepared to perjure himself before the court. The angered creditor warns him of God's wrath. Záhoř's sons, Matěj and Vondra, are wooing the same girl, the smith's daughter Nana. She chooses to marry the younger and more sensitive Matěj who, being the married son, then becomes the manager of the estate. But Matěj being slightly slothful, Vondra ends up playing a greater part in the running of the estate and in Nana's life. Nana reveals she is expecting Vondra's child, and Matěj decides to go to America. Vondra notices Matěj has some money and assumes that he stole it from Nana. The brothers quarrel and in an unfortunate accident Vondra kills Matěj. A neighbour sees Vondra burying the body. Old Záhoř wants to return the money but Podestát refuses it as it is cursed. The farmer in despair burns the banknotes in his barn and causes a fire. The whole farm burns down; only a shaken Nana and her baby boy escape the blaze.
Note
This theme had already been treated in a Czech film under the same title (Dir: Josef Medeotti-Boháč, 1929).
Photos
Cast
Karel Černý
sedlák Tomáš Záhoř
Ladislav Boháč
Vondra, Záhořův syn
Karel Beníško
Matěj, Záhořův syn
J. O. Martin
kovář Drastil
Marie Pilská
kovářova žena
Jiřina Štěpničková
Nana, dcera Drastilových
Miroslav Kryštof-Kutina
sedlák Jan Podestát
Běla Tringlerová
Dodla, Podestátova žena
Karel Veverka
sedlák Hadlásek
Alois Dvorský
sedlák Foukalík
Otto Zahrádka
sedlák Bulovec
Ferenc Futurista
vystěhovalecký agent
Slávka Doležalová
děvečka Manka
Jan W. Speerger
sedlák Jírovec
Máňa Hanková
selka
Jaroslav Marvan
advokát
František Kreuzmann
soudce
Milka Balek-Brodská
porodní bába
Vladimír Řepa
hostinský
Walter Taub
advokátní koncipient
Jiří Fiala
soudní zapisovatel
Herbert Lom
chasník
Roza Schlesingerová
kmotra při svatbě
František Vlček
host na svatbě
Crew and creators
Director
Assistant Director
Based on
Jan Vrba (Boží mlýny – román)
Screenplay
Director of Photography
Camera Operator
Production Designer
Set Designer
Costumes
Make-Up Artist
Film Editor
Sound Designer
Production Manager
Cooperation
Willy Ströminger (fotograf)
Music
Music Composed by
Music Performed by
Orchestr F.O.K. (Music Conducted by Josef Dobeš)
Songs
Zelení hájové
Singer ženský sbor
Já mám v levý noze trn a trn a trnaveček
Singer mužský sbor
Spi, děťátko, spi (ukolébavka)
Singer Běla Tringlerová
Hajej. můj andílku
Song Composer Bedřich Smetana
Writer of Lyrics Eliška Krásnohorská
Singer Jiřina Štěpničková
Žádnej neví, co jsou Domažlice
Singer sbor
lidové písně
Production info
Original Title
Boží mlýny
Czech Title
Boží mlýny
English Title
God's Mills
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distribution
Genre
drama
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1937
Production Year
1937
Production specifications
start of filming 3 September 1937
end of filming 29 November 1937
date of censorship 01/1938
date of censorship 06/1940
withdrawal from distribution 18 May 1945
projection approval 11 October 1945 (konec povolení k promítání 11. 10. 1946)
withdrawal from distribution 31 May 1947
Premiere
premiere 25 February 1938 /unsuitable for youths/ (kina Letka /1 týden/ a Máj /1 týden/, Praha)
renewed premiere 19 October 1945 /unsuitable for youths/
With support
Copyright Holders
Studio
Distribution
Gloria (původní 1938), Státní půjčovna filmů (obnovená 1945)
Technical info
Duration typology
feature film
Duration in minutes
90 min
Original length in metres
2 543 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
