Mrs Morality Sweeps through the Town

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1939

Production year

1939

Premiere

31 March 1939

Runtime

90 min

Category

film

Genre

melodrama

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Paní Morálka kráčí městem

Czech title

Paní Morálka kráčí městem

English title

Mrs Morality Sweeps through the Town

Working title

Paní Morálka jde městem

Synopsis

Soldiers are moving out of the village. Some time afterwards Boženka, a single mother, drowns in the river and leaves little Jana in swaddling clothes on the bank; beside her lies a gold medallion bearing the portrait of a young man. Jana is placed in an orphanage and, later, finds herself in a reform school after she commits a minor theft. Life in the small hamlet is strictly supervised and influenced by the councillor's wife, known as Mrs Morality. As a trustee of the reform school, she finds Jana a job as a maid in the house of professor Černý, a bachelor employed at a secondary school. The girl, animated by the professor's kind behaviour towards her, turns his cold flat into a cosy home. The councillor's wife is determined to find a wife for the professor who is soon to become headmaster of the school. She relentlessly forces her ward Lilka upon him. Lilka has been the secret lover of professor Knitl for several years and he has no intention of getting married. The day after the betrothal is announced, Černý finds out about Lilka's affair and breaks the engagement. As an act of revenge, Knitl spreads the word that Jana is his lover. Černý is forced to defend himself and tells Mrs Morality why he left Lilka. The councillor's wife forces Knitl into marriage while Černý is considering asking Jana to marry him. In order to look younger, he shaves off his beard. Jana is shocked to discover that he is the man in the portrait on the medallion. She has found her long-lost father.

Cast

Růžena Šlemrová

paní radová Štěpánková, zvaná paní Morálka

Marie Glázrová

Lilka Stránská

Jaroslav Marvan

proferor Vladimír Černý

Ladislav Hemmer

profesor Karel Knitl

Eva Matoušková

Jana, dívka z polepšovny

Jan S. Kolár

redaktor, přítel paní radové

Theodor Pištěk

ředitel gymnázia

Ella Nollová

představená polepšovny

Hermína Vojtová

představená sirotčince

Taťána Kolárová

Boženka, Janina matka

Václav Menger

hostinský

František Plodr

vrchní František

Jaroslava Vacková

dozorkyně v polepšovně

Jarmila Holmová

dozorkyně v polepšovně

Jarmila Šmídová

matka malé holčičky

Marie Nademlejnská

paní notářová

Blanka Šléglová

komorná paní radové

Marie Oliaková

okradená chodkyně

Crew and creators

Assistant Director

Antonín Drvota

Screenstory

Václav Kosnar

Director of Photography

Ferdinand Pečenka

Production Designer

Bohumil Heš

Set Designer

Rudolf Žák

Costumes

Jan Peták

Make-Up Artist

Josef Kobík

Sound Designer

Emanuel Formánek

Production Manager

Josef Beran

Cooperation

Antonín Frič (fotograf)

Music

Music Composed by

Eman Fiala

Music Performed by

Orchestr F.O.K. (Music Conducted by Eman Fiala)

Songs

Když jsem k vám chodíval přes ty lesy

Singer Jaroslav Marvan

Production info

Original Title

Paní Morálka kráčí městem

Czech Title

Paní Morálka kráčí městem

English Title

Mrs Morality Sweeps through the Town

Working Title

Paní Morálka jde městem

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

melodrama

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1939

Production Year

1939

Production specifications

date of censorship 03/1939
projection approval 23 January 1946 (konec povolení k promítání 23. 1. 1947)
projection approval 23 January 1947 (neschváleno do distribuce)

Premiere

renewed premiere neproběhla /unsuitable for youths/
premiere 31 March 1939 /unsuitable for youths/ (kino Na Příkopě /1 týden/, Praha)

Production

Zdar

Copyright Holders

Národní filmový archiv

Distribution

Zdar

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

90 min

Original length in metres

2 560 meters

Distribution carrier

35mm

Aspect ratio

1:1,37

Colour

black & white

Sound

sound

Sound system/format

Visatone

Versions

Czech

Dialogue languages

Czech

Subtitles languages

without subtitles

Opening/End credits languages

Czech

Awards

Vítěz

Event: Státní záruky Československé vlády na výrobu filmů

1939
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Zdar

Vítěz

Event: Soutěž Filmového studia na původní filmové drama

1936
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Václav Kosnar