The Smiling Country
Typology
featureLenght
longCzech title
Usměvavá zemRuntime
94 minCountry
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1952Production year
1952Premiere
05.06.1952Language version
CzechDirector
Václav GajerSynopsis
The farming cooperative in Darmochleby needs a new accountant. Its sponsor, South Bohemian Car Factory, sends their volunteer worker Benda over. The young man accepts the function if only because his girl, Božka Kratochvílová, lives in neighbouring Rousov. Benda unknowingly provokes the jealousy of Drvota, Darmochleby agronomist who is in love with the local teacher Ročková but is too shy to show his feelings. While the Darmochleby cooperative is prospering, farmers in Rousov are toiling just like in the old times. The local money-man, pub-owner Sahula, is the arch-enemy of the idea of forming a cooperative there, instigating trouble by offering help with work in the fields to his fellow-farmers. Each time anyone borrows his span, though, they have to pay it off many times over by working for him. Only after the Rousov people visit the prospering Darmochleby cooperative are their eyes opened. The misunderstanding between Benda and Drvota is settled. Rousov forms a cooperative and Sahula is arrested after getting caught trying to infect cooperative pigs with polio. Hence the last obstacle standing in the way of the flourishing of both cooperatives is removed.
Note
For security reasons (danger of fire from the lighing equipment), an unorthodox solution was chosen during the shooting of the film. Models of cowsheds and an old pigsty were built right inside the atelier and hundreds of cattle were brought in. The milk cows adjusted quickly and after two days the level of milk reached the normal amount of 30 and more litres of milk, which was processed right away in an installed dairy. The film makers had good experiences also with the fatlings and sows, in whom they discovered obedient and willing actors who only asked for one fee – bigger fattening fations. (The Film Information No. 7/1952)
Photos
Cast
Otomar Korbelář
předseda JZD Mates Podlešák
Josef Mixa
agronom Václav Drvota
Miroslava Langová
učitelka a jednatelka JZD Vlasta Ročková
Jaromír Spal
účetní Cyril Benda
Zdeňka Baldová
klepavá babka Fejfarová
Jarmila Kurandová
družstevnice Holubová
Ota Motyčka
pekař Bruml, účetní družstva
Vladimír Řepa
krmič vepřů František Skácel
Josef Beyvl
sedlák a hostinský Bedřich Sahula
Hynek Němec
střední rolník Kratochvíl
Lola Skrbková
Kratochvílova žena Anna
Eva Jiroušková
Božka, dcera Kratochvílových
Stanislav Neumann
Kratochvílův tchán Mates Beránek
Rudolf Deyl ml.
posluha Hranička
Oldřich Lukeš
dílenský mistr Suchomel, patronátní referent JZD
Marie Nademlejnská
drůbežnice Marie, Skácelova žena
Marie Rintová
rolnice Šimáňová
Emil Bolek
družstevník
Eman Fiala
chalupník Kasal
Josef Příhoda
střední rolník Říha
Magda Kopřivová
krmička vepřů Zelenková
Vladimír Bejval
Toník, syn Kratochvílových
Ladislav Ulman
Jeník Podlešák
František Holar
skupinář JZD Kučera
Ferdinand Jarkovský
chalupník Šimáně
Anna Kadeřábková
dojička Tonička
Dana Ingvortová
Vlastička, dcera Ročkové
Anna Kubalová
matka Ročkové
František Lang
děda
František Miroslav Doubrava
traktorista Karel Mazač
Antonín Ženčák
předseda MNV Rousov
Otto Čermák
střední rolník Kocián
Jaroslav Vondřička
Kociánův synek
Pavel Wuršer
mechanik v továrně Josef Pašek
Věra Kalendová
hostinská Sahulová
Bohumil Machník
družstevník Bohouš
Jiří Kostka
rolník
Josef Štefl
rolník
Oldřich Podlešák
obyvatelé Čepřovic
obyvatelé Nišovic
obyvatelé Volyně
Crew and creators
Director
Assistant Director
Screenstory
Screenplay
Camera
Camera Operator
Bohumil Turek, Stanislav Kautský
Production Designer
Set Designer
František Suchý
Costumes
Make-Up Artist
Film Editor
Sound Designer
Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Bohumil Kouba, Hubert Novotný
Music
Music Composed by
Music Performed by
Music Conducted by
Milivoj Uzelac (FISYO)
Songs
Radost, Ó, hřebíčku zahradnický, Voda široká, tráva zelená, Široký, hluboký, ty vltavský tůně
Songwriter
Jiří Srnka (Radost)
Writer of Lyrics
Jan Noha (Radost)
Singer
Kühnův pěvecký sbor (Radost), Kühnův pěvecký sbor (Ó, hřebíčku zahradnický), Kühnův pěvecký sbor (Voda široká, tráva zelená), Kühnův pěvecký sbor (Široký, hluboký, ty vltavský tůně)
Production info
Original Title
Usměvavá zem
English Title
The Smiling Country
Category
film
Typology
feature
Genre
drama
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1952
Production Year
1952
Premiere
05.06.1952
Production
Copyright Holders
Distribution
Technical info
Lenght
long
Runtime
94 min
Versions
Czech