Sun, Hay and Strawberries

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1983

Production year

1983

Premiere

1 September 1984

Runtime

83 min

Category

film

Genre

comedy, screwball comedy

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Slunce, seno, jahody

Czech title

Slunce, seno, jahody

English title

Sun, Hay and Strawberries

Working title

Ta naše vesnička česká [literární scénář]

Summary

Zdeněk Troška shot two films in 1983: school comedy Bota jménem Melichar (Melichar the Boot) and village comedy Slunce, seno, jahody (Sun, Hay and Strawberries). The latter picture paved the way for the most popular titles in the filmography of the young debuting filmmaker: sequels Slunce, seno a pár facek (Sun, Hay and Slaps, 1989) and Slunce, seno, erotika (Sun, Hay and Erotic, 1991), and the Kameňák (Bad Joke, 2003-2005) and Babovřesky (Old Hag’s Yells, 2013-2015) trilogies. The first part of the Sun, Hay… series, set in the South Bohemian village of Hoštice, presents the fictional, idyllic world of a Czech village created by Troška and screenwriter Petr Markov. An agricultural college student, Šimon Plánička, arrives at the local JZD farming cooperative to put to the test his theory that a cow’s milk yield is linked to the animal’s cultural environment. While he succeeds in his experiment with the vicar Otík’s cow, the bovines in the cooperative fail to respond to the music played to them. Meanwhile, suspicions arise that Šimon is the son of the regional agricultural administration’s chairman. Blažena Škopková, daughter of the research student’s landlady, is tasked with finding out, but her efforts only trigger jealousy in her boyfriend Venca… Troška’s Hoštice is a village of oddball characters that fit in well with the tradition of popular comedies enhanced by the “carefree” period of the summer holidays. Energetic mother Škopková, Otík who has elevated spying on neighbours to a divine mission, prim but musical school director Ms. Hubičková, the infantile grandmother spending all her days in a bed on wheels outside the house, and tireless informer Keliška – they are just some of the characters whose jovial words long ago made it into public banter. In this first part of the series centred on the village of Hoštice, Troška proves himself a truly spontaneous narrator of humorous tales, with a talent for creating a genuinely poetic atmosphere, something which experienced cameraman Josef Hanuš helps to evoke. These qualities unfortunately began to wane in the sequels, unlike the director’s ability to assemble and harmonise actors and non-actors who often went on to complete further collaborations with the director in later pictures. Examples of this are experienced actress Helena Růžičková and Pavel Kikinčuk, who debuted in the role of Šimon and became an integral part of the later Old Hag’s Yells series.

Synopsis

A student of the agricultural college, Šimon Plánička, arrives at a South-Bohemian village for a summer temporary job. He has to jump out of the railcar while it is still moving - the train is delayed and if it stopped, the delay would increase. Šimon has an experiment how to increase the cows' milk yield prepared for the local agricultural coooperative: to beautify the cowsheds and play music to the cows while milking. The cooperative's chairman does not want to hear anything about the experiment. For the moment, he accomodates the young man with the Škopkas family, commanded by the vigorous Mrs Škopková. Šimon does not want to give up his experiment and finally gets a cow which belongs to the village priest. The cow indeed produces substantially more milk than before the experiment. The cooperative's management hesitates and moreover the news spreads that Šimon is son of the regional cooperative administration's director. The Škopkas' daughter Blažena is entrusted to find the truth during a village hop. Blažena's boyfriend Venca does not like the plan and begins to be jealous. In the middle of the hop, the villagers notice an enormous full moon and Mrs schoolmaster immediately sings an opera aria about the moon. The cooperative's management allows Šimon to repeat his experiment in the cowsheds. The Škopkas family has trouble with their immobile grandmother who sometimes indulges in malicious pranks which make her relatives' lives a misery. The cooperative cows, however, do not want to yield more milk even when listening to music. Blažena is pregnant and Venca is suspicious that the future child is Šimon's. But Blažena proves to him that she was faithful to him. A delegation from the regional administration arrives at the village, including the father Plánička who had no idea about his son's activities. He wants to talk to him but the reconciled lovers Blažena and Venca help Šimon run away. This time, he must jump onto the moving train.

Note

Free second and third parts were filmed by director Zdeněk Troška under the titles Sun, Hay and Slaps (1989) and Sun, Hay, Erotic (1991).

Cast

Pavel Kikinčuk

brigádník Šimon Plánička

Bronislav Černý

instalatér Venca Konopník

Veronika Kánská

Blažena Škopková, Vencova dívka

Petra Pyšová

servírka Miloslava Ratajová zvaná Miluna

Helena Růžičková

ošetřovatelka Mařenka Škopková, Blaženina matka

Stanislav Tříska

Vladimír Škopek, Mařenčin muž

Arnoštka Červená

babička Škopkových, Mařenčina matka

Martin Šotola

Jirka, syn Škopkových

Miroslav Zounar

předseda JZD Pepa Rádl

Jiří Lábus

živočichář Béďa

Pavel Vondruška

tajemník Mošna

Jaroslava Kretschmerová

sekretářka JZD Eva Pilátová zvaná Evík

Luděk Kopřiva

farář Otík

Vlastimila Vlková

Cecilka, farářova hospodyně

Marie Švecová

drbna Mařenka Kelišová zvaná Keliška

Vlasta Mészárosová

průvodčí Helenka

Jiří Kostka

děda Zvoníček

Karel Engel

zájemce o mlýn Rudík Sobotka

Hana Čížková

Sobotkova žena

Jiřina Jirásková

řídící Václavka Hubičková

Martin Wolf

závozník Eda

Jiří Janda

hospodský Jaroušek

Jiří Růžička

tlustý Josef

Jiřina Jelenská

Rádlová, předsedova žena

Oleg Reif

ředitel krajské zemědělské správy Plánička

Alena Karešová

Pláničkova žena

Marie Sládková

Mošnova žena

Marie Pilátová

ošetřovatelka Vlasta Konopníková, Vencova matka

Václav Troška

Konopník, Vlastin muž

Vladimír Chvosta

Vencův kamarád

Josef Bolard

Vencův kamarád

Michal Kepl

Vencův kamarád

Richard Kepl

Vencův kamarád

Marie Soukupová

sousedka Matoušková

Oldřich Smetana

Vlček

Libuše Fialová

sousedka

Bedřiška Kelišová

sousedka

Marie Pikhartová

sousedka

Miloslava Ratajová

sousedka

Blažena Votavová

sousedka

Karel Brázda

hudebník

František Chalupecký

hudebník

Miroslav Lukeš

hudebník

Jan Novotný (5)

hudebník

Václav Soukup

hudebník

František Jákl

dubl za Pavla Kikinčuka

obyvatelé obce Hoštice u Volyně

vesničané

Dubbing

Libuše Švormová

hlas markýzy Angeliky Sancé de Monteloupové z filmu Angelika, markýza andělů v televizi

Crew and creators

Second Unit Director

Magdalena Příhodová

Assistant Director

Petr Slabý, Rudolf Jokl

Continuity

Eva Truchlá

Director of Photography

Josef Hanuš

Second Unit Photography

Rudolf Jokl

Camera Operator

Václav Zajíček

Production Designer

Oldřich Bosák

Assistent Production Designer

Jan Zázvorka ml.

Set Designer

Karel Kracík, Miloš Sršeň, Milan Šefrna

Costume Designer

Marie Franková

Film Editor

Eva Bobková

Sound Designer

Karel Jaroš

Production Manager

Blažej Vráb

Unit Production Manager

Rudolf Mos, Hana Štefanová

Unit Production Manager

René Kořenář, Přemysl Čermák

Music

Music Composed by

Karel Vágner

Selected Music

Antonín Dvořák (Rusalka /Měsíčku na nebi hlubokém/ – árie ), Bedřich Smetana (Tajemství /Sbor poutníků/), Petr Iljič Čajkovskij (Klavírní koncert b moll), Vilém Blodek (V studni /Mladá láska to je ráj/), Michel Magne (hudba z filmu Angelika, markýza andělů /Angélique, marquise des anges/)

Music Performed by

Orchestr Karla Vágnera (Music Conducted by Karel Vágner)

Songs

V pohodě

Song Composer Karel Vágner
Writer of Lyrics Jan Krůta
Singer Hana ZagorováPetr KotvaldStanislav Hložek

Auťák na lásku

Song Composer Karel Vágner
Writer of Lyrics Pavel Žák
Singer Hana ZagorováPetr KotvaldStanislav Hložek

Trnky brnky – polka

Singer ženský sbor

U panského dvora

Song Composer lidová píseň
Writer of Lyrics František Jaroslav Vacek-Kamenický
Singer Helena Růžičkováženský sbor

Pionýři, pionýři, malované děti /parafráze na Huláni, huláni/

Singer dětský sbor

Tancuj, tancuj, vykrúcaj

Singer Helena Růžičkováženský sbor

Šla Nanynka do zelí

Singer Erna Červená

Pod našima okny teče vodička

Singer sbor

Měsíčku na nebi hlubokém

Song Composer Antonín Dvořák
Writer of Lyrics Jaroslav Kvapil
Singer Jiřina Jirásková

Já jsem malý mysliveček

Singer sbor

Mladá láska to je ráj

Song Composer Vilém Blodek
Writer of Lyrics Karel Sabina
Singer Jiřina Jirásková

Ty křenovský luka

Song Composer lidová píseň
Singer sbor

Dva docenti

Song Composer Ivan Mládek
Writer of Lyrics Ivan Mládek
Singer Ivan Mládek

Production info

Original Title

Slunce, seno, jahody

Czech Title

Slunce, seno, jahody

English Title

Sun, Hay and Strawberries

Working Title

Ta naše vesnička česká [literární scénář]

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

comedy, screwball comedy

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1983

Production Year

1983

Production specifications

start of filming 25 July 1983

Premiere

premiere 1 September 1984 /suitable for youths/

Creative Group

6. dramaturgicko-výrobní skupina Tvůrčí mládí, Jan Vild (vedoucí 6. dramaturgicko-výrobní skupiny Tvůrčí mládí)

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

83 min

Original length in metres

2 369 meters

Distribution carrier

16mm, 35mm

Aspect ratio

1:1,37

Colour

colour

Sound

sound

Sound system/format

mono

Versions

Czech

Dialogue languages

Czech

Subtitles languages

without subtitles

Opening/End credits languages

Czech

Awards

Vítěz

Event: Anketa Týdeníku Televize, TV Plus a České televize – Hrdina filmového úsměvu tisíciletí (nejoblíbenější postava české filmové veselohry)

2000
Praha / Czech Republic
Helena Růžičková