The Fine Art of Defence

Eighteen year old Martina Kuncová, from a children's home, is illustrating judo for the film of a young TV film director, Slávek Havel. An inmate, Šíša, is desperately in love with the girl. Martina has problems in the children's home with the bitter governess whom they call by nickname, The Death. On the other hand, the director of the children's home, Rudolf Pitras aka Pitrýsek, likes the inmates and tries to help them. Martina is learning to cook under the strict supervision of Mrs. Bartáková, the mother of her suitor, Kamil. Bartáková harms Míla - Martina's friend. Martina decides to take revenge on Kamil. She arranges a date with him, lets him invite her to a wine house, where Kamil's mother takes care of the beloved Pitrýsek. Martina is already of her majority and does not belong in the children's home. But in order to live alone, she needs a job and a flat. Pitrýsek offers for her to live, in the meantime, in a flatlet that he just got. He does not want to move there, because he considers the institution his home. Martina allows Šíša to stay overnight, as he just came back from the funeral of his grandmother, the only person who cared for him. The Death finds him there and causes a scandal. In a hysteric fit, she beats up Martina. Martina moves away to the flatlet. Šíša is afraid to leave the children's home and plans to fail his leaving exam. Bartáková asks Martina not to date Kamil. Martina passes her leaving exam. On the wall of the children's home, a declaration of love written by Kamil appears. Slávek finishes his film. Kamil wants to marry Martina. She tells him rationally to come back in half a year and goes back to the children's home as a cook. Šíša passes his exam and wants to kill himself. Surprisingly, The Death rescues him. Everything is now back as it was before. Martina watches playing children from the window.