Cinema
Grandmother
Babička
František Čáp · 1940
Synopsis
An old countrywoman comes to live at Old Bleachery with her daughter Terezka Prošková, and soon wins everyone over with her wisdom, tenderness and prudence; her granddaughter Barunka is the one most marked by her. Around them are woven the loves, happy or not, of Viktorka, a village girl, of Kristla, the innkeeper's daughter, and of Hortensie, ward of Princess Zaháňská, in the landscapes of Bohemia.
Context
The screenplay, by Čáp, Karel Hašler and Václav Wasserman, follows Božena Němcová's novel with respect; the staging draws on Adolf Kašpar's famous illustrations, to music by Jiří Fiala and with photography by Karl Degl. Released on 15 November 1940, the film was received under the Protectorate as a display of patriotic spirit: the countryside, the idealised characters and the Czech landscapes took on the value of moral support.
Who it is for
Ninety-seven minutes; the title role was Terezie Brzková's first major film role, when she was sixty-five years old.
Prizes and reception
Counted by the biographical dictionary of the Czech lands among the major works of its author; one of his best-known films.