Known for Acting
May 1945. On the outskirts of Prague, ordinary people meet Soviet soldiers-liberators with tears of joy in their eyes. In the early days of the lull, someone sadly recalls a pre-war life; someone unexpectedly meets his love; someone is returning from enemy dungeons looking hopefully into the future; and someone, having moved from a tank into a Czech tram, warmly recalls his craft as a car driver... These days, all those who survived the Great War fire swear an oath to keep peace on Earth forever, honoring the memory of those who gave their lives for simple human happiness.
The hero of the story is the writer Vladimír Tůma, who is invited to spend a month studying in a neighbouring country. There, the foreign office assigns him a guide, Irena Stepowska. The two young people are attracted to each other, but there is a catch - Vladimír is married, Irena is married. But as they say, opportunity makes the thief, so it's no wonder that Tůma has his work cut out for him, and Irena, too, sometimes recovers only at the last minute. And she doesn't even know that her husband is coming to visit her...
Explores young adults' fears of being conscripted by the communist government into working outside of Prague, a relative oasis of creativity and freedom of thought. From an early script by Milos Forman.
As Nazi troops prepare to occupy the already truncated Czechoslovak Republic, a small military garrison made up of communists defies orders to abandon their post.
The year is 1918. Toník returns home from the front. In Kladno, where he arrives, things are seething with discontent. The Social Democrats are in government, but nothing has changed. Socialization has not been implemented, there is hunger and food is still being skimped on. The first news about a socialist state arrives from Russia. On May 1st, the workers' Kladno manifests its loyalty to the ideals of the Great October Socialist Revolution. In December 1920, a general strike is declared in Kladno as well. The workers arm themselves, workers' councils take over the administration of the city and are also established in the surrounding villages. An armed uprising is being prepared. However, the right-wing leadership of the Social Democratic Party attacks the workers in the back. The army is sent to Kladno...
Cooperative members are harvesting crops, trying to get new water piping installed and preparing to plough away the field boundaries in autumn. Local kulak Voznica (Vladimír Repa) doesn't like any of this so he forces sexton Kodýtek (Vlasta Burian) to help him sabotage their efforts.
The drama from the time of the Nazi occupation begins at the train station, where a transport with German soldiers is passing. The train is stopped due to improvised sabotage by one of the railway workers. Resistance liaison Růžena Kubínová is arrested in a random raid. The cynical councilor Dönnert discovers her false documents and has her brutally interrogated. He suspects that she could contribute to exposing the entire group. He puts a informant, Herta, in her cell.
Grammar school teacher Bláha hurts himself in pursuit of a red lizard, and is lying unconscious in the lonely house of Santrucek family. The postman, who found Bláha's coat and hat in the water, announces to everyone in town that the professor has drowned. But, the venerable citizens are at that moment more interested in the theatre group with the beautiful guest actress Eva Gazdová. They demand a change of repertoire and manage to persuade the theatre manager to have the group play the musical comedy The Red Lizard instead of an established play.
At the end of the war, the old train driver Matys saves his beloved locomotive Líza from depth charges. However, the locomotive is damaged and he is injured. At a critical moment, he stands in for his son-in-law, also a train driver, and thus prevents a train accident. Despite this, he is sent into retirement. To show what the "iron old man" can do, he reconstructs Líza with a group of apprentices...
Five crime stories connected by the narration of police superintendent Bartosek.
Leopold Kohák married a rich widow a long time ago and now has nothing to do compared to his energetic wife. He's growing old and troubled by the fact that he betrayed his first love Emča and his beloved river Sázava where he spent his childhood and youth. A visit from an old friend Lebeda brings it all back to him. After a nervous breakdown Leopold secretly visits his home instead of going to the spa. A wandering tramp suggest Leopold should bathe in the magical waters of the Sázava, and slowly his youth returns to him.
Prague, the beginning of the 17th century. Rozina falls in love with Italian glass worker Nikolo, but after returning home, she gets a message that will never come to Prague. She falls for the promise of an older man to marry her, but when Nikolo does return, the tragic fate of Rozina is sealed.
