Directed by:
Karel KachyňaCinematography:
Josef IllíkComposer:
Jan NovákCast:
Jana Brejchová, Mnislav Hofmann, Gustáv Valach, Josef Kemr, Josef Elsner, Čestmír Řanda st., Jaroslav Moučka, Josef Větrovec, Valerie Kaplanová (more)Plots(1)
One day of autumn 1950, during the forced collectivization, the farmers lead their cattle into the common stables of the new cooperative. The cooperative's chairman, Picin, publicly calls out the farmers' names. Only one among the farmers - the rich farmer Konvalinka - opposes the imposed violence in a horrific way, shooting all his cattle and himself committing suicide. The village witnesses the return of Konvalinka's daughter, nicknamed Miss [Slečna], a former nun whose cloister was closed by the new regime. She is running the remaining property alone, only with the help of the village fool Ambrož. Besides that, Miss is also feeding the cooperative's pigs. The farm-labourer Ambrož becomes the target of disgusting jokes suggesting a sexual relationship with the strict young woman employer. Picin is well aware that the members of the cooperative steal grain and not all of them have handed over their guns. Before Christmas, Miss decides to revive the village tradition and goes to the banned midnight mass on sledge. Clad in a nun's habit, she arrives at the church and blesses the people. The religious excitement of the crowd of villagers makes the priest serve the ceremony. Picin's common-law wife Filipa dies, and while the undertaker and his wife prepare her for the grave, Picin sets off to the church with a loaded gun. The priest, in front of the gathered people, scolds the former nun for pride and the young woman runs away to the fields, where in the freeze out to death. Picin, desperate of Filipa's death and blinded by hatred, shoots dead one of the farmers in front of the church. Miss dies in the frost and the members of militia arrive to the village from town. (official distributor synopsis)
(more)Cast
Jana Brejchová
Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia
Best movies:
Higher Principle (1960)
Půlpenny (1974) (TV movie)
The Fabulous Baron Munchausen (1961)
Mnislav Hofmann
Czechoslovakia
Best movies:
Love Between the Raindrops (1979)
Christmas with Elizabeth (1968)
The Nun's Night (1967)
Gustáv Valach
Czechoslovakia
Best movies:
Pštrosí večierok (1969) (TV movie)
Shadows of a Hot Summer (1977)
Henrich IV. (1987) (theatrical recording)
Josef Kemr
Czechoslovakia
Best movies:
Naši furianti (1983) (theatrical recording)
Give the Devil His Due (1984)
Marecek, Pass Me the Pen! (1976)
Josef Elsner
Best movies:
Witchhammer (1969)
The Nun's Night (1967)
Private Torment (1967)
Čestmír Řanda st.
Czechoslovakia
Best movies:
Ikaros' Fall (1977) (TV movie)
Tažní ptáci (1983) (TV movie)
Ubohý pan Kufalt (1981) (TV movie)
Jaroslav Moučka
Czechoslovakia
Best movies:
Men About Town (1969)
The Sorcerer's Apprentice (1977)
Sňatky z rozumu (1968) (series)
Josef Větrovec
Czechoslovakia
Best movies:
The Stolen Airship (1966)
Byl jednou jeden dům (1974) (series)
Svatební cesta do Jiljí (1983) (TV movie)
Valerie Kaplanová
Austria-Hungary
Best movies:
Jára Cimrman Lying, Sleeping (1983)
Dissolved and Effused (1984)
Lokis (1986) (TV movie)
Libuše Havelková
Czechoslovakia
Best movies:
Jako kníže Rohan (1983) (TV movie)
Příběh dušičkový (1964) (TV movie)
Byl jednou jeden dům (1974) (series)
Karel Houska
Austria-Hungary
Best movies:
Jako kníže Rohan (1983) (TV movie)
Král Krysa (1979) (theatrical recording)
Jára Cimrman Lying, Sleeping (1983)
Zdeněk Kryzánek
Czechoslovakia
Best movies:
Witchhammer (1969)
The Valley of the Bees (1967)
Four Murders Are Enough, Darling (1970)
Adam Matejka
Austria-Hungary
Best movies:
The Shop on Main Street (1965)
Sváko Ragan (1976) (TV movie)
Rok na dedine (1967) (TV movie)
Anna Kratochvílová
Czechoslovakia
Best movies:
Svatba jako řemen (1967)
The Nun's Night (1967)
Shame (1967)
Jaroslava Vysloužilová
Czechoslovakia
Best movies:
All My Compatriots (1968)
Long Live the Republic! (1965)
Cops and Robbers (2001) (series)
Petr Svojtka
Czechoslovakia
Best movies:
Three Wishes for Cinderella (1973)
Královská hra (1980) (TV movie)
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Jiří Klem
Best movies:
Dva na koni, jeden na oslu (1977) (theatrical recording)
Muž v pozadí (1995) (series)
Královská hra (1980) (TV movie)
Eva Foustková
Austria-Hungary
Best movies:
Partie krásného dragouna (1970)
The Borstal (1969)
The Nun's Night (1967)
Luisa Kollingerová
Best movies:
Joachim, Put It in the Machine (1974)
The Nun's Night (1967)
Romaneto (1980)
Marie Mašková
Best movies:
The Nun's Night (1967)