Directed by:
František VláčilCinematography:
František UldrichComposer:
Zdeněk LiškaCast:
Petr Čepek, Jan Kačer, Věra Galatíková, Zdeněk Sedláček, Zdeněk Kryzánek, Jana Hájková, Michal Kožuch, Ladislav Gzela, Petr Štěpánek, Josef Somr, Miloš Willig (more)Plots(1)
It is the second half of the 13th century. The widowed master of a yeoman's stronghold, Vlkov, marries young Lenora. His twelve-year old son from his first marriage, Ondřej, gives his future "mother" a basket as a wedding gift with bats hidden among white flowers. The father, blinded by fury, flings the boy against a wall. Kneeling over the bleeding limp body, he then prays to the Virgin Mary, begging for the boy's recovery and promising he would give Ondřej to her service. The recovered boy is then taken to the North, to a castle, which is a site of a powerful crusader's order, its members eschewing women as well as all other profane temptations. Ondřej is befriended by Armin von Heide, an ascetic and fanatic who exaggerates the abstention almost masochistically. Years pass and Ondřej has become an adult. In the time of fasting, the order knight Rotgier escapes from the castle and Armin pursues him with the other men. Ondřej runs into the refugee by accident and their rushed talk ignites desire for freedom in him as well. Although Rotgier is caught and killed by a pack of hounds, Ondřej, too, decides to run away. He reaches as far as to Vlkov stronghold, where the widowed Lenora lives. The two people become close and decide to marry. Armin, following Ondřej close upon his heels, sneaks around the stronghold and enters it on the very wedding day. Lenora does not want to chase the unknown guest away and even kisses him in a friendly manner. In the evening, the fanatical man invades Lenora's bedroom and cuts her throat. Ondřej lets him be worried to death by dogs and he penitently returns to the site of the order. (official distributor synopsis)
(more)Cast
Petr Čepek
Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia
Best movies:
The Elementary School (1991)
My Sweet Little Village (1985)
Revizor (1971) (theatrical recording)
Jan Kačer
Czechoslovakia
Best movies:
Král Lear (2003) (theatrical recording)
The Valley of the Bees (1967)
Death Is Called Engelchen (1963)
Věra Galatíková
Czechoslovakia
Best movies:
Jako kníže Rohan (1983) (TV movie)
Revizor (1971) (theatrical recording)
All My Compatriots (1968)
Zdeněk Sedláček
Czechoslovakia
Best movies:
The Valley of the Bees (1967)
Cops and Robbers (2001) (series)
Jak se ševcem šili čerti (1975) (TV movie)
Zdeněk Kryzánek
Czechoslovakia
Best movies:
Witchhammer (1969)
The Valley of the Bees (1967)
Four Murders Are Enough, Darling (1970)
Jana Hájková
Best movies:
The Valley of the Bees (1967)
Michal Kožuch
Kingdom of Hungary
Best movies:
The Valley of the Bees (1967)
On the Trail of Blood (1969)
Death Is Called Engelchen (1963)
Ladislav Gzela
Austria-Hungary
Best movies:
Higher Principle (1960)
Witchhammer (1969)
Once Upon a Time, There Was a King... (1954)
Petr Štěpánek
Czechoslovakia
Best movies:
Hamlet (1986) (theatrical recording)
Major Case Squad (2014) (series)
Noc pastýřů (1993) (TV movie)
Josef Somr
Czechoslovakia
Best movies:
Hamlet (1986) (theatrical recording)
Naši furianti (1983) (theatrical recording)
Tažní ptáci (1983) (TV movie)
Miloš Willig
Czechoslovakia
Best movies:
Witchhammer (1969)
Sňatky z rozumu (1968) (series)
The Valley of the Bees (1967)
Miroslav Macháček
Czechoslovakia
Best movies:
Hamlet (1986) (theatrical recording)
Sňatky z rozumu (1968) (series)
The Valley of the Bees (1967)
František Husák
Czechoslovakia
Best movies:
Revizor (1971) (theatrical recording)
Jára Cimrman Lying, Sleeping (1983)
Sňatky z rozumu (1968) (series)
Jana Hlaváčková
Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia
Best movies:
The Valley of the Bees (1967)
Cops and Robbers (2001) (series)
Poslední návrat (1982) (TV movie)
František Kovářík
Austria-Hungary
Best movies:
Marecek, Pass Me the Pen! (1976)
Secluded, Near Woods (1976)
The Valley of the Bees (1967)
Václav Kotva
Czechoslovakia
Best movies:
Marecek, Pass Me the Pen! (1976)
Jako kníže Rohan (1983) (TV movie)
The Cremator (1968)
Josef Kotapiš
Czechoslovakia
Best movies:
The Valley of the Bees (1967)
You Are a Widow, Sir (1970)
Hostinec „U kamenného stolu“ (1948)
Antonín Pražák
Best movies:
The Valley of the Bees (1967)
Closely Watched Trains (1966)
The Party and the Guests (1966)
Petr Sedlák
Best movies:
Happy End (1967)
The Valley of the Bees (1967)
Marketa Lazarova (1967)
Ludvík Wolf
Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia
Best movies:
Three Wishes for Cinderella (1973)
Lemonade Joe (1964)
The Valley of the Bees (1967)