The Elementary School (1991)
"Obecná skola" (original title)

The time is 1945-46. 10 year old Eda and his friend Tonda live in a small village outside Prague. In school, their class is so wild and indisciplined that their teacher quits and is ... See full summary »

Director:

Jan Sverák

Writers:

Zdenek Sverák (story), Zdenek Sverák (screenplay)

Stars:

Jan Tríska, Zdenek Sverák, Libuse Safránková

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 2 wins.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jan Tríska	...	Igor Hnizdo
Zdenek Sverák	...	Fanous Soucek, Eda's father
Libuse Safránková	...	Mrs. Souckova
Rudolf Hrusínský	...	Schoolmaster
Irena Pavlásková	...	Tram driver's wife
Ondrej Vetchý	...	Tram driver
Daniela Kolárová	...	Maxová, teacher
Eva Holubová	...	Cejkova, Tonda's mother
Rudolf Hrusínský	...	Cejka, Tonda's father (as Rudolf Hrusínsky Jr.)
Iva Skudrnova	...	Kveta Fabianova
Miroslava Skudrnová	...	Reza Fabianova
Alice Dvorakova	...	Mrs. Fabianova
Petr Cepek	...	Magician Radzi Tamil aka Josef Mrázek
Bolek Polívka	...	Plíha - Tonda's Neighbor
Zdenek Mucha

Storyline

The time is 1945-46. 10 year old Eda and his friend Tonda live in a small village outside Prague. In school, their class is so wild and indisciplined that their teacher quits and is replaced by the militant Igor Hnidzo. He is very strict - but also very just. His weakness is his interest in young women.

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Plot Keywords:

teacher | friend | class | divorce | hit on the head | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Family | History

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Details

Country:

Czechoslovakia

Language:

Czech

Release Date:

October 1993 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Elementary School

Company Credits

Production Co:

Filmové Studio Barrandov

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

User Reviews

Tom Sawyer with a very thoughtful and serious undertone

Shortly after the end of WWII, a new male teacher starts in a grammar school in a quiet poor suburb of a city in Central Europe. This former officer in a uniform with a REAL PISTOL and always a war story at hand catches the hearts of all boys very quickly. When you are a young boy, the world is so full of adventures! But sooner or later you will learn that life is more then just boy games and adventures ... Althoug The Elementary School might be seen as a movie for young boys, it also brings with it a very serious hidden message (contrary to Oscar winning Kolya of the same director). If you look away from the child games and small rascalities, the true central character is Eda's father. The movie consist of memories of an old man who recapitulates his childhood and his relation to a strong fatherly figure in his family. It is about lost childhood, lost innocence and the first questioning whether my father is really the best, greatest, wisest, strongest etc. man in the world. This is even more important line of the story then the Tom-Sawyer-like undertakings. And the movie is really good ...