Ferdinand Jarkovský

Filmed during the Nazi occupation, this panoramic drama set in a Prague department store follows the divergent destinies of four female coworkers, each of whom seeks happiness in a different way.

Four short stories by the greatest Czech satirist Jaroslav Hašek. "Soup for Poor Children" tells the story of how Prince Robert himself cooked soup for poor children, "Meeting of the Municipal Council in Mejdlovary" is the history of filling the position of municipal policeman, "Trampotes of Mr. Tenkrát" shows how strange events lead to marriage and promotion, "Revolt of the Convict Šejba" depicts the victorious fight of the convict Šejba for a dumpling for ministering at mass.

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.

After an attack against the guard of the Third Reich, Nazi repression intensifies, and the Czechoslovakian resistance's organized sabotage in an aircraft factory leads to Gestapo shootings.

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.

Anton Špelec (Vlasta Burin) is a producer of musical instruments by trade but a sharp-shooter at heart. He expects to be awarded a medal at a large parade in town where veteran sharp-shooters will be honored. When the town council is one medal short, Anton must wait another year for his prized possession. He drowns his disappointment in drink at the local pub and becomes so drunk that he insults the emperor who sentences him to jail. Instead of fulfilling the emperor’s orders himself, Anton sends his employee in his stead.

The factory owner Hložek is in a constant dispute with his son Jiří. Jiří wants to modernize the factory, but his father is afraid that the new machines will deprive the workers of their jobs. News of the factory modernization divides the employees into two hostile camps. To prevent unrest, Hložek offers his son money from his mother's inheritance in exchange for his departure. Jiří's biggest opponents include two older employees of the company - the correspondent Málek and the accountant Mazara...

Human bravery can take many forms, just as ideas about it can. Small-town public opinion begins to despise a postal clerk because he gave cash to robbers who didn't hesitate to shoot. The result is a successful study of a man whose previous certainties begin to crumble due to a fateful event.

Lieutenant Patera, who unfortunately became involved in a scandalous affair in the highest circles of the Habsburg monarchy, is transferred from his sentence to the backwater garrison in Munich.

Hospital orderly Rozruch, denied his therapeutic treatment, is mistaken for Dr. Marek at the insurance office and sent to a spa. Councilor Pěna, plotting to wed his mistress after his daughter Heda’s marriage, also arrives. At the spa, impostures collide, identities are exposed, and hidden motives and loyalties come to light.

Military doctor Katz loses to his servant Josef Švejk at cards. Švejk steals a dog for his new superior, Lieutenant Lukáš. While walking his dog, Lukáš meets Colonel Kraus, who is displeased to discover that Lukáš is taking his dog with him. As punishment, he sends Lukáš to a marching company in Budějovice. Lukáš is accompanied by Švejk, who first insults a general who is travelling in civilian clothes in the same compartment. Then Švejk unexpectedly stops the train by pulling the emergency brake. For this act, he is brought to Tábor for questioning. Before the questioning is over, Švejk's train leaves and he has to walk to Budějovice...

Vlasta Burian appears in a town of Czarist Russia impersonating an Inspector General, and he is entertained lavishly by the local political-hacks and peasants seeking his favor for whatever they are advocating or need fixed. Burain is involved in a series of comical situations as he takes everything he can gets his hands on while the peasants, who must plead for the betterment of their conditions, are left on the outside-looking-in. He makes his escape just as the real Inspector General is set to appear, but those-in-need will be no better off when the real McCoy shows up then they were with Burian.

A comedy of misunderstanding and a love square

Worker Šebesta does not rejoice with the others in the May Day parade, as his boots are weighing him down. The following working day does not bring him a good mood either. At a plant-wide meeting, he comes into conflict with the young striker Brejcha from the United Engineering Works. He demands an increase in the production of heating elements so that the new hall can be completed before the deadline. The workers react to his passionate speech about the improvement efforts with distrust and, with a bit of mockery, challenge him to prove his words with action in their plant...

Curious citizens await the arrival of an important guest, the son of poacher, who became famous abroad. Begins celebration in his honor, but nobody knows that instead of the hero arrived cursory prisoner number 1313. He quickly understand how things are and decides to take the opportunity and very quickly gets into a new role.

Mr. Ducháček runs the law firm of JUDr. Faukner in a peculiar but completely devoted manner, which manages the financial affairs of the Rispaldic family. The family members treat their lawyer Faukner with condescension, except for their daughter Julia, who secretly loves him. However, no one except Ducháček knows that the squandering family no longer has any money and that JUDr. Faukner is subsidizing it, because he is also secretly in love with Julia.

In the past, most of the wood from the mountain forests was transported to the sawmills by river. The rafters were gradually replaced by trucks and railways, but they still remember the days of their glory and the romance of water travel. Two experienced old swimmers, Váň and Šindelář, managed to push for a return to the old way, at least for one trip. They got a group of like-minded enthusiasts and rafts made of logs can set off down the river...

The movie describes proletarian life in the Czech Lands after World War I.

During the New Year's Eve celebration of the arrival of the twentieth century, three friends meet in a nightclub. Notary Jiří Voborský, clerk Emanuel Střela and Lieutenant Miloslav Jičínský.