The Elementary School (1991): Cast & Plot
The Elementary School is a 1991 comedy drama directed by Jan Svěrák, starring Radoslav Budáč as Tonda Čejka, Zdeněk Svěrák and Václav Jakoubek. It runs 1 hour 40 minutes.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 40m (100 min)
- Director
- Jan Svěrák
- Original language
-
Czech
- Studio
- Filmové studio Barrandov
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is The Elementary School About?
The premise of The Elementary School without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
Set in 1945‑46, ten‑year‑old Eda and his friend Tonda live in a small village outside Prague. Their school class is so unruly that the original teacher resigns, and the stern, militant Igor Hnidzo takes over. Hnidzo imposes strict discipline yet remains fair, though he is distracted by a persistent fascination with young women.
The Elementary School Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- voyeurism
- prostitute
- hand on breast
- toilet
- panties
- unfaithfulness
- extramarital affair
- pregnancy
- world war two
- substitute teacher
- mischief
- elementary school
+38 more Show fewer
- fallen idol
- central europe
- central european history
- european comedy
- european history
- prague czechia
- europe
- czech history
- czech comedy
- prague czech republic
- period drama
- friend
- class
- teacher
- year 1946
- year 1945
- radio
- soldering
- hit on the head
- war game
- military equipment
- allied forces
- dictator
- collectivism
- abandoned truck
- flute
- missing finger
- hand injury
- reference to adolf hitler
- faked death of husband
- faked death of father
- power plant
- theater production
- soccer
- apple strudel
- anatomy book
- storytelling
- soldier
The Elementary School Cast & Characters
Radoslav Budáč leads the cast as Tonda Čejka, with Zdeněk Svěrák as Fan Souček, Eda's dad and Václav Jakoubek as Eda Souček. Directed by Jan Svěrák; 57 actors are credited in all.
- Director Jan Svěrák
- Radoslav Budáč as Tonda Čejka
- Zdeněk Svěrák as Fan Souček, Eda's dad
- Václav Jakoubek as Eda Souček
- Daniela Kolářová as Maxová
Also Starring in The Elementary School
· 53 more- Rudolf Hrušínský Headmaster
- Jan Tříska Igor Hnízdo
- Karel Kachyňa School inspector
- Bolek Polívka Plíha, Tonda's Neighbor
- Eva Holubová Čejková
- Ondřej Vetchý Tramvaják
- Jiří Menzel Gynecologist MUDr. Kalaban
- Oldřich Vlach Janitor
- Libuše Šafránková Mrs. Součková
- Petr Brukner Bus driver Pepík
- Petr Čepek Rádži Tamil
- Jan Hraběta Skokan (voice)
- Zlata Adamovská Post Clerk (voice)
- Karla Chadimová Post Clerk
- Viktor Nejedlý Porter
- Bořivoj Penc Accordion player Ferda Kavka
Show all 57 cast members Show fewer cast members
- Zdeněk Mucha Innkeeper Lukeš
- Stanislav Hájek
- Václav Chalupa Stavinoha
- Alice Šnirychová-Dvořáková The twins' mother, Mrs. Fabiánová
- Irena Pavlásková Tramvajáková
- Ladislav Chroust Skokan
- Miroslava Pleštilová Plecitá
- Taťána Puttová Mlejnková
- Michal Škrabal Dušička
- Jan Demeter Lakatoš
- Tomáš Procházka Schoolkid
- Martin Janda Máček
- Karel Kmoch Schoolkid
- Marek Endal Rosenheim
- Iva Škudrnová Květa Fabiánová
- Miroslava Škudrnová Růža Fabiánová
- Olga Vohryzková Rosenheimová
- Rudolf Hammer Vaněk
- Jaroslav Slánský Lerch
- Filip Lim Chramosta
- Jaroslav Kudláček Potužník
- Tomáš Krejčík Potužník
- Michal Lajtkep Schoolkid
- Jaroslav Ježek Schoolkid
- Jan Kasala Schoolkid
- Marek Pelc Schoolkid
- Pavel Kučera Schoolkid
- Tomáš Jákl Schoolkid
- Martin Pětioký Schoolkid
- Ivo Hasalík Schoolkid
- Michal Škrabák Schoolkid
- Jiří Tala Schoolkid
- Jiří Prückner Schoolkid
- Petra Bžunková Schoolkid
- Hynek Votoček Schoolkid
- Jiří Peterka Schoolkid
- Růžena Svěráková
More from Jan Svěrák
More films directed by Jan Svěrák: Bethlehem Light, Three Brothers, Kooky and Empties.
The Elementary School Plot Summary
What happens in The Elementary School from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
Shortly after World War II, in 1945–46, in a Prague suburb (the film was shot in Michle), the boy Eda Souček, Václav Jakoubek, attends a boys’ elementary school where the class displays a remarkable lack of discipline. After the class drives their teacher, Maxová, Daniela Kolářová, to a mental breakdown during one of her lessons, the schoolmaster has to implement strict measures. The headmaster Rudolf Hrušínský hires a new teacher, Igor Hnízdo Jan Tříska, a man famed as a war hero and eager to restore order.
Full summary
The whole story of The Elementary School, scene by scene
The Elementary School Trailers & Videos
The trailer of The Elementary School.
How Well Do You Know The Elementary School?
9 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 9
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
In which city’s suburb does the film take place?
The Elementary School Also Known As
14 alternative titles, including “Los dueños del colegio” and “Ecole Elementaire”.
- Also known as
-
- Los dueños del colegio
- Ecole Elementaire
- La communale
- Obecná škola
- Die Volksschule
- Lições de Infância
- L'École élémentaire
- Escuela primaria
- Начальная школа
- Általános iskola
- 青青校树
- Scuola elementare
+2 more Show fewer
- Szkoła podstawowa
- Älskade magister
Seen The Elementary School?
Movies Like The Elementary School
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Elementary Training for Actors, School for Fathers and School Is the Foundation of Life.
-
Elementary Training for Actors 2009 -
School for Fathers 1957 -
School Is the Foundation of Life 1938 -
Higher Principle 1960 -
The Last Schoolbell 1989 -
The Teacher 2017 -
The School Teacher and the Waif 1912 -
Journey Into the Depth of the Student’s Soul 1939 -
School for Love 1955 -
Teachers 1984 -
School Excursion 1969 -
The High schoolers 1986
The Elementary School FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date
Runtime, release date, director, cast, post-credit scenes and language of The Elementary School, each answered in a sentence.
How long is The Elementary School?
The Elementary School runs 1 hour 40 minutes (100 minutes).
When was The Elementary School released?
The Elementary School was released on August 8, 1991.
Who directed The Elementary School?
The Elementary School was directed by Jan Svěrák.
More films by Jan Svěrák Who is in the cast of The Elementary School?
The Elementary School stars Radoslav Budáč as Tonda Čejka, Zdeněk Svěrák as Fan Souček, Eda's dad and Václav Jakoubek as Eda Souček, among 57 credited actors.
Does The Elementary School have a post-credit scene?
No. The Elementary School has no extra scene during or after the credits.
What language is The Elementary School in?
The original language of The Elementary School is Czech.
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