The Hen and the Sexton
The Hen and the Sexton (Czech: Slepice a kostelník) is a 1951 Czechoslovak comedy film directed by Oldřich Lipský and Jan Strejček.
Plot
In the village of Luzanky in Moravian Slovakia live a "progressive" peasant, Toněk Puknica, and his "backward" wife, Tereza. Tonek is in favor of establishing an agricultural cooperative (kolkhoz), while Tereza is against it. The village is also home to a rich and greedy Voznick, who hates the collective farm movement. He wants to prevent the creation and successful work of the cooperative.
The members of the cooperative are working hard to increase their harvest, installing a new irrigation system and preparing the fields for plowing. Voznick convinces the local naive and greedy clerk, Koditek, to help him sabotage the farmers' efforts.
He begins to distribute leaflets, involving Tonek's son Vinko. At the end of the film, everything is revealed, Kodytik is convinced of the benefits of cooperatives, and even Tereza recognizes this. The village cheerfully celebrates the harvest festival.
Cast
- Vlasta Burian as Josef Koditek, the sexton
- Otomar Korbelarz as Tonek Puknica, a "progressive" peasant
- Iryna Stepnychkova as Teresa, wife of Tonek Puknica
- Vladimir Repa as Charioteer, a peasant kulak
- Eduard Muron as Wink, son of Tonek Puknica
- Josef Beck as national security officer
- Iryna Bila
- Lubomir Lipski as Sarl, son of the Charioteer
- Josef Toman as Rerabek
- Bohumil Schwartz as Jarosz, son of Rerabek
- Otto Cermak as Wacław
- Frantisek Mirosław Doubrava as foreman
- Eman Fiala as Spacil
- Daria Hajska as Pawlena
- Josef Hlynomaz