Martin Frič

Directing

Martin Frič

Born 1902-03-29 · Prague, Bohemia, Austria-Hungary [now Czech Republic]

Martin Frič was a Czech film director, screenwriter and actor. He had more than 100 directing credits between 1929 and 1968, including feature films, shorts and documentary films. Throughout his life, Frič struggled with alcoholism.

Acting credits

White Paradise poster
8.0

After a young man is arrested for a crime he didn't commit, the daughter of the local tavern owners must spring to the rescue.

White Paradise

1924

School Is the Foundation of Life poster
8.2

Seventh form pupils at a grammar school in Přívlaky are preparing for a secondary school sports competition. Class creep Krhounek gives the class teacher Lejsal a copy of the seventh form’s magazine Roar. Most of the teachers insist on severe punishing the culprit. The author does not own up and consequently the whole class is punished by being banned from taking part in the schools competition. The most gifted pupil, Benetka, rather sharply criticises the school in a homework essay on a subject of his choice. The strict Czech language teacher is convinced Benetka is the author of the school magazine. Benetka denies the charge but his expulsion from school is proposed anyway on account the views he expounded in his essay. Eventually, Boukal, the author of the school magazine comes forward and admits to writing it. The pupils are allowed to take part in the contest and thanks to Benetka they win. In the meantime however the teachers vote to expell him.

School Is the Foundation of Life

1938

No artwork available
9.0

No synopsis available yet.

Dům ztraceného štěstí

1928

Lelíček in the Services of Sherlock Holmes poster
7.7

The Portorican prime minister asks British detective Sherlock Holmes to find a twin for King Fernando XXIII, a weak and frightened man who fears anarchists and does not want to show himself in public. Holmes finds in the Czech newspapers a photo of the perfect double, František Lelíček, a daring bon vivant drowned in debt, so when Holmes offers him money, Lelíček decides to travel to Portorico and play the role.

Lelíček in the Services of Sherlock Holmes

1932

Long Live the Dead Man poster
7.0

Wealthy and ill Petr Kornel (Karel Hasler) is not pleased with the carousing lifestyle of his nephew. He stops supporting him financially and demands that he change his name. Out of gratitude Kornel bequeaths a substantial sum of money to his nurse Alice (Adina Mandlová) with the condition that she marries. Petr Suk (Hugo Haas), as the nephew is now named, visits the doctor. In the waiting room his X-ray is mistakenly switched with one of another patient's. On the basis of this he presently learns that he is seriously ill and has only one day of life left to him.

Long Live the Dead Man

1935

The World Belongs to Us poster
7.2

One of the few European films of the 30s to criticize the Nazis, even if they couldn't be directly named due to censorship: Gangsters with gray hats stir up trouble in what is obviously the Sudetenland.

The World Belongs to Us

1937

No artwork available
7.0

No synopsis available yet.

Venoušek a Stázička

1922

The Squeeker poster
5.5

No synopsis available yet.

The Squeeker

1931

Father Vojtech poster
8.7

Father Vojtech (Czech: Páter Vojtěch) is a 1929 silent Czech romance film directed by Martin Frič.

Father Vojtech

1929

The Twelve Chairs poster
6.1

The first movie adaptation of the Russian novel "The Twelve Chairs" by Ilya Ilf and Yevgeniy Petrov. The basic idea from this movie, in which a barber and an antique salesman were searching for money hidden in one of of twelve chairs, was later reused for other official and unofficial adaptions of the book

The Twelve Chairs

1933

The Undertaker poster
5.0

An employee of the funeral home Pleticha calls his superior. He overhears that he is supposed to buy a wedding gift and deliver it to his boss's relatives. He therefore sets off to the given address to organize the funeral. When the mistake is explained, Pleticha, in return for the entertainment, performs dances and songs of various nations for the wedding guests. One of the guests, grandfather Boleslav Hnipírdo, experienced a train collision near Vrňany on his way to Prague. Since he was not injured, he does not even want to ask for compensation. Pleticha takes advantage of this and goes to the railway headquarters with his leg bandaged. He pretends to be Hnipírdo and is questioned in detail about his journey. Thanks to his talkativeness, he reveals, among other things, that he jumped on a moving train, drove illegally, spat on the window and tore off the emergency brake...

The Undertaker

1932

No artwork available
7.0

No synopsis available yet.

Tu ten kámen

1923

No artwork available
8.0

No synopsis available yet.

Proč se nesměješ

1923

The Good Soldier Švejk poster
7.5

The first film treatment of the fate of the good soldier Švejk, a dog dealer from Prague, who is arrested after the Sarajevo assassination, psychiatrically examined and later called up to c. and k. army to fight for the emperor lord.

The Good Soldier Švejk

1926

No artwork available
9.0

In this reportage, film professionals offer the viewers a peek behind the scenes at the Barrandov studios. We see how sets are constructed and we find out what sorts of things are stored in the prop department. The friendly commentary describes the journey from camera negatives to a film on the big screen. We learn about film technology and take a glance into film laboratories and editing rooms. The film also presents unique footage from the filming of The White Disease, namely the dramatic scene with five hundred extras in which the Marshal announces his declaration of war.

The Illusion Factory

1938

No artwork available
9.0

In this reportage, film professionals offer the viewers a peek behind the scenes at the Barrandov studios. We see how sets are constructed and we find out what sorts of things are stored in the prop department. The friendly commentary describes the journey from camera negatives to a film on the big screen. We learn about film technology and take a glance into film laboratories and editing rooms. The film also presents unique footage from the filming of The White Disease, namely the dramatic scene with five hundred extras in which the Marshal announces his declaration of war.

The Illusion Factory

1938

Chyťte ho! poster
9.0

Painter Johnny Miller bets his friends he can find his house blindfolded. But he stumbles into a bandits' camp, and being mistaken for one of them, is sent to rob the villa of Frank Sellins, a banker, and his niece Lilly.

Chyťte ho!

1925

No artwork available
10.0

No synopsis available yet.

Okovy

1925

The King's Double poster
8.0

The king of Puerto-Nero is so cowardly that he instructs Berlock Sholmes to find him a look-alike capable of assuming power. Leducq, a Parisian hawker, thus becomes king of Chimeria and the lover of the queen whom he also believes to be a double.

The King's Double

1932

No artwork available
NR

No synopsis available yet.

Cigareta Maca Friče

1965

Behind the camera

Poor girl poster
6.2

The illegitimate child, Marie Růžová, grows up in the family of the Bořický miller. Childhood and youth spend with the son of Bořice, Klement. Klement asserts the rights, becomes a lawyer, and marries Jirina. In order not to cause further contradictions, Mary will go to Prague secretly at night. There he is living heavily as a waitress. He resists the insults of architect Jansky until he ultimately decides to commit suicide in despair.

Poor girl

1930

Poor girl poster
6.2

The illegitimate child, Marie Růžová, grows up in the family of the Bořický miller. Childhood and youth spend with the son of Bořice, Klement. Klement asserts the rights, becomes a lawyer, and marries Jirina. In order not to cause further contradictions, Mary will go to Prague secretly at night. There he is living heavily as a waitress. He resists the insults of architect Jansky until he ultimately decides to commit suicide in despair.

Poor girl

1930

White Paradise poster
8.0

After a young man is arrested for a crime he didn't commit, the daughter of the local tavern owners must spring to the rescue.

White Paradise

1924

13th district poster
4.6

Inspector Cadek from the 13th police station keeps an eye on the released safe-cracker nicknamed The Cat. He rightly suspects that Cat will go and pick up his last loot which the police didn't manage to find and that he will want revenge on Karta who helped put him behind bars. At the hospital, Cat's ex-lover Fróny hopelessly falls for doctor Chrudimský and decides to start a new life. She still refuses to help the inspector in his search for The Cat and Karta.

13th district

1946

Burian the Liar poster
6.8

Fifty years old Baron von Fibberg lives at The Fibberg Castle with his wife Olga and daughter Charley. Besides the delight in hunting, Baron is very enthusiastic about truth. Although he can't withstand any falsehood of others, he keeps his own intimate secrets from his wife. Charley seems to be an innocent girl at first glance, but she has a little secret too. She fell in love with a young fop Ernest Benda and married him in secret. Her only concern is the way, how to let her strict father know about the marriage. Together with her husband they prepare a plan how to do it, but it turns out to be a catastrophe for the whole family.

Burian the Liar

1940

The Princess with the Golden Star poster
6.8

A Czech fairy tale about a princess named Lada who runs away from home in a mouse fur disguise in order to escape an unwanted and forced marriage.

The Princess with the Golden Star

1959

The Princess with the Golden Star poster
6.8

A Czech fairy tale about a princess named Lada who runs away from home in a mouse fur disguise in order to escape an unwanted and forced marriage.

The Princess with the Golden Star

1959

Beware! poster
7.5

A drama about Slovaks who emigrated before WW I. It is focused on the life of Ondrej Muranica. He emigrates to America because of the hard life that is partly caused by Hungarian landowners. His dreams and hopes for a happier life are destroyed by a disaster in the mines where he works. Ondrej is declared missing.Years later he returns to his home country and finds out his wife married his best friend.

Beware!

1947

Beware! poster
7.5

A drama about Slovaks who emigrated before WW I. It is focused on the life of Ondrej Muranica. He emigrates to America because of the hard life that is partly caused by Hungarian landowners. His dreams and hopes for a happier life are destroyed by a disaster in the mines where he works. Ondrej is declared missing.Years later he returns to his home country and finds out his wife married his best friend.

Beware!

1947

The Hard Life of an Adventurer poster
7.0

A writer of pulp crime novels is drawn into a series of real crimes. This film was one of the first Czech attempts on a genre parody.

The Hard Life of an Adventurer

1941

School Is the Foundation of Life poster
8.2

Seventh form pupils at a grammar school in Přívlaky are preparing for a secondary school sports competition. Class creep Krhounek gives the class teacher Lejsal a copy of the seventh form’s magazine Roar. Most of the teachers insist on severe punishing the culprit. The author does not own up and consequently the whole class is punished by being banned from taking part in the schools competition. The most gifted pupil, Benetka, rather sharply criticises the school in a homework essay on a subject of his choice. The strict Czech language teacher is convinced Benetka is the author of the school magazine. Benetka denies the charge but his expulsion from school is proposed anyway on account the views he expounded in his essay. Eventually, Boukal, the author of the school magazine comes forward and admits to writing it. The pupils are allowed to take part in the contest and thanks to Benetka they win. In the meantime however the teachers vote to expell him.

School Is the Foundation of Life

1938

Tetička poster
7.0

Rich spinster Berta celebrates her sixtieth birthday. Her faithful admirer Dr. Jelinek proposes. But Berta can not forget Edward, the great love of her life, and refuses the offer…

Tetička

1941

Tetička poster
7.0

Rich spinster Berta celebrates her sixtieth birthday. Her faithful admirer Dr. Jelinek proposes. But Berta can not forget Edward, the great love of her life, and refuses the offer…

Tetička

1941

No artwork available
9.0

No synopsis available yet.

Dům ztraceného štěstí

1928

No artwork available
6.0

A hardworking employee at a printing plant takes on all sorts of roles until he nearly collapses under their weight. He learns that those who try to do everything end up doing nothing.

Nechte to na mně

1955

No artwork available
6.0

A hardworking employee at a printing plant takes on all sorts of roles until he nearly collapses under their weight. He learns that those who try to do everything end up doing nothing.

Nechte to na mně

1955

The Trap poster
7.5

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.

The Trap

1950

Mladé dny poster
8.0

Documentary by Jan Kadar

Mladé dny

1956

Mladé dny poster
8.0

Documentary by Jan Kadar

Mladé dny

1956

Jánošík poster
5.5

Jánošík has been topic of many Slovak and Polish legends, books and films. According to the legend, he robbed nobles and gave the loot to the poor. The legend were also known in neighboring Silesia, the Margraviate of Moravia and later spread to the Kingdom of Bohemia. The actual robber had little to do with the modern legend, whose content partly reflects the ubiquitous folk myths of a hero taking from the rich and giving to the poor. However, the legend was also shaped in important ways by the activists and writers in the 19th century when Jánošík became the key highwayman character in stories that spread in the north counties of the Kingdom of Hungary (present Slovakia) and among the local Gorals and Polish tourists in the Podhale region north of the Tatras.

Jánošík

1936

Jánošík poster
5.5

Jánošík has been topic of many Slovak and Polish legends, books and films. According to the legend, he robbed nobles and gave the loot to the poor. The legend were also known in neighboring Silesia, the Margraviate of Moravia and later spread to the Kingdom of Bohemia. The actual robber had little to do with the modern legend, whose content partly reflects the ubiquitous folk myths of a hero taking from the rich and giving to the poor. However, the legend was also shaped in important ways by the activists and writers in the 19th century when Jánošík became the key highwayman character in stories that spread in the north counties of the Kingdom of Hungary (present Slovakia) and among the local Gorals and Polish tourists in the Podhale region north of the Tatras.

Jánošík

1936

The Emperor and the Golem poster
7.0

The Emperor's mismanagement of his country is provoking some in his court to plot to overthrow him. He feels successful, at least, when he discovers the legendary Golem, which he believes can protect him and even cure his imaginary illnesses but, when he disappears while on a bender, his kindly baker, who looks just like him, is mistaken for him, and begins to put things in order. However, the conspirators, not to be outdone, determine to bring the Golem back to life to do their bidding.

The Emperor and the Golem

1951

The Emperor and the Golem poster
7.0

The Emperor's mismanagement of his country is provoking some in his court to plot to overthrow him. He feels successful, at least, when he discovers the legendary Golem, which he believes can protect him and even cure his imaginary illnesses but, when he disappears while on a bender, his kindly baker, who looks just like him, is mistaken for him, and begins to put things in order. However, the conspirators, not to be outdone, determine to bring the Golem back to life to do their bidding.

The Emperor and the Golem

1951

The Best Woman in My Life poster
7.3

Ordinary man making his dirty actions in the small town and his coming to the right side.

The Best Woman in My Life

1968