Martin Frič

Directing

Martin Frič

Born — Died

1902-03-29 — 1968-08-26

Place of birth

Prague, Bohemia, Austria-Hungary [now Czech Republic]

Known for

Directing

Credits

62 titles

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.

Known for

Film credits

1930s · 10 titles

The Squeeker poster
5.6

No synopsis available yet.

The Squeeker

1931

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1920s · 9 titles

Series credits

Behind the camera

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

Mladé dny poster
8.0

Documentary by Jan Kadar

Mladé dny

1956

Mladé dny poster
8.0

Documentary by Jan Kadar

Mladé dny

1956

Meet the Sister poster
8.3

Anny Brabcová is Sabine Veldenová's maid. She would very much like to get the main role in the new musical "The Pink Letter", in which Veldenová plays. Anna's brother, the easy-going postman Jarda Brabec gets the lyrics to the most famous song of the whole musical "The Pink Letter" from his sister and decides that Anna will sing it at the postal academy right in front of the Minister of Posts, where she will reap great success. Later, when the spoiled star Veldenová ends her role in the musical, the director of the theater Bernhard, with whom Anny is in love, has no choice but to announce an audition for the role.

Meet the Sister

1931

No artwork available
8.0

Documentary by Jan Kadar

Spartakiáda

1956

Today for the Last Time poster
8.2

Concert master Karel Mašek is a drunk, as well as engineer Danda and other regular guests of the pub U Kroců. Mašek returns from the pub in the morning and promises the woman that he will stop drinking. But he failed again, and the orchestra players refuse to play with him. Danda returns home without a bag and goes to Krocs again in the morning, even though he has an important job at work. He has been degraded to subordinate job position, but he refused to admit it at home.

Today for the Last Time

1958

Pekařův císař poster
NR

No synopsis available yet.

Pekařův císař

1951

The Squeeker poster
5.6

No synopsis available yet.

The Squeeker

1931

Tears the World Can't See poster
8.3

Three friends from a wet neighbourhood come back from the pub properly stoned and decide to continue partying at the home of one of them, because he has a nice wife who understands and gives them a nice treat. But the reality is somewhat different...

Tears the World Can't See

1963

Tears the World Can't See poster
8.3

Three friends from a wet neighbourhood come back from the pub properly stoned and decide to continue partying at the home of one of them, because he has a nice wife who understands and gives them a nice treat. But the reality is somewhat different...

Tears the World Can't See

1963

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

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

People From Caravans poster
10.0

Story about the people around the circus and the unfortunate love of a young man an acrobat. Before the dispute escalates so much that, according to the old clown, Vincek ends up with a noose on his back and Lotyš in a bass, fate intervenes and the young acrobat is called up to the war, where he serves with the dragoons. After serving his time and being released into civilian life, he sets out to find the National with his beloved Nina. However, she has not been with the circus for almost a whole year. Her parents took her away and Vincek, to the chagrin of his friends and the principal, decides to go looking for her. After a long journey, he finds his beloved in the Russian Kuznecki circus, but she has changed a lot during the years of separation. A simple girl in love has turned into a calculating, ambitious woman who desires money above all. But Vincek doesn't have you.

People From Caravans

1966

People From Caravans poster
10.0

Story about the people around the circus and the unfortunate love of a young man an acrobat. Before the dispute escalates so much that, according to the old clown, Vincek ends up with a noose on his back and Lotyš in a bass, fate intervenes and the young acrobat is called up to the war, where he serves with the dragoons. After serving his time and being released into civilian life, he sets out to find the National with his beloved Nina. However, she has not been with the circus for almost a whole year. Her parents took her away and Vincek, to the chagrin of his friends and the principal, decides to go looking for her. After a long journey, he finds his beloved in the Russian Kuznecki circus, but she has changed a lot during the years of separation. A simple girl in love has turned into a calculating, ambitious woman who desires money above all. But Vincek doesn't have you.

People From Caravans

1966

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

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

Císařův pekař poster
NR

No synopsis available yet.

Císařův pekař

1951

The Last Bohemian poster
8.0

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...

The Last Bohemian

1932

Father Vojtech poster
7.0

Vojtěch's beloved Frantina is leaving for Prague to work. Vojtěch promises his dying mother that he will become a priest. His brother Karel is to inherit the mill. However, during the feast, he attacks the weak Josífek and then flees the village. He hides in a quarry with an unknown vagrant. While blasting a stone in the quarry, the vagrant dies, and Karel exchanges his documents for his own. Vojtěch is still thinking about Frantina in the seminary.

Father Vojtech

1936

Kristian poster
7.2

Alois Novák (Oldrich Nový), a minor clerk in a travel agency and the husband of a dowdy housewife Marenka (Natasa Gollová), lives a run-of-the-mill, dull life. In his soul, however, there resides an inextinguishable desire for adventure. And so once a month he poses as a playboy. As the mysterious and wealthy Mr. Kristian he goes to the exclusive Orient Bar where he does not skimp on generous tips and where he platonic-ally seduces beautiful and elegant women. In the salon he speaks of love and the magnificence of exotic lands, which he has supposedly come to know on his wanderings abroad. In reality he has read all of this in the travel agency's brochures.

Kristian

1939

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

The Best Woman in My Life poster
7.2

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

The Best Woman in My Life

1968

The Best Woman in My Life poster
7.2

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

The Best Woman in My Life

1968

Anton Špelec, Sharp-Shooter poster
7.1

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.

Anton Špelec, Sharp-Shooter

1932

The Organist at St. Vitus Cathedral poster
5.6

The most important silent film by director Martin Frič. Poet Vitezslav Nezval did scenographic modifications to the original story by Václav Wasserman. Film producer Jaroslav Stransky didn’t witness premier; because of fear of financial collapse, he killed himself.

The Organist at St. Vitus Cathedral

1929

The Inspector-General poster
6.5

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.

The Inspector-General

1933

Darbujan and Pandrhola poster
6.8

A poor miner, Kuba Dařbuján, cares for his wife Markýtka and eleven children. When a newborn arrives, he seeks a godfather and, finding only Death fair to all, accepts a pact: as a doctor whom Death accompanies at the foot of a patient’s bed, he can heal; but if Death stands at the head, no cure is possible. Kuba eventually heals even a miserly brewer, violating the pact and imprisoning Death, leading to a world where no one can die and unforeseen chaos follows.

Darbujan and Pandrhola

1960

Darbujan and Pandrhola poster
6.8

A poor miner, Kuba Dařbuján, cares for his wife Markýtka and eleven children. When a newborn arrives, he seeks a godfather and, finding only Death fair to all, accepts a pact: as a doctor whom Death accompanies at the foot of a patient’s bed, he can heal; but if Death stands at the head, no cure is possible. Kuba eventually heals even a miserly brewer, violating the pact and imprisoning Death, leading to a world where no one can die and unforeseen chaos follows.

Darbujan and Pandrhola

1960

Journey Into the Depth of the Student's Soul poster
7.6

Small stories from a grammar school.

Journey Into the Depth of the Student's Soul

1939

Journey Into the Depth of the Student's Soul poster
7.6

Small stories from a grammar school.

Journey Into the Depth of the Student's Soul

1939

Heave-Ho! poster
6.8

A Milk-Cannery baron, Jakub Simonides, is broken by the Canned Milk-Trust and, in his wanderings with a worker, Filip Kornet, he discovers he still owns a half-finished apartment-house. They rally the workers and complete the building for use as a collectivist dairy. The cooperative flourishes and after a chase/pursuit with the police, pratfalls, slapstick and various crashes, the workers buy out the Milk-Trust.

Heave-Ho!

1934

Heave-Ho! poster
6.8

A Milk-Cannery baron, Jakub Simonides, is broken by the Canned Milk-Trust and, in his wanderings with a worker, Filip Kornet, he discovers he still owns a half-finished apartment-house. They rally the workers and complete the building for use as a collectivist dairy. The cooperative flourishes and after a chase/pursuit with the police, pratfalls, slapstick and various crashes, the workers buy out the Milk-Trust.

Heave-Ho!

1934

Business in Distress poster
6.6

Finnicky efficiency expert is sent to straighten out business management problems at a jazz club, and finds self being drawn into the swingin' scene.

Business in Distress

1931

The Ringer poster
5.1

A shifty lawyer is threatened with death within two days by a criminal who supposedly died in Australia.

The Ringer

1932

The Respectable Ladies of Pardubice poster
8.0

The bickering of envious mistresses, the criminal intentions of fraudsters and the love of two young people are at the center of events, in the middle of which unfolds the fate of the city executioner Jiří, who longs to break free from his destiny and become a proper burgher. He is not heard, but he manages to expose the iniquities and their culprits, reunites a hard-pressed couple in love and his undeniable merits for the city and eventually bring him luck.

The Respectable Ladies of Pardubice

1944