Genre: | Historical drama |
Runtime: | 53 minutes |
Director: | František Filip |
Starring: | Radoslav Brzobohatý |
Country: | Czechoslovakia |
Num Episodes: | 13 |
F. L. Věk was a Czechoslovak television programme which was first broadcast in 1971, based on Alois Jirásek's book of the same name. The programme was directed by František Filip. The series is about life František Ladislav Věk, a Czech patriot and merchant from Dobruška. Story is set during the beginnings of Czech National Revival in the last third of 18th century, with a major focus on the period 1787–1791. Věk is based on František Vladislav Hek.
In 1769, the longed-for son František was born into the family of Josef Věk, a merchant from Dobruška. At school, his godfather and local regenschori Havránek notices his singing talent, so he invites him to the church choir. When his cousin from Prague is looking for a good chorister, Havránek, with the consent of the Věks, recommends little František to him. In 1779, Young Věk leaves the small town in East Bohemia for Prague, where he is supposed to sing in a church choir. At the same time, he is provided with a scholarship for accommodation and food in the Benedictine monastery and studies at the grammar school. He graduates and plans to study philosophy in order to become a priest but he gradually gets to know the theater and other culture of the big city. He also meets many Czech patriots who strive to preserve and develop Czech culture and the Czech language in times when German language is predominant in the Czech capital.