Le Brave Soldat Svejk

The dog dealer Švejk is informed by his landlady Mrs Müllerová that the Archduke Ferdinand has been shot. Tormented by rheumathism, Švejk still goes to the 'At the Chalice' pub. The secret police agent Bretschneider provokes him to speak about politics and gets Švejk and the owner of the pub Palivec arrested for high treason. After a police interrogation and an examination by a board of psychiatrists, Švejk is freed for patent idiocy. Despite constant pains in his legs, Švejk decides to join the army and arrives to sign up in a wheel-chair. He finds himself together with other 'hypochondriacs' in the army hospital. In the soldiers' chapel, he is the only one who is brought to tears by the sermon of the completely drunk Army Chaplain Katz, who takes him on as his batman. Švejk works for him devotedly, but Katz loses him in a game of cards with the Lieutenant Lukáš. Once again, Švejk is working himself to death - he saves the lieutenant from his pestering mistress and even steals a dog for him. Unfortunately, the owner of the dog is the Colonel, who makes sure that Lukáš is moved to České Budějovice for punishment, where the battalions are being formed and sent to the front. Švejk is already rejoicing in the prospect of them both dying for the Emperor and his Family. (texte officiel du distributeur)