Weddings of Petr Vok of Rožmberk

Real-life Czech nobleman Petr Vok of Rožmberk (1539–1611) serves as the protagonist of this 1970 costume comedy, directed by Karel Steklý and based on a screenplay by Jan Procházka (as he was subject to a ban during the “normalisation” era, his name could not formally be presented in the credits). The story neglects to explore the diverse personality of this noted renaissance politician in favour of instead merely focusing on his private life. More specifically, the plot is drawn from events surrounding this famous philanderer’s marriage, in middle age, to the very young Kateřina of Ludanice. Petr seeks to marry so as to gain a large dowry, which will help him end his current financial woes. But he has no idea that Kateřina has been impoverished by the actions of her relatives, and that the marriage spells the end of his masculine bravado – Vok is forced to marry off all his lovers, and heed to the wishes of his energetic new wife. Following Svatby pana Voka (Weddings of Petr Vok of Rožmberk, 1970), director Steklý made the sequel Pan Vok odchází (Sir Vok Is Leaving, 1979), in which Martin Růžek replaced Miloš Kopecký in the title role.