Bath Film Festival 2008

I Served the King of England (Obsluhoval Jsem Anglickeho Krále)

A little man ducks and dives as the events of history unfurl around him. Taking shameless advantage of his circumstances, Jan Dite ascends rapidly, eventually becoming a millionaire. Along the way he indulges his taste for women, and never underestimates the venality of his fellow creatures. Somewhat aloof, despite his comical appearance, and definitely shrewd, he nonetheless fails to comprehend the significance of the rise of Adolf Hitler... This sumptuous adaptation of a novel by Bohumil Hrabal - whose Closely Observed Trains was earlier adapted by Menzel - looks wonderful on the screen, with its atmosphere of inter-war European decadence. This is offset by finely-tooled satire and a performance from Ivan Barnev in the lead role which takes its cue from Chaplin. CB

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