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Your Gateway to Music and More from a Christian Perspective Slow down as you approach the gate, and have your change ready....
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Since 1996 |
Your Gateway to Music and More from a Christian Perspective Slow down as you approach the gate, and have your change ready....
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I Served The King of England Stars: Oldrich Kaiser, Ivan Barnev, Julia Jentsch, Martin Huba, Marian Labuda and Pavel Novy Director: Jiri Menzel Scriptwriters: Jiri Menzel and adapted from the novel by Bohumil Hrabel Cinematography: Jaromir Sofr Composer: Ales Brezina Czech/German language with subtitles Rating: R for nudity and language Running Length: 121 minutes Awards: Best Film at European Film Awards and Czech Lion Awards Though the film is not about the King of England, this phrase, I served the King of England, is what propels the main character to improve himself. His job is that of a waiter and he wishes to rise through the ranks to become a restaurant manager or even own a restaurant, himself. The character is Jan Dite (which means a child) and is played by Ivan Barnev as a young man and Oldrich Kaiser as an older man. The setting is pre-WWII, through the War, and after. It is adapted from the novel by Bohumil Hrabel. Ivan Barnev's performance as Jan, so much resembles the late Charlie Chaplin that you have to blink your eyes to remember it is Barnev. He is fleet of foot and some of the comedy routines come out of vaudeville, even so, they are fresh in this film. The story is told in flashbacks from the point of an older Jan, now living in the mountains of Europe. We follow Jan from being a lowly waiter to advancing through the ranks. All under the watchful eye of the head waiter, who proclaims that he once "served the King of England," which emits awes from his lowly audience. Jan has had a good life with the ladies, because he loves to decorate their bodies with flowers and fresh fruit. As the war encroach Czechoslovakia, Jan does what he can to survive, even marrying a beautiful girl (Julia Jentsch). She has a high position in the Nazi party, so Jan is left alone and lives the good life even with a picture of Hitler in the bedroom. However, as the years pass and Germany is losing the war, trouble looms on the horizon. The story of this war is told through the adventures of Jan, even the cruelty of war. Cinematography by Jaromir Sofr is well done as is the soundtrack by Ales Brezina. Barnev moves the story forward with his body language and eyes. Even though there are other good characterizations, such as Pavel Novy as the General, you can't wait until the camera finds Barnev again. There are dark areas in the life of Jan, also, and this relates to the dark period of Czechoslovakia under Germany's rule. I Served the King of England gives us moments that are unbelievable, but then, isn't war, at times? Director Jiri Menzel, who recently has been directing plays, hasn't lost his touch with films. The word "finesse" comes to mind. Copyright 2008 Marie Asner
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