Review: I Served the King of England (2006)

RATING (0 TO ****):  ***

I SERVED THE KING OF ENGLAND (OBSLUHOVAL JSEM ANGLICKÉHO KRÁLE), a little
charmer from the Czech Republic, was that country's official submission to
the Best Foreign Language Film category of the 80th Annual Academy Awards
this year, and it is easy to see why.  Although the story deals with the
oppression the country suffered under Nazi and Communist occupation, the
film is wonderfully good-spirited.

Whimsically told, the movie is something of an adult fairy tale that follows
the life of Jan Díte, who is played equally well by Ivan Barnev when he is a
young adult and by Oldrich Kaiser when he is older.  As the movie opens,
Díte is being released from prison after serving almost his entire fifteen
year sentence.  He got off three months early for good behavior.

Most of the movie happens when Díte is younger so, soon after the older Díte
is freed, we cut to him as a young man, full of hope and ambition.  Working
his way up through the hotel industry as a waiter, his life's goal is to
become a millionaire and own a hotel frequented by other millionaires.

But Díte is not a single-minded young man.  He has plenty of time for the
women who catch his eye.  The movie, which is tastefully erotic, features
lots of naked bodies, which Díte likes to cover artistically in flowers,
money and food.  A petite guy, frequently referred to as a shrimp, Díte may
remind you of Charlie Chaplin and his infectious little smile.  The movie
even has a silent movie sort of feel and pacing, which is reinforced with a
short silent section, complete with old title cards.

Although no dates are given, the story appears to start in the late 1920s or
early 1930s in Czechoslovakia.  The chirpy music sounds like it was lifted
right out of the Roaring Twenties era, giving the production the feel of a
zany comedy.

Díte likes to secretly toss coins onto the ground and watch rich people
crawl around collecting the money.  Most of Díte's life is spent with the
gorgeous young prostitutes who ply their trade in or near the hotels and
restaurants where he works.  He finally meets his wife, Líza (Julia Jentsch,
Sophie in SOPHIE SCHOLL - DIE LETZTEN TAGE), a German girl whose heart
belongs to Hitler, after he befriends her one day on the streets of Prague.
After extensive examination, he is deemed worthy to attempt to impregnate a
member of the master race.

I won't reveal where the title comes from other than to say that it's both
cute and mainly irrelevant to the plot.

Díte is a wonderfully sweet character who leads an interesting life.  When
the closing credits roll, you'll be glad that you were able to vicariously
go along on his little adventures.

I SERVED THE KING OF ENGLAND runs 2:00.  The film is in Czech with English
subtitles.  It is rated R for "sexual content and nudity" and would be
acceptable for teenagers.

The film opens in limited release in the United States on Friday, September
5, 2008.  In the Silicon Valley, it will be showing at the Camera Cinemas.

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