Synopsis
Prague, Czechoslovakia, during the inter-war period. Jan Dítě, a young and clever waiter who wants to become a millionaire, comes to the conclusion that to achieve his ambitious goal he must be diligent, listen and observe as much as he can, be always discreet and use what he learns to his own advantage; but the turbulent tides of history will continually stand in his way.
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Cast
- Ivan BarnevJan Dítě
- Oldřich KaiserOld Jan Dítě
- Julia JentschLíza
- Marián LabudaWalden
- Milan LasicaProfessor
- Zuzana FialováMarcela
- Martin HubaMaître Skřivánek
- Josef AbrhámHotel Manager Brandejs
- Jiří LábusPrague Golden City Hotel Manager
- Rudolf HrušínskýHotel Manager Tichota
Recommendations
- 90
The Hollywood Reporter
It is a sumptuously told tale of childlike wonder in the face of darkest corruption and war, mixing high comedy, surreal sequences and genuine drama viewed from a wise, jaundiced perspective. - 90
Village Voice
A mischievously hedonistic, Chaplinesque farce, the film buoyantly but seriously traverses the horrors of World War II with a subtlety and sophistication that most American comedies cannot grasp. - 83
The A.V. Club
I Served The King Of England views diabolical events from the sidelines, something like "The Remains Of The Day" reworked as an absurdist comedy. - 80
Variety
A virtual primer on the unique mixture of self-deprecating dark humor and personal tragedy that has been the Czech cinema's stock-in-trade since their celebrated 1960s New Wave. - 80
New York Daily News
A film as unique as this is a gift that shouldn't be ignored. - 70
New York Magazine (Vulture)
Menzel’s touch is sprightly, lyrical, mischievously understated. - 70
The New Yorker
Menzel strings his sequences together with great affection and skill, but the movie, an absurdist picaresque, doesn't have much cumulative impact, and perhaps the hero is too much a lightweight to hold an epic together. - 70
The New York Times
The performance of Mr. Barnev, who has the poker face and agility of a silent clown, defines the style of a film whose timing and physical comedy look back to 1920s slapstick.
