A comedy based on the novel of Jaroslav Hašek’s The Good Soldier Svejk happens during the World War I. I Dutifully Report: In the introduction to the second part of the film adaptation of Hašek’s novel The Good Soldier Švějk presents his main character Josef Švejk. With the distinctive traditional Czech cartoon character of a soldier Svejk, this time you meet on the way to the front and eventually right in the firing line. You can look at his famous train events, and also probably the most famous episode of the novel, Švejk’s Budějovice anabasis. Don’t miss the scene with the secretly bought cognac, the episode with Svejk as a fake Russian prisoner of war, including the court scene, and the scene in which lieutenant Dub is caught in a brothel. Despite the criticism, Steklý’s adaptation is undoubtedly the most famous and memorable at present.

The movie’s main storyline follows the life of Otík, a young man, in a tight-knit village community. The sweet-tempered Otík works as an assistant truck driver with Mr. Pávek, his older colleague and practical-minded neighbor. Pávek’s family takes care of Otík, whose parents are dead. However, the two coworkers become at odds over Otík’s inability to perform even the simplest tasks. Pávek demands that Otík be transferred to assist another driver, who happens to be a choleric and suspicious man named Turek (Turk in Czech). Rather than work with Turek, Otík decides to accept an offer of employment in Prague, but finds he does not fit in to the city life. After discovering that the transfer of Otík to Prague was a trick by a crooked politician to get a deal on Otík’s large inherited house, Pávek agrees to give Otík a second chance and retrieves him from the city to resume their work together.

Young man in the prison is obsessed with a singer who is to perform in a new musical its director is currently auditioning for. He escapes and through complex and often very funny series of events ends up being the main star of the musical, only to be discovered by the police the day before the premiere…OK, enough spoilers! The story keeps going on… Lots of great dialogs, awesome music and singing, and ever-twisting story (plus, the parallels between the play’s script and the real story) makes this one of the most enjoyable Czech movies I’ve seen in years (and I’ve seen many)! Definitely check it out if you like comedy, drama, musicals, and theater.