Černí baroni

A cult film that I only saw in its entirety today. It's a bit of a shame, but I avoided Czech films for a long time. The film has excellent catchphrases that have become iconic. The portrayal of the war, as it was and wasn't back then, is simply excellent. Why not look at it with detachment? I should read the book sometime. I think I would enjoy it even more, but the performances by the actors are absolutely excellent in all cases. (07.01.2014)

I like The Black Barons. They may not have much in common with the atmosphere of the 1950s, but it is a satirical, idyllic film, and that is also how it should be perceived. It's a film literally shrouded in period pathos, which Švandrlík obviously handles masterfully, and it's a film full of excellent actors and non-actors and a great summary of sketches and truly picturesque characters from the period panopticon. Everything is done with ease, naturalness and believability. A good comedy. (20.04.2006)

It’s great to remember that in the field of entertaining films full of good and unforgettable quotes, we Czechs are among the best—one of the few genres where we can consider ourselves masters. The Black Barons portrays what life was like in the military at the beginning of the 1950s (though with a heavy satirical twist) when communism ruled. It’s a bit of a shame that I didn’t understand all the references since that era passed me by, so not everything resonated with me, but it was still great fun. I’ll remember Pavel Landovský for a long time, as his role as the Slovak major is impossible to forget. Of course, Miroslav Donutil as Troník was the highlight for me, and his speeches and facial expressions almost tore my sides with laughter. Jiří Schmitzer as Hamáček also shone. The cherry on top was the general’s visit, which was hilarious. I think the overall cast deserves five stars, but the story and everything around it is more of a three for me. It's a great comedy wrapped in an amazing cast and witty lines, but for me, the plot wasn’t as captivating. If I had lived through it myself, I’d probably rate it differently (though I don’t blame the creators at all). The main thing is that I had fun, and sometimes even royally. I give it 78%. (01.08.2017)

A very decent cast, professional direction, production, and distribution. If I remember correctly, it was the first privately made Czech film - and naturally, the choice of subject was a safe bet. The book by Miloslav Švandrlík of the same name was a cult phenomenon, which couldn't fail on screen while at least maintaining an average level. The film doesn't have that semi-amateurishness and clumsiness of later Czech commercial films. It's not a great piece of filmmaking, but it is an honestly made folk comedy. Overall impression: 75%. (30.11.2007)

A classic book adapted to the screen with rarely seen precision and perfection. The brilliant performances dominate a story from the ranks of the Czech People's Army that doesn’t spare apt humour and perfectly lightens the then hated socialist regime. (31.08.2012)