Czarni baronowie

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)

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)

A cult film that I have watched only today. It's a bit of a shame, but I have really been avoiding Czech films a lot. The film has excellent lines that have become popular. The perspective on the war, what it was and what it wasn't back then, is simply excellent. Why not watch it with a sense of humor? Sometimes I should read the book "The Black Barons". I think I would enjoy it even more, but the acting performances here are absolutely excellent in all cases. (07.01.2014)