I Served the King of England

The movie is filled with wonderful moments, set pieces of absurdity, and a richness of humor.""""
-Jonathan F. Richards, Film.com
You are swept away by the beauty of individual moments and by Barnev's extraordinary performance, which beautifully serves I Served the King of England.""""
-Ruthe Stein, San Francisco Chronicle
A film as unique as this is a gift that shouldn't be ignored.""""
-Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News

Synopsis

Jan Dítì (Ivan Barnev) is short in height, but high in ambition. To put it bluntly, the young provincial waiter wants to become a millionaire. Jan falls in love with Líza (Julia Jentsch), a Sudeten German proud of her Aryan blood. They marry, and soon after Líza is sent to serve on the Polish front, while Jan remains behind to serve as a nurse in a Nazi SS Research Hospital, but when she returns, she has a fortune in rare stamps that Jews had ‘left behind’ … After Líza’s less than heroic death, Jan sells the stamps and becomes … a millionaire. But he only has three years to enjoy his fortune: the new Communist regime puts him behind bars for 15 years. Upon his release Jan reflects on the events that have shaped his life – and to reflect on what might have happened if he had played a different role in these events.

Theatrical Release Date

Original Languages: Czech with English subtitles
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Running Time: 120 min.
Year: 2006

CREDITS

CAST
Ivan Barnev
Julia Jentsch
Oldrich Kaiser
DIRECTED BY
Jiri Menzel

PHOTOS

A Dancer Entertaining Guests at the Hotel Tichota. Photo by Martin Spelda © 2007 Courtesy Sony Pictures Classics. All Rights Reserved.
Center Left: Martin Huba as front waiter Skrivánek, Center Right: Ivan Barnev as Jan Díte. Photo by Martin Spelda © 2007 Courtesy Sony Pictures Classics. All Rights Reserved.
Back Row Left: Ivan Barnev as Jan Díte. Front Row Right: Tonya Graves as the Emporer of Ethiopia. Photo Courtesy of Mongrel Media.
Left: Ivan Barnev as Jan Díte, Right: Julia Jentsch as Liza. Photo by Martin Spelda © 2007 Courtesy Sony Pictures Classics. All Rights Reserved.
Ivan Barnev as Jan Dite. Photo Courtesy of Mongrel Media.
Ivan Barnev as Jan Dite. Photo Courtesy of Mongrel Media.
Back Row Far Left: Ivan Barnev as Jan Díte, Middle: Far Right: Martin Huba as front waiter Skrivánek, Front Row Left: Far Right: Tonya Graves as the Emporer of Ethiopia. Photo by Martin Spelda © 2007 Courtesy Sony Pictures Classics. All Rights Reserved.
Ivan Barnev as Jan Dite. Photo by Martin Spelda © 2007 Courtesy Sony Pictures Classics. All Rights Reserved.
Right: Ivan Barnev as Jan Díte. Left: Julia Jentsch as Liza. Photo Courtesy of Mongrel Media.
From Left to Right: Ivan Barnev as Jan Díte, with staff at the Hotel Tichota. Photo by Martin Spelda © 2007 Courtesy Sony Pictures Classics. All Rights Reserved.
Ivan Barnev as Jan Dite. Photo Courtesy of Mongrel Media.
Oldrich Kaiser as Jan Dite, older. Photo Courtesy of Mongrel Media.
Ivan Barnev as Jan Dite. Photo Courtesy of Mongrel Media.
Left: Martin Huba as front waiter Skrivánek, Left: Ivan Barnev as Jan Díte. Photo by Martin Spelda © 2007 Courtesy Sony Pictures Classics. All Rights Reserved.