----POSSIBLE SPOILER----
Dark Blue World is a WW-II era story set mostly in the U.K., and the Czech Republic. The time is 1951, but the story flashes back to 1940 and the Czech pilots flying in the British RAF [Royal Air Force---for the nonbelligerent]. Frant and Karel are the young pilots learning to fly the `British way' and attached to a reserve fighter squadron. A love triangle develops between Frant, Karel and Susan, a young lass with an MIA husband. Karel falls for her first, but it is Frant she ultimately calls upon to serve her. Meanwhile back at the war, love cannot separate comrades in arms. One friend must make the ultimate sacrifice for the other, and he does. The story ends as it started; with a Czech hero interred in a Communist forced labor camp with other hero's and assorted former German SS soldiers.
Dark Blue World is a story of war and peace, love and lovers lost. Mostly, this movie is a memorial to young Czech pilots who helped win WW-II only to have lost their country, family and friends. The Communists, upon reentering Czechoslovakia in 1948+/-, interred Czechs fighters in forced labor camps where many died. Their government in the 1990's finally recognized the heroism of these men. The film is sprinkled with both humorous and serious moments. The complexity of the English language can only be appreciated after watching the young Czech flyers struggle with the English tutor. Then there's Susan, opening her home to a dozen children taking refuge from the German blitz of London.
Dark Blue World is a first rate production that employs a clever context to retell the often told story of the air war over Europe. This is done with stunning air combat sequences and action, and the obligatory love story. The film's producers employ Czech and British actors with dialogue moving between English and Czech [with subtitles]. This could be distracting, but was not [at least for me].
Dark Blue World is a WW-II era story set mostly in the U.K., and the Czech Republic. The time is 1951, but the story flashes back to 1940 and the Czech pilots flying in the British RAF [Royal Air Force---for the nonbelligerent]. Frant and Karel are the young pilots learning to fly the `British way' and attached to a reserve fighter squadron. A love triangle develops between Frant, Karel and Susan, a young lass with an MIA husband. Karel falls for her first, but it is Frant she ultimately calls upon to serve her. Meanwhile back at the war, love cannot separate comrades in arms. One friend must make the ultimate sacrifice for the other, and he does. The story ends as it started; with a Czech hero interred in a Communist forced labor camp with other hero's and assorted former German SS soldiers.
Dark Blue World is a story of war and peace, love and lovers lost. Mostly, this movie is a memorial to young Czech pilots who helped win WW-II only to have lost their country, family and friends. The Communists, upon reentering Czechoslovakia in 1948+/-, interred Czechs fighters in forced labor camps where many died. Their government in the 1990's finally recognized the heroism of these men. The film is sprinkled with both humorous and serious moments. The complexity of the English language can only be appreciated after watching the young Czech flyers struggle with the English tutor. Then there's Susan, opening her home to a dozen children taking refuge from the German blitz of London.
Dark Blue World is a first rate production that employs a clever context to retell the often told story of the air war over Europe. This is done with stunning air combat sequences and action, and the obligatory love story. The film's producers employ Czech and British actors with dialogue moving between English and Czech [with subtitles]. This could be distracting, but was not [at least for me].