Another great film from Vlacil, set after World War 2 and tackling very controversial issues of the treatment of Germans that occupied the country that would split into Czech Republic, including here the daughter of a Nazi officer who is forced to be the maid for the main character and who he falls in love with. The film, with its few characters and locations, feels like a very emotional and deep chamber piece, one which also has a very exquisite look and mood to match the material.

A massive disappointment. Whereas Marketa Lazarova could be accused of being incomprehensible and having a plot that's difficult to follow, this is the opposite - it sticks so slavishly to the plot and to the barest, most necessary character development that it's a complete bore. The ending manages to drum up some interest, but that's right at the end...!

You're never quite sure what is going through Adelheid's head or how she really feels towards our leading man, and when I reached the end I was just as unsure and so just as fascinated by this compelling, enigmatic woman. The fleeting images of incredible beauty contrast well with the rough down to look aesthetic. Though on paper the film sounds simple, I found the emotional complexities as well as the enigmatic characterization of Adelheid to make it anything but.