Closely Watched Trains (1966)

Director: Jiri Menzel

Starring: Vaclav Neckar, Josef Somr, Vlastimil Brodsky

More info: IMDb

Plot: Comedy-drama about a young man employed in a tiny station during World War II. Milos Hrma, a bumbling dispatcher's apprentice at a village railway station in occupied Czechoslovakia, longs to liberate himself from his virginity. Oblivious to the war and the resistance that surrounds him, he embarks on a journey of sexual awakening and self-discovery, encountering a universe of frustration, eroticism, and adventure within his sleepy backwater depot.

My rating: 7.5/10

Will I watch it again? Yeah.

What a delightfully refreshing movie. I watch a lot of genre flicks and ever so often I'll watch something outside of usual fare. I used to watch foreign art house movies all the time...until the dark times...


Anyway, I came across this title looking for WWII films and it turns out it was available on Netflix instant viewing. The performances in this Oscar winning Czechoslovakian film are innocent and fun, especially the young male lead. Oh, and the girl he's got the hots for...ME, TOO! YOWZA! She needs to have my Czech babies!


The climax of Milos's struggle is hilarious but the final scene felt like it could have been done just a little bit differently to produce a more potent effect. I'm no expert...just thinking out loud, that's all. Overall, though, CLOSELY WATCHED TRAINS was a breath of fresh air from what I usually watch and a welcome distraction.