Coach to Vienna

A misty forest beyond whose elusive edge the war ends. And with that, a situation arises for the actors where meeting practically anyone is a death sentence. While Coach to Vienna suffers from declamatory, unbelievable finales and its share of unnecessary overacting, the excellent cinematography for its time, the wonderfully depicted environment of the dark forest, and the unique setting from it make for a pretty functional nightmare in the end. (28/09/2021)

Coach to Vienna is a good film, but it has two "buts" that make it impossible to give it more than these four stars. For one thing, it's the god-knows-why unfilmed (and important) opening passage with the hanging of the husband, which one austere caption can't really replace. The second reason is one of the final scenes with Iva Janžurová's completely incomprehensible behavior as Krista, who suddenly turns around and... No, I just didn't see any reason why she did "it". But otherwise, Coach to Vienna is a joy to behold. The black-and-white picture suits the film and so does the forest setting, and the beautiful music and especially the sensational Jaromír Hanzlík also do a lot. And the end... Three and a bit. (21/09/2010)

An intimately written and filmed drama depicting three individuals at the very end of the war, which looks at German soldiers and the Czech resistance through a slightly different lens than was common at the time. The film didn't meet with the understanding of the heads of Czech cinema, not only because of the screenwriter's persona, as Jan Procházka fell out of favor shortly after due to the Soviet occupation and his involvement during the Prague Spring, but also due to the subject matter, which humanizes German soldiers and doesn't portray partisans in a flattering light. Excellent performances, with Iva Janžurová being truly outstanding, and it's good for the audience to see her in a different light than being pigeonholed into the usual comedic roles. Overall impression: 95%. A film with sparing dialogue, but exceptionally strong atmosphere that is simply unforgettable. (16/06/2006)

An at times chilling film about a woman whose quest for vengeance is interrupted by nature's most powerful essence - love - or a beautifully told story, accompanied by an unforgettable musical score and set in an "endless" forest. (04/03/2011)