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In the 1980s, Jaroslav Soukup was considered the hope of Czechoslovak cinematography, and a great future was predicted for him. Although the transition to a market economy, the breakup of creative groups in Barrandov, and the privatization of the studio meant a shock for most Czech filmmakers, from which many could not recover, it is still shocking that this director kept on making mediocre films, which both viewers and film critics referred to as the bottom of Czech cinema. With this film, Soukup's bitter excursion into the times of the police state, symbolized by Minister Bach, looks convincing and is able to perfectly capture the "spirit of the time." The director managed to successfully sell the historic center of Prague and create the illusion of the Habsburg monarchy of the 1850s and he was also able to choose a convincing cast of quality actors. In addition to the well-known names, Vilém Besser, as the relentless Commissioner Jaroš, and Soňa Dvořáková, as the former partner of a released political prisoner, stand out. Some people have also noticed the points of contact between Bach's absolutism and the atmosphere of Czech society in the 1970s after the normalization purges. My overall impression is 80%. (28.02.2019)