13. revír

Al final me di cuenta de que ya había visto esta película de crimen hace mucho tiempo. Sin embargo, tuve que llegar a esa conclusión gracias a la resolución final. El papel del inspector Čadek interpretado por Jaroslav Marvan fue muy adecuado, solo que me parece que en la segunda mitad la película tal vez se mueve involuntariamente hacia el territorio de una comedia absurda, especialmente cuando se trata de quién está realmente dentro de ese maldito ataúd de zinc. (26.08.2013)

This Czech crime film based on the book by a local author has proved to be the ideal material for bridging the old and the new at a crucial time. The story of the attempted conversion of a girl from the periphery against the background of an investigation provided several interesting opportunities for Marvan in the lead role, to Nedbal as a caricature of his superior, which he later perfected in an excellent way in Kidnapped, to the classical playwright Ella Nollová, and to the budding Medřická. Unfortunately, in 1946 it was already necessary to replace supporting roles to a large extent with discoveries, often ones lacking brilliance (Marcela Sedláčková, even though she had a famous mother). Or by utterly hopeless episodic actors (Anna Garbielová). Regarding Medřická, I can understand the opportunity Frič gave her after her successful debut in Brom’s Sturdy as a Rock. Her casting in Guard 13 can be seen primarily as a replacement for the lost remake of Suzanne Marwille's famous silent film. (04.03.2009)

An attempt to build on the American school of classic detective stories in the noir style. It has a very good cast with the central duo of Dana Medřická and Jaroslav Marvan, as well as a decent script, but it is somewhat outdated and the actors in the supporting roles are not as good. Overall impression: 60%. (15.05.2009)

A decent noir movie - especially in the second half, it's one surprise after another (I like these stories in which everything seems to be solved, but it's in fact far from it). Thanks to the mostly believable acting performances and skillful direction by Frič, you will remember a lot from Guard 13, and Julius Kalaš did an above-standard job, because the music is downright great. (16.04.2017)

The orientation among the characters and their motives is so slow and complicated that it failed to pull me in by the end (except for the scenes with master Nedbal, which hinted at bossing), and as a whole, it only confirmed that the noir genre is untranslatable. Beware, spoiler and at the same time a meaningful clue to solving the case! If we think about eating habits, what else could have been floating in a zinc container from Genoa and Alexandria to China? And before you accuse me of prejudice and Orientalism, they started it by casting Mr. Wang-Li! (18.08.2022)