Checking out the 1935 Štefánik biopic

Is it worth the watch?

If you're into dusty history or you really like seeing how movies were made in the 30s, then yeah, give it a go. But if you hate slow-moving black and white films where everyone talks like they're in a play, you’re going to absolutely hate this one.

It’s not a popcorn movie. Its a movie you watch when you want to feel a bit more cultured than you actually are. ☕

The movie starts out with Milan Rastislav Štefánik being all smart and looking at stars. Jiří Hron plays him with this very intense stare that makes him look like he hasn't slept in three weeks.

I noticed early on that the lighting is kind of weird in the indoor scenes. Sometimes his face is so bright he looks like he's glowing, and then the person next to him is almost in total darkness.

It reminds me a bit of the heavy atmosphere in The Song of the Soul, where every shadow feels like it’s trying to say something important. But here, it might just be because the cameras were old.

There is this one scene in an observatory where he is talking about the stars and he gets this look in his eye. It’s supposed to be inspiring, but he holds the pose for so long it gets a little bit awkward.

I found myself looking at the background actors instead. Some of them look like they just wandered in from the street and weren't quite sure where to stand.

The movie really wants you to know that Štefánik was a big deal. Every time he walks into a room, the music gets really loud and patriotic. 🎺

It’s a bit like Wandering Fires in the way it tries to make every little conversation feel like a huge turning point in history. Sometimes a guy just wants a glass of water, you know? It doesn't always have to be about the fate of a nation.

I liked the scenes in Tahiti, though. Well, 'Tahiti' as filmed in a studio probably, but they tried really hard with the palm trees.

There is a specific moment where he’s wearing this very thick military coat. You can almost feel how heavy and itchy that wool must have been. I kept thinking about how hot the actor must have been under the studio lights.

The film is very episodic. It jumps from one part of his life to another without much explanation. One minute he's a scientist, the next he's flying planes and talking to generals. ✈️

If you don't already know who he is, you might get a bit lost. It doesn't hold your hand at all.

It lacks the strange, trippy visuals you get in something like From the Realm of the Crystals, which is fine, because this is a serious biopic. But a little bit of weirdness might have helped the pacing.

The sound quality on the version I watched was pretty scratchy. Every time someone closed a door, it sounded like a small explosion. 💥

Also, the way they filmed the crowds is funny. It feels like there are only about twelve people in the whole country sometimes. They just keep moving them around to make it look like a big group.

I noticed a guy in the back of one scene who was definitely looking right at the camera and smiling. He probably didn't think anyone would notice him 90 years later.

Its not all boring, though. The parts where they show the old planes are actually pretty cool. You get a real sense of how dangerous it was to fly back then. Tiny little wooden planes held together with string and hope.

I think people who like Cupid's Victory might find the romantic bits here a bit lacking. Štefánik is mostly married to his work and his country in this movie.

The dialogue is very heavy. People don't just talk; they declare things. It makes the movie feel a bit longer than it actually is.

I stopped caring about the politics halfway through and just started focusing on the hats. The hats in this movie are incredible. Huge, stiff, and very dramatic.

By the time the ending comes around, you feel like you've been on a very long journey. It’s a sad ending, obviously, because we know what happened to him in real life. The movie handles it with a lot of respect, maybe a bit too much.

It’s a strange little relic of a time when movies were trying to build myths. It’s not 'fun,' but it is interesting in its own clunky way.

• The good: Cool old planes, great hats, very earnest.
• The bad: Very slow, loud music, everyone is way too serious.
• Random thought: I wonder if they had to glue those fake beards on really tight.

Don't expect a masterpiece. Just expect a very old, very sincere story about a guy who did a lot of things.