For once! Someone finally got a movie adaptation of a book right! I Served the King of England was written by Bohumil Hrabal and translated to English in 1989. It's a unique/interesting novel and a fine movie. The story is about a boy who makes his living at hotels and restaurants. His ambition is to own a fine hotel. The story takes place in the years prior to and following World War II. We view this war through the eyes of our picaresque hero. Like any adolescent lad, our hero has, basically, one thing on the mind. Well, that and comestibles. The movie does a great job of presenting the eroticism, food service industry, and the world of Eastern Europe. One particulary rich scene stands out. The Emperor of Ethiopia comes to stay at a hotel where Ditie (our hero) works. The Emperor orders that his national delicacy be prepared to share with the guests. This just happens to be stuffed camel. The description of the preparation of this astonishing meal is hugely entertaining. The visuals in the movie are great. For a different point of view and a Kafkaesque/Chaplinesque sort of experience, this is a movie that is definitely worth seeing.
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