In the Shadow

At the beginning of this stylish film noir, set in Prague in 1953, hard-working Czech police detective Hakl notices something fishy. His investigation of a run-of-the-mill jewelry store heist has suddenly been taken over by the state secret police. Now, the rival in charge is an East German who specializes in exposing Jews for criminally running aid to Israel. Hakl doesn’t buy it, and his persistence starts to turn up clues that set him on a collision course with his superiors and with an entire Soviet-influenced security network, possibly imperiling his livelihood, his family and his life. In the Shadow—which was the official Czech entry to the 2013 Academy Awards—is primarily a gripping detective thriller. Its muted palette, moody score and rain-soaked Prague locations create a strong atmosphere of foreboding. But the context is unique, evoking a period in Cold War Europe when Stalinist advisors used show trials, intimidation and secret state terror for political gain. Detective Hakl’s dilemma—like that of all good film noir heroes—is what price he is willing to pay to buck a corrupt system intent on subverting the truth.