OPERATIONDAYBREAK

Thisfilmisatruestory.ItbeginsinEnglandin1941.Three
Czechprisonersofwararesentonamissiontoassassinate
ReichsprotektorReinhardHeydrichwhomhistorywouldrecall
astheButcherofPrague,hispowersecondonlytothefuehrer
himself.Theirmission:OperationDaybreak.Thismovie
traversesthejourneyofthethreemenassignedtoperformthe
task.Whilethefirstattemptatassassinationfailed,theirsecond
attemptwassuccessfulbutflawed.Therepercussionsofthis
assassinationwantdeepenougheventoaffectthosenot
involved.

Oneofthemostmovingscenesinthemoviewaswhenayoung
girlJindrishkagoestowarnherbrotherAtanottogohomeas
therebelshideouthasbeendiscovered.Sheheadstothemusic
conservatoiretolookforAtawhoisayoungmusician,butasshe
looksineveryroomsheseesyoungmusiciansthoughnoneis
herbrother.

Theessenceofthemoviethough,liesinascenewhereHeydrich
ispreparingtoleavehomeforhisoffice.Thisistheopening
sceneofthemovieandisrepeatedoncemorebeforeheis
assassinated.Duringthisscenethetensionandfearthatisfelt
bytheservantsbecomesinstantlyclearaseachonekeeps
glancingaroundanxiously.Atouchthatisnoteworthyisthat
beforeleavingHeydrichhugshisyoungdaughter,whichmakes
uswonderwhetherruthlessmassmurderersactuallyhave
hearts.

AntonDriffingportraysHeydrichexcellently.Sgt.JanKubis
(TimothyBottoms)contraststheruthlessnessofheydrichwitha
strongyetvulnerablecharacter.

Therealizationthatoneoftheirownmenhadbetrayedthem
andthefinalshowdownbringsoutthesimplicitywithwhich
eachcharacterisportrayed.

Thearrivalofdaybreakisisapoignantsceneandbecausethe
cinematographyissocareful,thefilmdoesnotlookforced.
Everyminutedetailcountsandthroughsubtlesignsandshots
themoviespeakstous,neverwastingaminutewith
unnecessarydialogue.Themusicishauntingandpoignantin
mostsceneseventheabsenceofmusicinsomesequencesis
perfect.

TheNewYorkTimessaysitisaForgottenclassicandforevery
vieweritwillbeanunforgettableexperience.