''Riders of the Sky'' ( cs, Nebeští jezdci) is a Czechoslovak movie directed by Jindřich Polák in 1968 about Czechoslovak pilots in

No. 311 Squadron RAF No. 311 (Czechoslovak) Squadron RAF was a Czechoslovak-manned bomber squadron of the Royal Air Force in the Second World War. It was the RAF's only Czechoslovak-manned medium and heavy bomber squadron. It suffered the heaviest losses of any Cze ...

service during the Battle of Britain, and the ongoing aerial battle in northern Europe.

Production

The movie is based on the 1964 novel ''Nebeští jezdci'' by Czech World War II RAF and Soviet Air Force air gunner Richard Husmann, writing as Filip Jánský. Part of the inspiration for the novel was the story of ,

gunner and later

No. 312 (Czechoslovak) Squadron RAF No. 312 Squadron RAF was a Czechoslovak-manned fighter squadron of the Royal Air Force in the Second World War. History The squadron was formed at Duxford on 29 August 1940. It was crewed mostly by escaped Czechoslovak pilots, but its first c ...

pilot, and a member of Guinea Pig Club. In 1969

Hodder & Stoughton Hodder & Stoughton is a British publishing house, now an imprint (trade name), imprint of Hachette (publisher), Hachette. History Early history The firm has its origins in the 1840s, with Matthew Hodder's employment, aged 14, with Messrs ...

published an English translation of the book as ''Riders in the Sky''. The name of the book was inspired by a country song '' Riders in the Sky'' by American songwriter Stan Jones. The song can be heard in the movie. Dobříš 5

It was filmed at

Klecany Klecany is a town in Prague-East District in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 3,600 inhabitants. Administrative parts Villages of Drasty, Klecánky and Zdibsko are administrative parts of Klecany. Geography Klecany ...

military airfield north of Prague, English park at

Dobříš Dobříš (; german: Doberschisch) is a town in Příbram District in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 8,700 inhabitants. It is located south of Prague, and it is a part of the Prague metropolitan area. Administrat ...

Chateau, Prague hospital U Apolináře and Rügen island in Germany. Some of the ariel shots were from a 1941 documentary film ''

Target for Tonight ''Target for Tonight'' (or ''Target for To-Night'') is a 1941 British World War II documentary film billed as filmed and acted by the Royal Air Force, all during wartime operations. It was directed by Harry Watt for the Crown Film Unit. The fi ...

''.

Cast

Jiří Bednář Jiří (; ''YI-RZHEE''), the Czech is a masculine given name, equivalent to English George, may refer to: Given name B *Jiří Antonín Benda *Jiří Baborovský * Jiří Barta * Jiří Bartoška *Jiří Bicek *Jiří Bobok *Jiří Bubla * Jiř ...

as Sgt. Malý, nicknamed "Študent" *

Jiří Hrzán Jiří (; ''YI-RZHEE''), the Czech is a masculine given name, equivalent to English George, may refer to: Given name B *Jiří Antonín Benda *Jiří Baborovský * Jiří Barta * Jiří Bartoška *Jiří Bicek *Jiří Bobok *Jiří Bubla * Jiř ...

as Sgt. Novák, nicknamed "Prcek" * Svatopluk Matyáš as Pilot Pavel Kolár * Elsie Randolph as Nurse Henderson * Charles Cameron as Bradley *

Jana Nováková Jana may refer to: Entertainment * Jana (film), ''Jana'' (film), a 2004 Tamil film by Shaji Kailas * Jana (singer) (born 1974), Serbian singer * Jana (Native American singer), née Jana Mashonee * ''Jana of the Jungle'', animated series created b ...

as Patricia Watkinson, WAAF member * Joan Seton as Watkinson's mother * Winston Chrislock as Navigator Tommy * Vojtěch Holý as Navigator George *Josef Váša as Second pilot Frank

Release

The movie premiere took place in Kolín on November 15, 1968. Several members of Czechoslovak RAF Squadrons were present, including Air Marshal Karel Janoušek, KCB. The film was released to distribution on December 20, 1968, but in February 1969 it was banned.

Reception

''Nebeští jezdci'' is often referred as the best Czech war film.

References

External links