Skvorecky portrays the boredom of life under communism more than the humour of it, and this adaption closely follows the book and captures this well, by never letting up with interminable propaganda speeches, especially from manic major Roman Skamene.Life during National Service becomes a chore to be lived through: army work has no interest or usefulness, officers (most of whom themselves only mouth the propaganda) are to be tolerated, even sex seems joyless.