It is refreshing to find a film set in the Second World War that avoids the obvious pitfalls of painting characters in black-and-white. Set in a small Czech town, this warm, humanist comedy-drama looks beneath surface appearances to reveal that the Czech response to German occupation was rarely a cut-and-dry affair.

Having managed for a long time to keep the war at a distance, married couple Josef (Boleslav Polivka) and Marie (Anna Sisková) are put in a difficult predicament when an old neighbour and concentration camp escapee, David (Csongor Kassai), stumbles into their home seeking help. As well as initially challenging their courage and sense of what is right, the decision to harbour the fugitive has unexpected consequences.

So long as their little secret is hiding in the kitchen larder the tension never really lets up, particularly as they are regularly visited by a prewar friend, now out-and-out nazi collaborator, Horst Prohaska (Jaroslav Dusek, complete with toothbrush moustache a la Adolf Hitler). The zealous Prohaska, who has a thing for Marie, lavishes his "friends" with war merchandise, apparently confiscated from Jewish households. They, in turn, cringe and bear him, never really speaking out for fear of drawing unwanted attention.

Considering the subject matter this has a surprisingly light touch at times. Director Jan Hrebejk shows his versatility veering from moments of deep pathos to high farce, without ever leaving one with a sense that the story is about to unravel. In fact, the twists in the plot frequently take you by surprise - scriptwriter Petr Jarchovsky never allows his characters to be taken for granted. Credit, too, should go to a talented cast, particularly Boleslav Polivka as the dignified but reluctant hero, Josef.

Amazing to think that such a sophisticated and rewarding work, apparently based on a true story, was made for television. Having seen this I will actively search out director Jan Hrebejk and writer Petr Jarchovsky's earlier feature made together, Cosy Dens. And if you haven't seen this one yet, put it on your hit list.