| Smugglers of Death | |
| Director: | Karel Kachyňa |
| Screenplay: | František A. Dvořák Karel Kachyňa Rudolf Kalčík |
| Starring: | Radovan Lukavský |
| Music: | Miloš Vacek |
| Cinematography: | Josef Illík |
| Editing: | Jan Chaloupek |
| Studio: | Filmové studio Barrandov |
| Distributor: | Ústřední půjčovna filmů |
| Runtime: | 93 minutes |
| Country: | Czechoslovakia |
| Language: | Czech |
Smugglers of Death (Czech: '''Král Šumavy''') is a 1959 Czechoslovak drama directed by Karel Kachyňa. The film is about members of SNB who guard Czechoslovak border in 1948.[1] The film was viewed by more than 4 million people after its release in 1959.[2]
The film is set in Šumava mountains, Czechoslovakia in 1948. People there illegally cross the border through the swampy area aided by a mysterious smuggler. Local SNB is aided in investigation by a young Sergeant Karel Zeman. He falls in love with a local shopkeeper Marie Rysová, whose husband escaped to the West. They become lovers but her husband unexpectedly shows up one day. He forces her to escape with him across the border and kills an SNB officer. They are led by a mysterious smuggler while Zeman chases them. Marie tries to run away but drowns in a swamp. Her husband is killed by the smuggler. Zeman then investigates and manages to track down the smuggler.