The Cranes are Flying - Criterion Collection

Starring:Tatyana Samojlova, Aleksey Batalov, Vasili Merkuryev, Aleksandr Shvorin, Svetlana Kharitonova, Konstantin Nikitin, Valentin Zubkov, Antonina Bogdanova, Boris Kokovkin, Yekaterina Kupriyanova, Valentina Ananyina, Aleksandr Popov, Daniil Netrebin, Nikolai Smorchkov, O. Dzisko, Yu. Kulikov, I. Preis, Galina Stepanova, Valentina Vladimirova, Leonid Knyazev
Director: Mikheil Kalatozishvili
Studio: Criterion
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

Mikhail Kalatozov's luscious portrait of love and loss during World War II stars almond-eyed beauty Tatyana Samojlova and handsome Aleksei Batalov as moony-eyed young lovers whose innocent romance is shattered by war. When the idealistic boy volunteers for service, his draft-dodging cousin steals the despondent girl by brute force, yet she never gives up on her true love, even when he's reported dead. Kalatozov's patriotic paean to fallen soldiers and home-front heroes is an undeniably sentimental melodrama suffused with lush images and lyrical sequences, a kind of cinematic poetry unseen in Soviet cinema since the experimentation and optimism of the silent days. Produced during the "thaw" following Stalin's repressive reign, it won the Palme d'Or prize at the 1958 Cannes Film Festival and set Kalatozov on the road to more ambitious expressions of Soviet idealism in the modern world, culminating in his masterpiece, I Am Cuba. --Sean Axmaker

Description

Veronica and Boris are blissfully in love, until the eruption of World War II tears them apart. Boris is sent to the front lines...and then communication stops. Meanwhile, Veronica tries to ward off spiritual numbness while Boris' draft-dodging cousin makes increasingly forceful overtures. Winner of the Palme d'Or at the 1958 Cannes Film Festival, The Cranes are Flying is a superbly crafted drama, bolstered by stunning cinematography and impassioned performances.

Customer Reviews:

Magnificent Film, Magnificent DVD.......2007-06-29

CRANES is known to most film students as the first major post-Stalin success of the Soviet film industry -- but the picture's vastly more enjoyable than that dry statistic would suggest. Lyrical and rhapsodic, this film benefits greatly from a director, cameraman and actors who don't shy away from the extravagant gesture, the romantic moment, or the juice inherent in melodrama. Viewers will be swept away by a poignant love story and its operatic manner of telling, from a joyful, playful opening to the bittersweet conclusion. The screenplay's also a fascinating mix of the romantic and cynical -- what a breath of fresh air this film must have seemed to audiences in its original release, with their memories of the suffering hidden behind the recent war's heroic facade. This DVD transfer's exceptionally good, even for Criterion -- CRANES wears its age lightly here, the film looks new-minted. If you're unfamiliar with this classic, don't hesitate to snatch it up.

The Cranes are Flying.......2007-06-28

Made in the post-Stalin years, Kalatazov's tragic, visually poetic "Cranes" concerns a timeless theme--lovers separated by war-- explored through a grim, heartbreaking series of events. The gorgeous, moon-faced Samojlova gives a touching performance as the beleaguered young war widow fighting against dispiriting circumstances, ably supported by a talented supporting cast. Kalatazov's mobile camerawork and swooping crane shots lend "Cranes" an exhilarating visual feel to match the hurtling passion of its ill-starred protagonists, introducing techniques he used again for his other masterwork, "I Am Cuba." Though it immerses us in despair, "Cranes" ends where it began, with a triumphant renewal of spirit.

Not Over-rated .......2007-05-18

I had read somewhere that "The Cranes are Flying" was a rather over-rated Russian movie. It had won the Cannes Palme d'Or or whatever they call their top award. I have noticed that a number of the past such awards were for movies that I thought were over-rated (although, in fairness, many of the award winners were outstanding movies). Thus I was prepared to be sceptical. However, I was impressed when I saw it last night. It is a very good (not quite "great") movie in my estimation.

It begins with scenes of two young lovers. Their relationship seems destined yet not determined. We are quickly introduced to the extended families and, before we know it, war breaks out. I must admit that I wasn't sure just what war this 1960 movie was referring to. Some of the architecture that we get glimpses of seems post-WWII. While I don't think that there was ever any specific mention of the enemy, there were too many terms that made it clear this this was WWII ("fascists', "Stalingrad", "Leningrad under siege", etc). Our young man, Boris, feels compelled to enlist, much to the dismay of his fiance. His decision is quick and unquestioned. One of the best series of scenes in the movie has to do with the lovers parting at the crowded train station.

Home life during the war becomes increasingly difficult and there arises a serious problem for the young lady. At the Front, there is a chillingly beautiful scene in which a soldier is shot. As he falls, we see, through his eyes, the tree tops spinning while his fondest dreams are brought to view amid those spinning trees. The home front becomes even more challenging for our heroine. In time she has to face up to choices that were forced upon her; choices that stain the dreams and asperations of her life with her beloved Boris. We rediscover a code of ethics for the homefront in a series of impressive scenes. At the end there is an outstanding scene depicting loneliness in a crowd; misery amidst celebration. We are left with the realization that wars create victims in ways we don't always appreciate. At the same time, the cranes remind us that life goes on.

I was tempted to put 5 "stars" on "The Cranes are Flying" but I started thinking of the many movies that have had a greater impact on me than this one. Nonetheless, there are several scenes from "The Cranes are Flying" that will stay with me a long time.

Understanding War and Humanity.......2007-03-06

Mikhail Kalatozov's THE CRANES ARE FLYING is a cinematic masterpiece. The film was made during the height of the Cold War, but depicts World War II Russia. Boris(Alexei Batalov) and Veronica (Tatiana Samoilova) are the two star-crossed lovers who get caught in the whirlwind of war, and are separated when Boris volunteers to go to war to fight against fascism.

The plot becomes complicated when Veronica assumes that Boris is not coming back and marries his cousin. She becomes the focal point of the film, and Kalatozov does a fine job at depicting her changing state of mind after her parents die during an air raid -- from carefree to madness. One can see how Veronica has become disturbed by her actions, such as in the hospital ward where Boris' father, Byodor Ivanvich (Vasili Merkuriev), tries to calm an injured soldier who becomes upset upon finding out that his girlfriend married another man.

The cinematography is exceptional in capturing the dramatic scenes. The images of World War II Russia are wrenching, but the images of the characters within the modernist infrastructures is artistically attractive to the eye. Photographer Sergei Urusevsky simulates human chaos with his camera movements, which almost looks like a bird flying out control -- Veronica running side by side with a train amongst a snow covered landscape. However, the most effective aspect about films, such as Cranes Are Flying is that it is shot in black and white and creates an abstract and ambiguous quality to the film as well as depict the emotions between the characters in their light and dark moods.

Overall, The Cranes Are Flying is a recommendable film. For those not familiar with Russian cinema, this was quite a surprise. The film captures the images of war and humanity, and brings an understanding of this particular period in Russian history that is not usually portrayed.

Russian Love Story.......2007-02-21

The triumphant success of this film started with its winning the first prize at the Cannes festival in 1958, where an excellent acting by Tatiana Samoilova was also recognized. After that the picture was welcomed in numerous world's movie theatres. This is a story of love that could not be destroyed even by war. Boris is felled by an enemy's bullet in action. Veronica is devastated: she has lost her lover, her parents, her home. As an act of despair, she attempts to find a new family for herself, but only loses her self-respect. She is finally redeemed by rescuing a little boy from being run down by a car. She finds strength to continue living, refusing to believe that Boris is dead. Veronica would not stop waiting for him. Life for her is love, and its loss is equivalent to death...

Awards: Palme d'Or at the Cannes IFF, 1958; Special Diploma for Best Actress (Tatiana Samoilova) at the Cannes IFF, 1958; Honorary Diploma at the Locarno IFF, 1958; Silver Sombrero Prize at the Guadalajara IFF, 1958

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