The Cranes Are Flying (rewatch)
Posted by martinteller on August 8, 2008
A little on the propagandistic side, but such lovely propaganda. Besides being a heartbreaking tale of love and loss during wartime, it’s also a masterpiece of cinematography. Like Welles and Vigo, Kalatozov makes every shot count, and there’s not a dull frame in the movie. He and Urusevsky would reach even greater photographic heights in I Am Cuba, but in all other respects, this film trumps that one. Tatyana Samojlova gives a great performance as Veronika (and she’s drop-dead gorgeous, too). Even when she betrays Boris, and a little too easily at that, your sympathies remain with her. If there is any significant flaw, it’s that you spend most of the film waiting for Veronika to find the damn note already. But a minor frustration like that can be forgiven amidst such breathtaking beauty and well-crafted drama. Rating: 9
