The story is quite simple but works great, propoganda is present but can easily be overlooked. The photography however is just briliant, every frame is a beauty and works great with the atmosphere and the story. That, along with Samojlova's great performance and captivating presence elevates this into a masterpiece.

Touching story, sublime photography.

It brushes the line of melodrama, yet never crosses it, which is probably the best compliment I can give to this film. Both genuinely heartfelt and meticulously orchestrated, "The Cranes are Flying" reaches perfection on many levels (Samojlova was amazing). A masterpiece from Kalatozov, definitely going to check out more of his work.

Wow! A masterpiece with perfect cinematography. It makes you cry.

Cracking good melodrama done in grand, almost Wellesian style, juxtaposed with some of the finest propaganda ever captured on film. The directing is above top drawer, the acting (especially by Samojlova) is delightful and it's all captured with some of the most eyepoppingly gorgeous cinematography you'll ever see. It combines grittiness with unabashed romanticism in a way only rivaled by "Rocco & his Brothers".

The emotions that unfold in this film are beyond real, they are a reflection of Veronica's inner world. That they are deployed as propaganda is unquestionable, but they are effective because they strike at something larger than a political ideal. There are a number of cinematically effective sequences, but I was really touched by Mark's entrapment of Veronica in the apartment, the broken home around them is a wonderful metaphor.

A rather beautiful and touching film. The camerawork is very impressive, particularly when the camera is gliding through huge crowds, capturing the expressions of dozens of people who feel like they all have their own story that could be just as interesting as Veronica's. On that note, I really appreciated seeing the effects of the war from an everyday woman's point of view, as melodramatic as it is.

Seeing this for free at the Art Gallery of NSW was a real treat. It carried itself with a genuine regard for human sensibility - carefully treading the edge of melodrama without falling over. The photography was elegant at all times - especially a marvellous moving shot up through a bomb-destroyed building. With the exception of an awkward family feud angle, a majestically executed vision of the pain of war for those left at home.

#601

Absolutely heartbreaking, excelent directing, really good acting and the lighting is fantastic. Very good perfomances, it almost brought me to tears..

Melodrama in time of war. Kalatozov's films bear comparisons with Welles in their striking imagery, dynamic camera movement and expert use of shadow and light, but at times displaying a freneticism that's beyond even Welles. The tear-jerker of a romance is simplistic but affecting and graceful; Kalatozov is a hell of a propagandist.

Fuuuuuck. So good. Wrought both with emotional weight and technical bravado. The camerawork is astounding.

The cinematography compensates for any problems one might have with this. Just beautiful.

# 656

Beautiful and stoic love story.

A fantastic, beautiful film filled with joy and heartbreak. The performances are excellent but it's the wonderful cinematography that drives the film. Such exquisitely beautiful shots, graceful camera movement, I just can't praise the film enough. And the commentary on war and love is really well done, understated but unmistakable.

The Cranes Are Flying, directed by Mikheil Kalatozishvili, follows the story of Veronica and Boris, two lovers in Moscow during World War I. It is a beautiful film with a chilling anti-war message. Tatyana Samojlova gives one of the best female performances of all time and gives this film a tragic emotion that bleeds through the frame. In this film, you see some of the brilliant cinematography of Kalatozishvili and Sergei Uresevsky, which shows perhaps a beginning of what will become their masterpiece in I Am Cuba.

The cinematography is incredible; the camerawork is dynamic and exciting, yet it never feels artificial or unwarranted. There are some simply amazing sequences that rely on clever and striking juxtapositions - overall the film feels very fresh and genuine.

I can see why this is such a highly esteemed movie. It's got some mighty impressive set pieces for its time and in terms of form, it's lovingly directed to say the least. The script, however - a flimsy melodrama about romantic fidelity in wartime - underwhelmed me.

This film doesn't have much of the flashy cinematography of I Am Cuba. Instead, it has a story that you can actually care about. It's a simple story, sure, but it has pathos, and the solid acting sells it. And despite the lack of flashiness, the film's cinematography is more than serviceable. The end of the film in particular emphasizes qualities such as humanitarianism and pacifism, without tying itself down to a specific point in history or a specific theory of politics.

The drama gets over-the-top sometimes. But this is a masterpiece, anyway.

Beautiful. Heartbreaking. Joyful. Perfect.

Very Nice Movie

568

663

The story is simple, and somewhat programmatic. But man, the way they tell the story.