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revolutionary Russia.
Like Vigo's, "Atalante," it tells the story of a shaky marriage in beautiful imagery where the spoken word could not have added anything. I'm not alone in considering Vigo's film a masterpiece and I unquestionably put this film high up there with it.
The Netflix dvd arrived with a terrific, hilarious short, "Chess," which amazingly stars, in a brilliant comic turn, one of the dramatic leads from B and S. He has the magnetism, sheer talent, and appearance (and hair!) of James Dean.
"Jules and Jim," which makes many "best" lists but which I've never enjoyed, tells a similar story of a triangle but nowhere near as well.
What did 1920's Moscow look like, how did it's citizens live, what were the norms? This is a fascinating film also for it's incisive portrayal of the early Communist state.
You won't ever see a film with three better performances: not a cliché anywhere to be found, either in the acting or the story. The music, post-facto, is appropriate and actually enhances.
Follow Ups:
Fully expected you to love it... great film. You might want to read the bio of the main actor, it was tragic, he died early, I think at 38, because he was not allowed to travel abroad for treatment. He also happened to be the uncle of another famous Russian actor - Aleksey Batalov.
Did you listen to the commentary?
Aleksei was wonderful in "Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears" and "Cranes are Flying:" I didn't recognize him as the same actor, the roles were so different.
I think you under-represented in your comments how wonderful this film is: I'd rate it as highly as ANY film I've seen. Period.
Many times in movies, in order to enable ourselves to thoroughly enjoy a film, we overlook things such as a weak actor, or some periods of bad dialogue, or heavy-handed cinematography... in this film, we can let our critical senses remain fully awakened: there are only things to admire, to wonder at.
***I think you under-represented in your comments how wonderful this film is: I'd rate it as highly as ANY film I've seen. Period.
Well, perhaps I did... but you could tell by my insistence it was special. I am somewhat hesitant to over-rave, as there are so many great films, but this one is definitely up there with the best.
training with Russian directors or acting teachers.
The naturalness, the expressiveness and yet control, of the three principals in B and S show the richness of Russian theatrical heritage: the part of the commentary I heard mentioned their experimental theater experience.
To me, one of the great historical mysteries is how Russia went from a Byzantine/Asian culture to one which so excelled in many Western art forms, even inventing one: ballet.
Novel, theater, music, film, ballet, painting... it truly is amazing.
I know, as a transplanted fellow myself, that you must suffer some enormous amount of homeland longing. I love the US but, compared to the culture I left behind, it is... kind of anemic, colorless.
He-he... I have great recipe for dealing with such longing - go to a Russian language forum and try to talk sense into them - believe me, Outside is fourth-grade school girl locker by comparison.Of course the US is not the cultural capital of the world, but hey, I am not an Apollo and not Spinoza, but my wife loves me. You have to take the country in its entirety. I do appreciate the Russian culture, but there is no chance in hell I could live there today.
Furthermore, things you are so fond of in Russian literature and movies... they are not held in high respect in that country today. The society is largely cynical, cruel, aimless, rude. If you heard the way they talk in the streets you would lose your respect for that population. Coarse language is everywhere, something that did not exist before.
A couple of days ago an incident happened. Four young guys were behaving stupidly at one of the many Eternal Fires that exist there to commemorate the fallen soldiers. Usually it is a gas burner.
An older man apparently asked them to stop. They beat him bad, and then held over the fire, frying him alive.
So my longing is mixed with revolt.
Yeah, kind of like the way Rio and Sao Paulo have gone: crimes so vicious as to almost defy human comprehension occur everyday and worse of all, the population accepts it and hardly raises a sigh, anymore.
I know it sounds like just another old fart reminiscing but... I remember many times when, after having too much to drink, I walked through the dicier parts of downtown-area Rio looking for after hours "entertainment." Now, I'd be terrified to walk around Ipanema late at night. Worst of all, it wouldn't necessarily be some big, tough motherfucker I'd have to worry about but rather some 90-lb., 7-yr. old glue head with a zip gun or a group of them with machetes.
Absolute worst criminals, however, are the after-hours police trying to make some extra money. They leave no witnesses.
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