Poetic Film Review: The Cranes Are Flying (Letyat zhuravli, 1957)

In the realm of Soviet cinema, two giants stand tall,
Eisenstein and Tarkovsky, their legacies enthrall.
But in between, a rich tapestry weaves,
A story of Kalatozov, a name to believe.

The Cranes Are Flying, a drama so bold,
Groundbreaking in its approach, a cinematic gold.
Adapted from Rozov's play, Life Eternal,
A story of war, love, and loss, so ephemeral.

June 21, 1941, Moscow's idyllic scene,
Young lovers Veronika and Boris, dreams unseen.
The war arrives, shattering their aspirations,
Boris joins the Red Army, Veronika's heart in fractions.

Her life spirals into tragedy and despair,
Home and parents lost, her love in the air.
Taken in by Boris's family, she faces new trials,
Mark exploits her loneliness, her heart in riles.

The couple marries, Veronika's heart in chains,
Evacuated to Siberia, her pain remains.
Clinging to hope, she endures the harsh terrain,
Awaiting Boris's return, her love unspent in vain.

Released during Khrushchev's Thaw,
A time of relative freedom, creative awe.
Kalatozov's film explores the war's toll,
The emotional scars, the stories untold.

Individual experiences take center stage,
Veronika's struggles, a personal, human page.
Samoilova's portrayal, a star in the making,
A complex, nuanced performance, emotions unmasking.

Kalatozov's style, innovative and bold,
German Expressionism, a visual to behold.
Long tracking shots, mass scenes, a cinematic delight,
Urusevsky's cinematography, a true work of art, a light.

The film's impact, profound and far-reaching,
Emotional authenticity, a box office beaming.
Palme d'Or at Cannes, a historic feat,
A monumental work, a legacy to repeat.

The Cranes Are Flying, a masterpiece in time,
A Soviet cinema gem, a story to revere and chime.

(Note: The review in its original form can be read here.)

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