4 February 2014
The Cranes are Flying, directed by Mikhail Kalatozov and based on Viktor Rozov’s play Forever Alive, seems to have been made with the purpose of consoling those affected by WWII.
The young sweethearts, Veronika (played by Tatyana Samojlova) and Boris (Aleksey Batalov) do not even get to say goodbye before Boris is shipped off to war. Veronika is left chasing after him yet never does catch him. Throughout the whole film, it seems, the two are chasing each other. Boris is chasing her up the stairs at the beginning of the film. Veronika is running, trying to find Boris at the end.
Then when they are not chasing, they are waiting. Veronika waits and waits for Boris, even after he is announced to be dead. No matter what she does, Veronika seems to be unable to hold on to that happiness.
It is heartbreaking to watch yet the whole time the audience is rooting for her, believing with her that Boris may live. Then, when she realizes that Boris is in fact dead, it is the hardest part of the film. We knew it but to watch Veronika realize it was just sad.
Right after, she hears a speech about how the war was needed so that those who live now have a better life. It is important to live for those who died. Recalling Boris’ letter to Veronika, he too wanted to enter the war so that everybody may live better.
Veronika immediately feels grateful for everybody who served in the war and then sees cranes flying, overhead. Throughout the film, she sang about how she will be happy when the cranes fly. Perhaps this means that when there are no bombs in the sky. The cranes fly and with them she lets go of what she has been chasing. She instead decides to be grateful for what she already has. And so, the film is telling its audience: ‘Yes, you lost a lot, but look at what you have gained. Be grateful to those who died and enjoy the life they gave you.’
Tatyana Samojlova is excellent and throughout the film, we feel everything that she is feeling. This is helped by Aleksy Batalov, who portrays his character so well that we too miss him and love him. The well-chosen, handsome cast and the new and interactive cinematography came together to create one of the best films of the class. So far, The Cranes are Flying is my favorite film.
