
Esteemed Readers, our movie of today is “The Cranes Are Flying/ “Leti’at Guravl’i” (1957)by Michael Kalatozov. It is one of the first Soviet movies shot as a psychological war drama depicting how cruelties of that time destroy the human destiny. The movie was awarded with the Palme d’Or at the 1958Cannes Movie Festival. It tells a typical sad story of the Soviet war time, one of those that are yet forbidden to be told.
The plot so far: Night 22 June 1941 (the official date when the war began in the Soviet Union) Veronika & her fiancé Boris make a stroll around Moscow. They are happy, in love & are planning to get married. At the dawn they watch cranes flying over the city. Some hours later Boris is informed that the war has begun.
Before leaving Boris prepares a gift for Veronika: a stuffed squirrel with golden nuts to express his feelings. Veronika is too late to bid farewell to Boris, so she gets the toy from Boris’ grandmother. She is very sad not to have seen him for maybe the very last time.
She remains in Moscow with her parents who are killed at in a German raid, while her house is destroyed. Boris’ family invites her to live with them, however this decision turns into a nightmare as Mark, her fiancé’s cousin is in love with her & longs for marriage by all costs. He achieves his goal in a very disguising way.
At the same time Boris serves at the Front. Once he saves the life of his friend Volodya but dies. The last instant of his life he has a vision of his wedding with Veronika.
No matter her unhappy life, Veronika expects Boris to return. She refuses to believe that he has died. Her family is relocated to Siberia. There working in a hospital she hears a story about an unfaithful girlfriend from a wounded soldier. It makes her very depressed & she tries to commit a suicide. The last moment a boy saves her. His name is Boris & she adopts him as her son.
Fiodor Ivanovich, Boris’ father discovers the unpleasant truth about Mark, Veronika’s forced husband. He supports Veronika & breaks the family relationship with Mark. Then Volodya, Boris’ friend, finds Veronika’s family & proves that Boris has died. She goes on denying it.
On the 9th May 1945, the Victory Day, Veronika is strolling around Moscow. She hopes to invite Boris alive so she goes to the railway station to meet his unit. There she is convinced that her beloved has perished. She gives her flowers to soldiers while cranes are flying over the city again.
There is the version with rather good subtitles on the Youtube, so I hope you will enjoy it, Esteemed Readers. The war movies are difficult to be watched but they teach us so many things!
Maria KethuProfumo
It sounds like another wonderful film, Maria. Thank you so much. I hope you have a good week. 😁
Unfortunately, the movie is blocked here. All we can get is the trailer and an eight-minute sample. I think the reason is the movie is for sale. 😕
Try this link, dear John. Oh, the sanctions must be!
https://ok.ru/video/2045921659502
Perfect Dear Maria. Thank you. 😊🤗
All for you, my dear friend! 🙂 🙂 🙂
Spring is on the way, dear John! At last we have got some warmth! So, it is time to open a swimming season! 🙂 I hope you will enjoy the movie!
I’m showing 2 degrees C in Moscow at midnight. A little too cold for swimming. Here it is almost 24 degrees C. Not quite swimming weather either. 🥶
Oh! 24 degrees! So soon! That’s great! Well,,,-2 it is quite all right if take into account that due to ecological reasons our spring begins later. It delays 1-2 months. 🙂 🙂 🙂 At last there are sunny days. We often spend spring time like in Mordor due to absence of the sun light. 🙂
At least the Moscow winter has kept the city safe throughout history. Napoleon was one of the first to learn. 😁
Bravo, dear John! I’m impressed with your knowledge of our history. Before Napoleon there were the Poles & some other Northern nations. After him there were the Germans. Indeed, the Russian winter helped us many times. ☕🍰🌺😁😁😁
So now you can give thanks no Americans are planning to come there in the winter. 🥶
Bravo! Please, send this note to the right State department here, dear John! 🙂 🙂 🙂
Hahahaha. 😁
Thanks for sharing, Maria. 🙂
If the link is blocked, try this one, dear Bette! Thank you! https://ok.ru/video/2045921659502
Thank you, Maria.
Interessante. Metto in lista.
Grazie, cara Fulvialuna! 🙂
This one I remember I watch it, about twenty, years ago, on a revival series festival, Maria, I enjoyed it, but it’s sad end. 🙂
😊That’s wonderful, dear Mr. Brigido! I’m glad that you have enjoyed it!