The Cranes are Flying: KINOfiles Film Companion 7

Arguably the first masterpiece of post-Stalinist cinema, "The Cranes are Flying" is an intersection of politics and art. A product of Khruschev's "Thaw", its sympathetic portrayal of human beings affected by World War II, and its highly individual style won awards worldwide. Josephine Woll examines questions of theme and genre, the controversial representation of heroism and the audience reaction to these issues, as well as production, content, style and context. The First Indisputable Masterpiece Of Post-stalin Cinema, The Cranes Are Flying Retains Its Power And Its Appeal Today. The Film Came Out During, And Thanks To, Khruschchev's 'thaw', And Combines The Thaw's Passion For Truth-telling And Its Revision Of The Stalinist Account Of World War Ii With A Cinematic Lyricism Reminiscent Of Classic Soviet Silent Films. In This Perceptive And Accessible Guide To The Cranes Are Flying, Josephine Woll Discusses The Film's Themes, Characterisation And Its Cinematic Language, Notably Sergei Urusevsky's Startlingly Original Visual Design And Camerawork. She Reveals The Film's Place In Its Historical And Particular Domestic Context And Discusses Both Its International Critical Reception And How Viewers Both When It Was Released And Since Have Responded To This Remarkable, Innovative Film.--book Jacket. 2 Context 4 -- 3 Analysis 28 -- 4 Reception 65 -- 5 Aftermath 81. Josephine Woll. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [111]-112). The first indisputable masterpiece of post-Stalin cinema, The Cranes Are Flying , directed by Mikhail Kalatozov tells a story of love, betrayal, and renewal against the background of World War II. Josephine Wolls beautifully written account of this film reviews its presentation of war, its redefinition of Soviet ideas of heroism, its enigmatic central protagonist, Veronika and her paradoxical decision to marry one man while never ceasing to love another. Woll also details its reception in the Soviet Union and the West, where it was widely distributed and acclaimed. Arguably the first masterpiece of post-Stalin cinema, "The Cranes Are Flying" combined several cinematic trends, such as the choice of the World War II for hero-images, and the preference for private emotional truth over political rhetoric. This study analyzes the film in depth.