The Cranes Are Flying – Letyat zhuravli (1957)

Directed by: Mikhail Kalatozov | 95 minutes | drama, romance, war | Actors: Tatyana Samoylova, Aleksey Batalov, Vasili Merkuryev, Aleksandr Shvorin, Svetlana Kharitonova, Konstantin Kadochnikov, Valentin Zubkov

Many western films about World War II are about the American offensive against the Nazis. Often the spotlight is on the brave soldiers who fight heroically on the battlefield. ‘The Cranes Are Flying’ by the Georgian-Russian director Mikhail Kalatozov shows a different side of the war set in the Soviet Union. On June 22, 1941, the invasion of Nazi Germany begins and what follows is a giant blood sheet until the surrender of the Nazis. Kalatozov shows the other side of wartime and focuses more on the life of the average citizen, especially Veronika. Her life changes from one moment to the next. It is the start of an uncertain and anxious period in her life.

‘The Cranes Are Flying’ revolves around Veronika, a young woman living in Moscow. She is in a relationship with Boris, a factory worker who shares a house with his family. Veronika likes to watch cranes flying overhead, a symbol that for her may be a sign of progress. She hopes that Boris will propose to her so that she can take the next step in her life. However, Boris has other plans. On the day the Nazis invade the Soviet Union, Boris volunteers to fight for his homeland. Veronika is inconsolable, but his decision is made. On the day of their farewell, such a large crowd arises that the two lovers no longer meet. To make matters worse, Veronika’s house is bombed and her parents die. Veronika moves in with her in-laws while she waits for letters from Boris. She doesn’t hear from him anymore, but doesn’t give up hope. Between all the bombardments and misery, Boris’s cousin sees his chance to make Veronika his wife.

The story of Veronika and Boris is tragic and hopeless. A nice contrast is created between Boris’ life at the front and Veronika’s emotional struggle with herself. The Soviet Union is suffering badly with all the consequences that entails. Kalatozov shows this suffering through fascinating, long scenes with many extras who all radiate sadness and fear. This creates an extra load of emotion that magnifies the seriousness of the situation among the people. It is refreshing to follow the grief of World War II through the eyes of an average citizen. Veronika’s situation is not exceptional; there are thousands of other women with her who have to go through the same thing. The enemy does not come into view for a single moment and is not very relevant in Veronika’s case. The film revolves around the complications that two lovers have in wartime. ‘The Cranes Are Flying’ is a modern film for the period in which it was made. Veronika’s dramatic scenes with Boris and his family are reminiscent of classic Hollywood films from the 1940s and 1950s with many close-ups that focus on the actors’ emotions. Kalatozov experiments a lot with the contrast between light and dark.

Despite Boris and Veronika having few scenes with each other, their moments together linger in the viewer’s mind. Almost every scene between them is intense and comes to life because of the excellent acting. Shots are regularly taken from above, as if the cranes at the beginning of the film are looking down from a safe height on the tragedy that takes place on the barren and desolate land. ‘The Cranes Are Flying’ is a unique film in terms of both story and camera work. Rarely has the heartbreaking period of the Second World War been portrayed so beautifully in a feature film.