Sunday, July 30, 2006

Dama s sobachkoy (1960)

English Title: The Lady with the Dog.

Synopsis: A man and a woman meet at a city by the sea; they fall in love; they are both married.

Appraisal: If there ever was a perfect movie, this is probably it. Melancholy and lyricism exude from its every beautifully composed frame. The musical score, too, is marvellous. The actors, ditto. The story is heart wrenching. Don't watch it if you are feeling down, because it is liable to sink you deeper into depression. It is also opportune to remark that this film has practically the same story of the widely celebrated "Brokeback Mountain", except of course for the gender of one of the protagonists (and if you believe the sincerity of the latter film's director, that should not matter). Both films were based on short fiction, but "Brokeback Mountain" is 51 minutes longer than "The Lady with the Dog". And yet, answer me honestly: which of the two films touches you deeper?
I am adding it to my favorites of 1960, in the 14th position.

Rating: 71

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