The history of world cinema has tens of millions of films. Most of them, one way or another, are about love. About five hundred - give or take a couple of dozen - can be attributed to the classics of cinema. Therefore, the selection criterion for the films presented was only three conditions: no more than three from the continent, which had an indisputable impact on the art of cinema in that each of them, at a certain stage in the history of cinema, contributed to the development of the film language, all of them were included in the Golden Fund of Film and Film Academies.
The most difficult thing for any researcher who has set out to select only films about love from the classics of cinema will be the search for such in Soviet and Latin American works. Not that such films were not filmed in the Soviet republics or in the countries of South America, not at all, quite the opposite, but only a few of those filmed over several decades got into the classics of cinema. Another difficulty is to choose from paintings created in Europe or the United States. There are hundreds of them. Does the political and economic situation influence the creation of masterpiece films about love? Yes. Therefore, it is for Soviet films that an exception was made to the above rules: not three, but four Soviet films about love, which have become classics of cinema, are presented here.
Soviet movies
The Cranes Are Flying (directed by Mikhail Kolotozov, 1957). In the bright and happy love story of Boris (Alexei Batalov) and Veronica (Tatyana Samoilova), a rival rushes in, which is almost impossible to resist - war. This rival defeated their lives, but could not destroy their feelings. For the filming of the film, the outstanding Soviet cameraman Sergei Urusevsky came up with a number of technical solutions that have become classics of camera art. Film - Laureate of the "Palme d'Or" at the International Cannes Film Festival in 1958.
Amphibian Man (directed by Vladimir Chebotarev and Gennady Kazansky, 1961). A beautiful strange young man Ichthyander (Vladimir Korenev) at first sight falls in love with the beautiful Gutierre (Anastasia Vertinskaya). It would seem that a romantic and fabulous love story should await them, but this story has to come into conflict with everything vulgar and terrible that is on Earth among people.
Underwater shooting, carried out during the work on the picture, became for its time a technical breakthrough for the entire world cinema. The film has received awards: the Silver Sail prize at the festival of fantastic films in Trieste (Italy, 1962), II prize "Silver spaceship" at the I IFF of science fiction films in Trieste (1963).
"Journalist" (directed by Sergei Gerasimov, 1967). The story told in the film is both simple and complex at the same time: on the surface is the love of a capital journalist for a provincial pure girl against the background of fulfilling his industrial duty. But the uniqueness of this film is that it is absolutely atypical. It is atypical for its time, atypical for the director Sergei Gerasimov, who created it, both in terms of introducing documentary film language into feature cinema, and in the topics touched upon in it: from eroticism and passion that the heroes experience for each other, to a topical and ongoing discussion and to this day about contemporary art. The film won the Grand Prize of the Moscow International Film Festival (1967).
“Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears” (director Vladimir Menshov, 1979). The story of the girl Katya (Vera Alentova), who came from the provinces to the capital of the country, fell in love, deceived by her beloved, and, despite all the vicissitudes, achieved in life almost everything that a Soviet person could wish for - education and a career, but remained lonely Until suddenly … suddenly, one day, in an evening train, a new and beautiful love in the person of Gogi, aka Gosha, aka Georgy (Alexei Batalov), brought into her life. In the entire history of Soviet cinema, this is the fourth and last film that won the Academy Award (1981).
Latin American cinema
The Sandpit Generals (directed by Hall Bartlett, 1971). A young girl Dora (Tisha Sterling) and her young brother fall into the den of street children living in the dunes on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro. The girl becomes both a mother and a sister to disadvantaged teenagers, and one of the older street children and a lover. Such love - in its various guises - which permeates the whole picture, is not so much in world cinema. The film is made in the USA, but most of the creative team - from the actors, many of whom are real Brazilian street children, to the cameraman, composer and director - are Brazilians, so the world perceives this picture as Brazilian. Awards: Prize at the VII Moscow Film Festival (1971). In the USSR, the film became the leader of film distribution in 1974.
Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands (Dona Flor e Seus Dois Maridos, directed by Bruno Barreto, 1976). Young Flor (Sonia Braga), not giving a damn about the advice, marries the rake Valdomiro (Jose Vilker), who is quite rightly called the Reveler, out of great and pure love. He dies in the prime of his life after his next spree. The young widow this time decides to do the right thing and marries an asexual pharmacist of convenience. But fortunately for her, the deceased husband is not at all going to leave his wife alone. The film was nominated for a Golden Globe (1979) for Best Foreign Film, and actress Sonia Braga was nominated for a BAFTA Discovery of the Year (1981).
Scorched by Passion / Like Water for Chocolate (Como agua para chocolate, directed by Alfonso Aarau, 1991). Two passionately in love young people Tito and Pedro, by the will of Tito's mother, were not destined to marry. The mother doomed her youngest daughter to the role of her personal servant and cook. But one day, after years … One day Tito and Pedro will merge into a single whole forever. Awards: Ariel Academy Awards, Golden Globe (1992) nominations and BAFTA (1992).
American cinema
Gone With The Wind (directed by Victor Fleming, 1939). The fate of the young and staunch southerner Scarlett O'Hara (Vivien Leigh) and the brutal handsome Rhett Butler (Clark Gable) has not aged, has been thrilling the hearts of moviegoers for 75 years. There will be too many of the heroes: war, death, devastation, new-found prosperity, illusions and misunderstandings, but they will strive for each other no matter what - even for their own difficult, explosive southern characters. For its time, the film has many technical innovations and it is the first color film in the history of cinema. Awards: eight Academy Awards, as well as five more nominations (1939).
"Casablanca" (Casablanca, directed by Michael Curtis, 1942). The story of the sacrificial, passionate and unhappy love of a man for a woman. And women to men. The drama is played out against the backdrop of war and danger in the hot and sultry, neutral city of Casablanca. And given the fact that the main roles in this film are played by the beautiful and seductive Ingrid Bergman and the great Humphrey Bogart, it is absolutely not surprising that the film does not age. Awards: Three Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Screenplay (1944). In 2006, the US Writers Guild unanimously recognized the script of "Casablanca" as the best in the history of cinematography.
Breakfast at Tiffany's (directed by Blake Edwards, 1961). The story of meeting and falling in love between a young writer George Peppard (Paul Varzhak) and a young, eccentric, vulnerable playwright Holly. This film is one of the most romantic on earth, and Audrey Hepburn as Holly is one of the most consummate actresses in the world. Awards: two Academy Awards (1962), Audrey Hepburn's David di Donatello (1962), Grammy Awards and the Writers Guild of the United States (1962).
European cinema
The Road (La Strada, directed by Federico Fellini, 1954). Here the victim falls in love with his executioner. Here tenderness and fragility meets rudeness and betrayal. Here Life is an endless Road, which was beyond the power of the small and fragile circus woman Jelsomine (Juliet Mazina). And the one who too late realized that he had met the only one in the world - the brutal strongman Zampano (Anthony Quinn), still has to go along which is still to be done. The film is the clearest example of neorealism. He was awarded the Silver Lion at the Venice Film Festival (1954), Oscar (1957) and Bodil (1956).
Man and Woman (Un homme et une femme, directed by Claude Lelouch, 1966). Two early widowed people accidentally meet on the railway platform. When the Woman (Anouk Aimé) misses the train, the Man (Jean-Louis Trintignant) will simply volunteer to give her a ride home. Both have children. She is a wonderful mother. He is a wonderful father. The Road will become a companion of their instant, calm, pure and quivering, but also passionate feelings. Awards: Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival Claude Lelouch (1966), OCIC Prize for Claude Lelouch (1966), two Oscars (1967), two Golden Globes (1967), BAFTA Anouk Eme (1968).
"The Last Tango in Paris" (Ultimo Tango a Parigi, directed by Bernardo Bertolucci, 1972). Appearing in the early seventies, this film broke the templates of the worldview: how permissible and is it possible at all to stay within the boundaries of artistry, releasing so many frankly erotic films, vaguely balancing on the verge of decent? This is a mystery movie. This film is a passionate, almost murderous tango of two lonely, strangers who are attracted to each other by a common, inexplicable, animal passion.
But neither He nor She (Marlon Brando and Maria Schneider) were able to go from absorbing passion to true all-consuming love. Only by smelling its origin, He destroyed everything. Awards: Maria Schneider's David di Donatello Special Prize (1973), the Silver Ribbon Award for Best Director Bernardo Bertolucci (1973), the US National Film Critics Award for Best Actor Marlon Brando (1974).
