The history of world cinema totals tens of millions of films. Most of them, one way or another, are about love. About five hundred - plus or minus a couple of dozen - can be attributed to the classics of cinema. Therefore, only three conditions became the selection criterion for the films presented: no more than three from the continent, which had an undeniable impact on the cinema art by the fact that each of them, at a certain stage in the history of cinema, contributed to the development of cinema language, all of them were included in the Golden Fund of Cinema and Film Academy.
The most difficult thing for any researcher who wants to select only films about love from the classics of cinema will be the search for those in Soviet and Latin American works. It’s not that films of this kind were not made in the Soviet republics or in the countries of South America, not at all, quite the opposite, but only a few from the film shot over several decades got into the classics of cinema. Another difficulty is to make a choice of paintings created in Europe or the USA. There are hundreds of them. Does the political and economic environment influence the creation of masterpiece films about love? Yes. Therefore, it was precisely for Soviet films that an exception was made to the rules stated above: here are presented not three, but four Soviet films about love, which have become classics of cinema.
Soviet movies
“Cranes are flying” (director Mikhail Kolotozov, 1957). In the bright and happy love story of Boris (Alexei Batalov) and Veronika (Tatyana Samoilova), an opponent breaks in, who is almost impossible to resist - the war. This rival defeated their lives, but could not destroy feelings. For the filming of the film, the outstanding Soviet cameraman Sergei Urusevsky came up with a number of technical solutions that became classics of cameraman art. Film - Laureate of the "Golden Palm Branch" of the 1958 International Cannes Film Festival.
Amphibian Man (directors Vladimir Chebotaryov and Gennady Kazansky, 1961). Beautiful strange young man Ichthyander (Vladimir Korenev) at first sight falls in love with the beautiful Gutiere (Anastasia Vertinsky). It would seem that they should expect a romantic and fairy tale love story, but this story has to come into confrontation with all the vulgar and terrible that there are 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 awards: the prize "Silver Sail" at the festival of science fiction films in Trieste (Italy, 1962), the second prize "Silver Space Ship" at the I IF Sci-fi film in Trieste (1963).
"Journalist" (director Sergei Gerasimov, 1967). The story told in the film is both simple and complex at the same time: on the surface - the capital’s journalist’s love for a provincial clean girl on the background of fulfilling an industrial duty. But the uniqueness of this film is that it is absolutely untypical. Atypical for its time, atypical for the director Sergey Gerasimov, who created it, both in terms of bringing documentary cinema into feature films and on the topics raised in it: from eroticism and passion that the heroes have for each other, to the current and continuing discussion and to this day about contemporary art. The film received 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 the Soviet person could wish for - education and career, but left alone Until suddenly
.Suddenly, the magical thing once in the evening electric train brought into her life a new and beautiful love in the person of Goga, he is Gosh, he is George (Alexei Batalov). In the entire history of Soviet cinema, this is the fourth and last film that received the Academy Award "1981".
Latin American movie
"Sandpit Generals" (The Sandpit Generals, directed by Hall Bartlett, 1971). In the den of street children living in the dunes on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro, a young girl Dora (Tisha Sterling) and her little brother fall. The girl becomes both mother and sister of disadvantaged teenagers, and one of the senior street children and lover. Such love - in its various forms - which is permeated by the whole picture, is not so much in world cinema. The film is made in the USA, but most of the creative group is from actors, many of whom are real Brazilian street children, to the cameraman, composer and director - Brazilians, so the world perceives this picture as Brazilian. Awards: Prize of 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 (Sonya Braga), spitting on the tips, marries, by great and pure love, to the hang of Valdomiro (Jose Wilker), quite rightly nicknamed Gulyaka. He dies in the prime of life after his next party. This time the young widow decides to do the right thing and marries by calculation for an asexual pharmacist. But fortunately, the deceased husband is not at all going to leave his wife alone. The film was nominated for the Golden Globe (1979) as the best foreign film, and actress Sonia Braga was nominated for the BAFTA Award as the opening 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 his mother, Tito was not destined to get married. Mother doomed the youngest daughter to the role of her personal servant and cook. But once, through the years
.Once Tito and Pedro will merge into a single whole forever. Awards: Mexican Academy Ariel Prizes, Golden Globe Nominations (1992), and BAFTA Award (1992).
American cinema
Gone With the Wind (Gone With The Wind, directed by Victor Fleming, 1939). The fate of the young and persistent southerner Scarlett o'Hara (Vivien Leigh) and brutal handsome Rhett Butler (Clark Gable) is not aging, for the past 75 years, has been exciting the hearts of moviegoers. Too many heroes will fall: war, death, ruin, newfound prosperity, illusions and misunderstandings, but they will strive for each other no matter what — even 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 Oscars, as well as five more nominations (1939).
"Casablanca" (Casablanca, director Michael Curtis, 1942). The story of a man’s sacrificial, passionate and unhappy love for a woman. And women to men. The drama is played out against the backdrop of war and danger in the hot and stuffy, neutral city of Casablanca. And taking into account the fact that the main and the leading roles in this film are played by the beautiful and mannered Ingrid Bergman and the great Humphrey Bogart, it is not surprising that the film does not age. Awards: three Oscars in the categories of "Best Film", "Best Director" and "Best Screenplay" (1944). In 2006, the US Scriptwriters Guild unanimously recognized the Casablanca script as the best in cinema history.
Breakfast at Tiffany's (Breakfast at Tiffany's, director Blake Edwards, 1961). The story of the meeting and love of the young writer George Peppard (Paul Varzhak) and the young, eccentric, vulnerable playgirl Holly. This film is one of the most romantic on earth, and Audrey Hepburn as Holly is one of the most unsurpassed actresses in the world. Awards: two Oscars (1962), David di Donatello Audrey Hepburn (1962), Grammys and US Screenwriters Guild (1962).
