Customer Reviews

A Cruel Romance

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I realize the listing doesn't state that the video is subtitled, but because Amazon listed it by the English title I assumed that that it was. Anyone interested in this video should be forewarned that it is the Russian original, with NO SUBTITLES. It's a great movie, but if you don't speak Russian, you'll just be looking at the pictures.

This is one of the saddest movies that I have ever seen in my life, and I love drama. It is a great story of a love that can never be in a world of Czarist Russia. Wonderfully acted, with some of Russia's greatest actors of that time in lead roles. A profound work of movie making, which leads to question society as a whole.

Consider the plot of a very beautiful young woman, whose life ahead is full of promise.. But consider also that this girl's life is actually torn apart by events which seem (apparently) out of her immediate control, like if fate was conspiring against her at every other corner. Even her mother, willingly or not, at some point "sells" her -though like every other mother she blindly believes doing what's best for her daughter's future. Zhestokij Romans is sinonimous to drama: just watch the final scene, which is so powerful, telling and poetic...

I especially enjoyed the Gipsy scenes. All that dancing, joy and vodka were very moving in this film. Just as Yugoslav director Emir Kosturica has immortalised the Gipsy people (i.e. "Underground") we also see in "Zhestokij" droves of joyful Gipsies carrying everywhere they go that sound which is at the same time melancholic and joyous. Some other scenes reminded me of "Svadba" (Pavel Lounguine) a film which also features lots of partying and rivers of vodka despite the imminent disgrace and bitterness of life. I even found some parallels with "Luna Papa" another film from the former Soviet republics in which a young and pretty girl has to rapidly mature and leap from childhood into adulthood.

The Gipsy scenes also served as a very effective contrast between joy and doom. While they kept dancing, tragedy was occurring elsewhere. It's like they say: one man's happiness is another man's suffering.

It was a great opportunity to make a gift to my american friend since it's one of mt my favourite movies and I managed to find it...on amazon :-)

The acting is excellent and the drama portrayed is very well adapted to the situation and the reality of the time. A bit slow but the story is quite dramatic and the music superb.

It is great to have Russian movies with subtitles! The item arrived very fast and was in a great condition.

I would recommend this movie to anyone that is passionate about cinematography. This is a great russian movie starring Nikita Mihalkov.