Das Lied von der grauen Taube

The film may have received only 3 stars, but that doesn't mean that it is an ordinary film. A Song About the Gray Pigeon became a typical victim of its time and distorted political circumstances. In the early 60s, cultural relaxation was still out of reach, and cinema had to serve the party and its foreign patron. Unfortunately, the film's propagandistic and educational dimension cannot be hidden. Kachyňa was able to avoid the same thing in his raw dramas several years later, and you won't find any flattery of the Soviet Union and the party in them. It is precisely when comparing Kachyňa's films Coach to Vienna or Long Live the Republic! and this film that you will see the difference between an excellent and slightly above-average film. On the other hand, Barabáš managed to make a solid war film with several excellent moments, such as the encounter between a German soldier and a partisan in the middle of a burnt-out farm. It is a shame that Barabáš prematurely ended his career in Czechoslovak cinema due to emigration. He was a talent that had a decent chance of adding a few more great films to his credit. Overall impression: 65%. (05.10.2015)