Interesteg
What makes it different from others?
Solidrariol
Am I Missing Something?
Breakinger
A Brilliant Conflict
Darin
One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.
Lee Eisenberg
Aleksandr Ptushko might be recognizable to western audiences from the riffing of reedited versions of his movies (e.g., "Sampo" retitled "The Day the Earth Froze") on "Mystery Science Theater 3000"). I understand that the original versions of these movies are worth seeing, not the sort of movies that MST3K would heckle. His "Alye parusa" ("Scarlet Sails" in English) is an impressive one. It's based on Aleksandr Grin's 1923 novel of the same name, and I understand that Grin's work enjoyed a renaissance under Khrushchev's thaw. The movie doesn't have the most complex story, but it's enjoyable enough for its hour and a half. One might interpret it as a look at the desire to break free of one's confines, whether Assol's peasant world or Arthur's aristocratic world.So, it's not any sort of masterpiece, but I recommend it. Probably the neatest thing about the movie is the filming locations around the Black Sea.Assol. That name has gotta make lots of English-speakers giggle.
Leofwine_draca
SCARLET SAILS sounds like a normal 1961 swashbuckler but turns out to be something else entirely. It opens as a typical Russian fairy tale would, with a beautiful young woman pining for her empty life and finding herself whisked away by a dashing adventurer to go on some seabound adventure on the titular ship.The film offers the usual mix of Soviet ideals, moralising, social drama, and fantasy. The early scenes of the main character in the doldrums are quite well portrayed and contrast nicely with the more fantastic, ego-trip adventures of the latter half. The production values are fine. There's a greater emphasis on romance here than in other Russian fairy tale films I've watched, which meant that it wasn't really to my taste, but there's no denying the enthusiasm of those involved.
Norman F Birnberg
"Alye Parusa" can best be described as a romantic fairy tale.Its about the pursuit and attainment of true love whatever the obstacles. Alexander Grin created a world that is magical, beautiful, sentimental and captivating.Its a shame he's unheard of outside of Russia and generations there have loved his classic novel for its adventure spirit, its belief in will overcoming the trials of the sea, time, human skepticism and the fulfillment of human happiness in the most idyllic of settings.Vasily Lanovoy is well cast as Grey and the incomparable Anastasiya Vertinskaya shines as Assol and they stand out on the silver screen as the star-crossed lovers. Alexandr Ptushko brought the novel to life and one is drawn into a world that's timeless like a fairy tale but which never loses sight of the human element and the yearnings of the principal leads.I won't give away the beautiful ending except to note its worth the price of admission to this movie. Its so popular that an entire festival is devoted to it in Saint Petersburg.Its family-friendly entertainment of the highest caliber and is highly recommended!
Tatiana Manouk
"The Scarlet Sails" is one of the most beautiful and romantic tales I know. The movie follows Alexander Green's novel perfectly. It presents the story about how a miracle can happen when faith and love join together. A small girl was told once that a noble prince will come for her on a ship with scarlet sails. She believed the story and kept this faith even when she grew up. She was considered strange, the town's people laughed at her and her life wasn't easy, but she managed to preserve a golden heart and pure eyes of a child. And when a brave young captain saw her, he fell in love with her and decided to fulfill her dream.This movie is for everyone who has a romantic soul and believes in miracles. It's very air is full of beauty, dream and poetry and it has a lot of Christian motives in it, though this may seem strange when speaking about a Soviet movie. But it is so, because eternal virtues that this movie is about are common for all people, whether they are Russian or not. I highly recommend "The Scarlet Sails" for family viewing and for those everlasting romantics that world would have been so dull without.Rating: 10/10