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Poster for The Cranes Are Flying

The Cranes Are Flying

Seen it?

1957 | 97 min | Drama, Romance, War

Friday Night Flick

Why it’s a Friday Night Flick

Critics loved it (96% on Rotten Tomatoes) and audiences rate it highly (7.9 out of 10). Make plans for this one.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
Made for romantics and history buffs. If you loved Doctor Zhivago or Reds, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
The mood
Intense, warm and romantic.
The pace
Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 37 min.
What might put you off
  • It's in Russian, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
  • Made in 1957: an older pace and style.
  • Audiences were cooler on it than critics.

Veronika and Boris come together in Moscow shortly before World War II. Walking along the river, they watch cranes fly overhead, and promise to rendezvous before Boris leaves to fight. Boris misses the meeting and is off to the front lines, while Veronika waits patiently, sending letters faithfully. After her house is bombed, Veronika moves in with Boris' family, into the company of a cousin with his own intentions.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsVery strong

    96% on Rotten Tomatoes, 76 on Metacritic

  • AudiencesStrong

    7.9 out of 10

  • AwardsSolid

    Won 1 Cannes award: Palme d'Or.

  • Reach & staying powerBelow par

    Streaming release that reached a modest audience

  • Buzz & cultural impactSolid

    About 78K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Mikhail Kalatozov

  • Tatyana SamoylovaVeronika
  • Aleksey BatalovBoris
  • Vasili MerkuryevFyodor Ivanovich
  • Aleksandr ShvorinMark
  • Svetlana KharitonovaIrina
  • Konstantin KadochnikovVolodya
  • Valentin ZubkovStepan
  • Antonina BogdanovaGrandmother
  • Boris KokovkinChernov
  • Ekaterina KupriyanovaAnna Mikhaylovna