The Cranes Are Flying Analysis

To begin, one of the common themes that both films center around is that of good vs. evil, yet by reimagining this theme, which is often an integral part of conventional war films, the foreign films are able to set themselves apart. In The Cranes are Flying, Kalatozov breaks from the traditional representation of this theme by presenting it in a way that there is no clear distinction between who is good and who is evil. Although the German army invades the USSR, Kalatozov does not confine either army to the restricted title of good or evil but rather paints war itself as malicious. This unconventional portrayal of the theme is shown through Veronica’s reaction to her boyfriend Boris being drafted into the Soviet army. She sees war as something
A common portrayal of the theme is that both works have shot the film from their protagonist’s perspective in order to showcase who the real victims. In this case, the events are seen through the eyes of Ali la Pointe, the freedom fighter who was recruited by the FLN and would eventually become its leader. The film depicts the anti-war theme with the aid of its protagonist and his actions as well as by utilizing images of warfare. By showing Ali’s struggles as leader of the insurgency and the acts of terrorism conducted by the FLN, Pontecorvo is able to emphasize the destructiveness of war all the while stressing that the true victims are the innocent civilians. He demonstrates just how senseless war truly is, when one side escalates its guerilla tactics, the adversary will prove to be even more destructive in order to retaliate, ultimately ending in massacre. Battle displays the ferocity of war through images of bombings by the National Liberation Front, where innocent lives are put at risk or killed. The people carrying the bodies of the dead children only supports the anti-war theme further by emphasizing once again the viciousness and turpitude of warfare. Likewise, the film is shot in black and white, an intentional stylistic choice that depicts the grim reality of war all the while giving it a documentary style feel. This newsreel-like filming creates a disturbing reality for the audience and reinforces the anti-war theme that has characterized Pontecorvo’s breakthrough film. The Battle of Algiers unconventional approach to the anti-war theme illustrates the true brutality of war and has made this film unlike any other, thus allowing it to stand out in a genre that far too often romanticizes and glorifies