Review of The White Dove

This is the first feature of Czech director Frantisek Vlacil who had previously made documentaries. His backgound as a painter is evident here in his composition of shots and his sense of the visual. He and his cinematographer Jan Curik have captured wonderful images where actions speak louder than words. The plot concerns a dove belonging to Susanne that loses its way and ends up in Prague where it is shot by Michael, a crippled boy. He nurses it back to health and is eventually persuaded by an artist who has befriended him to let it go. Tearfully he does so and we see it fly away, hopefully back to Susanne who is always hopeful of its return. Karel Smyczek as the boy, Katerina Irmanovova as the girl and Wjaceslav Irmanov as the artist are simply superb. This extraordinarily beautiful, inventive and touching piece easily bears comparison with 'Red Balloon' and 'White Mane' of Lamorisse in terms of its universal appeal. Must be seen.