Four long time pals, on a 30-something break before life & adult responsibilities kick in for keeps, go off on a countryside retreat in this Satyajit Ray classic. Like other aging-past-their-Golden-Youth film stories, it’s heavily influenced by Federico Fellini’s I VITELLONI/’53 though here only echoing the contours of the earlier film. Personalized by their different humours, a color film might have coordinated tints for their outfits, they range from immature to class clown, from commitment phobic to utterly sincere. This last, Ashim by name, wonderfully played by Ray alter-ego Soumitra Chatterjee who died last week, still best known internationally as grown Apu in the last of The Apu Trilogy, and about the most sincere actor ever captured on film. He positively radiates the stuff. Their journey opens with characteristic squabbles between the young men before they pick up a local guide and bribe their way into an unauthorized bungalow. But a touristy tone of cultural clashes, joshing & drinks shifts to something more serious and to romantic possibilities once they meet some lovely locals. Each of the young men responding with varying levels of interest, barely acknowledging the possibility of trouble coming from their (mis)adventures/(mis)behavior. Epiphanies small & large, with only Chatterjee having the full life-changing lovestruck experience, brilliantly organized by Ray in a simple party game involving famous names. The mood compounded in the following fair sequence with emotion & character revealed to magical effect using the simplest of means; the emotional pivot coming so fast, you may not notice it at first. Intensely moving without seeming to work at it, it’s another masterpiece from one of the most sophisticated minds (and deceptively simple techniques) ever to make film.
DOUBLE-BILL: As mentioned, I VITELLONI.
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