The White Dove (aka Holubice) (1960)

Description

"... an unusual film of great poetic beauty...." - NY TIMES / Fresh from recent revival tour / A bird loses its way when it tries to fly home to the Baltic coast, where a young girl anxiously awaits it. It is rescued by an artist and then gradually brought back to health by a small, frail boy. People's lives are changed forever by their encounter with the bird, which provides the heart of this moving story, told in rich black and white photography and striking visual detail. THE WHITE DOVE's unforgettable beauty and distinct style earned the film awards and acclaim at film festivals in Venice, Cannes, Montevideo, and Prades. THE WHITE DOVE is the debut feature of Frantisek Vlacil, a master of poetic imagery and the director of the top-ranked Czech film of all time, MARKETA LAZAROVA.

Customer Reviews:

REWARDS REPEATED VIEWING AND SYMBOLIST READING.......2007-07-22

Read this Biblically and the metaphors come clear, from the Annunciation all the way through the Resurrection to the Ascension. Even Eden.

God the Creator and Father sends unto the Virgin the joyous Holy Spirit of Love through the image of a Dove, and she gratefully, graciously, finds life.

I can say that not as a spoiler but as an interpretation or even exegesis.

The Resurrection of the Holy Spirit brings us Life and consolation, joy and peace.

This story comes to you from so many levels that we must sit and see and discuss this over and over.

I have not included any spoilers in this review, as I have not touched upon the story of the hidden life of the Christ Child in Nazareth encountering the monumental issues of life, death, resurrection, love, eternal life, wholeness and wellness, etc. No mere summary here could in any way "spoil" the power of the presentation.

We should also remember this movie was strongly intended for the big screen ,covering the entire wall of a viewing room, rather than the small screen, and thus the screen sized close-ups of strong faces, the low angle shots, including of people walking directly by the camera, etc., must have been powerful in a way we, dulled, cannot begin to imagine today.

We see here a strong influence of Kurasawa's Seven Samurai - Criterion Collection - 3-Disc Remastered Edition. We see here Bergman, in particular the ineffable, incomprehensible but clearly present menace of Wild Strawberries - Criterion Collection. We even see here the later The Gospel According to St. Matthew of Pier Paolo Pasolini. SOme might even see echoed the more romanticist, far gentler yet similar French The Red Balloon. In the effective use of close-ups, ciaroscuro, and extreme low angle shots we may also sniff an influence of the cinematography from The Citizen Kane (Gold Edition Box Set). But mostly we see something entirely sui generis, and ever since unequalled in haunting beauty, symbolic power and unfathomable meaning.

Remember this made under the most primitive conditions with rudimentary tools pushed by the artist far beyond their capabilities, even through the use of over-exposures to produce graphics we still cannot equalwith our computers. Often we must stop and think: how did they do that? But most importantly must we explore the why. What message are we to see here and here in our hearts.

From the start an inexorable feeling of menace and danger fills the screen, driven home with the near minimalist music. We really fear for the safety of these children, and are repulsed by the evil of these adults who callously pursue their own interests. Somehow the eating of an apple at the beginning becomes a deeply evil, perverse and sexual act, as the doves are released from Belgium to their international homes, cast out of the Garden of Paradise. But then the same is true of the Holy Bible, in which the eating of the apple begins the tale of redemption and salvation culminating in the Resurrection.

Read this movie Biblically, and remember it comes from Czeckoslavakia of the early Sixties, and the political and religious significance of this fact. This is the most religious film you may find, and yet by necessity the most subtle in symbol and thus powerful.

Tell me your reaction to the old man sitting by an empty bird cage remembering, receiving the gift of a dove. Tell me your reaction to the final still image. Tell me the row of old men, one with great and biblical and mosaic beard, seated upon the Baltic dock awaiting the arrival of their doves, do not resemble a row of Michelangelo's Old Testament prophets awaiting like Simeon the coming of the Lord.

What is most stricking in our obese and well fed hour is how thin and famished everyone looks, in particular the central figure. Such thinness was "normal" then: look at the contemporary Ocean's 11, even, and compare that with today's. Folks were doing other things than consuming!

This movie is a true journal of our souls journey to salvation. Please "read" it, and you will not be sorry. You will see what a true artist can do with the most basic of tools, including the wash of paint upon glass. I cannot recommend this old film enough to you, my dear friend.

Ever lasting imagery+storytelling.......2004-05-29

The plot is very simple and small, the pace is slow and meditative, but above all, the imagery and the cinematography is surreal and top notch...reminded me of Fando and Liz by Jodorofsky...not as surreal though...really good... worth watching...check it out.

beauty...breathless.......2004-02-08

The most beautifull imagery that I ever seen in the movie.Marketa Lazarova is true chech poet. The black and white is just breath taking !

Average customer rating:

White Dove
Starring: Antonio Banderas , Perla Cristal , Francisco Rabal , Mercedes Sampietro , and Emma Suarez
Manufacturer: Platinum Disc
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0000TWN4C
Release Date: 2003-05-06

Drama Classics Triple Feature, Vol. 2 (The Black Pirate / The Scarlet Pimpernel (1934) / The Iron Mask)

Average customer rating:

Very nice quality, very nice movies

Drama Classics Triple Feature, Vol. 2 (The Black Pirate / The Scarlet Pimpernel (1934) / The Iron Mask)
Starring: Billie Dove , Tempe Pigott , Donald Crisp , Sam De Grasse , and Anders Randolf
Director: Albert Parker , Allan Dwan , and Harold Young
Manufacturer: Rph Productions
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000065Q9Y
Release Date: 2002-05-07

Customer Reviews:

Very nice quality, very nice movies.......2002-11-13

Bargain silent movies can be a risk. I often prefer more "mastered" (and expensive) DVD versions if the print is in bad shape. But all three of these were very good to look at.

I am a fan of Douglas Fairbanks movies, and the Black Pirate is one of my favorites. My favorite scene is Fairbanks capturing a merchant ship with passengers aboard single handed, and without firing a shot. NOTE: If you are looking for a good quality print of the Black Pirate, there is now a release from Kino Video (available here on Amazon), that is absolutely amazing. The film was originally filmed using a very new two-color Technicolor process, and this new release lets you see the the full beauty of the red and blue Technicolor dating from the age of silent movies! It also has about two minutes of footage not in the version on this disk.

The Iron Mask is also good but Fairbanks' character is older and he doesn't reach his usual level of athleticism. I also find that the story has the feeling of a sequel and is less engaging because of that.

Amazon.com essential video

The silent era's greatest swashbuckler, Douglas Fairbanks, took to the sea with cutlass in hand and gypsy earrings dangling for the first great pirate movie and a gorgeous example of early Technicolor. In a story that's become almost cliché in the intervening years, Fairbanks is the sole survivor of a pirate attack who infiltrates the high-seas criminals by posing as a master pirate. Defeating their leader in an acrobatic duel, Fairbanks proceeds to capture their next ship single-handedly in a sequence that has him swinging from mast to mast and, in the film's most memorable stunt, slicing the ship's sails with his knife as he slides down the sheet. Along with booty, however, the pirates discover a beautiful noblewoman (Billie Dove) and the Black Pirate must devise a plan to save the prisoners and himself in the face of a bloodthirsty band of brigands. Packed with every classic pirate device in the book, from saber duels to walking the plank, The Black Pirate shows off Fairbanks at his best, a jaunty, resourceful hero performing the most amazing acrobatic feats. The restoration shows the two-strip Technicolor classic at its best as well: a beautiful, delicately hued marvel, painstakingly restored and color-balanced from the original negative by film preservationist David Shepard. This edition also includes 19 minutes of rare black-and-white outtakes. --Sean Axmaker

Description

An unqualified masterpiece of the silent era, "The Black Pirate" is now restored to its original Technicolor splendor. Made at the height of Douglas Fairbanks' career, this grand-scale epic tells the story of Michel, the sole survivor of a ship pillaged by buccaneers. To infiltrate the nest of bandits, he poses as the mysterious Black Pirate in order to recover the pilfered treasure and save a divine princess.

Customer Reviews:

Good film, very good extras.......2006-12-17

If this DVD had had just the film itself, I would have given it 4 stars, but the extras push it up to 5 stars for me. The film does move a bit slowly, begins kind of in media res, has a rather thin plot, and has some holes in what little narrative plot there is, but it's still packed with the great swashbuckling and action-adventure one expects in a Douglas Fairbanks, Sr., film. He's in top form here, be it in a fight with both swords and rapiers, swinging from ropes, swimming, or effortlessly sliding down several huge sail masts while holding onto a knife slicing its way down the masts. It doesn't hurt that the film is in two-strip Technicolor, although that early color process didn't have an extraordinarily wide color spectrum. Still, limited color spectrum or not, Doug looks even more gorgeous in color. He was never regarded as a particularly gifted actor, but he was so popular because of how fun and exciting he was to watch, and really made up for his lack of a *great* acting ability with his amazing charisma, screen presence, his exciting personality, and his indisputed talent when it came to swashbuckling, physical action, stunts, and everything else about this genre he personified.

Though the plot does seem rather thin, it's pointed out in the audio commentary that it was intended that way. This film is supposed to be a series of situations and episodes, not one long solid narrative with a clearly-defined beginning, middle, and end. We open as a bunch of pirates are taking over an enemy ship and preparing to blow it up, with its tied-up crew still on board. Doug's character, the self-proclaimed "Black Pirate" (the only character who seems to have a name is MacTavish), and his dying father are the only survivors of the attack, but soon after he has carried his father onto the beach of some island, he discovers in horror and heartbreak that he's dead. He has just vowed revenge when the pirates responsible come onto the island themselves to bury some treasure; approaching them, he asks to join their company, and defeats their captain in a swordfight. For some reason, the pirates accept him as one of their own even though he's not only a stranger but has also just killed their own captain. (The pirate ship he joins is literally overflowing with pirates; one wonders where all of them fit on that ship.) He then proves his worth further by capturing a ship single-handed, and hatches the brilliant idea to hold the ship for a hefty ransom until noon the next day. To ensure the ransom will be paid up, he suggests they hold hostage the princess they found hiding down in the lower level of the ship with her maid. Of course, the Black Pirate ends up falling love with the princess (Billie Dove, who doesn't really have much to do but look scared) at first sight and decides to let her go in the night. However, one of the other pirates has his sights on her too, and feels she's his because he drew the short strand of rope when he and some of his friends were arguing over which one should get her. Things get even more complicated when he gets caught and has to face the wrath of most of the other pirates, and all while the ransom still hasn't been paid on the captured ship.

Though perhaps not Fairbanks's greatest film, it's still fun to watch and an action-packed suspenseful adventure all of the way through. The audio commentary by Rudy Behlmer adds a lot to it, and covers subjects such as the history of color in motion pictures (starting back in the 1890s with hand-colored films), the main stars of the picture, the shooting of the film, the history of pirate films, and bits of trivia, such as how the woman Doug kisses and embraces in the long shot near the end was actually Mary Pickford and not Billie Dove, since Mary didn't like her husband kissing other women in his films, at least not on the mouth (Billie Dove does kiss him on the cheek in an earlier scene). There are also 19 minutes of outtakes and behind the scenes footage with more commentary by Mr. Behlmer, as well as production stills that also have commentary. (Certain comments made by Mr. Behlmer during the audio commentary indicate that this commentary was originally done on a double-sided laser disc edition of this film, with the second half of the film, and the extras, on the other side.) Additionally, the soundtrack is actually the one that was originally written for the film back in 1926, so it's not just a generic piano or organ or a modern-day reinterpretation of what the best score for the film should be. (I generally don't have a problem with modern music being used to score silents, but I know a lot of purists hate it and prefer scores to be as close to the original music as possible.) Once again Kino has put together a spectacular DVD of a classic.

Classic Swashbuckler.......2006-05-04

I have been fortunate to see this film 3 times on the big screen and it is certainly the finest example of a Two-Strip Technicolor silent film still extant. The restored print is first rate and captures the subtle look that Fairbanks wanted. Fairbanks is at his finest and this film contains the famous stunt of plunging his knife into the mainsail and gracefully sliding to safety. However, it is fair to note that this film moves noticeably slower than the other Fairbanks swashbucklers of this era but it is still first rate entertainment and much emulated by the likes of Errol Flynn, Tyrone Power and Burt Lancaster ("The Crimson Pirate") Highly Recommended.

THE MASTERPIECE.......2005-09-21

This adventure of a film has been described several times and what an adventure it is!

So how about the dvd? As usual the `KINO` badge is synonymous with the highest quality discs from the finest surviving 35mm material.

This is an awe inspiring transfer from the early beautiful two colour technicolor 35mm master. With the original score as played in theatres re-recorded in digital stereo, watching this film is a wonderous experience and the way `silent` films should be enjoyed. Kino increasingly including more and more interesting extras for new releases makes them even more exciting!

Historic but not so much fun as other Fairbanks films.......2004-12-05

This is the oldest surviving three color film. That is film the stuff in the camera I am talking about. So the reason it gets published now is for historical interest in film methods. The story is OK, but the image quality is not so hot. This isn't Kino's fault - the film was in poor condition with many scratches. Finding a color print was very a coup, but that particular print was not in perfect condition.

As usual Fairbanks does nifty stunts, including an underwater attack on a ship, but he does this in many other movies which hold up better today. The plot here is the usual action stunts and all around good movie, but once again film quality was distracting for me.

This movie is unlikely to appeal to most. Unless you are specifically interested in the color film process you will likely be bored. University libraries should consider archiving this. Film students may want to view this movie for its historical importance and to get a glimpse of what technology was available in the mid-20's. By the way regarding film quality I want to reiterate that Kino does excellent restorations of silent movies. I am sure that they have done what they could here and done a good job, but starting from a film that needed more restoration. The fact that this film is available at all is very cool and Kino is a great source for silent movies.

It may be of interest..........2004-09-14

I thought it may be of interest to those who have seen this film, and those who are thinking of seeing it, and as no one has yet mentioned it, that it seems obviously apparent that the film is based on the book of the same name by MacBurney Gates. I, myself, have only read the book and the previous reviews of this film, so I cannot say how well the book has been portrayed on the screen. But, as the book was quite enjoyable, I can say that my interest has certainly be caught, and I hope to see it sometime soon.

Average customer rating:

REWARDS REPEATED VIEWING AND SYMBOLIST READING
Ever lasting imagery+storytelling
beauty...breathless

The White Dove [Region 2]
Starring: H.B. Warner , James O. Barrows , Claire Adams , Herbert Greenwood , and Donald MacDonald
Director: Henry King
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00006LSHG

Customer Reviews:

REWARDS REPEATED VIEWING AND SYMBOLIST READING.......2007-07-22

Ever lasting imagery+storytelling.......2004-05-29

beauty...breathless.......2004-02-08

The most beautifull imagery that I ever seen in the movie.Marketa Lazarova is true chech poet. The black and white is just breath taking !

DVD:

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