Review of Aparajito (1956) by Andrew B — 19 Apr 2011

"Aparajito" (The Unvanquished) shows Apu growing up from a young boy into a young man in 1920s India. His father, a priest develops a fever and passes away, leaving Apu and his mother to survive elsewhere. Apu starts going to school, eventually earning his way to higher studies, but must leave his mother behind, with only letters as corespondence. But his mother has a big secret being kept from her son, that she might not live to see him finish.

Ray's film is quite a downer, with death and despair, but triumph over poverty as well. The father's death scene is one of the most powerful things I've seen. I loved that shot of the birds flying away. But it all holds together as this is a story that happens everywhere in the world throughout history. Amazing film, and I must see the rest of the trilogy.