Review of Pather Panchali (1955) by Kevin N — 14 May 2009

A heartfelt song about the simple joys and devastating hardships of a family. Ray's storytelling ability is magnificent, and everything is told with a passionate rhythm, always moving onward. Sound plays an integral part in the film; birth, death, nature and industry can all be most effectively observed audibly, and throughout the course of the film the viewer is challenged to open and surrender all senses to the narrative.

This- the first in a trilogy- revolves around Apu, a boy born into a poor family. Ray's biggest success, however, is in never focusing solely on Apu, or any other member. Instead, we are shown things through different eyes- sometimes an adult's, and sometimes a child's- and catch different people at different points of their lives.

Both the good and the bad are painted in this family portrait, and while the suffering of this family may not be easy to take, their dedication to each other make the pain worth fighting through.