The White Dove (1960)

A poetic film about a dove getting lost on its way to Prague getting shot down by a paralyzed boy. An artist who finds the dove becomes friends with the boy. Together they take care of it bringing it back to recovery.

Director:

Frantisek Vlácil

Writers:

Otakar Kirchner (story "Susanne"), Frantisek Vlácil

Stars:

Katerina Irmanovová, Karel Smyczek, Vjaceslav Irmanov

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview:
Katerina Irmanovová	...	Susanne
Karel Smyczek	...	Michal
Vjaceslav Irmanov	...	malír Martin
Gustav Püttjer	...	Kohouti starik
Hans-Peter Reinecke	...	Ulli
Frantisek Kovárík	...	Starý pán
Ladislav Fialka	...	Sasek
Jirí Patocka	...	Francouzský delník
Karl Gärtner
Vladimir Erlebach	...	Pierre
Anna Pitasová	...	Michalova matka
Petr Kocanda	...	Dvojce
Pavel Kocanda	...	Dvojce

Storyline

A poetic film about a dove getting lost on its way to Prague getting shot down by a paralyzed boy. An artist who finds the dove becomes friends with the boy. Together they take care of it bringing it back to recovery.

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Plot Keywords:

pigeon | artist | wheelchair | loft | artwork | 

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Genres:

Drama

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User Reviews

The long flight home.

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.

Details

Country:

Czechoslovakia

Language:

Czech German French

Release Date:

4 November 1960 (Czechoslovakia)

Also Known As:

Bílá holubice

Filming Locations:

Prague, Czech Republic

Company Credits

Production Co:

Ceskoslovenský Filmexport, Filmové studio Barrandov

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White