Les Voiles écarlates

Despite this story being beloved throughout post-Soviet countries and even has its own festival in St. Petersburg, "Scarlet Sails" is not very well-known outside of this region. The story is charming and has many qualities found in other fairytales. The 1961 film adaptation is also very faithful to the original story and it is something I recommend to anyone who enjoys classic movies or fairytales.

The film explores the characters of Assol and Arthur Grey as they grow up in different areas. Assol is the daughter of a toy maker who has been dubbed as "crazy" by her village. Assol herself has also been called crazy because she holds onto the belief that a self-proclaimed sorcerer has told her: when she grows up, a ship with red sails will come to her, and it will be captained by a prince who will love and cherish her. The attitudes of the people around Assol do not taint her optimistic spirit and she continues to think fondly of the man's magical prophecy. Arthur Grey, on the other hand, is the son of a stern count. Despite being the heir to a noble family, Grey's real passion is ships. He wishes to be captain of his own ship one day, and becomes so when he is much older. One day, he sails near Assol's village and the story progresses in a very romantic way. It is a very sweet story and I can see why people in Eastern Europe (my mom included) like this story so much. The movie is beautifully shot and gives you all the information you have to know in this rather simple story. It is only a little over an hour long and does not feel dragged out at all. The soundtrack by Igor Morozov is also very beautiful. It truly is just a wonderful classic film about hope and making miracles happen yourself that it's no wonder this story is so beloved in Eastern Europe. It is a story I would definitely show to kids of my own if I had any, as well as those who just want something light-hearted and wonderfully executed. As Assol says, "Everyone dreams."

Aleksandr Ptushko might be recognizable to western audiences from the riffing of reedited versions of his movies (e.g., "Sampo" retitled "The Day the Earth Froze") on "Mystery Science Theater 3000"). I understand that the original versions of these movies are worth seeing, not the sort of movies that MST3K would heckle. His "Alye parusa" ("Scarlet Sails" in English) is an impressive one. It's based on Aleksandr Grin's 1923 novel of the same name, and I understand that Grin's work enjoyed a renaissance under Khrushchev's thaw. The movie doesn't have the most complex story, but it's enjoyable enough for its hour and a half. One might interpret it as a look at the desire to break free of one's confines, whether Assol's peasant world or Arthur's aristocratic world.

So, it's not any sort of masterpiece, but I recommend it. Probably the neatest thing about the movie is the filming locations around the Black Sea.

Assol. That name has gotta make lots of English-speakers giggle.

I came across this movie by chance, and what a lovely chance encounter! The production value was high, for it was easy to believe that what was seen was really a little Russian village by the sea. The ship must have been authentic, outfitted with no less than real, scarlett silk sails! The story is a simple fairy tale, following the adventurous hero and graceful heroine from childhood.

Sadly, this may not reach the audience it deserves. Perhaps that just as Western art students are reexamining Soviet creations without the political prejudice of times past, so too should these wonderful films come to light. I'd recommend this to anyone who appreciates classic storytelling.

I've liked all that I've seen from Aleksandr Ptushko, the three films of his that have been shown on MST3K are much better than they're made out to be because the original versions are beautiful but are ruined significantly by the dubs. Scarlet Sails is one of his absolute best, if I had a top 3 I would almost certainly put it up there alongside Stone Flower and The Tale of Tsar Sultan. Like with all of Ptushko's films, it is visually stunning with photography that has a simple sweep that is kept unobtrusively and breathtaking sets and scenery that makes you wish you were in Russia. Any details seen like the ship are so well constructed also that you are convinced they're real. The music is sumptuous and has a feel of affecting romance and wondrous fantasy, it also has a very Soviet sound to it and if there was a CD of just the music I'd gladly buy it. The dialogue is noble and well-written, clearly written with heart and thought, yet it also allows for the drama and romance to speak for themselves. The story like Stone Flower is essentially a simple fairy-tale, the fairy tale elements are recognisable and have a real enchantment to them while never doing so in a complicated way, and the romantic elements are genuinely touching and don't bog the film down in any way. Emotionally Scarlet Sails is really one of Ptushko's most beautiful, mainly because the romantic elements are so well done. It also helps that the characters are so easy to identify with, and that Scarlet Sails with two outstanding lead performances is for me is the best-acted Ptushko film. In conclusion, one of Ptushko's best and a personal favourite as of now. 10/10 Bethany Cox

This opens like a Powell & Pressburger film with some glorious photography and musical accompaniment to kick-start an amiable fantasy adventure. It's all about the dreams of the young "Assol" (Yelena Cheremshanova) who has an encounter with a wizard who fills her head with what is seemingly the most impossible dream. She's young and impressionable, though, and very much takes to heart his promise that one day a proud ship will sail into their bay, bedecked in bright red sails, and carrying a prince who will sweep her off her feet. Of course, everyone else in the place is entirely sceptical of her dream but she (now Anastasia Vertinskaya) is determined never to let go of that hope, even though she is by now a fully-grown woman who is the desire of many would-be, if hardly catch-of-the month, suitors. The story is the stuff of fairly standard fairy tale, but Aleksandr Ptushko has pulled out all the stops to give us something that's heavy on the colourful and aesthetic creativity to great effect. The supporting cast manage to mingle the jovial with the decent and yep, there's the obvious cad or two amongst them who are determined that she will end up just like all the other's in their small fishing village. Perhaps it will be "Arthur" (the distinctly Olivier-esque Vasili Lanonvoy) who might just prove her salvation, and not without some considerable sacrifices of his own - all in the name of promises kept and true love's kiss. It's the ultimate feel-good movie this that allows our hearts to rule our heads, refuses to allow mundanity or reality to clutter it and though maybe it's a little long in the middle, shows off the lighter side of Soviet film making in a cheery and uncomplicated manner. I'm not too sure folks nowadays would be allowed to stand on the pier yelling "Assol" without the police being called? Maybe that's not such a good thing.