Review of Pather Panchali (1955) by Ryan M — 14 Jan 2010

Like Kurosawa, Satyajity Ray practically single-handedly introduced the world to a whole new cinematic universe. Adapted from a novel, but more or less a reconstruction of Ray's own upbringing, this tale of endless poverty and suffering holds and extraordinary amount of depth.

Ray colourfully fleshes out the vibrant, humid world of a secluded Bengal village with an array of quietly poetic images, from an Ozu-like reverie watching pond spiders to the various emaciated livestock that litter the film. The buildings are crumbling, centuries-old heaps; the children's playgroung a lush jungle. For such a low budget, hard-fought picture there is an enormour amaount of sophistication in pulling all the elements together. A detailed sound design picks out tiny fragments of this tropical world, from the obvious such as the sweet-seller's bells, to the throwaway like wtaer splashing onto dry leaves or Durga crunching on a grass cane shoot. Ray deftly brings an entire culture to life onscreen.

Sharing many parallels with Italian neo-realist cinema, not the least of which being the use of a non-professional cast, Ray's work also manages to chronicle a realistic portrayal of family life years before any kitchen sink drama. Harsh trials such as lack of education, company and incurable illnesses hang constantly over the family, a reminder of how their desperate poverty is only an inch from total disaster.

The cast are fantastic, slowly creating their characters over literally years of effort. Begun in 1952 Ray laboured over weekends and publi holidays to gradually piece his film together whilst praying none of his actors grew up, or passed away. 'Bad Taste' has nothing on this. On screen each actor shines immensely, most notably Karuna Banerjee as long-suffering mother Sarbajaya, simultaneously being stern and tender, and Umadas Gupta as the tragic Durga, her wide eyes constantly filled with an innocent optimism and affection. With everyone filled out in different shades of grey this is more a family drama than a story about a single character's journey.

A scintillating soundscape of ragas, flutes and sitars, curteousy of Ravi Shankar, perfectly compliments the sewaty climate, wonderfully evoked through Subrata Mitra's gorgeous cinematography, at times so crisp and brightly lit one could mistake the film for a polished silent movie. In this sense Ray's ultimate objective is to make the audience feel through the images, feel the surroundings and atmosphere, but also comprehend the trials of the characters. This is nor misery memoir, however, and the film is full of warmth and affection, both for the characters and between them. It would be a long time before Apu, tiny and stick-thin, would come to feel as happy as he did at here, at the very beginning. 'Pather Panchali's final shot is one of uncertainty, the three surviving family members lost in grief and bewilderment; such is a true harshness of a way of life.