Upon its release in **October 1957**, *The Cranes Are Flying* (*Letyat zhuravli*) was a cultural earthquake both within the Soviet Union and internationally. It arrived during the "Khrushchev Thaw," a period of relative liberalization following Joseph Stalin’s death, and its reception was marked by a stark contrast between overwhelming public/critical praise and occasional official discomfort.
### 1. Reception in the Soviet Union
Domestically, the film was a massive success, attracting **28.3 million viewers** at the box office.
* **A "Fresh Wind":** Critics and audiences hailed the film as a "revelation" and a "fresh wind sweeping through a musty house." It was the first major Soviet film to pivot away from "Socialist Realism"—which focused on heroic leaders (like Stalin) and collective state triumphs—to focus instead on the **internal trauma and individual psychology** of ordinary people.
* **Artistic "Ecstasy":** At a pre-release screening at Mosfilm, the movie reportedly produced a "collective ecstasy" among film professionals. The famous director Mikhail Romm admitted to sitting through the entire film in tears.
* **The "Veronica" Controversy:** Despite its popularity, the protagonist, Veronica (Tatiana Samoilova), was highly controversial. In the eyes of traditional Soviet morality, her decision to marry the draft-dodging Mark while her fiancé was at the front was seen as "unfaithful" and "unheroic."
* **Official Reaction:** Nikita Khrushchev was reportedly furious after viewing the film, famously labeling the character of Veronica a "slut" (*prostitutka*). Some state-run critics initially viewed her grief as "inappropriate" or overly self-centered compared to the stoic heroines of the Stalin era. However, the film's massive popularity and international success eventually forced the state to embrace it as a masterpiece.
### 2. International Reception and the Cannes Triumph
The film became the "showpiece" of the new Soviet cinema abroad, proving that the USSR could produce world-class art that wasn't mere propaganda.
* **1958 Cannes Film Festival:** The film won the **Palme d'Or**, making it the only Soviet film in history to win the festival's highest honor.
* **Tatiana Samoilova's Stardom:** Samoilova became an overnight international sensation, often compared to Audrey Hepburn. She was awarded a "Special Mention" for her acting at Cannes, and European fans reportedly gave her a watch with the inscription: *"Finally we see on the Soviet screen a face, not a mask."*
* **US Release (1960):** When the film was released in America as part of a cultural exchange, *New York Times* critic **Bosley Crowther** gave it a glowing, if slightly sardonic, review. He noted that it was a revelation to see a Soviet film about two people "romantically in love—in love with each other... and not with a tractor or the Soviet state."
### 3. Critical Praise for Technical Innovation
Critics at the time were stunned by the film's visual language, which felt decades ahead of its time.
* **Sergei Urusevsky's "Emotional Camera":** Cinematographer Sergei Urusevsky was praised for his "gymnastic" handheld shots and long, flowing takes. His "off-duty camera" (taking the camera off the tripod to follow characters) was seen as revolutionary, particularly in the famous scene where Veronica runs through a crowd to find Boris.
* **Subjective Realism:** Reviews frequently highlighted the "subjective" nature of the camera work—such as the dizzying, spinning shots of trees as Boris dies—noting that the film captured internal emotional states rather than just external events.
In summary, while the Soviet government initially bristled at the film's lack of "official" heroism, the public and the international community recognized it immediately as a landmark of world cinema that humanized the Soviet experience.