Zelary
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Movie Reviews of Zelary
Movie Review: Great movie
Summary: 5 Stars
Zelary is undoubtedly one of the most recent gems of European cinema--of the Czech Republic to be accurate, though the action happens in Slovakia during the Second World War. It is essentailly a story of love, though an unlikely one. A sophisticated nurse, Eliska (Anna Geislerova), donates her blood to a dying patient, Joza (Gyrogy Cserhalmi), who works in a sawmill in a remote village in the country. He is older and gruff-mannered, but kind and honorable, and when she has to flee hunted by the Gestapo for being part of the resistance movment, he escorts her under disguise to his village Zelary, where he has to marry her to fend off suspicion. There Eliska changes--which is the point of the movie. She sees Joza, not as an uncouth peasant, but for the fine gentelman hiding under his rough exterior. Gradually, she falls in love with him, and makes love to him, and two might have headed for a happy life together, had it not been for the war, which the movie never allows us to forget. There are jealous people among the villagers, and though Eliska uses her medical expertise to help some of them, it is a harzardous life for her, expecially when the partisants come in to liberate the country. This is worth seeing, not only for the splendid, humane story, but for the gorgeous photography, the haunting music, and fine acting of all involved. The tragic elements are well balanced with a few bucolic scenes of country life, and, on balance, this is a story of optimism and faith in the human heart--despite its ugly urges. Excellent work, expecially to those who like slow-paced, but worthy European movies. Constantine Santas
Movie Review: Zelary is a superb romantic film
Summary: 5 Stars
The love story about two utterly different individuals speaks volumes about the human condition. Eliska is a well educated woman who under normal circumstances would have little to do with Joza, a mere sawmill worker who lives in a small house with a dirt floor and no indoor plumbing. The man does not own a single book nor reading material of any kind. It is doubtful if he can even read at the level expected of a grade school graduate. Alas, this is wartime and the Nazis are searching for Eliska because of her involvement in the resistance. Hiding in the Czech boondocks and marrying the socially inferior Joza is her only viable alternative. She eventually learns to love him and make the best of a less than ideal situation. The term culture shock most appropriately describes Eliska's challenge to be accepted by those who perceive her to both be an outsider and a risk to their own safety. Nazi soldiers, as expected, don't hesitate to kill those who hide enemies of the Third Reich. Will Eliska be betrayed? Can her relationship with the villagers ever become warm and intense? We observe the process unfold over a period of a few years. Anyone who enjoys romantic stories must see Zelary. It may very well be ranked among your favorites of all time. Yes, it is that good of a movie. You should not be disappointed.
One wonders why it is so difficult to find a copy of Zelary's music score. It is among the best I've heard in years. Could it be due to the fact that few Czech films are imported to the United States? Whatever, I hope this might be rectified in the near future.
Movie Review: Beautiful.
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a wonderful wonderful movie.
Excellent direction, beautiful starcast (gorgeous Anna Geislerova), stunning cinematography and a terrific story.
The epic story is centered around the transition in Eliska's life when is forced to leave her up-scale life in the big city and take refuge in a remote, mountanious area called "Zelary". Eliska is forced to marry one of her past patients to escape from the omni-prsent Gestapo. Her husband is pastoral Joza (played to perfection by Gyorgy Cserhalmi). Joza is unsophisticated, but takes good care of Eliska. He lovingly calls Eliska as "Hanulka". His pronounciation of her name reflects his pure love for Eliska.
As seasons pass (shown beautifully in the movie), a strong love bond develops between Eliska and Joza. Eliska's social realation with other people in the bucolic Zelary village has been depicted beautifully and seems to be a natural progression in the movie. The story flows and the seasons pass until their country is liberated by the Red Army. A tragic event leads to Eliska and Joza's separation (couldn't be anything other than Joza's death). The last scene in the movie is heart-warming and will leave you moist in the eyes.
I watched this movie without turning the sub-titles on and to be honest didn't even realize that the movie was in Czech. A real testament to awesome direction and beautiful acting.
A real treat. This one is for the keeps.
Movie Review: The Heart never fails to surprise.....
Summary: 5 Stars
I think several previous reviewers have nailed what is so good about this film. I just wanted to add my voice to theirs. A quiet, deliberately paced story of a young female medical student involved in the WWII Prague resistance who must go into hiding from the Gestapo in a rural village. Her protector is a simple, older peasant man who had been a patient in her hospital. To insure her "cover" and to help protect the villagers from Nazi reprisals she must wed this man. The story of how this sophisticated young city woman adapts, adjusts to and what she learns from this very different life then unfolds.
Beautifully filmed, this story illuminates the dislocation the heroine feels, the danger surrounding both her and the villagers who exhibit all the normal human traits of honesty and dishonesty, treachery and loyalty, wisdom and foolishness. And finally, there is love and the human heart and the never-ending surprises to be found there.
Ah, the human heart and love, throughout history and a thousand stories already told, we still find it inexplicable and unpredictable. There will be another thousand stories yet to charm and bewilder us, if they're done well. This bittersweet tale is one more, and I found it worth my time.
Movie Review: A Great WWII Love Story 1940s Czechoslovakia
Summary: 5 Stars
What happens when a woman from an elitist background finds herself intertwined in a resistance movement, which implicates her in activities that if caught, will convict her to doom at the hands of the Nazis?
The survivor, Eliska is saved thanks the protection of the lowly laborer and mill worker, the lovable Joza who promises to hide her in his close-nit village tucked high away in the mountains. It is this odd couple -through unusual and unfortunate circumstances - who find trust, companionship, and love amidst threats of invasion and capture by the Nazis.
Others have done an excellent job summarizing the plot line and specifics of this story. Yet, I would recommend this story, solely for the breathtaking cinematography and gorgeous scenic views where this love story unfolds.
I rate Zelary as one of the best foreign film love stories of the 20th century. I am confident that you will agree and view it time and again.
Maizie Lucille James
May 29, 2010