Though its focal family doesn't actually have any sort of plumbing in their home, 'Pather Panchali (1955)' is essentially a kitchen sink drama. It's a slice-of-life affair that chronicles the lives of a family struggling to survive in rural Bengal. The father is an optimistic priest whose gentle nature and general desire to maintain his relaxed reputation often lead to periods of immense poverty, something which is made worse when an opportunity in the city takes him away for far too long. The mother is a pragmatic, if not downright pessimistic, presence who holds everything together with all her might but can't escape her reputation no matter how hard she tries. The children play innocently, unable to see the severity of their situation (even rejecting food in favour of play on occasion), and their happiness is touching even if it's constantly drenched in portent. The picture has as many moments of joy as it does of sadness, but its overall vibe is undeniably downbeat. It progresses almost as a series of vignettes, depicting the passage of time ambiguously and refusing to provide on-the-nose exposition when it comes to who is who in relation to each other (which is actually a bit of an issue sometimes). It's an experience that's far easier to admire than it is to enjoy, especially when you look into its behind-the-scenes process and realise it was shot on a shoestring budget over a period of three years by people who had never made a movie before. Shot with a deceptive simplicity, the black-and-white feature often feels as close to a fly-on-the-wall documentary as a narrative affair can. It's an impressive effort, for sure. Though the acting occasionally falls a little flat (and isn't helped by the sometimes emotionally unconvincing screenplay), most of characters are convincing in a down-to-Earth way. The drama works as well as it does because of this realistic nature, even if the detached style prevents the piece from being as devastating as it could have been. In fact, it generally feels sort of hollow. It's very slow and, though its pacing improves in its back half, it could have probably done with a bit of its runtime shaving off. It's conceptually solid and technically sound, but it isn't exactly an enthralling or, even, especially enjoyable experience. It's entertaining on occasion and it does what it sets out to, but it just isn't as affecting as it ought to have been. With some tightening up, it could've been a real tearjerker. As it is, it's a good effort that affords a glimpse into a time and place most people (if not everyone) reading this will never experience first hand.
Review of Pather Panchali
