Poetic Film Review: Train Without a Timetable (Vlak bez voznog reda, 1959)

In Dalmatia's hills, where war had passed,
A village stirred, with futures forecast,
Lovre, a veteran, with heart aflame,
Led his kin to Baranja's fertile plain.

With dreams of new life, they left their home,
And ancestral lands, where traditions roamed,
Their journey marked, by laughter and by tears,
As they traded familiar hills for unknown years.

Periša, young, with heart full of desire,
Fell for Dana, with love's sweet, secret fire,
While Nikolica, with wanderlust in his soul,
Found himself torn, between love and industrial goal.

The camera panned, in widescreen's grand scope,
Contrasting desolate hills, with Baranja's promise and hope,
Bulajić's direction, a masterful, sweeping guide,
Elevating the narrative, with each passing stride.

The screenplay, aligned with Communist creed,
Emphasized collective, over individual need,
Yet, amidst ideology, the director's art shone bright,
Allowing actors to shine, in their respective light.

Milan Milošević, Inge Ilin, and Ivica Pajer too,
Delivered performances, that resonated, pure and true,
Their characters, a testament to the human heart,
With all its complexities, and love's every part.

The film's reception, a triumph, in its time,
With accolades and praise, that echoed, sublime,
Though dated, it remains, a fascinating find,
A window to the past, with historical context aligned.

A curious detail, a T-shirt, with "Crystal Lake" emblazoned bold,
A whimsical anachronism, that adds a layer, to the story unfold,
A reminder of the world, beyond the film's frame,
A connection to the global, in this Yugoslav epic's name.

Bulajić's legacy, a testament to his art,
A director, who wove, personal stories, with socio-political heart,
Train Without a Timetable, a film, that stands the test,
A commendable work, that showcases, his considerable best.

(Note: The review in its original form can be read here.)

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