The World of Apu
1959
Directed by Satyajit Ray
So we are finally done with the Apu trilogy. In hindsight, I probably should have watched all of them in one sitting. Regardless, I am done and while it will be hard to limit my review to this one installment, I will do my best.
Apu is all grown up now and he is attempting to be a successful writer. He gets married as a good deed after the initial groom is proven to have a mental disorder. Good on Apu for continuing to enslave his cousin. Anyway, they have a kid and because the film is part of this trilogy, death and despair are inevitable.
I am going to sound like a broken record here but I have the exact same things to say about this installment as I did the other ones. The scenery is beautiful, the acting is average to quite good, and the cinematography is excellent. However, I still thought the movie dragged sometimes and because it is so relentlessly depressing, it will never be a favorite.
The Book notes that the romance between Apu and Aparna is very sweet. I, on the other hand, felt that their courtship was more creepy than beautiful. I just felt sorry for Aparna that she was involuntarily married off to her poor cousin.
So I am glad to put this trilogy behind me and I will probably never watch it again. Still, it is recommended, along with tissues and ice cream.
RATING: ***--
Interesting Facts:
Sharmila Tagore was only fourteen when she made this film.
In 2005, Time listed this as one of the greatest films of all time.
A fan made trailer:
