Capt. Grant's Family (1936)

Must See Movie...

I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

Blistering performances.

This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

There are many reasons why I saw Captain Grant's Children in the first place. Jules Verne's book has a wonderful timeless story; knowing that Aleksandr Ptushko- director of some of the most beautiful Soviet films I know of-; and that I have become very fond of Soviet/Russian cinema. Captain Grant's Children was a gem from start to finish, one of my favourite Soviet films so far easily. Even though it is deserving of a better transfer(having seen the entire movie on Youtube today, if you type in its Russian title you'll find it providing that it stays up), it is lovingly rendered in scenery, lighting and costumes, the black and white looks pretty still and the photography has an understated sweep to it(very Ptushko-style). I agree that the music alone is what makes Captain Grant's Children worth the watch, there are many other things too but the music really stood out. The overture is a beautiful and lovingly orchestrated piece, while the accompanying music underlines the storytelling sensitively and the songs are catchy and unmistakably Soviet(I can't get O Winds of Travel out of my mind and in a good way). The story is very close in spirit and detail to the book and has all its impact. It makes you very happy inside, teaches good morals, the more romantic elements are touching, the adventurous ones rouse and there is lots of heart. The characters are as colourful as you'd expect, especially Paganel, and the acting helps make each character both memorable and recognisable. Nikolai Cherkasov gets top honours in a turn that is funny, moving and authoritative. In conclusion, a real Soviet gem and one of the easiest 10/10s I've given recently. Bethany Cox

One of the reason I love this movie so much, is that it closely parallels the book. All my favourite characters are there and, surprise, they are even recognisable. The most colourful of them is most definitely the geographer Jacques Paganel, who's quirky, erudite, talkative, even a bit grotesque. He's played by Nikolay Cherkasov, whom most non-Russian have seen on the screen either as the statuesque Alexander Nevsky or the ferocious Ivan the Terrible. Well, he's also a master comedian and steals virtually every scene he is in. Towards the end, when the travellers believe themselves lost at sea, he briefly veers into the tragical, probably the most unforgettable moment in this movie.But all actors are excellent, and so is the music, that has become enormously popular in Russia. One should think that so beloved a movie would be carefully preserved, but, alas, the quality both of the soundtrack and the images is deplorable. Still, if you love Jules Verne's adventure stories and if you can do without computer-aided gimmicks this movie is a great see.

What a wonderful, amazing film! It's black and white and grainy (what did you expect from 1936?), but that doesn't matter at all. No film I ever seen comes even close. It has such a great sense of joy and romantic and adventure, it's so morally uplifting that I can't praise it enough. In addition to that, the movie is so innocent and optimistic that I can't think of a better children's film.Great actors - I mean, all of them, though I especially liked Paganel, perfect score (by Prokofiev himself, no less!), to the point that "The Uverture for Deti Kapitana Granta" gets ordered quite often on modern FM radio stations - after 70 years! Great songs too ("Oh, Wind of Travel, sing us songs of where you came from", "There once lived a captain brave", etc. Engaging plotline (by Jules Verne), in which daring family of Captain Grant seeks their lost father circumnavigating the globe at 37 deg. South latitude... and so much more!The only complaint today's viewer may have is dated special effects and not exactly slick stock fotage inserts... But you know what? Who ever notices that when the movie is so great!I doubt that you can easily find it outside of Russia, but if you even don't find the film itself, do yourself a favour and trace film's soundtrack.