THE FIRST SWALLOW
USSR/Georgia, 1975, 75 minutes, Colour.
Dodo Abishadze, V. Nadaraia.
Directed by Nana Mchedlidze
The First Swallow is an entertaining film from Russia - especially from the Georgian region. It is a period comedy, set at the turn of the century, and focuses on life in a Georgian village. However, the focus is on the establishing of a soccer team - the personalities involved, the building up of a professional team and a test match between the locals and the crew of a British ship. The film spends a lot of time on the playing of soccer with its exhilaration and what it represents for a group of people trying to enjoy life in a small village and assert themselves. There are some engaging performances, a delightfully jaunty score. The direction is by a woman - who has an eye for men's sport and is able to elaborate with some nostalgia about the good old days of Georgia.
1. An entertaining film? Russian comedy, the local Georgian atmosphere? Of interest and entertainment value for an international audience?
2. The establishing of the small village - the married men, the young men and their clash on the soccer field? The need to get the local hero playing for the team? The coaches, the businessmen and the backers? The wives? The establishing of the soccer team - and the glimpses of games, practice? The build-up for the big match and the disappointment?
3. The use of wide screen, colour photograph, the atmosphere of the town, the sea? Costumes and decor? The international visitors? The special effects and editing for the soccer matches?
4. The point of the film - a celebration of the past with nostalgia? A humorous look at the foibles of human nature? A '70s Russian director looking back on the lighter touch of the Russian past? Exploration of character and human nature?
5. The hero - the stern man with strength, his wife not wanting him to go, the plea of the married men for him to come, his skills as a footballer, the confrontation with the young visitor and hospitalising him? Jason and his heroic name -his getting the team in order, international ambitions? The tableau of his leading and coaching the men, the strength of his kicking and the games, the men walking along the beach? His sharing in their disappointment? His continuing to build up the team? A portrait of a small town leader?
6. The contrast with the young man arriving in the town, watching the match, playing in the game, his being hospitalised, the romance with the doctor's daughter? His finding his place in the town? The comparison of the generations?
7. The various members of the team - as illustrated during the matches, in going to get Jason, in the plans for the match, during the match? The variety of people in the town?
8. The doctor and his daughter - a sub-plot, some romance, the attractiveness of young romance?
9. The foreign team - British (with the singing of the American anthem) - their skill in the game, the defeating of the local team, the rain symbolising the defeat?
10. The vigorous visual presentation of sport and audience participation in it?
11. The value of such a nostalgic look at the past - innocence, comparisons with the present? Nostalgia for simpler times?
