A DECLARATION OF LOVE (OBYASNENIYE V LYUBVI

USSR, 1977, 135 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Ilya Averbakh.

A Russian love story presented with great delicacy and tender feelings. The protagonists are a timid and weak but charming young journalist and his forceful wife. There is a recurring motif of a boy and a girl on a ship before World War I.

However,. the flashbacks take us back to the twenties and the establishing of the communes and moves through the thirties and into World War II. It traces the marriage and the love and the loss of love between husband and wife. The film is in flashback from the two meeting on the wife's birthday in their period of old age. The film covers much of the background history of Russia during the times but always gently and providing a backdrop for the emphasis on the experience of this marriage. There is a delicacy in presentation of photography, the use of background classical music and in the performances. A charming and engaging film.

1. How interesting and enjoyable a film? The qualities of the film as a Russian production - techniques, content, moods and atmosphere?

2. The importance of the title - the alternative title, 'My Beloved’? The importance of Philipok and his being the man who declares his love? Zina as the beloved? The focus on the nature of love, its quality, depth? Permanence? Tenderness?

3. The importance of the colour photography, the re-creation of a period, the range of the time span of the period, the early 20th century and its appearance? Decor and costumes? A transition from Czarist Russia through the Revolution to the Communist regime and World War II? the contrast with contemporary Russia? The contribution of the score and the use of classical music?

4. The background of the history of Russia in the 19th and 20th centuries? Audience response to the Czarist period - the presentation of a world of elegance and refinement in this film? The transition through the Revolution to the social progress of the twenties in communes, farms? The change of life of the ordinary people in the 20's and 30's? The effect of World War II on Russia? The Russian experience within the context of the whole world in the 20th century? The particularly Russian tone of this film, its meaning for and communication with a world-wide audience?

5. The significance of the opening in contemporary Russia, the roses, the little girl, Philipok and his visit to his wife? The Institute? The focus on the book and its dedication, Zina looking through it? The initial presentation of Philipok and Zina in their old age? This perspective for the flashbacks?

6. The importance of the recurring motif of the boat before World Mar and the two children on the boat? Philipok’s explanation of this memory and his hope that Zina was the girl on the boat? The visualizing of this memory and the places in which it occurred?

7. Philipok as the central character? A genial young man, his abilities, his weaknesses? A clever man, his work and the transition with his writing to journalism? The encounter with Zina and the background of their marriage? The effect of the marriage on him, home, children, career? His motives in marrying? Zina’s push and arranging his life for him? How did marriage change him? His love for Vazia and the tender sequences between the boy and Philipok?

8. Philipok and his love for Zina? Her motives for marrying him? Her arranging his life, his career, pushing him? His dependence on her? Did she really love him or not - and the way this question was asked during the War? The scenes of their life together, his going away and her wishing him good luck, his return when they were at the beach, her dalliance with the violinist, her leaving him and the dramatics of this? The significance of her return as he came back to the house after the war? The birth of their child? The changing of love throughout their lives? The quality of the love especially in Philipok?

9. The presentation of society during this time span in Philipok being seen at work: his assignment to the criminals (and its seemingly farcical aspects and his not succeeding in his journalistic career writing up this incident)q his fear? His going to the collective farms and his experience of the people - death, the railway station sequence and the wedding celebration and the dance? The material going into his stories? his sensitivity of observation and the way that the film presented this for us?

10. The collage of still photographs in red to highlight the socialistic aspects of the period: the farms, work?

11. The importance of Philipok having to leave home for his work? The significance of his returns? How he was changed, Zina’s change - especially at the beach sequence with its colour and light and joy, the violinist? Vazia as sharing Philipok's experience? The pain of Vazia's accidental death for Zina while Philipok was away?

12. The portrait of friends - Zina’s friends and her talk about arranging Philipok's life? The journalist and his support of Philipok, their bonds during the war and his death?

13. The transition to the war and the experience of pain, death, the group of refugees? The exhilaration of the end of the war and the achievement, the medals as signifying heroism? The pathos of returning home?

14. The mood of the reconciliation and their rediscovery of one another? How well did it last in the post-war period? As reflected in their talk in the hospital visit?

15. The significance of their final talk, the declaration of love, the sharing with each other their mutual support in old age? An achievement of love?

16. The perennial values of human nature, goodness, sin and error, reconciliation? The tenderness of love and the effect that it has on each partner?