Pather Panchali (Song of the Little Road) (1955)
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97% of critics liked it
(34 reviews) -
93% of users liked it
(5,417 ratings)
Pather Panchali (Father Panchali), Indian director Satyajit Ray's first feature film, relates the story of an impoverished Bengalese family. When the father (Karuna Bannerjee) leaves for the city to pursue a writing career, the mother (Karuna Banerji) is left with the responsibility of caring… More Pather Panchali (Father Panchali), Indian director Satyajit Ray's first feature film, relates the story of an impoverished Bengalese family. When the father (Karuna Bannerjee) leaves for the city to pursue a writing career, the mother (Karuna Banerji) is left with the responsibility of caring for the rest of the brood. Gradually, the film's true central character emerges: Apu (Subir Banerji), the family's son. Though excruciatingly realistic at times, Pather Panchali takes an occasional timeout to dwell on the purely cinematic. For example, when the mother receives a postcard bearing good news, Ray dissolves to a pond, where a pair of water skates scamper about. The music by Ravi Shankar at first seems to be at odds with the action; soon, however, we come to accept the music as a logical outgrowth of the events at hand. A multiple award winner, Pather Panchali was the first of Ray's celebrated "Apu Trilogy" (the other two entries were 1956's Aparajito and 1959's The World of Apu). The film was also released as The Song of the Road and The Lament of the Path. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Directed By
- Satyajit Ray
- Genres
- Art House & International, Drama
Unrated,
- In Theaters
- Aug 26, 1955 Wide
- Studio
- Sony Pictures Classics
Critic Reviews
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, TIME Magazine
It is a pastoral poem dappled with the play of brilliant images and strong, dark feelings, a luminous revelation of Indian life in language that all the world can understand.
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Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
Satyajit Ray's beautiful first feature.
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Variety Staff, Variety
Film justly won the 'most human document award' at the 1956 Cannes Film Fest, unveiling a mature film talent in director Satyajit Ray.
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Geoff Andrew, Time Out
A masterpiece, inarguably.
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Bosley Crowther, New York Times
There are lovely little threads in the strange fabric. It's a film that takes patience to be enjoyed.
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Cast
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Runki Banerji
as Durga as a child
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Kanu Banerji
as Harihar the Father
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Subir Banerji
as Apu
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Karuna Bannerjee
as Sarbojaya Ray
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Umas Das Gupta
as Durga as a young girl
- Haren Bannerjee
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Chunibala Devi
as Indirtharkun the old aunt
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Tulshi Chakraborty
as Prasanna Schoolmaster
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Reva Devi
as Mrs. Mookerji
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Rama Gangopadhaya
as Ranu Mookerji
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Harimoran Nag
as Doctor
