The Mirror (1975)

The Mirror (1975) – A dying Russian poet reflects on his life in a series of memories and flashbacks.

Directed by Andrei Tarkovsky                       Starring -Margarita Terekhova, Ignat Daniltsev

This is one of those movies that you watch because you’re supposed to watch it.  For a lot of people the simple fact that this is commonly referred to as an “art film” would put them off it. So let’s say this right up front – for the average American movie goer, this movie will be a challenge.  The dialogue is entirely in Russian (check that, there’s one scene in Spanish) and it’s all sub-titled.  There is no clear, straight line story being told here, and the scenes are long with very dreamlike qualities to it.

But if you want to get a little deeper into movies than blockbuster thrillers, you need to spend a little time with movies like this one.  It’s not terribly long, only 108 minutes.  And there are some truly astounding things to watch in this one.

For a movie that is about and told by a male character, it took me a little while to realize how rarely he shows up.  That’s because most of the story is told from Alexei’s point of view.  His memories revolve around two women, his mother and his wife, both played by Margarita Terekhova.  He even says that when he thinks of his mother as a younger woman, he sees his wife Natalia’s face.  The memories flash back and forward with very little warning.  From being a teenager with a stutter to a small boy to a father and ex-husband and back again.  While a confusing presentation if you want a clear story, I think Tarkovsky, who also wrote the script, creates the perfect image of how little we really understand our own pasts.  Some of it is clear, some of it is dream.

The nature of each of the pieces is also given depth through the use of the lighting and the resultant color or lack thereof.  Some scenes are rendered in simple black and white, while others have a painterly quality with colors that spoke to me of the great masters.  Tarkovsky shows how each memory has been colored over the years in Alexei’s mind.

I have often heard of the prevailing sadness that is part of Russian literature.  That same sadness is found here.  Margarita Terkhova is a beautiful woman but in Maria/Natalia we find that beauty overlaid with a sadness.  A sadness that never leaves.  Tarkovsky creates some stunning visual poetry with the sadness of the memories that make up this movie.

This is not an easy movie to watch because it requires great concentration.  You will have to relax and go with the storytelling style to really enjoy it as well.


Why I Liked It – The incredible use of light and color in each scene.

Why You Will Like It – Incredible performance by Terkhova as Maria/Natalia.

Rating – *** Worth A Look