Czech director Frantiscek Vlacil and cinematographer Jan Curik employ high contrast expressionistic imagery within a realistic framework without sacrificing humanity of character to symbolic necessity where little is said but much implied in this visually stunning allegory filled with imagery worthy of a Bergman-Nykvist collaboration.
A white dove loses its bearings on it's way from Belgium to a Baltic island getting waylaid in Prague. After it injures itself an artist gives it to a child recently injured as well in a play ground accident. The child nurses it back to health and then must decide whether to free it to return to it's owner who pines away for it on the island.
Nearly every frame of the The White Dove is imbued with visual power. Fractured images, taut montage and scenes of surreal beauty such as the release of the pigeons from a coal black hill and a young girl waking from a dream and walking out her back door on water are awe inspiring. Dialog is sparse and motivation sometimes murky but character expression and physical actions more than fill the void to convey emotion. There is no wasted action and nearly every shot can be dissected for meaning or intent in a film that begs or rather demands more than one viewing although I would suggest on the initial watch you just sit back and soar along with the compositions.
