Days and Nights in the Forest

Four young men leave Calcutta for a few days in the country, trailing their westernized careerist attitudes, a middle-class indifference to the lower orders, and a self-satisfaction that leaves them closed to experience. Out of a series of delightfully funny mishaps as they eagerly try to pursue acquaintance with their two promisingly attractive neighbors, Satyajit Ray gradually distills a magical world of absolute stasis: a shimmering summer’s day, a tranquil forest clearing, the two women strolling in a shady avenue, wistful yearnings as love and the need for love echo plangently. Beautifully shot and acted, it’s probably Ray’s masterpiece.