anytime you sit down to a historical piece and especially a part of a trilogy and you must be prepare for an investment of time . in this case and it be 3 hour more or less and depend on the version . the period that the first part of the trilogy cover be 1919 1949. theodoros angelopoulos present 30 year of greek history begin with the return of the exile from odessa after wwi to the rise of the colonel . eleni and who witness the history and be play by an unknown and alexandra aidini . he do not use her in the second film . she be to marry spyros ( vassilis kolovos ) and but love his son alexis ( nikos poursadinis ) and she run off with him . they have two child that be take and give to a rich woman . they manage to get them back after the village flood . alexis head to america and while eleni lose the child again after she be imprison . the war take a toll on the family . there be much weep among the woman and those who do not wear black and do so now . but and the film be really not about the character . it be about greece and and the pain she have endure in this century . it be a dark and dreary film with plenty of rain and cloudy sky . it be not mean to be joyful a the period be not joyful and a we watch dream shatter and and people survive and but just barely . with music by eleni karaindrou and cinematography by andreas sinanos and you be not bore by the lack of dialog . in fact and you be leave to enjoy and experience the time and the film . those who enjoy bergman and fellini and kurosawa and and other great master and will certainly enjoy theodoros angelopoulos . i hope he finish this trilogy and a he will be almost 80 when he do .