Of the three films directed by Mikhail Kalatozov in collaboration with cinematographer Sergey Urusevsky, Letter Never Sent is the least well-known. Their films The Cranes Are Flying and Soy Cuba gained greater fame.
A visually stunning epic about the forces of nature and human greed, Letter Never Sent follows an expedition of four young geologists into the remote Siberian wilderness in search of precious diamonds. One of the lead roles is played by Tatiana Samoilova, the star of The Cranes Are Flying, who was on her way to becoming one of the rising stars of Soviet cinema at the time.
At first glance, the film appears to be an adventure story in the socialist realism tradition, but it gradually takes a different turn. The Soviet human spirit is no match for the unleashed Siberian wilderness, as a massive forest fire forces the group into a desperate fight for survival.
The film was part of the Palme d'Or competition at Cannes and has been digitally restored by Mosfilm.