Alexander Nevsky (1939)

Eisenstein's first sound film is propaganda, in the best sense

Eisenstein's first sound film retells the battle of the ice of 1242, when the Russians under Alexander Nevsky defeated the Livonian knights, eager to bring Russia under Roman Catholicism. Made in 1938, Nevsky can be seen as a piece of propaganda: the Germanic knights, with their sinister (and somewhat goofy) helmets are obvious stand-ins for the Nazis. The butchery by the knights when they enter a Russian town seems a prophetic warning of the massacres of World War II. The film ends with a warning: those who came to Russia with the sword will die by the sword. Made in delicate black and white (somewhat reminiscent of a daguerreotype), it also marked Eisenstein's return to official favor. By the late 1920s, Stalin wanted Soviet filmmakers to stop experimentation and made movies that would be more populist and palatable to the Russian public. Eisenstein responded with his more accessible film. Nevsky's strong point is in its second half, which features the battle itself, and it is justly seen as a milestone in movie history: never before (and probably never after) a battle would be so vivid in the screen. Another strong point is Prokofiev's beautiful, haunting soundtrack (using a composer to score a movie was completely unusual at the time). One of its weaker points: the comic relief (in the form of two simpleton Russian warriors trying to woo a beautiful Russian peasant) is really jarring. November 4, 2007

Interesting little film

I just watched this film for my Russian history class. Thus, my professor, who is Russian, obviously deems it a worthwhile representation of 13th century Russia. It is clearly an anti-German propaganda film, released in 1939 just as Hitler's armies were wreaking havoc throughout Europe. Interestingly enough, the film was banned later that year after Stalin and Hitler signed the Non-Agression Pact, only to be re-released with the onset of war in 1941. For a 1930's film, 'Alexander Nevsky' is quite well made. Although at times it comes across as laughable, put in the context of the time it was made, it is quite impressive. Nevsky, played by Nikolai Cherkasov is a Russian Prince who rallies the people of Novogorad to oppose the invading Teutonic Knights. The film was clearly made to stir up both Russian patriotism and anti-German sentiment. The Germans are portrayed as evil conquerers, with daunting, eerie music invoked whenever they grace the screen. They also engage in heinous atrocities such as throwing children into fire pits! And of course the Russians are the patriotic heroes rallying around their Prince to defend Mother Russia. Nothing wrong with that, but let's call a spade a spade. Nevsky reminded me of a Russian version of Charleton Heston in 'The Ten Commandments.' I also agree that the score, done by distinguished composer Sergei Prokofiev, was excellent. All in all, an interesting film that was cinematically ahead of it's time. September 11, 2007

Xenophobia, and a desire to get in with Stalin

Alexander Nevsky has a huge and undeserved reputation as a film. As a film, it is a tour de force of editing and montage - the cinematography for the time is absolutely stunning, and is set among scenes that give the film its mythic properties. However, the score by Sergei Prokofiev wobbles from very good (nearly as compelling as the ballets) to laughable. It's the film's overwhelming political context that kills it, however.

Eisenstein made this film to please Stalin. As such, it is xenophobic, Rus in the extreme, and portrays the Russians as surrounded by hated and unredeemable enemies. This is the usual us-versus-them that justifies dictatorship. The speeches and posturing are all you would expect of government dominated art.

this review also submitted to netflix September 6, 2007

. . . He Faces Free Men Here

I just returned from a showing of this film to a live performance of the score by the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Of course, the musical performance was thrilling, but the film itself captivated me as well. I found the portrayal of early Russia through the Stalin-era perspective very interesting. The filmmaker's skill, especially in the battle sequences, is remarkable and produces quite an exciting film. I note the recurring theme shared with the movie 300 (sorry folks -- its there!) in defending one's home and way of life from conquering armies, and also the strategy of using the land itself as a weapon. I recommend the film as one of great interest for many reasons. Should you feel deprived of a good-quality performance of Prokofiev's score, there are many good recordings avaliable, including the St. Petersburg Philharmonic under Yuri Temirkanov (RCA Red Seal). June 4, 2007

Nevsky: Great Film? Probably. Great Propaganda Film? Absolutely

I'll let others debate just how great a film Alexander Nevsky is. It certainly is one great propaganda film. It was made in 1938 when Stalin and Hitler were thinking about dancing on each other's grave. The story is how the Order of the Teutonic Knights invaded Russia in the 13th century and were defeated by the bravery of the Russian people under the inspired leadership of Prince Alexander Nevsky. The heart of the movie is the great battle to defeat the Germans; everything before the battle really is prologue, and everything after is a quick tidying up.

The knights are menacing and scary: armored men on big armored horses, wearing white, flowing robes with crosses and featureless helmets. They look like merciless automatons. The Russians are pictured as brave people of the soil, determined to protect Mother Russia and wanting only inspired leadership. They find this in Prince Nevsky.

The great battle between these two forces, held in the depth of winter, is the movie. The battle goes on and on, but you never get lost and never get bored. Eisenstein moves from masses of hacking, slashing soldiers to the actions of individuals in the melees, individuals whom we've come to know. He sets up the battle by having Nevsky explain clearly to his commanders (and to us) exactly what he wants them to do...let the charging wedge of knights penetrate his main force, then hold them at whatever cost, while he attacks from both flanks. At the start of the battle the Russians are massed with long pikes awaiting the knights. In the distance across the snow we see a long line of mounted knights, all with their white robes flowing in the wind. They gradually move faster and faster, growing larger and larger on the screen, until they crash into the pikes. The Russians give way in places creating corridors within their ranks where the knights are forced, and then all hell breaks loose.

The fighting is brutal, and not just with pikes, swords and arrows. Long hooks are used to yank the knights from their horses, then foot soldiers attack with heavy axes to smash through the armor. There are no great gouts of blood and spilled intestines, and this is long before Computer Generated Overkill, but there is no doubt about how brutal the fighting is.

At one point Prince Nevsky engages in one-to-one sword combat with the Master of the Teutonic Knights, humiliating him with his skill and then defeating and capturing him. The priests who accompanied the knights are all shown as venal opportunists, and all are slaughtered by the Russian fighters when the knights' camp is overrun. The Germans retreat, the Russians break through, and the remains of the German knights gather for a last stand on the ice. This is one of the great scenes in movies. As the Germans gather, the ice begins to break. The knights and their foot soldiers slip and crash into the water, some try to hold onto the ice and are overturned, some try to flee but the cracking ice catches them. We see helmeted men sinking below the surface, and then just their flowing white robes trailing behind them out of sight. It's something to see.

Throughout the movie Eisentstein creates great visual images. Some are vistas of snow and mountains, some gatherings of soldiers around a camp, some corpses strewn on a battlefield, some just two or three people talking. By modern standards this might sound arty, but I quickly became immersed in this style. It gave a kind of dignity and weight to the movie.

Eisenstein had Sergei Prokovief, one of the great composers of the 20th century, write the score for the movie. It is hugely effective.

Is this a great movie? I really don't know. But I'll bet Goebbels hated it.

Before I'd buy this version I'd check up on Criterion's Eisenstein: The Sound Years, which includes Ivan the Terrible parts I and II as well as Nevsky. Their transfer, video and audio, is great. Criterion also offers several significant extras. May 28, 2007

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