This film is the first part of a two-part film series detailing the life of Peter the Great, the famous Russian czar and emperor. It starts with the aftermath of the Battle of Narva, with the defeated Peter reeling from the battle with the Swedes. Realizing that he needs to upgrade Russia's military and get the nation out of the past, Peter proceeds to recreate the army (which involves a surprising scene of male nudity) and get more funding for the war effort. Despite opposition from the boyars and other sources, Peter, aided by his buddy Alexander Menshikov, gets things back in order. He takes a Swedish fortress and begins construction of Saint Petersburg. Meanwhile, Peter's son, Prince Alexei, is being influenced by his enemies to oppose him, and is slipping into madness as he seeks a way out of inheriting the empire.
Some parts of the film are interesting when judging it from a historical context. It opens with a great Russian military defeat, only for the Russians to recover, organize themselves, and launch a successful military counterattack - something seen much later when the Germans invaded. One also wonders if things were awkward for Stalin with the scenes between Peter and Alexei, knowing the turmoil Stalin had with his own son.
What also makes the film interesting is the clear Communist influence in it. On this note, I find it surprising that another reviewer says this film "has none of the Stalinist propaganda or dull Soviet ethics", when both are clearly seen in the script. The Boyars, for example, are depicted as incompetent nobles who, in one scene, argue about whose family line goes deeper than whose. They later mock and laugh at Alexander Menshikov for being born a lowly peasant. The humble beginnings of both Menshikov and Marta Helena Skowronska (later Catherine I, and hence why she's called Catherine in this movie) are highlighted, and Asian servants and humble blacksmiths are shown to be more competent than the nobles and merchants - clearly to emphasize proletariat characters over and against the more privileged classes. Religious characters are treated as insane nutjobs who oppose Peter based on silly or superstitious reasons. Peter himself is depicted as a man of the people: in one scene, when he meets the boyars and merchants, he forgoes the throne and instead sits on the steps of the dais; in another scene he is seen working alongside the blacksmiths in regular clothes, so that visiting nobles at first almost don't recognize him. You almost forget, midway through, that this man is a monarch. Add to this that all the boyar characters are cruel and merciless to their peasants, while Peter is shown to be humble and loving to all of them, offering chances where no one else can get them.
The emphasis on promoting a Stalin-like figure in Peter is clearly seen here as well. Everything centers around Peter the Great and how marvelous and beloved he is, and how everyone should accept what he does. How far does this go? Near the end of the movie he takes Catherine from Menshikov and sleeps with her, and everybody - Menshikov included - treats this as no big deal. I'm not making this up! There is also a scene between Peter and and Alexei where Peter laments Alexei's opposition to what he's done for Russia, which he claims is being built up by his own blood and sweat. Again, the idea of a "fearless leader" is so exaggerated in this movie, and in particularly that scene, that you had to think Stalin was nodding his head up and down as he reviewed this. It gets so obvious at times that something is lost compared to more subtle Soviet films.
Acting-wise, everyone does a competent job. Nikolai Simonov is good, if not a bit over-the-top, as the title character. Mikhail Zharov is great as Menshikov. Perhaps best of all is Nikolay Cherkasov, most famous for his roles as both Alexander Nevksy and Ivan the Terrible, who here plays Prince Alexei.
If you're looking for historical accuracy or a proper film biography of Peter, you may want to look elsewhere, but as a piece of Soviet history, it might be worth a viewing.
