"Old and new' (1929) is the last film of Eisenstein from his first revolutionary period. After "Old and new" his nex Soviet film (after an Mexican interlude) is the historical "Alexander Nevski" (1938). Apparently Stalin was of the opinion that "Old and new" was too artistic and not propagandistic enough.
The film is about a young peasant woman (Marfa played by Marfa Lapkina) striving for collectivization of farming in her village. In so doing she is confronted with resistance of the older farmers.
The film shows us the introduction of tractors and an electronic milking device (new) but also the rituals surronding the visit of the breeding bull to the village (old). The old ritual is not portayed in a disapproving fashion. Maybe this inconsistency in the message of the film annoyed Stalin.
Stylistically the film is distinguished by the use of extreme close ups of mostly old and characteristic faces. In this respect it resembles a film like "La passion de Jeanne d'Arc" (1928, Carl Theodor Dreyer).
What always amazes me is the fact that with respect to Stalinistic propaganda we (including me) are able and willing to seperate the artistic and propagandistic elements in a way that we won't do with respect to Nazi propaganda. I watched a film like "Old and new"although I know that the mandatory collectivizations under Stalin produced innumerable victims. On the other hand I would never watch a film like "Triumph des willens" (1935, Leni Riefenstahl).
