Historical drama. A screen adaptation of the famous novel by the famous Soviet writer Nikolai Ostrovsky "How the Steel Was Tempered", which I intend to read in the near future, but about everything in order. Since I did not want to spoil my impression of viewing this picture, I left the book for later. In total, four adaptations of this truly famous and beloved novel were filmed, so why did I choose this particular version with Vasily Lanov? It's simple, I didn't want to watch the version of the Great Patriotic War because of the actors unknown to me, the television series of the seventies with Vladimir Konkin - I don't have that much time, and there is also a Chinese series from the beginning of the two thousandth, which is not at all interesting to me. There was only this one, with the magnificent Vasily Lanov, especially since my older comrades suggested that this particular version is considered the best. And I thought, why not. I looked - and I was not disappointed at all, and here is my brief opinion - the story that everything is possible. I will dwell on the expressive advantages of this wonderful picture in more detail, but I will also mention some of the disappointing moments. We are finally done with the preface, and we can proceed.
So the pros:
1. The story of Pavel Korchagin - since an hour and a half picture is physically unable to contain the entire novel, the scriptwriters were forced to take only the brightest and most memorable moments, leaving significant pieces of material behind the scenes. As a result, it turned out to tell the story of a young Komsomol member who took part in the Civil War, fought with Petliura members, built a railroad together with other Komsomol members, to hunger and cold, overcoming himself, for the sake of other people, for the sake of a better life, which will surely come. But the forces of the body were not ready for such a huge burden that Paul took it upon himself, a fatal illness and an even more terrible diagnosis undermine his strength. But ideals inspire him to live, and he continues to fight. Nikolai Ostrovsky is the prototype of Paul, because many moments of his biography coincide with the events of the book and the picture, his life was just as turbulent and difficult, and he died quite young, but he immortalized himself by writing How the Steel Was Tempered. Both the book and the picture teach you never to give up, because a person himself does not know what he can achieve. The first Komsomol members, heroes of the Revolution and the Civil War - they wanted happiness and freedom for all mankind! How many of these Pavlov Korchagins perished under enemy bullets, burned down in hospitals, died in mines, during the construction of new factories, died from the consequences of backbreaking work, without seeing a "bright future"? But they were ready to give their lives, and if they had a second chance, they would have done exactly the same. Romantics and heroes! I love such people, because I myself am a romantic at heart. If we remove slogans and ideology, then we will see heroes who are fighting for an idea and working so that new generations will never know poverty, bourgeois contempt for ordinary people, monstrous exploitation. They fought and died! Well, in short, Pavel Korchagin, with his story, in which there was time and romance, I really liked. The modern generation will not understand this hero very much, and I understand why, but our fathers and mothers, grandmothers and grandfathers grew up on this heroic example and built the country in which we now live.
2. Aesthetics - slogans on red fabric, party meetings, Civil War, costumes, decorations - everything is done at a very decent level. There is simply nothing to find fault with. The picture literally plunges us into this difficult and formidable era. On-site and pavilion shootings make it possible to experience all the trials that Pavel and his comrades go through.
3. Relevance - the bourgeoisie and other social classes, which are shown here, who spit on the working man are more reminiscent of today's "businessmen" and officials who, on the humps of ordinary people, make huge fortunes and steal national wealth, and the longer they do this, the more The words "Lenin", "Stalin" and the most terrible "Revolution" sound more clearly in the voices of the people. There is something to think about, isn't it?
A bit of a disappointment. Anyone who edited them would have to turn their hands out, because in a couple of places the scenes break off and others begin - enrages! Well, the picture definitely needs restoration, the picture is not strong, but it is desirable, but the sound is unambiguous, because in some moments it is very quiet, and it is absolutely impossible to understand what they are saying, even though the volume is set to the maximum. Well, to publish a picture in blu-ray format, so that a new generation of viewers can get acquainted with the classics of Soviet cinema, and it's not a sin to share it with the world.
A little about the main characters:
1. Pavel Korchagin performed by Vasily Lanovoy is a guy from the South of Russia, where the self-styled hetman Petliura is in charge, which prompts the hero to join the Bolsheviks and become a fighter of the Red Army and then to join the Komsomol. The hero will have to overcome inhuman trials, but spiritual forces will be much stronger than physical ones. But courage and courage immortalized him. And what a tender relationship Paul had with his unhappy mother! You just have to see it. You know, I will not watch other adaptations, but right now I will declare Vasily Lanovoy as the best Pavel Korchagin (since Vladimir Konkin will forever remain Volodya Sharapov for me). The talent and ardor of young Vasily and his appearance (which is not a little important), the proletarian vein, so to speak, played on the image as it should. Bravo Vasily Semenovich and good health from the bottom of my heart!
2. Rita Ustinovich, performed by Elza Lezhdei, was a Bolshevik and a close friend of Pavel, who felt not only comradely feelings for him. A selfless fighter of the revolution and an ordinary woman who wants ordinary human happiness. Elsa managed to embody on the screen the image of a Komsomol member and a loving woman who rushes in her soul between duty and feeling, but practically does not show it in words. Well done!
After watching this wonderful picture, the desire to read the famous novel intensified even more, and I cannot help retelling the famous lines that inspire even after so many years: "The most precious thing a person has is life. It is given to him once, and he must live it so that it was not excruciatingly painful for the years spent aimlessly, so that shame for the petty and petty past would not burn, so that when dying I could say: all my life and all my strength were given to the most beautiful in the world - the struggle for the liberation of mankind.
As a result, he has an excellent adaptation of the great novel "How the Steel Was Tempered" with excellent aesthetics, the heroic and difficult fate of the protagonist and his comrades, revolutionary music, and excellent acting work.
