Transcript "Soviet Film and WWII"

Soviet Film and WWII
Motifs and themes
Main themes of Soviet movies during the
world war 2 were the glorification of the
deeds of party leaders, as well as
patriotism.
 Patriotism was especially depicted through
the actions of common men.
 Depictions of communist ideology was also
encouraged

There were several ways these themes were
reflected in movies, patriotism, for
example was reflected in large crowds of
soldiers fighting and sacrificing themselves
for the motherland.
Ballad of a Soldier (1961)




Directed by Grigori Chukhrai, who was himself a former
soldier.
Rather than focusing on a large group of soldiers, the
story here focuses on one man, Alyosha, played by
Vladimir Ivashov.
It was an attempt to portray WWII more humanely while
still reflecting the ideals of patriotism and sacrifice.
Patriotism is embodied in the actions of Alyosha, who is
rewarded for his bravery with a leave, he eventually
returns to the front and sacrifices himself, perishing
heroically in the service of his country.


Camaraderie amongst soldiers is also stressed in this
movie. As well as communist ideals, as there are many
scenes of solders sharing everything they have.
Sexuality is also explored in this movie through Alyosha’s
seduction of a country girl. While it appears almost
awkward on screen, this brought a level of sensuality to
the screen that post war generation particularly enjoyed.
My Name is Ivan (1962)





Directed by Andrei Tarkovskii
In this movie we are presented with the stoic child Ivan,
who is enlisted as a scout for the Russian army.
Contrary to most war movies, the central themes here
are not centered around patriotism. Rather, Ivan’s
bravery is fueled by his need for revenge not by his love
of country.
Ivan’s revenge ultimately turns him into a mindless
automaton, who is almost totally devoid of childlike
emotion.
This movie has a level of spirituality in it which is
unusual, reflected through dream sequences.

There are several things in this movie
which make it a departure from
mainstream soviet film. One is the use of
icons and Christian symbols. Another is
the humane nature of the characters.
They are portrayed as realistic men and
are not overly heroic or fearless.