Admiral Nakhimov (film)

About Admiral P. S. Nakhimov ( 1802 - 1855 ) - a talented Russian naval commander , distinguished by progressive views on naval art. In the Crimean War , commanding a squadron , he defeated the Turkish fleet in the battle of Sinop ( 1853 ). In 1854 - 1855 he successfully led the heroic defense of Sevastopol . Mortally wounded in battle.

• Alexey Dikiy - Pavel Stepanovich Nakhimov
• Evgeny Samoilov - Lieutenant Buronov
• Vladimir Vladislavsky - captain Lavrov
• Vsevolod Pudovkin - Menshikov
• Nikolay Chaplygin - Kornilov
• Vasily Kovrigin - Pyotr Ivanovich Baranovsky
• Peter Sobolevsky - Feofan Khristoforovich Ostreno
• Leonid Knyazev - Peter the Cat
• Alexander Khokhlov - Napoleon III
• Ruben Simonov - Osman Pasha
• Pavel Gaideburov - Lord Raglan
• Boris Olenin - Jean-Jacques Pelissier
• Nikolai Brilling - Captain Evans
• Georgy Gumilevsky - sailor
• Konstantin Starostin - sailor
• Emanuel Geller - episode (uncredited)

• Script writer: Igor Lukovsky
• Director: Vsevolod Pudovkin
• Operators: Anatoly Golovnya , Tamara Lobova , Boris (Abram-Ber) Aretsky
• Artist: Vladimir Egorov , Mikhail Yuferov
• Composer: Nikolay Kryukov

• Venice Film Festival Prize - 47 for the best mass scenes, an honorary diploma for playing the role of Nakhimov (Alexey Dikiy)
• Special mention of the IFF in Locarno -47 - Anatoly Golovnya and Tamara Lobova recognized as the best operators
• Stalin Prize of the I degree (1947, awarded to director Vsevolod Pudovkin, cameraman Anatoly Golovnya, screenwriter Igor Lukovsky, composer Nikolai Kryukov, actors Alexey Dikiy, Ruben Simonov, Leonid Knyazev).

The award was discussed at a meeting of the Committee, attended by K. Simonov, who left the following memory: ^[1]

When Zhdanov, as the chairman of the commission, reported on the award of the first prize to this film and listed everyone who was supposed to give a prize for the film, Stalin asked him if there was anything about this film. I admit that I asked, already knowing in advance that no, not everything, and in advance amusing myself with what was to happen.

“No, not everything,” said Zhdanov.

- What?

“There is a letter, Comrade Stalin.”

- From whom?

Zhdanov called the name of a very famous and very good actor.

- What is he writing?

He writes, said Zhdanov, that it would be politically not quite right if he was not included in the number of actors awarded in this film, since he plays the role of the Turkish Pasha, our main opponent, and if he is not given the prize, then this may look like wrong assessment of the role of our opponent in the film, distortion of the balance of power.

I can’t vouch for the accuracy of the words, but this is how Zhdanov outlined this letter.

Stalin grinned and, continuing to smile, asked:

- He wants to get a prize, comrade Zhdanov?

- He wants, Comrade Stalin.

- He really wants to?

“He really wants to.”

- Very asking?

- Very asking.

“Well, if he wants to, he asks, he must give the person a bonus,” Stalin said, still smiling. And, suddenly becoming serious, he added: “But the actor who plays the sailor Cat did not ask for a prize?”

- I didn’t ask, Comrade Stalin.

- But he also plays well, but does not ask. Well, a person does not ask, and we will give him, what do you think?

Except for the statement of the request that Zhdanov retold, I remember the whole word for word and am ready to vouch for the accuracy of what was said, but there is no desire to comment on this.

Take at least the film "Admiral Nakhimov." Pudovkin is a capable director and director, he knows the matter, but this time he did not bother to study the case properly. He decided this: I am Pudovkin, they know me, I’ll write and the audience will “swallow”, they will watch every movie. People are hungry, there are a lot of curiosities, curiosities and, of course, they will watch. Meanwhile, now people’s tastes have become more qualified, and they don’t “swallow” every product. People begin to distinguish between bad and good and present new demands. And if this thing goes further, and we, the Bolsheviks, will try to develop the tastes of the audience, I am afraid that they will bring some of the scriptwriters, directors and directors into circulation. In the film “Nakhimov” there are also elements of an unscrupulous approach by the directors to the study of the subject that they wanted to show. On every little thing, they recoup, two or three paper ships showed, the rest - dances, all kinds of dates, all kinds of episodes to keep the viewer busy. This, in fact, is not a film about Nakhimov, but a film about anything, with some episodes about Nakhimov. We returned the film back and told Pudovkin that he had not studied this matter, did not even know the history, did not know that the Russians were in Sinope. The case is portrayed as if the Russians were not there. The Russians captured a whole bunch of Turkish generals, but this is not conveyed in the film. Why? Unknown Maybe because it requires a lot of work, it’s much easier to show dances. In a word, an unfair attitude to the business that a person has taken up, to the business that will be demonstrated throughout the world. If a man respected himself, he would not have done it; he would have put on a different film. But Pudovkin is apparently not interested in how the audience and public opinion will speak about him.

- Speech by Joseph Stalin at a meeting of the Organizing Bureau of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks on the issue of the movie "Big Life", August 9, 1946

• "Admiral Nakhimov" on the site "Encyclopedia of Russian Cinema"
• Admiral Nakhimov at the Mosfilm online cinema