VOZDUSHNIY IZVOZCHIK (AIR CABBY)

The hero of the film, an experienced pilot Baranov working for the civil aviation, meets his passenger, a young singer Natasha Kulikova and they fall in love with each other. When the war begins Baranov demands to be transferred to fighter aircraft but his commanders order him to keep working as an “air cabby”.

On the day of Natasha’s debut at an opera theatre Baranov is sent with an important mission to enemy’s rear. On his way back he attacks fascist airplanes and shoots down one of them. Approaching Moscow he hears Natasha’s clear voice singing over the radio.

360 ONA ZASHCHISHCHAYET RODINU (SHE DEFENDS HER MOTHERLAND)

1943, 80 min., b/w

Drama

Director: Friedrich Ermler, screenplay: Alexei Kapler, camera: Vladimir Rapoport, production designer: Nikolai Suvorov, misic: Gavriil Popov, sound: Zakhar Zalkind

Cast: Vera Maretskaya, Nikolai Bogolyubov, Lidiya Smirnova, Pyotr Aleinikov

On the first day of the war fascists brutally killed the little son of a peasant woman Praskovya Lukyanova before the mother’s eyes. Her husband was also killed. Praskovya leaves the village. She goes to woods, organizes a partisan detachment and takes vengeance on the enemy.

The film was restored at the Gorky Film Studio in 1966.

• 
  The authors of the film were honored the Stalin’s Prize of the USSR.
  

Soviet T-9 submarine successfully torpedoes enemy’s transport. Continuing to fulfill its mission T-9 gets into the enemy’s port. The sailors go ashore and blow up the railway bridge with the train carrying fascist troops.

On the way back the submarine is spotted by the enemy. Commander of T-9 decides to take up the last battle and gives the order to surface.

362 POD ZVUKI DOMBR (SOUNDS OF DOMBRA)

1943, 54 min., b/w

Film-concert

Directors: Adolf Minkin, Semyon Timoshenko, screenplay: Kabysh Siranov, Semyon Timoshenko, camera: Lev Kosmatov, Nikolai Kononov, production designers: Artur Berger, Z. Naziarov, Tatyana Levitskaya, Kulakhmet-Kongyr Khodzhikov, misic: Nikolai Kryukov, sound: Ivan Dmitriyev

Cast: Kazakhstan actors

363 FRONT (FRONT)

1943, 118 min., b/w

Drama

Written and directed by: Georgy and Sergei Vasilyev, camera: Apollinary Dudko, production designer: Boris Dubrovsky-Eshke, misic: Gavriil Popov, sound: Alexander Bekker

Cast: Boris Zhukovsky, Boris Babochkin, Pavel Geraga, Boris Dmokhovsky, Lev Sverdlin, Vasily Vanin, Boris Chirkov, Nikolai Kryuchkov

Loosely based on Alexander Korneichuk’s play of the same title.

The play rises the acute problem of the necessity to promote young talented military commanders to high-ranking positions.

364 MALAKHOV KURGAN (THE MALAKHOV BARROW)

1944, 89 min., b/w

War drama

Directors: Alexander Zarkhi, Iosif Heifits, screenplay: Boris Voitekhov, Alexander Zarkhi, Iosif Heifits, camera: Arkady Koltsaty, production designer: Vladimir Kaplunovsky, misic: Andrei Balanchivadze, sound: Arnold Shargorodsky

Cast: Nikolai Kryuchkov, Boris Andreyev, Akakiy Khorava, Maria Pastukhova, Nikolai Dorokhin

In the summer of 1942 Soviet troops are leaving the city of Sevastopol under the General headquarters order. Captain Likharev recollects some episodes of the 250-day defense of the city.

His destroyer “Grozny” makes a breakthrough into the city already besieged by the German troops.

The crew of his destroyer turned into a marine corpse detachment repulses the Nazi attacks on the Malakhov barrow.

The mariners are fighting against fascist tanks.

Capitain Likharev is the last to leave Sevastopol.

When will he return to the city?

The film was shot in liberated Sevastopol in the summer of 1944.

The film is focused on the story of the marine corpse battalion from the “Kirov” cruiser. Leningrader Sergei Markin and his friends are bravely fighting shoulder to shoulder with the infantry soldiers and peoples’ volunteer corpse against Nazi troops.

Time passes. The Nazi troops are defeated and mariners are return to their battleships. Liberation of Tallinn lies ahead. And meanwhile battleship guns are firing salute celebrating the liberation of Leningrad.

It is the first film shot in summer of 1944 in the renovated Leningrad pavilions upon “Lenfilm” return from evacuation.

Screen version of Imre Kalman’s musical comedy of the same title.

Screen version of Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s opera of the same title based on “The Chistmas Eve Night”, a novel by Nikolai Gogol.

World War II. German high command accumulates enormous forces for the assault. Soviet troops commanded by General Muravyov repulse the enemy attacks.. Soviet army scouts find out the exact day and time of the decisive offensive. Muravyov is determined to forestall the Nazis and plasters the enemy with fire.

All is quiet. Will the fascist troops weakened by the surprise fire begin their offensive or put off the attack?

• 
  The authors of the film were honored the Stalin’s Prize of the USSR.
  
• 
  The film was awarded the Grand National Premium of the 1st International Film Festival in Cannes, France (1946) and the Grand International Premium for the best screenplay at the 1st International Film Festival in Cannes, France (1946).
  

Three fighter pilots swear a solemn oath not to fall in love till the end of the war. By chance they happen to find themselves in an all- women bomber squadron. And love wins...

The film was restored at “Lenfilm” in 1970.

370 PROSTIYE LYUDI (COMMON PEOPLE)

1945, 79 min., b/w

Drama

Written and directed by: Grigory Kozintsev, Leonid Trauberg, camera: Andrei Moskvin, Anatoly Nazarov, production designers: Yevgeny Yeney, David Vinitsky, misic: Dmitry Shostakovich, sound: Ilya Volk

Cast: Yuri Tolubeyev, Olga Lebzak, Boris Zhukovsky, Yekaterina Korchagina-Alexandrovskaya, Larisa Yemelyantseva, Tatyana Peltser, Alexander Larikov

The film tells about the selfless labor of Soviet people during World War II, who in the shortest possible time built a large aircraft factory in the eastern part of the country.

For redundant realistic reflection of the war time hardships the film was banned and released only in 1956.

371 VO IMYA ZHIZNI (FOR THE SAKE OF LIFE)

1946, 101 min., b/w

Drama

Directors: Alexander Zarkhi, Iosif Heifits, screenplay: Yevgeny Gabrilovich, Alexander Zarkhi, Iosif Heifits, Sergei Yermolinsky, camera: Vyacheslav Gordanov, production designer: Nikolai Suvorov, misic: Venedikt Pushkov, sound: Alexander Bekker

Cast: Viktor Khokhryakov, Mikhail Kuznetsov, Oleg Zhakov, Klavdiya Lepanova, Lyudmila Shabalina, Alexander Zrazhevsky, Nikolai Cherkasov

Three friends, young surgeons, return after the war to Leningrad. In their clinic they start working over a serious medical problem. However time is passing and their intense work does not give any results. Two of the surgeons loose hope to achieve desired success. Petrov is left on his own. His persistency, sell-confidence and support of the girl he loves let the young doctor dare to make a complicated surgery.

Radio station on the Bezymyanny Island in the Far North helps the Allies’ transports to find their way in northern seas. Nazis are severely bombing the island but radio operator Asya manages to save the

reserve portable radio set and install it on a deserted old boat. Radio signals from the island help Soviet pilot to take the resqued mariners to the Bezymyanny. On the island he meets the girl he loves.

373 SOLISTKA BALETA (THE BALLERINA)

1946, 77 min., b/w

Melodrama

Director: Alexander Ivanovsky, screenplay: Aron Erlikh, Alexander Ivanovsky, camera: Arkady Koltsaty, production designer: Isaak Makhlis, misic: Venedikt Pushkov, sound: Pyotr Vitsinsky

Cast: Mira Redina, Viktor Kazanovich, Olga Zhizneva, Vladimir Gardin, Galina Ulanova, Vladimir Preobrazhensky

Natasha Subbotina is graduating from the ballet school and is working on the part of Aurora in

“The Sleeping Beauty”. The young ballerina does not want to repeat the traditional interpretation of the part and wants to add some fresh elements to the dance choreographed by Marius Petipa many years ago. It is not easy to find the new ways in art. Not everything goes smoothly in Natasha’s relations with Conservatory student Alexei, who is in love with her.

374 SYNOVYA (SONS)

1946, 83 min., b/w

Drama

Director: Alexander Ivanov, screenplay: Fyodor Knorre, DOP: Vladimir Rapoport, production designer: Moisey Levin, misic: Venedikt Pushkov, sound: Lev Valter, Kseniya Cheremukhina

Cast: Oleg Zhakov, Ivan Savelyev, Maria Domasheva, Lidiya Smirnova, Nikodim Gippius, Vasily Vanin, Vasily Merkuryev, Lidiya Sukharevskaya

Latvia is occupied by Nazis. The story is centered on the fate of two brothers. Yanis, the eldest brother, becomes a partisan and fights against fascists. Valdemar, the youngest brother, collaborates with Nazis and helps them to fight against partisans.

Loosely based on the play “Victory” by Vilis Latsis.

The years of World War II. Due to treachery Soviet Army lieutenant Avgust Griese is captured. Fascists are trying to persuade him to take their side. Avgust refuses. But fascists broadcast the

alleged radio address of Avgust urging the Latvians to give up resistance to Nazis. His comrades consider him to be a traitor. Avgust manages to escape from the prison. And soon after that rumors about Krum, a fearless guerilla and avenger acting alone, start circulating all over Latvia.

Loosely based on the play of the same title by August Jakobson.

Estonia is liberated from Nazi occupation. Profesor Miylas, a noted Estonian botanist developed the unique project of swamp drainage which was later rejected. The offended researcher starts working on some purely theoretical scientific problems. He does not care about events happening in the world around him. However, his attempt to shut himself off to life fails.

Professor’s eldest son and nephew come to his house. The old scientist is horrified to find out that both worked as executioners in a Nazi death camp. The son’s attempt to kill his father makes Miylas leave his illusionary “citadel”.

• 
  The authors of the film were honored the Stalin’s Prize of the USSR.
  

Loosely based on the play of the same title by Boris Lavrenev.

Years of World War II. Eager to become famous captain Borovsky gave the commander of torpedo boats the wrong coordinates of the enemy location and violating the order attacked the enemy on his own. A Soviet torpedo boat is destroyed. Degraded to the ranks Borovsky redeems his fault.

378 ZOLUSHKA (CINDERELLA)

1947, 84 min., b/w

Fairy- tale

Directors: Nadezhda Kosheverova, Mikhail Shapiro, screenplay: Yevgeny Schwarz, camera: Yevgeny Shapiro, production designer: Isaak Makhlis, scenery and costumes designed by Nikolai Akimov, misic: Antonio Spadavekkia, sound: Alexander Ostrovsky

Cast: Yanina Zheimo, Alexei Konsovsky, Erast Garin, Vasily Merkiryev, Faina Ranevskaya, Yelena Yunger, Varvara Myasnikova, Igor Klimenkov, Sergei Filippov, Tamara Sezenevskaya

Based on the traditional story about the hard working Cinderella, her wicked step-mother and lazy sisters.

The film was restored at “Mosfilm” in 1967.

379 PIROGOV (PIROGOV)

1947, 92 min., b/w

Biopic

Director: Grigiory Kozintsev, screenplay: Yuri German, camera: Andrei Moskvin, Anatoly Nazarov, Naum Shifrin, production designer: Yevgeny Yeney, misic: Dmitry Shostakovich, sound: Ilya Volk, Boris Khutoryansky

Cast: Konstantin Skorobogatov, Vladimir Chestnokov, Olga Lebzak, Nikolai Cherkasov, Yakov Malyutin, Tatyana Piletskaya, Alexei Dikiy

The film is focused on the life and activities of a Russian surgeon and scientist Nikolai Pirogov.

Episodes of his struggle with cholera epidemics and his new approach to medical practice reveal Pirogov’s strong personality. We watch Pirogov making the first in the world surgical operation using ether as anaesthetic and selflessly working as a surgeon during defense of Sevastopol in 1854 — 1855.

The authors of the film were honored the Stalin’s Prize of the USSR.

Young journalist Tonya Uvarova trusted the great reputation of “the king of steppe” — the chairman of the regional executive committee Korolev and praises him and his accomplices in her article.

The newspaper publication causes indignation of collective farm workers who know the real

worth of them. Tanya takes her mistake pretty hard and with the help of peasants unmasks Korolev who was seeking fame for himself and cheated the state.

The film centers on the complicated and thorny life of Ivan Pavlov, a Russian physiologist and a Nobel prize laureate who found new methods for studying the physiology of the digestive glands and animal brain functions.

The film was restored at “Mosfilm” in 1976.

• 
  The authors of the film were honored the Stalin’s Prize of the USSR.
  
• 
  The film was awarded the Labour Premium of the International Film Festival in Czechoslovakia (1949).
  

Alexander Popov, professor at the field engineers’ school in Kronshtadt, together with his friend and assistant Rybkin is working on the theory of electromagnetic waves. His persistent work is crowned with success — he develops the wireless telegraphy. Radio helps to save people drifting on an ice float in the open sea.

Alexander Popov and his invention find support of Dmitry Mendeleyev, Admiral Stepan Makarov and world famous scientists.

• 
  The authors of the film were honored the Stalin’s Prize of the USSR.
  

Loosely based on the play of the same title by Boris Romashov.

Professor Lavrov, a disciple and a follower of Michurin is trying to dispute the theory of heredity and successfully works on breeding a new hen strain.

• 
  The authors of the film were honored the Stalin’s Prize of the USSR.
  

Loosely based on the novel of the same title by Emmanuil Kazakevich.

Headquarters of a Soviet division gets the information that the enemy is preparing a counteroffensive and is drawing up large forces to the front line. A group of scouts sent to check the information did not return. The new team of scouts named “Star” is headed by lieutenant Travkin. The group fulfills the task and on its way back runs into a Nazi detachments. Lieutenant Travkin sends one of the scouts to deliver the message to the commander and together with his comrades starts the mortal combat with the enemy.

The demonstration of the scouts’ death was not in line with the post-war normative aesthetics. The film was banned and released only in 1953.