The Fall of Berlin (film)
| The Fall of Berlin | |
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A 1950 poster of the film.
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| Directed by | Mikheil Chiaureli |
| Produced by | Viktor Tsirgiladze |
| Written by | Pyotr Pavlenko |
| Screenplay by |
Pyotr Pavlenko Mikheil Chiaureli |
| Starring |
Mikheil Gelovani Boris Andreyev Marina Kovaliova |
| Music by | Dmitri Shostakovich |
| Cinematography | Leonid Kosmatov |
| Edited by | Tatiana Likhacheva |
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Production
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| Distributed by | Amkino (US) |
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Release date
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Running time
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167 minutes (original) 151 minutes (post-1953 version) |
| Country | Soviet Union |
| Language | Russian |
The Fall of Berlin (Russian: Падение Берлина; translit. Padeniye Berlina) is a Soviet war film and an example of Soviet realism, in two parts separated in the manner of a serial, directed by Mikheil Chiaureli, released in 1950 by the Mosfilm Studio. The script was written by Pyotr Pavlenko, and the musical score composed by Dmitri Shostakovich. It starred Mikheil Gelovani as Joseph Stalin.
Portraying the history of the Second World War with a focus on a highly positive depiction of the role the Soviet leader played in the events, it is considered one of the most important representations of Stalin's cult of personality.
Alexei Ivanov, a shy steel factory worker, greatly surpasses his production quota and is chosen to receive the Order of Lenin and to have a personal interview with Joseph Stalin. Alexei falls in love with the idealist teacher Natasha, but has difficulties approaching her. When he meets Stalin, who tends his garden, the leader helps him to understand his emotions and tells him to recite poetry to her. Then, they both have a luncheon with the rest of the Soviet leadership in Stalin's home. After returning from Moscow, Alexei confesses his love to Natasha. While they are both having a stroll in a wheat field, their town is attacked by the Germans, who invade the Soviet Union.
Alexei loses his consciousness and sinks into a coma. When he awakes, he is told that Natasha is missing and that the Germans are at the gates of Moscow. In the capital, Stalin plans the defense of the city, explaining to the demoralized Georgy Zhukov how to deploy his forces. Alexei volunteers for the Red Army, takes part in the parade in the Red Square and in the Battle of Moscow. At Berlin, after receiving the blessings of his allies – Turkey, the Vatican, Romania and Japan – and watching a long column of Soviet slaves-laborers, Natasha among them, Adolf Hitler is furious to hear that Moscow has not fallen. He dismisses Walther von Brauchitsch from his office and offers the command of the army to Gerd von Rundstedt; the latter refuses, saying that Stalin is a great captain and Germany's defeat is certain. Hitler orders to attack Stalingrad. In the meanwhile, Göring negotiates with British capitalist Bedstone, who supplies Germany with needed materials. After the Soviet victory in Stalingrad, Vasily Chuikov tells Ivanov that Stalin is always with the Red Army. The storyline leaps to the Yalta Conference, where Stalin and his Western Allies debate the future of the war. The treacherous Winston Churchill intends to deny the Soviets access to Berlin and almost manages to convince the gullible Franklin Delano Roosevelt to accept his plans. And the war rages on toward Moscow, with Alexei in the midst of battle and Natasha trapped in the concentration camp.
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