The Sharp Side

This movie (1949) is simultaneously both risible and weirdly compelling. The developing love between a steel worker and a teacher is interrupted by war. She is captured and ends up in a concentration camp, he resists the Nazi invader, fights his way to Berlin, and is reunited with her. Their love story is counter pointed with the historic role played by a lovely old gentleman named Stalin – a keen gardener, a shrewd military strategist and a genial, good-humoured all-round nice guy.

This restored, rarely seen Soviet epic directed by Mikhail Chiaureli is Soviet cinema's definitive Stalinist recreation of World War II and serves as the crowning moment in Stalin's postwar deification. Stalin himself worked on the screenplay for this blockbuster epic, fine-tuning its portrayal of the dictator as father-hero to his people. The film's remarkable recreations of the battle for Berlin, climaxing in the bitter struggle over the Reichstag, impressed even the film's Western critics with their gritty realism and sheer spectacle. Equally memorable is the film's depiction of Hitler and his inner circle, whose folly and intrigues play out on sets that recreate the grandiosity of the Fueher's Chancellory and the claustrophobia of his bunker with surrealistic intensity.

It says here and I wouldn’t disagree.

The start of the movie is oddly reminiscent both of Monty Python and The Sound of Music, as a bunch of kids make their way through a vast sunlit field of flowers accompanied by a jaunty folk song. ‘Let’s go to the steel plant!’ says their beaming teacher. And with great enthusiasm they go. The love interest that subsequently develops between Natasha and stout number-one steel worker Aliosha is of the adolescent, broad-brushstroke sort – a matter of lingering looks, sulks and emotional simplicity. One moment they are embracing in a field, the next planes are whizzing overhead, explosions erupt all around them and troops come pouring through the corn. Luckily for everyone, Stalin is there to organise the fightback.

One of the highlights of the movie is the portrayal of Hitler and his entourage – wildly over the top but curiously persuasive. This Hitler is barking mad, though the scenes with Eva Braun have a comic realism – she fusses over his dandruff – entirely lacking in the po-faced Soviet romance. The irony deployed has all the subtlety of a sledgehammer but visually the shrinking and disintegration of Hitler’s world is very well done.

Some of the war scenes are oddly amateurish – hand to hand fighting is rendered as a matter of pushing and shoving and the violence of war is sanitized. But the great set piece battle scenes are impressive, especially the climax in Berlin. Though I am afraid a modern non-Russian audience is likely to snigger cruelly at the scene where a commanding officer plants a full, passionate lips-on-lips kiss on each of his brave soldiers.

In the background, directing victory, is Stalin. His mission, we learn, is not just to win the war but to bring peace to the Polish, Ukrainian and Belorussian people. Awfully sweet of him. And once the red flag has been raised on the roof of the Reichstag, some of the troops start dancing in the street, while everyone cheers and sings ‘Glory to Stalin, glory, glory!’

Glory to Stalin!
He is forever true to the vow that he made to Lenin.
Our friend and teacher has confidence in the people.
Together with the people
He has always prevailed.
Great Leader,
We wish you health and strength for many years.

Apparently Stalin liked the movie.

There’s a very informative account of it by Richard Taylor here.