NOW SHOWING: Stalingrad (2013)

               

                “Stalingrad” is a Russian movie directed by Fedor Bondarchuk (son of the legendary Sergei who was responsible for the masterpiece “War and Peace”).  It is the most costly Russian film to date at $30 million.  It was the first Russian movie filmed in IMAX 3D technology.  It was Russia’s submission for Best Foreign Language film for the Academy Awards, but was not nominated.  It did win awards in Russia and was a big hit.

                The movie is based on the famous defense of Pavlov’s House during the battle.  The house was actually an apartment building located next to the Volga River.  For a month, Sgt. Pavlov and a platoon of Red Army soldiers held out against numerous German assaults.

                The movie opens very strangely so don’t leave the theater thinking you have wandered into the wrong movie.  The first scene is in Japan after the recent tsunami.  A Russian is helping to rescue victims that are buried in rubble.  He refers to being the son of one mother and five fathers.  This leads to a flashback to Stalingrad in November, 1942.

                Sgt. Gramov (Pyotr Fyodorov) leads a squad of scouts across the Volga to infiltrate a building strategically located on the river bank.  The building had been possessed by the Germans who have been pushed back across the open square.  The lone inhabitant of the apartments is a chaste young lady named Katya (Maria Smolnikova).  She refuses to leave her home and develops a sisterly relationship with the five squad members.  Meanwhile on the German side, Hauptmann Kahn (Thomas Kretschmann) is involved with a trampy Russian woman named Masha (Yanina Studilina).  This puts him in hot water with his commanding officer.  To get out of this dilemma, he must take the building for der Fuhrer.  Gramov and his comrades must hold the building for sister Katya and Mother Russia.

                The action is almost totally confined to the square and the set is amazing.  It took six months to construct and it is very authentic looking.  War movie lovers will recognize the fountain where Vasily makes his first kill in “Enemy at the Gates”.  From this confined space the plot lays out the two romances and the assaults.  The assaults are in a style similar to recent South Korean cinema like “Tae Guk Gi” and “My Way”.  Or Bondarchuk’s own “The 9^th Company”.  He attempts to top himself with the opening crossing of the Volga which has a feel similar to “Enemy at the Gates”, but amps up when Kahn triggers a massive gas explosion that does not stop the patriotic Russians who literally charge the Germans while aflame!  The ridiculousness of this bodes well for the camp potential of the rest of the film.  Unfortunately, the expected onslaught of mindless violence with little exposition does not pan out.  Large stretches of the film are devoted to the relationship that develops between the five scouts and Katya.  The men become protective of her and there may be more than sisterly love developing.   Paralleling this is Kahn’s twisted affair with Masha (who reminds him of his deceased wife).  She despises him, partly because she is marked as a collaborator by her people.  This may not be a Hollywood movie, but you may be able to guess where this dysfunctional relationship is going.

                When the violence comes it is pretty visceral, but not revolutionary and sadly, truncated.  There is a lot of random slo-mo and some graphic effects.  There is surprisingly little bloodshed and in one crucial scene a main character is machine gunned in the back with no blood and not even bullet holes.  The scenes are action-packed, but tend to come to abrupt ends that make little sense.  The movie is also tactically unsound.  The Germans do not use artillery support most of the time and only call in tanks towards the end for the big final assault.  One of the five is a sniper who apparently does not believe in shooting all the easy targets that fill his scope as the Germans routinely expose themselves.  In fact, the first victim of his weapon is shot by Katya!  The only other victim is a female (after he passes up a shot at a German officer).  It’s stupid things like this that make the movie aggravating.  Other implausibilities include one of the scouts being a famous tenor which results in a song for Katya’s birthday.  There is also the calling in of an air raid that arrives almost immediately and defies the German control of the air.

                The acting is a strength of the movie.  Kretschmann is the only actor I recognized.  He played in the 1993 “Stalingrad” and had a nice role in “Downfall”.  He stands out, but his character is similar to the others in their lack of development.  We get little background on the men or women.  The dialogue does not help as it is boring and does not ring like soldier talk.  It is not salty for a modern war film and does not have the edgy humor you would expect from comrades in a sticky situation.

                As far as accuracy, the movie does not claim to be the true story of the Pavlov House although the basics are there.  Gromov fits Pavlov.  In reality, the building was much more stoutly fortified with machine guns in each window and an effectively used anti-tank gun on the roof.  The shortages of food and water that beset the defenders are not highlighted in the film.  The building survived the battle, as did Pavlov.  The truth is that a movie more literally based on the defense of the building would have been much better than this movie.  Don’t hold your breath until another movie based on Stalingrad appears. 

                The biggest problem and the scary aspect of the movie is that it reminds me of a throw-back to Soviet movies before the Khruschev thaw.  The film comes off as an Old School propaganda piece complete with the bombastic score.  Bondarchuk tries to avoid ass-kissing accusations by having one Russian slightly leering and psychopathic and by having one German (Kahn) love-stricken.  He’s not fooling anyone.  The movie is a puff piece with bells and whistles.  It is troublesome that the movie is a step backward from “9^th Company”.  For decades Russian filmmakers have produced war films that did not toe the party line, now we get a big budget movie that must be a favorite of Putin.  Is it a coincidence that this ode to Mother Russia comes out as Putin dreams of recreating the Soviet Union?

                I was hoping “Stalingrad” would be a guilty pleasure and an improvement over the previous four movies on the battle, alas it is neither.  The IMAX 3D visuals are cool, but not awesome.  The movie makes the huge mistakes of reminding one of “Enemy at the Gates” which had a much stronger plot and “Tae Guk Gi” which had much more violence in quantity and quality.

Grade =  D

#20 - War and Peace (1968)

BACK-STORY:  Would you believe one of the longest novels was made into one of the longest movies?  Sergei Bondarchuk’s version of Tolstoy’s novel is 431 minutes long, divided into four parts, and took six years to finish.  There are 300 speaking characters.  It was the most expensive Soviet film ever made.  The Soviet government funded the film as a matter of national honor after the King Vidor version released in 1956 achieved some critical acclaim.  The Soviet Army provided technical advisers and thousands of extras.  Over 40 museums loaned historical artifacts.  60 Napoleonic era cannons were cast for the film.  Bondarchuk took advantage of the Khrushchev Thaw to craft a new style Soviet film.  The movie was a big success and won Best Foreign Film at both the Golden Globes and the Academy Awards.  It is the longest film to win an Oscar.

OPENING:  A camera pans over a countryside with sounds of battle in the background.  A narrator tells us that because corrupt people unite, honest people must also.  The year is 1805 and we are in St. Petersburg at an upper class “soiree”.  There is discussion of the “anti-Christ” Napoleon.  The camera moves around as we peep in at various converstaions.  A woman named Lisa is complaining about her husband deserting her to go off to war.  “Why can’t men live without wars?” 

SUMMARY:  Okay, how much do you want to know?  Don’t worry, this will not be four times as long as my usual summary.  Basically the movie is the story of a love triangle.  Pierre (Bondrachuk) is the illegitimate son of a wealthy count who is a social outcast and is looking for purpose in his life.  His best friend Andrei (Vyacheslav Tikhanov) is the son of a famous general who is unhappy with his loving, but shallow wife.  He leaves her behind to become an aide-de-camp for General Kutusov in the lead up to the Battle of Austerlitz.  Natasha (Lubmila Savelyeva) is the flirtatious daughter of the Rostovs.  The Rostovs live in Moscow and enjoy life and hosting parties.  Their lives will intertwine in the events leading up to Napoleon’s occupation of Moscow.

                When Pierre’s father dies he inherits the estate and now is high in society.  He gives up his days of debauchery with military types like the dangerous Dolokhov (Oleg Yefremov).  He marries a woman named Helene (Irina Skobtseva – Bondarchuk’s wife) because dude’s gotta marry, right?  Meanwhile, Andrei drops his pregnant wife off at his tough-love father’s home before he goes to war.  His dad tells him to come back with his shield or on it.

                The Russian army marches to join Gen. Mack’s Austrian army.  As the ranks march by, the camera picks up eachs soldier talk.  “Singers to the front!”  The army lustily belts out a folk tune.  Gen. Mack himself informs Kutusov to not bother joining him.  "I have no army".  Gen. Bagration (with Andrei tagging along hunting for glory) fights a rearguard action at Schongrabern.  Smoke clears to reveal French columns approaching.  A Russian column marches to meet them.  Drums beat.  “Left, left.”  Marching feet.  Now here comes the cavalry.  Natasha’s brother Nicolai is part of it.  POV.  He’s down.  We hear his thoughts.  I’m going to die.  Not if I run.  Camera follows him through foliage.  (It's a little silly.)  It’s now the artillery’s turn (the cannons recoil!).  Tushin’s battery holds out to the last.  Hellish aftermath of a losing battle.



Kutusov spectates



                Next comes the Battle of Austerlitz.  The Czar orders Kutuzov to begin the attack prematurely.  Amateur!  The cavalry charge results in numerous riderless horses leaving the battlefield (are you telling me noone was just wounded?)  Andrei leads a counterattack carrying a flag and is wounded.  He awakes with Napoleon gazing on him.  “That’s a beautiful death” says the Little Corporal.  A bird’s eye view shows the cavalry forces circling like a maelstrom.  Get it?

                Pierre is being cuckolded by Dolokhov.  He challenges him to a duel.  What an incredible scene!  Andrei’s wife dies giving birth and before he can beg forgiveness for being such a huge jerk.  However, he meets the vivacious Natasha at a grand ball.  The cinematography is masterful.  The camera flows through and around the crowd (the cameramen were on roller skates).  Sometimes the shot is blocked by people in the crowd.  Down in front!  Andrei proposes, but gives Natasha a year to think about it.  Big mistake.



                It is now 1812 and Napoleon’s Grande Armee invades Russia.  Kutuzov is back in command and Andrei commands a regiment.  Here comes the Battle of Borodino!  Pierre shows up at the site dressed as a dandy.  He visits Andrei and tells him that he thinks the left flank is too weak!  Thanks, armchair general.  Andrei guarantees victory because the Russians want it more.

                The battle lasts 33 minutes of screen time.  Most of our time is spent with Pierre who hooks up with an artillery unit in a redoubt.  The cannons are firing in two directions.  WTF, but makes for some great tracking shots.  Andrei’s regiment is being held in reserve and stoically takes losses as they sit and wait.  Cavalry attacks massed artillery.  Crescendo of violence.  Overhead view of squares.  Buildings on fire.  Andrei is wounded by a shell and has his leg amputated.  Pierre gets his green coat dirty.

                It’s a moral victory, but Napoleon marches into Moscow.  Pierre has not joined Natasha’s family and the rest of the evacuees.  Suddenly, the city is aflame and Pierre is in the middle of it.  Soot is flying like a blizzard.  Chaos.  Drunkenness.  Looting.  Pierre is arrested as an arsonist.  The music gets increasingly bizarre to match the vibe.  For no apparent reason Pierre is spared execution.  He is taken along when the French retreat.

CLOSING:  The Grand Armee disintegrates.  Somehow Pierre escapes and returns to a rebuilding Moscow.  He is reunited with Natasha.

RATINGS:

Acting =  B-

Action =  7/10

Accuracy =  B 

Plot =  B

Realism =  B

Overall =  A-

WOULD CHICKS DIG IT?  They’ll like the peace parts and their man will like the war parts.  Something for everyone.  Natasha is a great character and the romance aspects are strong.

HISTORICAL ACCURACY:    Tolstoy got into a lot discussion about how historically accurate the novel was.  He argued that the “artist” deserves some latitude in historical fiction.  Besides, he added, even historians make choices on what to emphasize in their non-fiction.  With that said, the movie conforms closely to the book and the book is accurate enough considering Tolstoy did not intend it to be a history lesson.  His main characters are fictional and he places them in historical events.  However, the film and book are giving a personal view of the events, not a view from command.

                The main focus historically is the battles and Tolstoy does not try to give the big picture.  To tell the truth, historians are still debating exactly what happened in the three battles.  The first, the Battle of Schongraben, is simplified in the film, but it gets the essentials right.  Bagration was ordered by Kutusov to fight a delaying action.  The battle did take place at night and was chaotic.  Several French assaults were beaten off in six hours of fighting before Bagration made an orderly withdrawal.  It is unclear whether the Tushin battery incident was based on fact.

                At Austerlitz, the film is accurate in showing Czar Alexander ordering Kutusov to advance when he was not prepared.  What the film does not make clear is the fact that the Russians were being ordered to leave the strategically dominant Pratzen Heights.  The huge cavalry action did take place, but it was towards the end of the battle not the beginning.  The French did empty a lot of Russian saddles, but not all of them.

                Borodino opened with a cavalry attack.  Maybe Tolstoy got them confused.  The Russians had left their left flank underdeveloped, as Pierre correctly pointed out.  The action at the Raevsky Redoubt is handled well.  The Russians had 19 twelve-pounders there.  Apparently, it did have to defend itself from attacks from both sides.  The movie does give a correct impression of the high level of losses on both sides.

                As far as the burning of Moscow, Tolstoy and the film imply it was accidental whereas historians believe it was the ultimate example of the Russian scorched earth policy.

CRITIQUE:  “War and Peace” is a remarkable work of cinema.  Parts of it are amazing and the credit goes to Bondarchuk who pulled out all the stops in making it.  The variety of techniques that are used make it a must for any film class.  There are off-center shots, fades, POVs (including a wolf’s – hell, we hear the wolf’s thoughts!) , double exposures, split screen,  hand-held (on roller skates), and more.  There is even a surreal dream sequence based on Bondarchuk’s experience from being “dead” for four minutes after a heart attack.  When he depicts the meeting of Napoleon and Alexander at Tilsit he even throws in a three screen look in homage to the classic “Napoleon”.  The balls are shot literally from within the crowds.  There are lots of outdoor scenes that are shot through and of foliage (which reminded me of Malick’s “The Thin Red Line”).  The only fault I have with the cinematography is it seems as the story gets weaker, the “bells and whistles”  increase in compensation.  Also, some of the cinematic flourishes get tedious at times.  For example, the things waved in front of the camera during the ball scenes.

                The acting is average.  Lubmila Savelyeva is the stand-out as Natasha.  She captures the mercurial nature of the young woman perfectly.  The rest of the cast is adequate, but not outstanding.  No one embarrasses themselves, even Bondarchuk.

                The plot is based on one of the greatest novels ever written and is faithful to the book.  Thankfully, the movie leaves out some periphery characters and a lot of Tolstoy’s philosophizing.  I read the chapters about the Battle of Borodino and the movie does a great job recreating the novel.  It is interesting to note that the film omits most of the book’s coverage of Napoleon.   The movie not only summarizes the book so you do not have to read it, but is a good historical and cultural experience.  Bondarchuk includes the balls and the wolf hunt for local color.  The religiousity of the Russian people is highlighted.  In general, the film is very strong in depicting upper class life in Russia at the time.  It is less firm in recreating  military aspects.  The strategy and tactics are either too unclear or too simplistic.  The “fog of war” could be applied to the recreations of the battles.  Perhaps this was Bondarchuk’s goal.  The staging of the battle scenes is amazing, however.  The Battle of Borodino is certainly one of the greatest cinematic  battles.

                One theme is the effects of war on civilians, especially wives.  A corollary to that is war’s effect on the environment.  There are shots of beautiful countryside that pan over to a ravaged countryside.  Of course, the movie means to be anti-war and it is, but not as overtly as you would think.  At one point, Andrei swears off war but returns and seeks glory.  His death is meant to overshadow this and return emphasis to the theme.  Pierre also cannot resist the lure of combat.  Tolstoy may be hard on the generals, but he lauds the Russian soldiers that saved his country.

                The film is not perfect.  There are some plot flaws.  The Natasha elopement was implausible.  Andrei swings from warrior to pacifist back to warrior.  Why does Helene become evil?  Why isn’t Pierre executed along with the other arsonists? (Probably so he can travel with the bedraggled Grand Armee and then return home.)  Not too bad for a movie that is 431 minutes.

CONCLUSION:  If you don’t want to read a book that is 1351 pages long, this production of “War and Peace” will do the trick.  Not only will you get a summary of the remarkable novel, but you will see one of the outstanding cinematic achievements in history.  I am so glad that this blog project forced me to buy the DVD set and watch the film.  And I have to admit that even though I have been a fan of military history since a teen, I never had any intention of reading the book or watching a 431 minute movie based on it.  I still don’t plan on reading the book, but the chapters that I read about the Battle of Borodino were entertaining.  I wonder if you could find an edited version entitled “War Without Peace” on the Internet.  Just the cool chapters.  None of the mushy stuff.

                Does the movie belong at #20?  That is debateable because it is unclear whether it should have been considered.  The panel of experts responsible for Military History Magazine’s 100 Greatest War Movies list obviously precluded made-for-TV movies and miniseries, so there were limits on what films they considered.  “War and Peace” is unique among the 100 chosen because it is actually a theatrical miniseries.  I would not have included it, but if you allow it in the door, it certainly belongs in the top twenty.