Arsenal (1929)

Set in the bleak aftermath and devastation of the World War I, a recently demobbed soldier, Timosh, returns to his hometown Kiev, after having survived a train wreck. His arrival coincides ... See full summary »

Director:

Aleksandr Dovzhenko

Writer:

Aleksandr Dovzhenko

Stars:

Semyon Svashenko, Amvrosi Buchma, Georgi Khorkov

Cast

Credited cast:
Semyon Svashenko	...	Timosh, the Ukrainian
Amvrosi Buchma	...	Laughing-Gassed Soldier
Georgi Khorkov	...	A Red Army Soldier (as G. Khorkov)
Dmitri Erdman	...	A German Officer
Sergey Petrov	...	A German Soldier
M. Mikhajlovsky	...	A Nationalist
A. Yevdakov	...	Tsar Nikolas II
Nikolai Kuchinsky	...	Petliura
O. Merlatti	...	Sadovsky (as F. Merlatti)
Nikolai Nademsky	...	Official
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Luciano Albertini	...	Raffaele
Pyotr Masokha
T. Wagner
B. Zagorsky

Storyline

Set in the bleak aftermath and devastation of the World War I, a recently demobbed soldier, Timosh, returns to his hometown Kiev, after having survived a train wreck. His arrival coincides with a national celebration of Ukrainian freedom, but the festivities are not to last as a disenchanted.

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Plot Keywords:

train wreck | soldier | russian army | one word title | russian soldier | 

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Genres:

Drama | War

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

Soviet Union

Language:

Russian Ukrainian

Release Date:

9 November 1929 (USA)

Also Known As:

Arsenaal

Company Credits

Production Co:

VUFKU

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min 90 min (Copy with French subtitles at Brussels Musée du Cinéma)

Sound Mix:

Silent

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

In a scene early in the film, a soldier lies dead, covered with sand, but the sand can be seen to rise and fall with the actor's breathing.

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Connections

Referenced in Archangel (1991)

User Reviews

Kinetic, shocking, moving.

A group of Ukranian soldiers return from World War One to more fighting in the Communist Revolution.

This is an extraordinary, kinetic and moving piece of film making, full of metaphor and of great relevance for people throughout the world today. It isn't necessary to understand the complexities of the times to understand the rich emotional resonance. Particularly innovative is Dovzhenko's use of rhythm and inter-spliced scenes.

I was lucky enough to see a restored version of this at the Cambridge Film Festival 2003, with live musical accompaniment. Particularly memorable scenes are the undefeatable worker, the laughing gas, and the horse team rushing to take a fallen comrade to burial before returning to battle.