On His Own (1939)
"V lyudyakh" (original title)

Director:

Mark Donskoy

Writers:

Mark Donskoy, Maxim Gorky (book),

Stars:

Aleksei Lyarsky, Irina Zarubina, Varvara Massalitinova

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Aleksei Lyarsky	...	Aleksei Peshkov (later, Maxim Gorky)
Irina Zarubina	...	Natalya, the washer-woman
Varvara Massalitinova	...	Akulina Ivanovna Kashirina
Ye. Lilina	...	Matriona Ivanovna
Ivan Kudryavtsev	...	Sergeyev, the son-in-law (as I. Kudryavtsev)
N. Berezovskaya	...	Ivanovna-Sergeyeva, daughter
Ye. Seleznyov	...	Viktor Ivanov, son
Darya Zerkalova	...	The Rich Woman With Books (segment "like Queen Margo") (as D. Zerkalova)
Aleksandr Timontayev	...	Smury, the cook (as A. Timontayev)
M. Povolotsky	...	Sergei, the ship's waiter
Nikolai Gorlov	...	Ship's Steward (as N. Gorlov)
Mikhail Troyanovsky	...	Grandfather Kachirin
Vasili Novikov	...	Uncle Yakov Kashirin
Nikolai Plotnikov	...	Zhikaryov, icon painter
N. Chugunov	...	Ivan Larionovich

Storyline

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Plot Keywords:

sequel | based on book

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Genres:

Biography | Drama

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Details

Country:

Soviet Union

Language:

Russian

Release Date:

12 September 1939 (USA)

Also Known As:

On His Own

Company Credits

Production Co:

Soyuzdetfilm

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Follows The Childhood of Maxim Gorky (1938)

User Reviews

The Maxim Gorky Trilogy II

After the events in The Childhood of Maxim Gorky, Young Peshkov is working for a middle class family, ostensibly as an aid to the architect son of the family, but the mean spirited mother keeps him from learning anything and insists on him doing menial jobs. He finds solace in books lent to him by a friendly rich woman (a friendly rich woman in a Soviet film? Apparently it's possible!). When the family kick him out, he must find his own place in the world.

Because Peshkov is drifting from job to job in this movie, the narrative becomes very episodic and sometimes feels as steerless and uncertain about where it wants to go as its protagonist. The movie makes the point that reading books is good for you, but somewhat overstates its case. When Peshkov is employed in an icon-workshop and starts reading aloud for the monks, their reaction is so euphoric, you'd think he mixed some illegal substances in their borsht.

Nevertheless, the great cinematography, visual poetry and rich characterisations from the first movie are still in place.

*** (out of 4)