Alexander Nevsky (1938)

The story of how a great Russian prince led a ragtag army to battle an invading force of Teutonic Knights.

Directors:

Sergei M. Eisenstein (as S. Eisenstein), Dmitriy Vasilev (as D. Vasilyev)

Writers:

Sergei M. Eisenstein (as S. Eisenstein), Pyotr Pavlenko (as P. Pavlenko)

Stars:

Nikolay Cherkasov, Nikolai Okhlopkov, Andrei Abrikosov

2 wins.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Nikolay Cherkasov	...	Aleksandr Nevsky (as N. Cherkasov)
Nikolai Okhlopkov	...	Vasili Buslai (as N. Okhlopkov)
Andrei Abrikosov	...	Gavrilo Oleksich (as A. Abrikosov)
Dmitriy Orlov	...	Ignat - the Master Armorer (as D. Orlov)
Vasili Novikov	...	Pavsha - Governor of Pskov (as V. Novikov)
Nikolai Arsky	...	Domash Tverdislavich - a Novgorod Boyar (as N. Arsky)
Varvara Massalitinova	...	Amelfa Timoferevna - Buslai's Mother (as V. Massalitova)
Valentina Ivashova	...	Olga Danilovna - a Maid of Novgorod (as V. Ivashova)
Aleksandra Danilova	...	Vasilisa - a Maid of Pskov (as A. Danilova)
Vladimir Yershov	...	Von Balk - Grand Master of the Teutonic Order (as V. Yershov)
Sergei Blinnikov	...	Tverdilo - Traitorous Mayor of Pskov (as S. Blinnikov)
Ivan Lagutin	...	Anani - a Monk (as I. Lagutin)
Lev Fenin	...	The Archbishop (as L. Fenin)
Naum Rogozhin	...	The Black-Hooded Monk (as N. Rogozhin)

Storyline

It is the 13th century, and Russia is overrun by foreign invaders. A Russian knyaz', or prince, Alexander Nevsky, rallies the people to form a ragtag army to drive back an invasion by the Teutonic knights. This is a true story based on the actual battle at a lake near Novgorod.

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Plot Keywords:

russian history | kill | battle | knight | invasion | 

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Taglines:

The culminating triumph in the career of the man who made "Potemkin" and "Ten Days That Shook the World." Nikolai Cherkassov, in the title role, heads a cast of thousands.

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Genres:

Action | Biography | Drama | History | War

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

Propaganda 2 Anti-Christianity: the Teutonic knights bear crosses on their capes, pennons and shields; crucifixes borne on rods by knights; the religious figures in the service of the knights and the religious services held; the destruction of the tent after the battle by the Master Armourer; the lack of religious figures and services/ celebrations on the Russian side (despite the crosses on top of the buildings).

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Goofs

Alexander Nevsky's helmet changes several times from one with eye protectors (looking like glasses) to one with just a nose protector.

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Quotes

Ignat - the Master Armorer: The rabbit skips into a ravine, but the fox follows him. The rabbit runs into the woods, but the fox stays on his tail. So the rabbit jumps between two birch trees. The fox comes after him and gets stuck! It's twisting and turning but can't get free. What a calamity! The rabbit looks at her severely and says: "Now I will violate your chastity." "No, neighbor, don't put me to such shame! Have pity!" cries the fox. "I have no time for pity," says the rabbit, and violates her!

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Crazy Credits

Before the word "End" appears Alexandr Nevsky's famous quote "But those who come to us sword in hand will die by the sword! On that Russia stands and forever will we stand!" appears on the screen, right after Nevsky said it in the movie.

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Alternate Versions

A new edition appeared on video in 1995 with the entire Prokofiev score newly recorded in hi-fi stereo, using the same 1938 orchestrations and perfectly synchronized to the original 1938 dialogue and sound effects tracks, so that it is now possible to see and hear the film exactly as it always was, with the exception being that the music is now heard in hi-fi sound, rather than the tinny 1938 recording.

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Connections

Referenced in Arcana, connaissance de la musique: Musique et cinéma: 1 La musique de films (1969)

User Reviews

I've seen the WHOLE movie and...

I think it's a superb cinematography experience, once again Einsenstein goes beyond the conventional visual elements of the movies, lets take an example, we are used to see the white color as a sign of purity, and the black color as the "bad" element. Here this visual elements are twisted, showing the enemy in white and the russians in dark uniforms. Certainly there is a propaganda tone in the whole story, but it's quite comprehensible for the time (previous to WWII) and the country. There is another element for which this movie is so touching, the excellent music by Serge Prokofiev, and specially the part of the battle. Alexander Nevsky is very much worth seeing not seeking for a conventional war movie, but as an alternative way of cinematic expression.

Details

Country:

Soviet Union

Language:

Russian

Release Date:

22 March 1939 (USA)

Also Known As:

Alexander Nevsky

Filming Locations:

Moscow, Russia

Box Office

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$2,226

Company Credits

Production Co:

Mosfilm

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1