The North Star (1943)

A Ukrainian village must suddenly contend with the Nazi invasion of June 1941.

Director:

Lewis Milestone

Writers:

Lillian Hellman (original story), Lillian Hellman (screen play)

Stars:

Anne Baxter, Dana Andrews, Walter Huston

Nominated for 6 Oscars.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Anne Baxter	...	Marina Pavlov
Dana Andrews	...	Kolya Simonov
Walter Huston	...	Dr. Kurin
Walter Brennan	...	Karp
Ann Harding	...	Sophia Pavlov
Jane Withers	...	Clavdia Kurin
Farley Granger	...	Damian Simonov
Erich von Stroheim	...	Dr. von Harden
Dean Jagger	...	Rodion Pavlov
Eric Roberts	...	Grisha Kurin
Carl Benton Reid	...	Boris Simonov
Ann Carter	...	Olga Pavlov
Esther Dale	...	Anna Kurin
Ruth Nelson	...	Nadya Simonov
Paul Guilfoyle	...	Iakin

Storyline

It's June, 1941 in a farming cooperative in the Soviet Socialist Republic of the Ukraine. Although the citizens of the cooperative hear about the atrocities of the war on their radios, they are on the most part not yet directly affected by it. It's the end of the school year, and some of the older youth are excited about their futures. Beyond that, a small group of those youths are looking most forward to their imminent vacation to Kiev, where they are planning to hike for the four or five days it takes to get there above their planned three days in the city itself. They include: Damian Terasa Simonov, who finished top of his class including getting a scholarship to study at the State University of Kiev in the fall; his girlfriend, Marina Pavlov, the two who will be separated for the year as she finishes her schooling and who plan eventually to reunite in Kiev not only for Marina to go to university as well but for the two to get married; Kolya Simonov, Damian's older, more worldly ...

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Plot Keywords:

nazi soldier | nazi | doctor | communist | alternate history | 

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Taglines:

YOUR HEART WILL TELL YOU...YOU'LL LOVE IT! (print ad - Lubbock Morning Avalanche - Lindsey Theatre - Lubbock, Texas - July 14, 1944 - all caps)

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Genres:

Drama | Romance | War

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Certificate:

Passed

Did You Know?

Trivia

The earliest documented telecast of this film occurred Monday 7 January 1946 on New York City's pioneer television station WNBT (Channel 1). This would have been the original, uncut, unmutilated version that was soon to be locked up by the House Committee on Unamerican Activities (HUAC), and not resurrected in its entirety until many decades later.

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Goofs

Walter Brennan and Farley Granger ambush 3 German soldiers, as one is about to throw a grenade he drops it but it doesn't go off.

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Quotes

Iakin, bearded schoolmaster: It is not my custom to start your vacation with a lecture, but this is the summer of 1941 - a solemn time. No one of knows what will happen. I don't have to remind you that we are people with a noble history. You are expected to carry on that history with complete devotion and self-sacrifice. I think you'll do that. And now, have a happy summer.

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Alternate Versions

In 1956, the film was sold to television and re-edited under the title "Armored Attack." 25 minutes were removed, including all references to the word "comrade," and with the help of voice-over narrations, turned the alleged pro-Communist piece into anti-Communist territory.

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Connections

Featured in Sprockets: Masters of Menace (1995)

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Soundtracks

Chari Vari Rastabari
(uncredited)
Music by Aaron Copland
Lyrics by Ira Gershwin

User Reviews

Rare Movie To Show Soviet Russia In Positive Light

One of the many staple of movies made during WWII to both entertain the audience and aid the war effort. Several then-known and soon-to-be-known stars such as Walter Brennan, Dana Andrews, Walter Huston, and Anne Baxter. Aside from the usual war effort type movie, the biggest thing about this movie was that it was one of the rare movies to show the Soviet Union in a positive light. Granted it focused on a small village in the Ukraine without much explicit Soviet visuals but it was none the less. Again it was shot in 1943 when we, and the Soviets, were technically allies and battling the Nazis. Even then the US was never really at ease with the Soviet alliance and shortly after the surrender of Germany it became apparent that the Soviets broke with the rest of the allied post-war plans. However this movie was meant to be more of a heart-warming drama focusing on several families and most specifically their young children who are from 17-to late 20s and a couple even younger who set out on a road trip on the same day Nazi Germany invades the Ukraine. Brennan plays the old man grandfatherly figure who helps the younger people deal with the attack once it commences. This was one of Dana Andrews' earliest war type movies he goes on to play many more such roles. Obviously meant to be a propaganda piece or at least to elicit support for the war it is a good movie if you like war type movies especially since it shows an aspect of the WWII experience that is not commonly scene in movies.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English German Russian

Release Date:

4 March 1944 (Mexico)

Also Known As:

Armored Attack!

Filming Locations:

Samuel Goldwyn Studios - 7200 Santa Monica Boulevard, West Hollywood, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

The Samuel Goldwyn Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min 82 min (re-edited) (re-release)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording) (uncredited)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1