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1812

Original title: Kutuzov
  • 19441944
  • 1h 35m
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
106
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
303,780
32,974
1812 (1944)
Drama
Film deals with Mikhail Kutuzov defeat of Napoleon in 1812Film deals with Mikhail Kutuzov defeat of Napoleon in 1812Film deals with Mikhail Kutuzov defeat of Napoleon in 1812
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
106
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
303,780
32,974
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • Vladimir Petrov
    • Writer
      • Vladimir Solovyov
    • Stars
      • Aleksei Dikij
      • Semyon Mezhinsky
      • Yevgeniy Kaluzhsky
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Vladimir Petrov
    • Writer
      • Vladimir Solovyov
    • Stars
      • Aleksei Dikij
      • Semyon Mezhinsky
      • Yevgeniy Kaluzhsky
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 3User reviews
    • 2Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
    • Awards
      • 1 win

    Photos

    1812 (1944)
    Aleksei Dikij, Yevgeniy Kaluzhsky, Semyon Mezhinsky, Nikolai Okhlopkov, Vladimir Petrov, and Sergo Zakariadze in 1812 (1944)
    Add photo

    Top cast

    Edit
    Aleksei Dikij
    Aleksei Dikij
    • Prince Kutuzov
    Semyon Mezhinsky
    Semyon Mezhinsky
    • Napoleon Bonaparte
    Yevgeniy Kaluzhsky
    • Marshal Berthier
    • (as Ye. Kaluzhsky)
    Sergo Zakariadze
    Sergo Zakariadze
    • Prince Bagration
    • (as S. Zakariadze)
    Nikolai Okhlopkov
    • Gen. Barclay de Tolly
    Sergei Blinnikov
    Sergei Blinnikov
    • Platov, bearded Russian officer
    • (as S. Blinnikov)
    Vladimir Gotovtsev
    • Gen. Beningsen
    • (as V. Gotovtsev)
    Arkadiy Polyakov
    • Marshal Davout
    • (as A. Polyakov)
    Nikolai Brilling
    Nikolai Brilling
    • Marshal Murat
    Boris Chirkov
    Boris Chirkov
    • Lavilov
    • (as B. Chirkov)
    Mikhail Pugovkin
    Mikhail Pugovkin
    • Fedya
    • (as M. Pugovkin)
    Ivan Ryzhov
    Ivan Ryzhov
    • Volkojsky
    • (as I. Ryzhov)
    Konstantin Shilovtsev
    • Konovnitsyn
    • (as K. Shilovtsev)
    Ivan Skuratov
    Ivan Skuratov
    • Zhastyannikov
    • (as I. Skuratov)
    Aleksandr Stepanov
    • Marshal Ney
    • (as A. Stepanov)
    Gavriil Terekhov
    • Loriston
    • (as G. Terekhov)
    N. Timchenko
    • Czar Alexander I
    Vladimir Yershov
    • Beketov
    • (as V. Yershov)
    • Director
      • Vladimir Petrov
    • Writer
      • Vladimir Solovyov
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Connections
      Featured in Legends of World Cinema: Nikolay Okhlopkov

    User reviews3

    Review
    Review
    Top review
    2/10
    Rushin' Russians, blown apart by Bonaparte
    The battle of Borodino was one of the bloodiest engagements in the history of warfare. In Bonaparte's campaign to conquer Russia, 250,000 men and 1,100 artillery pieces met across a three-mile front, resulting in 75,000 casualties. Astonishingly, all of this carnage transpired from dawn to nightfall within a single day: 7 September 1812, leading to the agonising withdrawal of Bonaparte's French troops. This battle inspired Tchaikovsky's '1812 Overture' and much of the plot of Tolstoy's 'War and Peace'.

    'Kutuzov' was filmed in the USSR during World War Two, using substantial manpower and resources that might have been put to better use on Russia's battlefront. This movie is clearly intended as wartime propaganda, to inspire Soviet troops and civilians to continue the war against the Third Reich. (Funny, I could have sworn that Hitler and Stalin were on the same side when the war started.) The credits of this film are in Cyrillic, so please pardon my imperfect attempts to transliterate the actors' names.

    Alexei Dykiy, in an eyepatch and crepe hair, plays Prince Kutuzov, the commander of the Russian forces at Borodino. Bonaparte is played by an actor named Sergei Mezhinski. Unfortunately, Napoleon Bonaparte is one of those historical personages whose physical appearance is so well-known that any actor's attempt to portray him must be largely a physical impersonation. Mezhinski gives a good performance as Bonaparte, but his physical resemblance is far from perfect.

    I don't know how accurate the historical details of this film are, so from here onward this synopsis reflects only what's in the film, not what's in the history books. Kutuzov is in disgrace for incurring major losses at the battle of Kuluga. To redeem himself, he commits every available man against Bonaparte's forces at Borodino; meanwhile, Bonaparte is reluctant to commit his freshest and most elite troops to the battle. Consequently, the czarist forces under Kutuzov rout the French. The scenes of Bonaparte's troops in defeat are harrowing. Kutuzov becomes the hero of Borodino.

    This film is propaganda, so of course the Russian figures are depicted more sympathetically than the French. I can forgive the subjectivity. The biggest problem with 'Kutuzov' is that small groups of extras are employed to enact incidents which involved literally *hundreds of thousands* of men. During the battle scenes, the camera keeps coming in too tight, showing us little vignettes of action instead of the larger battlefield. Even allowing for cheap labour in Russia, and wartime contingencies, this was a strange decision. Couldn't someone have worked up some matte shots, or some other effect, to more convincingly convey the illusion of 250,000 troops?

    Nikolai Timchenko (as the czar) and Alexander Stepanov (as Bonaparte's first marshall) give stiff performances. Many scenes are unconvincing, leaving me to question the historical accuracy. I'm intrigued that the Soviets chose to make a film in which czarist forces are depicted heroically, but of course this was wartime propaganda. I found 'Kutuzov' dull and wearying, but some combat veterans have told me that prolonged combat is wearying too. Some of the 19th-century artillery pieces in this movie look interesting, but they're seen far too briefly. I'll rate this movie 2 points out of 10. Skip this movie and watch the video of King Vidor's version of 'War and Peace'.
    helpful•4
    16
    • F Gwynplaine MacIntyre
    • Jan 30, 2004

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 10, 1944 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • Soviet Union
    • Language
      • Russian
    • Also known as
      • Napoleons nederlag i Ryssland
    • Production company
      • Mosfilm
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 35 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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