The Early Years of Vladimir Ilyich Lenin or A Wonderful Soviet Biographical Film

Biographical drama. The picture that interested us was the fragment when Vladimir Ilyich came up with the idea of creating the all-Russian newspaper Iskra, and his comrades sang the famous song "Hostile Whirlwinds". Moreover, Lenin is still young in this picture. That was enough for us, and we enjoyed watching this picture based on the biography of Vladimir Ilyich. And here is a brief opinion - A wonderful Soviet biographical film. Unfortunately, in addition to the absolute advantages, there were also some disadvantages in this picture, which slightly spoil the overall impression. Therefore, it is necessary to finish such an important introduction and move on to the interesting one.

So, the pros: 1. The script - the picture tells about the revolutionary activities of the young Vladimir Ilyich Lenin, starting with exile in the village of Shushenskoye, Yenisei province (now Krasnoyarsk Territory), and ending with the first years of emigration. In exile, Vladimir Ilyich does not waste time, helps local residents in legal matters (since he was a lawyer by profession), settles disputes, and at the same time conducts correspondence with loyal Marxist comrades from Central Russia, with the help of his faithful friend and wife Nadezhda Konstantinovna Krupskaya. In exile, Lenin became even more determined to change the situation in Russia for the better, not for himself, but for the entire Russian people, who were groaning under the yoke of long-rotten monarchism and the growing power of capitalism. And abroad, he will have to meet with his idol, the "father" of Russian social democracy, Georgy Valentinovich Plekhanov, and solve important issues for himself, and finally become the Lenin that the entire progressive public knows, who today pays tribute to him and admires the deeds that this man was able to accomplish for everything. Humanity. Surprisingly, in their not very long timekeeping, the creators were able to fit Lenin as an ordinary person, generous, kind, with an inner core, and the love for Nadezhda Konstantinovna causes empathy.

2. Memorable episodes are, of course, the famous New Year's Eve celebration scene called "Hostile Whirlwinds" (aka "Varshavyanka"). In which the Russian Social Democrats intend to overthrow the rotten system in Russia and make the country and its people a better place. The fire burns in their eyes from this thought, and they have already proved it more than once, and they will prove it in the future. The scene of the search of Vladimir Ilyich's house in Shushenskoye, in which the tsarist satraps (they are also gendarmes) without hesitation, openly hating the exiled revolutionary, hatred can be read in their eyes, but they can't really do anything, so they mock the papers as much as they can. And the meeting with Plekhanov. Here, the biblical commandment "Do not make yourself an idol" played perfectly, and the differences between Plekhanov and Lenin are also visible to the naked eye. Decrepit conservatism and flirting with the liberal intelligentsia is against a sound approach and the fight against "degenerates", outright pests, temporary companions, traitors, and so on. Lenin was right about this then as never before, which was confirmed by subsequent events.

So, the cons: 1. The confusing moment is that in the New Year's Eve scene, Vladimir Ilyich mentions that they are celebrating the new century, which means it's 1900, whereas Vladimir Ilyich lived in Shushenskoye in 1897-1898, and could not possibly have met 1900 there, because then he was at the beginning of the year in the glorious city of Pskov, and in the summer he went to Switzerland. By the way, it was in Pskov that a meeting was held on the creation of the Iskra newspaper. Apparently, the filmmakers decided to move this meeting into exile.

2. Cropped version - the running time of the picture is one hour and twenty-three minutes, although in reality they shot one hour and twenty-nine minutes. Question: "Where did the whole seven minutes go?" What did Khrushchev's censors dare to carve out of this wonderful painting? Is it really Joseph Vissarionovich? This is unlikely, considering that the picture was released in 1961. So what happened to the seven minutes?

A little bit about the main characters: 1. Vladimir Lenin, played by Yuri Kayurov, is a young Marxist, lawyer, and leader of a group of progressive comrades who realized that Russia needed changes for the better, for which he is serving exile in Shushenskoye. Yuri Ivanovich showed us on the screen not only a political block, but also a simple man, Lenin, who understands everything and can help in many matters. Bravo and good health to you, Yuri Ivanovich!

2. Nadezhda Krupskaya, played by Elena Sitko, is the bride, colleague and then wife of Vladimir Ilyich, who for the sake of her beloved went to the edge of the world in Shushenskoe, like the wives of the Decembrists long before her. She herself is well-versed in some issues, which she will successfully demonstrate to us. And how she loves Vladimir Ilyich! It must be seen. Bravo!

In conclusion, I would like to say that there are not enough such paintings now. After all, the acting is at a high level, especially the Russian people of that time, simple, a little timid, uncouth, but loyal, most of them honest, harassed by the tsarist regime and whipped by their landlords (this applies to Central Russia). You believe in it and empathize with it with all your heart.

Rating 9 out of 10 and recommended for viewing!

Russian cinema is distinguished by its epic scale, philosophical depth, and innovative visual language. It often explores history, ideology, and the human psyche, with a tradition of psychological realism and artistic experimentation. Russian cinema contributed revolutionary theories of editing and later a spiritual approach to film language. It remains known for combining formal experimentation with profound explorations of endurance and belief.

Nikolay Grinko, Aleksandr Kaydanovskiy, and Anatoliy Solonitsyn in Stalker (1979)

The biography, or "biopic", is a genre that portrays the life story of a real person, often a notable individual or historical figure. They aim to provide a depiction of the subject's personal history, achievements, challenges, and impact on society.

Ben Kingsley, Rohini Hattangadi, and Geraldine James in Gandhi (1982)

The history genre features recounting and analyzing past events, societies, cultures, and historical figures. This genre aims to provide insights into the development of civilizations, the causes and consequences of historical events, and the impact of individuals and ideas on the course of history.

A film about the life and deeds of young Vladimir Lenin during his Siberian exile in the village of Shushenskoye and in the first years of emigration.

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