The Forty-First (1956 film)
Encyclopedia
The Forty-First, is a 1956 Soviet film
based on the novel of the same name by Boris Lavrenyev
. The film was directed by Grigori Chukhrai
and starred Izolda Izvitskaya
and Oleg Strizhenov
. The film is set during the Russian Civil War
and tells the story of the romance between a female sniper of the Red Army
and an officer of the White Army
.
, in the desert of Central Asia
, a detachment of the Red Army
is on a reconnaissance mission under the command of Ansenti Yevsyukov (Nikolay Kryuchkov). The only female soldier in the detachment is Maria Filatovna (Izolda Izvitskaya), a sniper who has already killed forty enemy soldiers. As they encounter a detachment of the White Army
she tries to shoot the aristocratic Lieutenant Vadim Nikolayevich Govorukha-Otrok (Oleg Strizhenov
). He would have been her forty-first victim, but as she misses her target, Govorkha is only taken prisoner. The detachment finds out that Govorukha-Otrok is on a mission to deliver secret information from Aleksandr Kolchak
to Anton Denikin
.
The Red army detachment attempts to return to headquarters, but is soon struggling with the hostile desert environment. They eventually make it to the Aral Sea
, where Maria, Govorukha-Otrok and several other soldiers are taking a boat to reach their base more quickly. In a storm all soldiers die, and Maria and Govorukha-Otrok are left stranded on an island. They find shelter in a fisherman's hut and are forced to wait for the fisherman to return to the island. During this forced wait they come closer and eventually fall in love. When a boat approaches the island, they initially think that the fishermen are returning to the island. When they realize that the boat is from the White Army, Govorukha-Otrok runs along the beach towards the boat but is shot in the back by Maria.
by Yakov Protazanov
in 1927.
in 1957 it won an Honorary Diploma. At the 1957 Cannes Film Festival
, it also won the Special Jury Prize
and was nominated for the Palme d'Or
.
Cinema of the Soviet Union
The cinema of the Soviet Union, not to be confused with "Cinema of Russia" despite Russian language films being predominant in both genres, includes several film contributions of the constituent republics of the Soviet Union reflecting elements of their pre-Soviet culture, language and history,...
based on the novel of the same name by Boris Lavrenyev
Boris Lavrenyov
Boris Andreyevich Lavrenyov , born July 5 , 1891 in Kherson, died January 7, 1959 in Moscow, was a Soviet Russian writer and playwright....
. The film was directed by Grigori Chukhrai
Grigori Chukhrai
Grigori Naumovich Chukhrai was a prominent Soviet film director and screenwriter. He is the father of director Pavel Chukhrai.-Career:He was born in Melitopol in the Zaporizhia Oblast of Ukraine...
and starred Izolda Izvitskaya
Izolda Izvitskaya
Izolda Vasilyevna Izvitskaya was a Soviet actress.Isolda Izvitskaya was born in the small town of Dzerzhinsk, Russia. Her father was a chemist, her mother a teacher. Right after high school she was accepted to VGIK . She was given small parts in several movies while still a student...
and Oleg Strizhenov
Oleg Strizhenov
Oleg Aleksandrovich Strizhenov was a Soviet and Russian film actor and a People's Artist of the Soviet Union.-Filmography:...
. The film is set during the Russian Civil War
Russian Civil War
The Russian Civil War was a multi-party war that occurred within the former Russian Empire after the Russian provisional government collapsed to the Soviets, under the domination of the Bolshevik party. Soviet forces first assumed power in Petrograd The Russian Civil War (1917–1923) was a...
and tells the story of the romance between a female sniper of the Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
and an officer of the White Army
White movement
The White movement and its military arm the White Army - known as the White Guard or the Whites - was a loose confederation of Anti-Communist forces.The movement comprised one of the politico-military Russian forces who fought...
.
Plot
During the Russian Civil WarRussian Civil War
The Russian Civil War was a multi-party war that occurred within the former Russian Empire after the Russian provisional government collapsed to the Soviets, under the domination of the Bolshevik party. Soviet forces first assumed power in Petrograd The Russian Civil War (1917–1923) was a...
, in the desert of Central Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
, a detachment of the Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
is on a reconnaissance mission under the command of Ansenti Yevsyukov (Nikolay Kryuchkov). The only female soldier in the detachment is Maria Filatovna (Izolda Izvitskaya), a sniper who has already killed forty enemy soldiers. As they encounter a detachment of the White Army
White movement
The White movement and its military arm the White Army - known as the White Guard or the Whites - was a loose confederation of Anti-Communist forces.The movement comprised one of the politico-military Russian forces who fought...
she tries to shoot the aristocratic Lieutenant Vadim Nikolayevich Govorukha-Otrok (Oleg Strizhenov
Oleg Strizhenov
Oleg Aleksandrovich Strizhenov was a Soviet and Russian film actor and a People's Artist of the Soviet Union.-Filmography:...
). He would have been her forty-first victim, but as she misses her target, Govorkha is only taken prisoner. The detachment finds out that Govorukha-Otrok is on a mission to deliver secret information from Aleksandr Kolchak
Aleksandr Kolchak
Aleksandr Vasiliyevich Kolchak was a Russian naval commander, polar explorer and later - Supreme ruler . Supreme ruler of Russia , was recognized in this position by all the heads of the White movement, "De jure" - Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, "De facto" - Entente States...
to Anton Denikin
Anton Ivanovich Denikin
Anton Ivanovich Denikin was Lieutenant General of the Imperial Russian Army and one of the foremost generals of the White movement in the Russian Civil War.- Childhood :...
.
The Red army detachment attempts to return to headquarters, but is soon struggling with the hostile desert environment. They eventually make it to the Aral Sea
Aral Sea
The Aral Sea was a lake that lay between Kazakhstan in the north and Karakalpakstan, an autonomous region of Uzbekistan, in the south...
, where Maria, Govorukha-Otrok and several other soldiers are taking a boat to reach their base more quickly. In a storm all soldiers die, and Maria and Govorukha-Otrok are left stranded on an island. They find shelter in a fisherman's hut and are forced to wait for the fisherman to return to the island. During this forced wait they come closer and eventually fall in love. When a boat approaches the island, they initially think that the fishermen are returning to the island. When they realize that the boat is from the White Army, Govorukha-Otrok runs along the beach towards the boat but is shot in the back by Maria.
Production
The film was based on the story of the same name by Boris Lavrenyov, which had already been filmed as a silent filmThe Forty-First (1927 film)
The Forty-First is a 1927 Soviet film directed by Yakov Protazanov based on a story of the same title by Boris Lavrenyov....
by Yakov Protazanov
Yakov Protazanov
Yakov Alexandrovich Protazanov was Russian and Soviet film director and screenwriter, and one of the founding fathers of cinema of Russia....
in 1927.
Distribution and responses
The Forty-First was released on October 15, 1956 in the Soviet Union and attracted 25.1 million viewers. At the Mosfilm Festival of Young Filmmakers in 1956 the film won in the categories Best Film, Best Actor and Best Cinematography and at the Edinburgh International Film FestivalEdinburgh International Film Festival
The Edinburgh International Film Festival is an annual fortnight of cinema screenings and related events taking place each June. Established in 1947, it is the world's oldest continually running film festival...
in 1957 it won an Honorary Diploma. At the 1957 Cannes Film Festival
1957 Cannes Film Festival
-Jury:*André Maurois *Jean Cocteau *Maurice Genevoix *Georges Huisman *Maurice Lehmann *Marcel Pagnol *Michael Powell *Jules Romains...
, it also won the Special Jury Prize
Jury Prize (Cannes Film Festival)
The Jury Prize is an award presented at the Cannes Film Festival. It is chosen by the jury from the 'official section' of movies at the festival. It is considered the third most prestigious prize at the film festival, after the Palme d'Or and the Grand Prix....
and was nominated for the Palme d'Or
Palme d'Or
The Palme d'Or is the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival and is presented to the director of the best feature film of the official competition. It was introduced in 1955 by the organising committee. From 1939 to 1954, the highest prize was the Grand Prix du Festival International du...
.