Alexander Nevsky (1938 Film)

- Release date: December 1, 1938 (USSR); March 22, 1939 (U.S.) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0029850/rele...
- Directors: Sergei Eisenstien, Dmitri Vasilyev http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0029850/comp...
- Writers: Sergei Eisenstein, Pyotr Pavlenko http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0029850/comp...
- Editors: Sergei Eisenstein, Esfir Tobak http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0029850/comp...
- Production company: Mosfilm http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0029850/comp...
- Studio: Amkino Corporation (US) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0029850/comp...
- Running time: 107 minutes http://allmovie.com/work/alexander-nevsk...
- Genre: Action, Drama, History, War http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0029850/rele...
- Alternative Title: Aleksandr Nevskiy (USSR) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0029850/rele...

Joseph Stalin commissioned the 1938 historical battle drama Alexander Nevsky during tensions between Germany and the Soviet Union. The victory of out-manned Russian peasants over a better equipped Teutonic German army was meant to serve as propaganda for the Russian people in the face with war against Germany.
Director Sergei Eisenstein's film was commissioned by Stalin and temporarily withdrawn from theaters during the Hitler-Stalin non-agression pact in 1939. The film stars Nikolai Charkassov as Alexander Nevsky who led a group of peasants to victory over Teutonic invaders on frozen Lake Peipus in 1242. The film is noted for it impressive battle scenes and the powerful score of Sergei Prokofiev.http://allmovie.com/work/alexander-nevsky-1438 http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/alexander_nevsky/ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0029850/plotsummary
Plot Synopsis

Alexander Nevsky (Nikolai Cherkassov) is a 13th century Russian prince called upon by the townsfolk of Pskov to rescue them after being sacked by Teutonic invaders. Nevsky is their greatest military leader, but is still recovering from his battle against the Swedes. Nevsky gathers a military force of peasants to defeat more powerful German army in a historic battle fought on frozen Lake Peipus in 1242. The film was produced as a propoganda piece, commissioned by Joseph Stalin during tensions between the Stalin-era Soviet Union and Hitler's Germany (and temporarily withdrawn from theaters during the period of the Hitler-Stalin non-agression pact). The Teutonic (German) invaders are portrayed as particularly villainous and cruel.http://allmovie.com/work/alexander-nevsky-1438 http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/alexander_nevsky/ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0029850/plotsummary
Cast
- Nikolai Cherkassov as Alexander Nevsky
- Nikolai Okhlopkov as Vasili Buslai
- Andrei Abrikosofv as Gavrilo Oleksich
- Vasili Novikov as Pavsha - Governor of Pskov
- Nikolai Arsky as Domash Tverdislavich
- Varvara Massalitinova as Amelfa Timoferevna
Reviews

"It is impossible... not to marvel at his stylistic insistence that all people walk along a sky-line, and not to wish, in the same breath, that more directors had his talent for doing great things so well and little things so badly."—Frank S. Nugent, The New York Timeshttp://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?_r=2&res=9D06E1DA1F3FE23ABC4B51DFB5668382629EDE
"Sergei Eisenstein’s mannerist epic about the Russian hero who warded off the invading Teutonic knights is a near-perfect combination of image and sound."—Sarah Cardace,New York Magazine http://nymag.com/listings/movie/alexander-nevsky-1938/<ref>http://nymag.com/listings/movie/alexander-nevsky-1938