Aleksandr Nevskiy (1938)

User Rating:

7.8/10   

Directors:

Sergei M. Eisenstein
Dmitri Vasilyev

Writers:

Sergei M. Eisenstein (writer)
Pyotr Pavlenko (writer)

Release Date:

22 March 1939 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | History | War

Plot:

The story of how a great Russian prince led a ragtag army to battle an invading force of Teutonic Knights.

Plot Keywords:

Knight | Prince | Battle | Invasion | Novgorod

Cast

Nikolai Cherkasov	...	Aleksandr Nevsky (as N. Cherkasov)
Nikolai Okhlopkov	...	Vasili Buslai (as N. Okhlopkov)
Andrei Abrikosov	...	Gavrilo Oleksich (as A. Abrikosov)
Dmitri Orlov	...	Ignat - the Master Armorer (as D. Orlov)
Vasili Novikov	...	Pavsha - Governor of Pskov (as V. Novikov)
Nikolai Arsky	...	Domash Tverdislavich - a Novgorod Boyar (as N. Arsky)
Varvara Massalitinova	...	Amelfa Timoferevna - Buslai's Mother (as V. Massalitova)
Vera Ivashova	...	Olga Danilovna - a Maid of Novgorod (as V. Ivashova)
Aleksandra Danilova	...	Vasilisa - a Maid of Pskov (as A. Danilova)
Vladimir Yershov	...	Von Balk - Grand Master of the Teutonic Order (as V. Yershov)
Sergei Blinnikov	...	Tverdilo - Traitorous Mayor of Pskov (as S. Blinnikov)
Ivan Lagutin	...	Anani - a Monk (as I. Lagutin)
Lev Fenin	...	The Archbishop (as L. Fenin)
Naum Rogozhin	...	The Black-Hooded Monk (as N. Rogozhin)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
N. Aparin	...	Mikhalka (uncredited)
A. Gulkovski	...	Teutonic Knight (uncredited)
Leonid Iudov	...	Savka (uncredited)
Ivan Klyukvin	...	Pskov Warrior (uncredited)
Lyan-Kun	...	Hubilay (uncredited)
Fyodor Odinokov	...	(uncredited)
Pavel Pashkov	...	Mikula (uncredited)
Nikolai Vitovtov	...	Teutonic Knight (uncredited)

Directed by
Sergei M. Eisenstein		(as S. Eisenstein)
Dmitri Vasilyev		(as D. Vasilyev)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Sergei M. Eisenstein		writer (as S. Eisenstein)
Pyotr Pavlenko		writer (as P. Pavlenko)

Original Music by
Sergei Prokofiev		(as S. Prokofiev)

Cinematography by
Eduard Tisse		(as E. Tisse)

Film Editing by
Sergei M. Eisenstein		(uncredited)
Esfir Tobak		(uncredited)

Production Design by
Iosif Shpinel

Art Direction by
Sergei M. Eisenstein		(uncredited)
Nikolai Solovyov		(uncredited)

Costume Design by
Sergei M. Eisenstein		(uncredited)
Konstantin Yeliseyev		(uncredited)

Production Management
Igor Vakar	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Valentina Kuznetsova	....	assistant director
Boris Ivanov	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Nikolai Maslov	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
A. Artsikhovsky	....	artistic consultant

Sound Department
Vladimir Bogdankevich	....	sound engineer (as V. Bogdankevich)
Neil Cedar	....	foley recordist: 1990 revision
Tony Faulkner	....	sound recordist (1990 revision)
Ken Hahn	....	sound re-recording mixer: 1990 revision
Valeri Popov	....	sound
Boris Volsky	....	sound
Rick Wessler	....	foley artist: 1990 revision

Special Effects by
L. Posorov	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
A. Astafyev	....	assistant camera
Nikolai Bolshakov	....	assistant camera
Sergei Uralov	....	camera operator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
N. Lamarov	....	costume maker
N. Makarov	....	costume maker

Music Department
William David Brohn	....	orchestra director, 1990 revision
Vladimir Lugovskoi	....	lyricist
Yuri Temirkanov	....	conductor (1995 digital re-recording) (as Yu. Temirkanov)

Other crew
Sonya Friedman	....	english subtitler, 1990 revision
K. Kalmykov	....	military consultant
Julian Leigh	....	subtitler (1938 US release)
Elena S. Telesheva	....	actor direction consultant

Production Companies

• Mosfilm

Distributors

• Amkino Corporation (1939) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Panthéon Distribution (1950) (France) (theatrical)
• Artkino Pictures (1952) (USA) (theatrical) (new subtitles) (reissue)
• Janus Films (1970) (USA) (theatrical) (new subtitles) (reissue)
• Image Entertainment (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Moskwood Media (1998) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Home Vision Entertainment (HVE) (2000) (USA) (VHS)
• Criterion Collection, The (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Moskwood Media (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Empresa Hispanoamericana de Video (EHV) (19??) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Sovexportfilm (19??) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Top1Video (19??) (USA) (VHS) (Russian language only)

Other Companies

• Kinostudiya "Mosfilm"  production unit

Also Known As:

Александр Невский (Soviet Union: Russian title)
Aleqsandre Neveli (Soviet Union: Georgian title)
Alexander Nevsky (USA)
Aleksander Newski (Poland) [pl]
Aleksanteri Nevski (Finland) [fi]
Alessandro Nevsky (Italy) [it]
Alexander Nevsky (Argentina) [es]
Alexander Newski (Germany) [de]
Alexandre Nevski (France) [fr]
Alexandros Nevsky (Greece) (reissue title) [el]
O leon tou Neva (Greece) [el]
Storm över Ryssland (Sweden) [sv]

Runtime:

112 min | France:90 min

Country:

Soviet Union

Language:

Russian

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:TV-MA (TV rating) | Portugal:M/6 | Argentina:16 | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Moscow, Russia

Company:

Mosfilm

Trivia:

Despite the anti-Christian approach, Alexander makes a biblical reference when addressing the Russian people near the end of the movie stating that they "... will be Judases all ... " if they betray the victory just won.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The cross displayed on the shields borne by the Teutonic knights is different in shape and colour to the actual one on their coat of arms.

Quotes:

Alexandr Nevsky: [to the dead Domash] I won't let those dogs set one foot on Russian soil!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in King Arthur (2004)

ALEKSANDR NEVSKY (DIDIER BECU)

At school I was taught how some shots were called and there were two directors constantly mentioned : Orson Welles and Sergei M. Eisenstein. I didn't care that much then (I was a kid!) but now I know why, Eisenstein is a genius and it is a shame to see what was possible in 1938 where as almost more than a half century we're stuck with countless blank movies! Some say this movie isn't worth the genius of Eisenstein (then they have to watch it over and over till they can say anything bad) or even worse that it is just some propagandamovie for the Russians. Let's say it as it is, it is indeed pure propaganda for patriotism but isn't "Saving private Ryan" or "The longest day" so? I could sum up so many movies in where America is being raised to the top so why not Russia, and besides every war is fought for itrs patriotism why else would they raise flags? Aleksandr Nevsky is a must for anyone who cares about cinematography as almost every shot is a sublime picture. Perhaps it's all overseen but I am in wonder why this isn't included in IMDB's Top 250 where as there is so many overrated Oscarcrap in it as well.