Admiral Nakhimov

I am first time watched "Admiral Nakhimov" on Russian TV when I was six or seven years old. At these days I was a big fan of epic naval adventures, and that movie easily became one of my favorites. Today, twenty years later, I watched my childhood favorite again. And you know what? It impress me again! I know that many people can say, that there is a lot of historical mistakes in that film. That is true. But also that movie is a great mix of battle epic and drama. There is an outstanding naval battles and truly breathtaking moments, like sinking of ships of the Russian Black Sea fleet in Sevastopol harbor, by his own sailors.

Despite its lack of historical accuracy this is still a commendable film by Pudovkin. The naval battles are brilliantly handled and the acting of Alexei Dikij in the title role is masterful. The trials and tribulations endured by Dikij under Stalin are well documented of course and took their toll. It is indeed supremely ironic that he portrayed him on several occasions, most notably in Petrov's 'Battle of Stalingrad'.

This is not 'major' Pudovkin but there is much to recommend and it is nice to see the great man himself in the role of Prince Menshikov.

It comes as no surprise to learn that both this and his previous portrait of another Russian hero 'Suvorov' were awarded the Stalin Prize. The earlier film from 1941 is more overtly propogandist but is I feel, the better of the two.