| Admiral Nakhimov | |
| Director: | Vsevolod Pudovkin |
| Starring: | Aleksei Dikiy Ruben Simonov |
| Music: | Nikolai Kryukov |
| Studio: | Mosfilm |
| Runtime: | 93 minutes (2,541 meters) |
| Country: | Soviet Union |
| Language: | Russian |
Admiral Nakhimov (ru|Адмирал Нахимов) is a 1947 Soviet biopic film directed by Vsevolod Pudovkin, based on the life of Russian Admiral Pavel Nakhimov (1802-1855). In 1946 Pudovkin, Golovnya, Lukovsky, Kryukov, Dikiy, Simonov, and Knyazev received the Stalin Prize.[1]
The movie had to be remade after the Communist Party of the Soviet Union viewed it as having historical inaccuracies and too many "parties and dancing." Therefore, they recruited Vsevolod Pudovkin to recreate the film, where he removed the love story, "toned down" the dance scenes, and made other changes.[2]
The film tells the story of Admiral P. S. Nakhimov (1802–1855), a talented Russian naval commander known for his progressive views on naval warfare. In 1853, as war with Turkey looms, Nakhimov, a bearer of the proud combat traditions of the Russian navy, proposes a direct strike by the Russian fleet on the Bosporus to protect the Black Sea coast from Turkish invasion. However, the narrow-minded and arrogant courtier Menchikov rejects Nakhimov's plan. Turkey declares war on Russia.
With a small fleet, Nakhimov charges into Sinop Bay, boldly forcing a battle against the much larger Turkish fleet. He defeats it, capturing a group of Turkish admirals, including Osman Pasha. The brilliant Russian victory in the Battle of Sinop enrages Russia's enemies. A powerful anti-Russian coalition forms, led by British conservatives and French Emperor Napoleon III. The combined Anglo-French-Turkish fleet, including many steam-powered ships, approaches the Crimean shores and blocks Sevastopol.
In a heroic act of ultimate sacrifice, Russian sailors flood their own sailing fleet, blocking enemy ships from entering Sevastopol Bay. The heroic defense of Sevastopol begins, with Admiral Nakhimov at its heart. He appears at the most dangerous spots of the battle, and his quiet, confident voice inspires courage and resilience in the defenders. During the repulsion of an enemy attack, Nakhimov is killed at Malakhov Kurgan. Over his body, the defenders of Sevastopol swear allegiance and devotion to their homeland.
Stalin said this about the film: "Pudovkin, for instance, undertook the production of a film on Nakhimov without studying the details of the matter, and distorted historical truth. The result was a film not about Nakhimov but about balls and dances with episodes from the life of Nakhimov".[3] [4]