The Great Citizen () is a 1938 Soviet biopic film directed by Fridrikh Ermler.
A fictionalized biography of Sergei Kirov (the character's name is Shakhov), the film was intended as ideological support for the Great Purges; it depicts life in USSR during the 1920s and 1930s.
Plot The film follows the life of Pyotr Shakhov (played by Nikolai Bogolyubov), a prominent CPSU(b) leader, across two pivotal time periods: 1925 and 1934 (depicted in the first and second parts, respectively). The story focuses on Shakhov's relentless struggle against members of the Trotskyist-Zinovievite bloc and their leader, Kartashov (Ivan Bersenyev). The narrative is filled with intense dialogues and sharp debates between the ideological adversaries.
Shakhov identifies the director of the "Krasny Metallist" factory, Avdeev, as an opponent of innovation and socialist competition. He replaces Avdeev with a young, committed Bolshevik, Nadya Kolesnikova (Zoya Fyodorova). His instincts prove correct when Avdeev is exposed as a saboteur.
The film reaches its climax with Shakhov's fiery speeches at a factory rally and a conference of labor leaders. His words inspire workers and gain the support of Comrade Maksim, a Central Committee representative (Boris Chirkov). However, Shakhov's enemies within the party are not idle. In the final scene, Shakhov is assassinated by a gunman hiding behind a door in the cultural center he was visiting.
At Shakhov's graveside, Soviet citizens vow to carry on his work and ensure that no enemy will escape justice.
Production Stalin made direct interventions in Mikhail Bleiman and Manuel Bolshintsov's screenplay. During the making of The Great Citizen four people associated with it were arrested. In the press Ermler and his screenwriters were obliged to condemn the "wrecker" leadership of Lenfilm, most importantly Piotrovski.
Cast Nikolay Bogolyubov - Shakhov - the great citizen Ivan Bersenev - Kartashov - the conspirator Oleg Zhakov - Borovsky - the accomplice Zoya Fyodorova - Nadya Boris Poslavsky - Sizov Aleksandr Zrazhevsky - Dubok Boris Chirkov - Maksim, the investigator Pyotr Kirillov - Briantsev - the assassin Yefim Altus - Katz - Shakhov's helper Yelena Yegorova Yevgeni Pankov Yevgeni Nemchenko - Dronov Georgi Semyonov - Kolesnikov V. Kiselyov - Gladkikh A. Polibin - Solovyev Sergei Kurilov N. Raiskaya-Dore - Shakhov's mother Natalya Rashevskaya - Olga K. Ryabinkin - Kryuchkov
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