Bronenosets Potemkin (1925)

Second viewing; first viewed at some point in time between 1983 and 1986

English title: Battleship Potemkin

Fictionalized dramatization of the incidents surrounding the mutiny in the titular ship in 1905, followed by riots in Odessa, all of which were part of the first Russian revolution.

Revolutions are a serious matter, and everyone should worry about them, whether they happen in Moscow or Baltimore. They may be fair or unfair, but that is not necessarily what determines their success; furthermore, their success is never a guarantee of the ensuing regime's success. A mutiny in a ship is also a serious matter, and in this particular case it was not only an important element in the dynamics of the larger revolution, but a metaphor of sorts for it. Social upset makes for very moving drama, mainly, I think, because every break in conformism is instinctively seen as psychologically healthy. Unfortunately, there is also ample room for psychological manipulation, both in real life and in art, and, perhaps, there would be no revolution without some amount of that sort of manipulation. This film was very popular both among good people (e.g., Chaplin) and not so good ones (e.g., Goebbels). I assume the former were moved by the non-conformist side and the latter by the manipulative side. As such, this work of art will stand forever significant yet ambiguous, like a two-headed monster.

Rating: 66 (unchanged)