Lenin in 1918 (Russian: Ленин в 1918 году, Lenin v 1918 godu) is a Soviet biographical drama film released in 1939. It gives the background of the Russian Civil War after the October Revolution.[1]

Lenin in 1918
Film poster
Directed byMikhail Romm
Written byTaisiya Zlatogorova
Aleksei Kapler
StarringBoris Shchukin
Mikheil Gelovani
Nikolay Bogolyubov
Nikolay Cherkasov
Nikolay Okhlopkov
CinematographyBoris Volchek
Music byNikolai Kryukov
Production
company
Release date
  • 1939 (1939)
Running time
130 minutes
105 minutes (cut version)
CountrySoviet Union
LanguageRussian
Lenin in 1918 (full film)

The film was directed by Mikhail Romm with E. Aron and I. Simkov as co-directors. The script was written by Aleksei Kapler together with Taisiya Zlatogorova.

Cast

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Production

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The shooting started on 10 August 1938 and lasted for eighty-seven days. Shchukin never saw Lenin in real life, but he did intense research, immersing himself in everything related to him. During the production of Lenin in 1918, Boris Shchukin constantly suffered from ill health. Exactly six months after his appearance in the film and while a sequel was being developed Shchukin died.[1]

International audience

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During China's Cultural Revolution, Lenin in 1918 (along with Lenin in October) were the only Soviet feature films repeatedly screened to the public.[2]: 196 

References

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  1. ^ a b Jay Leyda (1960). Kino: A History of the Russian and Soviet Film. George Allen & Unwin. pp. 352–353.
  2. ^ Li, Jie (2023). Cinematic Guerillas: Propaganda, Projectionists, and Audiences in Socialist China. Columbia University Press. ISBN 9780231206273.
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