The Forty First is a film about two star-crossed lovers who meet a tragic end as a consequence of the time period in which they belong. Set in the years during the Russian Civil War, the film follows Maryutka a red army soldier whose group captures Vadim, a cadet for the white army whom she eventually develops feelings for after connecting with him on a deeper level. The opening credit scenes with its roaring waters and its gloomy music catches the attention of the viewer immediately with its foreshadowing of the tempestuous times to come. The film is more adapted to what films are today so it is easy to become engrossed in it. There are very notable differences in the style of directing within this movie as opposed to the films that were produced during the Stalinist time period. For example, the characters all seem much more individualistic and express their opinions more openly. Of course considering the nature of the film, it being for propaganda purposes, there are still pro revolutionary ideals presented through the unwavering determination that Yevsyukov has to continue for the sake of the revolutionary cause and of course the ending scene in which Maryutka gives the ultimate proof of where her loyalties lie. There is a good use of the space around the characters which turns out to be a great cinematic tool. There are shots of both the arid dessert and the tempestuous sea. It manages to capture both its beauty, as Maryutka noted when comparing it the sea to Vadim's eyes, and its power of destruction when it killed two men and stranded them on the island. The whole storm scene was strategically captured through different angles and distances, further exemplifying the success of this story as a film. Despite the ending which was both astonishing and expected, this film was enjoyable to watch. With all of its elements it ends up being a haunting tale.
Review of The Forty-First
