Miles of Fire
Miles of Fire, The Burning Miles or The Fiery Miles (Russian: Огненные вёрсты, translit. Ognennye versty) is an early Red Western filmed by Samson Samsonov in 1957. Often considered the earliest of the 'Red Westerns' (or 'Osterns'), it was made before the term was coined. The film is a Russian civil war drama, focusing on the conflict between the Reds and the Whites.
| Miles of Fire | |
|---|---|
Miles of Fire | |
| Directed by | Samson Samsonov |
| Written by | Nikolai Figurovsky |
| Produced by | Semyon Maryakhin |
| Starring | Igor Savkin Margarita Volodina Vladimir Kenigson |
| Cinematography | Fyodor Dobronravov |
| Edited by | Zoya Veryovkina |
| Music by | Nikolai Kryukov |
| Distributed by | Mosfilm |
Release date | November 1, 1957 |
Running time | 85 mins |
| Country | Soviet Union |
| Language | Russian |
One-time Mosfilm actor Samsonov had a versatile directorial career prior to The Burning Miles, fresh from an adaptation of Chekhov's The Grasshopper that won two prizes at the Venice Film Festival.[1] He was later awarded the title of 'People's Artist of the USSR'.
Plot summary Edit
The White Guard Army led by General Anton Denikin are laying siege to a southern city in order to prevent a rebellion. They are also blocking the railway, but Chekist Zavragin is in a hurry to travel south. In a flash of inspiration, he decides to use tachankas or machine gun carts to reach his destination, and attracts an unusual group of equally desperate fellow travellers.
The Burning Miles is influenced by railroad Western films like John Ford's classic Stagecoach, because of the diverse set of characters thrown together in desperate circumstances. Zavragin's companions on his journey include the doctor Shelako, the nurse Katya and a mysterious white guard officer Beklemishev, disguised as a veterinary surgeon. This formula gives the film an extra psychological dimension as the characters' progress towards their destination echoes the resolution of their problems and transitions in relationships.
Main cast Edit
- Igor Savkin (Grigory Fyodorovich Zavragin)
- Margarita Volodina (Katerina Gavrilovna)
- Mikhail Troyanovsky (Dr. Shelako)
- Vladimir Kenigson (Sergei Beklemishev)
References Edit
- ^ "Огненные вёрсты". Первый канал. Archived from the original on 2013-01-16. Retrieved 2012-07-05.