Real officer I didn't want to watch this movie for a long time. The reasons for the refusal were quite understandable, I do not like those films that have too wide advertising on TV, since such films usually turn out to be something of little value from an artistic point of view, although quite decent from the point of view of the notorious special effects. But, despite serious suspicions, I agreed to watch this film, wanting to know what the myth about the white movement is being offered to the general public.
I can't say I'm very disappointed. Just because I got a very good overview of the last years of the famous Russian officer and polar explorer Alexander Vasilyevich Kolchak. Moreover, the plot was sucked not from a finger, but from the real correspondence of the admiral with his beloved Anna Timireva. And the love story of the great is always interesting, if not in content, then at least in approach. After all, you can go the way of the “Diary of his wife”, very frankly described the mores of Bunin’s house during the war, or you can do something much more chaste.
This is clearly the second case.
Their first kiss was the result of a game of phantoms, their last kiss was on the prison court for walks. Between these two kisses is the Russian history of the revolution. One can argue for a long time how much blood Kolchak has on his hands and be outraged that this part of the life of the supreme ruler of Russia was not reflected in the film, but after all, the film is not about this and the film crew chose to dwell on the love aspect of this story. I had the right and it was not bad.
Konstantin Khabensky was able to put on himself the mask of an aristocrat in spirit, who quite clearly goes to his own Calvary, to his death, which could easily have been avoided by staying in America. This is probably the first positive image of a Russian officer. His constant attempts to leave the life of Anna Vasilyevna are explained only by an innate sense of duty to his family and to his homeland. And he allowed himself this love only at the moment when everything was in fact already foregone.
Elizaveta Boyarskaya, in my opinion, played her best role, playing a woman who cannot openly express her feelings, who allowed herself to leave the family only when it demanded her feelings for Russia, not just her personal feelings. This coldness is generally characteristic of women of that era, because she does not play ardent love in public. Later, the prototype of Boyarskaya’s heroine will pass through 40 years of prisons and camps because of her love, but will not break and retain her aristocracy. Probably, it is the play of the eyes at the beginning and end of the film that show the true acting talent of Elizabeth Mikhailovna.
Among other roles, I would like to mention Nikolai Burlyaev as the last Russian emperor. A very accurate choice of directors, given that the actor has completely gone into religion in recent years.
And finally, special effects, a traditional dish of the First channel. I liked them not because of their authenticity, but because they seem to be taken out of some computer game, and it is on them that the modern viewer assesses the sea battle. Thank goodness you have nothing to compare to.
In general, the film was a success and maybe we have a new myth, a myth about a real Russian officer. It is a pity that in the Russian history other candidates for this role besides Kolchak will not soon be found. Maybe we’re going to learn more about his life?
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