Silent Film Sources - Reviews

The story takes place in the Mongolian frontier in 1918. While Genghis Khan led his people to conquest centuries before, his descendants are now Mongol herdsmen, with their land occupied by British forces. The British are not named, though that is clear from their uniforms, and Pudovkin generally avoids the temptation to caricature them. The cigar-smoking British merchants ("those who buy cheap and sell dear") exploit the locals, buying their furs at a fraction of their value. When a native asks for the real value of his furs, he disappears in the resulting melee and flees to the hills to join the Soviet partisans. 

While this video release is labeled as an example of Soviet avant garde cinema, the focus is on the narrative, not a directorial showcase. So the avant garde element is not the whole way through, but arises in significant sections. In that sense, Pudovkin is much like Oliver Stone, in that he is so confident at his craft that he can effortlessly shift styles to make a point. The narrative is as tightly plotted as any novel, and the various threads of the story come together. 

While it has its share of shots of beautiful desolate, landscapes, the story is paramount. In one extended sequence, the British general visits the local Buddha, to try and patch up local relations. The sequence records the religious ceremonies in detail, but the filmmaker also uses this as an opportunity to show the disinterest of the occupiers in those they ruled. While this lifestyle is unfamiliar to modern audiences, it would have been equally unfamiliar to Pudovkin and contemporary Soviet audiences. This sequence, completely excised from previously available prints, also serves the story, 

The recalcitrant Mongol is captured by the troops. There is a gripping entirely visual sequence of the British soldier ordered to execute the Mongol and his regret at fulfilling his duty. The film is filled with irony throughout, and the tribesman is subsequently presented as the heir to Genghis Khan, to be used by the British as a puppet. When he witnesses what the British really think of him, Pudovkin shifts into a fantasy ending similar to Ambrose Bierce's "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge," giving the partisan the chance to become like Genghis Khan, driving the occupiers from his country. 

The image from the 35mm master material evidences slight wear throughout. This Kino on Video release  is sharp, correctly exposed and at the right speed. The print has Russian main titles, while the titles in the rest of the film are in English. The score by Timothy Brock is one of his best. Composed in an Oriental style, it keeps the film going, while adding greatly to its enjoyment. Despite the 128 minute running time, the score is never repetitious or boring. (Review © 1998 David Pierce)