Alexander Nevsky (1938)

Bad is bad and good is good. The USSR = good, the Germans = less so. The Russians are true to their mother homeland and fight for it to the last drop of blood. Alexander Nevsky is a 13th century war hero who of course has his heart in the right place and a grand mane of hair to boot. Nevsky goes from humble fisherman to empire leader. A worker's hero. The Germans are evil, sneaky and drag priests and ugly iron armors along with them. The russians are simple and honorable people defending their homes. It is superfluous to say that this is a nationalistic film rooted in its (not so nice) times. Most scenes feel like their only aim is the rouse those belligerent feelings in the breasts of the true Soviet folks. Eisenstein mixes quiet scenes with grandiose battle scenes. There are rustic love scenes with healthy young lads and girls and then we go off to the war fronts. Alexander Nevsky was Eisenstein's first sound film. And the music - well. Grandiose feels like an understatement. - - One thing I noted about the film was the role it assigned to the female war combatant - she has a big part in the film and is portrayed as equally brave and honorable as the men.