Nikolai Olyalin Movies

This five-part war epic, a kind of Soviet response to The Longest Day, was seen by millions of people in the former U.S.S.R. and the Eastern Bloc. Later it was shown every 9th of May on Soviet TV as part of the official celebrations for (World War II) Victory Day. The epic covers all major victories of the Soviet Army in WWII, including the Stalingrad Battle and the Battle of Berlin, the assault on the Reichstag, and erecting the Red Banner over its ruins. This film has huge battle scenes, with thousands of extras, and was extremely expensive to shoot. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

This is the final episode of a five-part epic which was shown every 9th of May in the USSR, as part of the official celebrations for (World War II) Victory Day. It is a kind of response to The Longest Day. This film received the Grand Prize from the All Union Film Festival in 1972. It concerns the last days of Nazi Germany in Berlin, the assault on the Reichstag and erecting the Red Banner over its ruins. It shows the last days of the bunkered leaders of the Third Reich. This film has huge battle scenes with thousands of extras, and was extremely expensive to shoot. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

The English title is a translation of the Russian word "Beg," which means run, flight or escape. This lavish USSR epic film examines the lives of a number of White Russians. "White" Russians, in contrast to "Red" Russians, were active opponents of the Bolshevik Revolution and included among their number many notable intellectuals and aristocrats. Indeed, from 1917 until well into the 1920's there was an active counterrevolution in parts of what became the USSR. After the film's White Russians fled the revolution, it details the humiliations they endured in Paris and Turkey, and the experience of those who returned to Soviet Russia. This film is notable in that it tells the story of their difficulties in a remarkably sympathetic fashion. Directors Alov and Naumov were given wide latitude by Soviet authorities, and made other notable (and internationally acclaimed) epic films such as The Legend of Til Eulenspiegel, and Teheran '43. Among the highlights of this film are performances by Mikhail Ulyanov as General Tchernota and Vladislav Dvorzhelsky as Khludov. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

Alexandr Sery's comedy Gentlemen of Fortune concerns a kindergarten teacher who bears a striking resemblance to a master thief. When the bad guy swipes a helmet that belonged to Alexander the Great, the teacher uses his brains and his looks to attempt to retrieve the item. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide