Children of the Age

Plot

Children of the Age follows Maria, the wife of a bank employee living a comfortable middle-class life in pre-revolutionary Russia. Though they have an infant son, Maria delegates his care to their maid while she indulges in shopping and social activities. During one of her shopping excursions, Maria encounters her old friend Lidia, who introduces her to the decadent social circles of the idle rich. Maria's striking beauty soon attracts the unwanted attention of Lebedev, a wealthy older libertine who begins a campaign of persistent sexual harassment. Despite her initial resistance to his advances and her attempts to remain faithful to her husband, Maria gradually succumbs to the corrupting influences of this bourgeois world, ultimately falling into Lebedev's predatory grasp and losing her innocence and moral standing in society.

Historical Background

Children of the Age was produced in 1915, during the second year of World War I and just two years before the Russian Revolution. This was a period of immense social upheaval in Russia, with growing tensions between the aristocracy, the emerging bourgeoisie, and the working class. The film's critique of bourgeois decadence and moral corruption reflected the cultural anxieties of a society in crisis. Russian cinema was experiencing a creative renaissance at this time, with directors like Bauer pushing artistic boundaries and creating psychologically complex narratives. The war had created both challenges and opportunities for the film industry - while resources were scarce, there was also increased demand for entertainment as an escape from the grim realities of the conflict. The film's themes of moral decline and social corruption would prove prophetic, as the old Russian society it depicted would soon be swept away by revolutionary forces.

Making Of

Children of the Age was created during the golden age of Russian cinema, just before the Bolshevik Revolution would dramatically transform the country's film industry. Director Yevgeni Bauer, who had previously worked as a set designer and architect, brought a distinctive visual sophistication to his films, using elaborate sets and innovative camera techniques. The casting of Vera Kholodnaya proved to be a masterstroke, as her ethereal beauty and emotional intensity perfectly embodied the film's themes of innocence corrupted. The production faced the challenges of wartime Russia, including shortages of film stock and the mobilization of many industry workers. Despite these difficulties, Bauer maintained his high artistic standards, creating what was considered one of the most psychologically sophisticated films of its era. The film's exploration of sexual predation and moral compromise was daring for 1915, reflecting the social anxieties of a society on the brink of revolution.

Visual Style

Yevgeni Bauer brought his distinctive visual style to Children of the Age, employing sophisticated camera techniques that were advanced for 1915. The film featured elaborate, detailed sets that reflected the opulent world of the Russian bourgeoisie while also serving as psychological extensions of the characters. Bauer made innovative use of lighting to create mood and emphasize emotional states, particularly in scenes of Maria's moral conflict. The cinematography included complex camera movements and compositions that enhanced the psychological drama, with careful attention to visual symbolism. The film's visual style contrasted the comfortable, orderly world of Maria's initial life with the decadent, corrupting environment she enters, using set design and lighting to reinforce these thematic oppositions. Bauer's background in architecture was evident in the film's strong visual composition and the way he used space to reflect character relationships and emotional states.

Innovations

Children of the Age demonstrated several technical innovations that were advanced for Russian cinema in 1915. Director Yevgeni Bauer employed sophisticated camera movements and angles that went beyond the static compositions typical of the era. The film's use of lighting was particularly notable, with Bauer creating dramatic shadows and highlights to enhance the psychological impact of scenes. The production design showed exceptional attention to detail, with elaborate sets that accurately represented pre-revolutionary Russian bourgeois interiors. Bauer's use of focus and depth of field was innovative for the period, helping to create visual emphasis and psychological tension. The film's editing techniques, while following the continuity style of the era, showed sophistication in pacing and rhythm, particularly in building dramatic tension during the harassment sequences. These technical achievements helped establish Bauer as one of the most innovative directors of early Russian cinema.

Music

As a silent film, Children of the Age would have been accompanied by live musical performance during its original theatrical run. The typical Russian cinema of 1915 used either a piano or small ensemble to provide musical accompaniment, with selections often drawn from popular classical pieces or specially composed mood music. The specific musical selections used for this film are not documented, but given its dramatic nature, the accompaniment would likely have included romantic and dramatic pieces to enhance the emotional impact of key scenes. The film's themes of moral conflict and romantic entanglement would have been underscored by appropriate musical choices ranging from light, playful pieces for the shopping scenes to more dramatic, tension-building music for the harassment sequences. Modern screenings of surviving fragments typically use contemporary classical music or newly composed scores that attempt to capture the film's emotional tone and historical period.

What Critics Said

Contemporary Russian critics praised Children of the Age for its psychological depth and artistic sophistication, particularly noting Vera Kholodnaya's powerful performance and Yevgeni Bauer's directorial skill. The film was recognized as pushing the boundaries of what cinema could achieve in terms of emotional complexity and social commentary. Modern film historians and critics consider the film an important example of pre-revolutionary Russian cinema's artistic achievements, though its incomplete preservation status makes full assessment difficult. Critics have noted the film's surprisingly modern treatment of themes like sexual harassment and moral compromise, as well as Bauer's innovative use of visual storytelling techniques. The film is often cited in discussions of early Russian cinema's golden age and is considered significant for its role in establishing both Kholodnaya's stardom and Bauer's reputation as one of the era's most important directors.

What Audiences Thought

Children of the Age was popular with Russian audiences in 1915, particularly attracting middle-class viewers who could relate to its depiction of contemporary social life. Vera Kholodnaya's performance created a sensation, and she quickly became the most beloved actress in Russian cinema. The film's themes of moral temptation and social ambition resonated with audiences experiencing the rapid social changes of wartime Russia. While some conservative viewers may have been shocked by the film's frank treatment of sexual harassment, many appreciated its psychological realism and dramatic intensity. The film's success helped establish the commercial viability of sophisticated, adult-oriented drama in Russian cinema, proving that audiences would respond to complex narratives dealing with serious social issues. The popularity of Kholodnaya and Bauer's collaborations helped create a new, more demanding audience for Russian cinema that expected artistic quality as well as entertainment value.

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