Girl No. 217
About Girl No. 217
In 1944 Tatyana Krylova watches a parade of German prisoners and tells what happened to her in 1942. She, given the number 217, and her friend Klava are taken to Germany as Ostarbeiters. Klava is sent to a factory. Tatyana becomes a maid for the Krauss family, who own a grocery, while the mathematician Sergey works as their stablehand. Rudolf Peschke abuses Sergey. Max Krauss, home from the Eastern Front, and his friend Kurt kill Sergey. During a Soviet air raid Tatyana kills Max and Kurt in their sleep and runs with Klava. Klava dies of her injuries. Tatyana reaches a train of injured workers going back to the Soviet Union. In 1944 she picks the limping Rudolf out of the prisoners.
Cast & crew
More about Girl No. 217
Mikhail Romm directed and wrote the script with Yevgeny Gabrilovich. Boris Volchek and Era Savelyeva photographed it. Aram Khachaturian wrote the music. The Russian title is Chelovek No. 217.
Themes
Background
The story follows Soviet civilians sent to Germany as Ostarbeiters in 1942.
Making
Romm framed the 1942 household story with a 1944 parade of prisoners, so Tatyana’s identification of Rudolf closes the picture.
Look
Boris Volchek and Era Savelyeva shot the Krauss house and the prisoner parade that opens and closes the film.
Music
Aram Khachaturian wrote the score.
Preservation
A copy is on Wikimedia Commons as 1944 Человек №217.webm.
Notes
- Yelena Kuzmina plays Tatyana. Anastasiya Lissianskaya plays Klava. Vladimir Balashov plays Max Krauss. Heinrich Greif plays Kurt. Peter Suthanov plays Rudolf Peschke. Vasili Zajchikov plays the scientist.
- The film was entered in the 1946 Cannes Film Festival.
- The Commons file is titled 1944 Человек №217.webm.
Scenes
- Tatyana watches German prisoners in 1944 and starts the story.
- Max and Kurt kill Sergey after accusing him of defaming Germany.
- During an air raid she kills Max and Kurt in their sleep.
- She points out the limping Rudolf in the prisoner line.
Also available
- Wikimedia Commons (1944 Человек №217.webm)
