Member of the Government

Plot

Set in the Soviet countryside during the tumultuous period of collectivization in the 1930s, 'Member of the Government' follows the transformative journey of Alexandra Sokolova, a determined peasant woman who embraces the collective farming movement. After joining her local kolkhoz, Alexandra's dedication and organizational skills catch the attention of the Communist Party, leading to her appointment as chairman of the collective farm. As she assumes this leadership role, Alexandra must navigate numerous challenges including resistance from skeptical villagers who distrust the collectivization process, sabotage from kulaks (wealthy peasants opposed to collectivization), and personal conflicts within her own family who question her new position. The film portrays her unwavering commitment to socialist ideals as she implements modern agricultural techniques, resolves disputes among collective members, and demonstrates the superiority of collective farming over individual peasant agriculture. Through Alexandra's struggles and triumphs, the film illustrates the Soviet narrative of progress, showing how collectivization ultimately leads to prosperity and unity in the countryside, despite the initial hardships and resistance faced by the pioneers of this agricultural revolution.

Historical Background

The film was produced in 1939, a pivotal year in Soviet history that marked the end of the first decade of Stalin's rule and the completion of the first two Five-Year Plans. This period saw the forced collectivization of agriculture, which had resulted in tremendous social upheaval, famine, and the displacement of millions of peasants. The film's release came just two years before the Soviet Union entered World War II, during a time when the state was intensifying its propaganda efforts to present a unified front against external threats. The 1930s had witnessed the Great Purge, which had decimated the ranks of the Communist Party, military leadership, and cultural elite. By 1939, the purges were winding down, and the state was seeking to normalize life and reinforce loyalty to the socialist system. The film's portrayal of collectivization as a successful and beneficial process directly contradicted the reality of widespread resistance and suffering, reflecting the Soviet government's attempt to rewrite history and present an idealized version of recent events.

Making Of

The production of 'Member of the Government' took place during a particularly fraught period in Soviet history, with the film industry under intense pressure to produce works that aligned with Stalin's vision of socialist realism. Director Iosif Kheifits, though relatively young at the time, had already established himself as a talented filmmaker capable of handling complex social themes. The casting of Vera Maretskaya as Alexandra was a deliberate choice, as she embodied the ideal Soviet woman - strong, dedicated, and committed to communist ideals. The filming process involved extensive location work in actual collective farms, where the cast and crew lived alongside peasants to better understand their lives. The production faced numerous challenges, including the need to secure approval from multiple state committees and ensuring that every scene met the strict ideological requirements of the time. Interestingly, the film's depiction of collectivization was notably more positive than the reality faced by many peasants during this period, reflecting the state's control over historical narrative in cinema.

Visual Style

The cinematography, handled by Veniamin Guldman, employed the visual language of socialist realism with its emphasis on bright, optimistic lighting and heroic compositions. The film utilized wide shots to showcase the vastness of the collective farms and the scale of agricultural transformation, while close-ups emphasized the determination and idealism of the characters. The visual style contrasted the supposed backwardness of pre-collectivization farming with the modernity of mechanized agriculture, using progressive camera movements to suggest forward momentum and historical progress. The lighting technique followed the Soviet convention of bathing positive characters in warm, bright light while casting shadows on those representing old ways or opposition to progress. The film's composition often placed Alexandra in elevated positions or at the center of group shots, visually reinforcing her leadership role and importance to the collective.

Innovations

For its time, the film demonstrated considerable technical sophistication in its use of mobile cameras to capture agricultural machinery in motion, creating dynamic sequences that celebrated Soviet industrial progress. The production team developed new techniques for filming large crowd scenes involving hundreds of extras, choreographing complex movements that suggested unity and collective purpose. The film's sound recording was particularly advanced for Soviet cinema of the period, achieving clear dialogue recording even in outdoor scenes with wind and machinery noise. The makeup and costume departments created convincing transformations showing the progression from 'backward' individual peasants to 'enlightened' collective farm workers. Special effects were used to create time-lapse sequences showing crop growth and seasonal changes, reinforcing the narrative of agricultural transformation under socialism.

Music

The musical score was composed by Venedikt Pushkov, who created music that embodied the optimistic, forward-looking spirit of socialist realism. The soundtrack featured sweeping orchestral arrangements that swelled during moments of triumph and achievement, using leitmotifs to represent different characters and ideological concepts. Traditional Russian folk melodies were incorporated and transformed to suggest the continuity between the people's cultural heritage and their socialist future. The film included several songs that became popular in their own right, particularly the collective farm work song that Alexandra leads during a key scene. The sound design emphasized the mechanical sounds of tractors and harvesters as symbols of progress, contrasting them with the supposed silence and stagnation of individual farming. The musical score was later released on records and played on Soviet radio, contributing to the film's cultural impact beyond the cinema.

Memorable Scenes

• The scene where Alexandra addresses her first meeting as chairman, overcoming the skepticism of male collective farm members through her knowledge and determination
• The montage sequence showing the transformation of the collective farm through mechanization and modern techniques
• The confrontation scene between Alexandra and her family members who oppose her new role
• The harvest celebration scene where the collective farm achieves record production, validating Alexandra's leadership
• The final scene where Alexandra is elected as a delegate to a regional Soviet congress, symbolizing her rise from peasant to government member

What Critics Said

Contemporary Soviet critics praised 'Member of the Government' as a masterful example of socialist realist cinema, with particular acclaim for Vera Maretskaya's performance and Iosif Kheifits' direction. Official reviews in publications like Pravda and Iskusstvo Kino highlighted the film's ideological clarity and emotional power, noting how it successfully demonstrated the superiority of collective farming over individual agriculture. Western critics, when the film was occasionally shown abroad, typically viewed it as propaganda but acknowledged its technical merits and Maretskaya's compelling performance. Modern film historians reassess the work as a significant cultural artifact of the Stalin era, noting its historical value despite its propagandistic nature. The film is now studied as an example of how cinema was used to construct and reinforce official historical narratives in the Soviet Union. Contemporary Russian critics often view the film with mixed feelings - appreciating its artistic qualities while acknowledging its role in distorting historical truth about collectivization.

What Audiences Thought

The film was enthusiastically received by Soviet audiences upon its release in 1939, with many viewers relating to Alexandra's struggles and triumphs. In rural areas, collective farm workers reportedly found inspiration in the film's portrayal of successful collectivization, though some older peasants privately noted the discrepancies between the film's optimistic vision and their actual experiences. The character of Alexandra became particularly popular among women, who saw in her an aspirational figure of female empowerment under socialism. During World War II, the film was frequently shown to soldiers and workers as morale-boosting propaganda, reminding audiences of what they were fighting to protect. In the post-war years, the film continued to be shown regularly on television and in cinemas, becoming part of the cultural canon that generations of Soviet citizens grew up with. Modern audiences viewing the film often express fascination with its window into Soviet life, though many note the stark contrast between its idealized vision and historical reality.

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