The Return of Nathan Becker
About The Return of Nathan Becker
Nathan Becker, a Jewish bricklayer played by David Gutman, comes back to the Soviet Union after 28 years in America. His wife Majke and his Black friend Jim come with him. His father Tsele, played by Solomon Mikhoels, is already for the Soviet side. At Magnitogorsk, during the Five-Year Plan, Becker challenges the Soviet bricklayer Mikulich, played by Boris Babochkin, and sneers at the Soviet method. Becker loses the contest. He is asked to stay and to pass on what he knows.
Cast & crew
More about The Return of Nathan Becker
Rachel Milman and Boris Shpis directed. The film is in Russian and Yiddish. Wikidata also lists Peretz Markish as writer and names the director Rashel Milman-Krimmer. Belgoskino, later Belarusfilm, produced it in 1932. Yevgeny Brusilovsky wrote the music. The Russian title is Возвращение Нейтана Беккера.
Themes
Background
The first Five-Year Plan was still the official subject in 1932. The film brings a Jewish worker home from the American Depression and has him lose a contest to a Soviet crew.
Making
Milman and Shpis made the picture at Belgoskino with a Yiddish-speaking lead cast, including Mikhoels, and set the brick contest on the Magnitogorsk job.
Music
Yevgeny Brusilovsky composed the score.
Notes
- Yelena Kashnitskaya plays Majke. Kador Ben-Salim plays Jim. Anna Zarzhitskaya plays Nata.
- Mikhoels, the director of the Moscow State Yiddish Theater, plays the father.
- The contest is a count of bricks, and the Soviet method is what wins.
- Becker keeps a job after the loss. He is not sent back.
- Magnitogorsk, then being built, is the site of the contest.
- The dialogue is in Russian and Yiddish.
Scenes
- Becker, Majke, and Jim arrive, and Tsele meets them.
- Becker challenges Mikulich on the Magnitogorsk site and loses.
- He is asked to stay and teach what he knows.