The Vyborg Side

Plot

The Vyborg Side concludes the epic Maxim trilogy, following the revolutionary journey of a young factory worker turned Soviet leader. After the Russian Revolution, Maxim is appointed as state commissar of the national bank, where he must rapidly learn the complexities of finance while battling saboteurs and counter-revolutionaries within his ranks. His former comrade Dymba has become a violent enemy of the Republic and attempts to rob a wine store, but Maxim helps apprehend him, showcasing his commitment to revolutionary justice. Maxim uncovers and exposes a dangerous conspiracy by tsarist officers plotting to assassinate Lenin, demonstrating his growing political acumen and dedication to protecting the new Soviet state. As external threats mount with German occupation forces, Maxim leaves his administrative post to join the Red Army, embodying the ultimate revolutionary sacrifice. The film powerfully portrays the transformation of a simple worker into a multifaceted revolutionary leader capable of handling both bureaucratic and military challenges.

Historical Background

The Vyborg Side was produced in 1939, a pivotal year in world history and a period of intense political repression in the Soviet Union. The film emerged from the Stalinist cultural apparatus, which demanded that cinema serve as a tool for political education and ideological reinforcement. The Great Purge (1936-1938) had just concluded, leaving the film industry decimated and filmmakers working under constant fear of arrest. The film's release coincided with the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact and the Soviet invasion of Poland, events that would soon transform the geopolitical landscape. The portrayal of Maxim as an ideal revolutionary citizen reflected the Soviet Union's emphasis on creating the 'New Soviet Man' through socialist realism. The film's themes of vigilance against internal and external enemies resonated with the growing paranoia about foreign threats and domestic traitors that characterized Soviet society on the eve of World War II.

Making Of

The making of The Vyborg Side occurred during one of the most turbulent periods in Soviet history, directly affecting the production. Co-director Leonid Trauberg was arrested during the Great Purge in 1938, forcing Kozintsev to complete the film alone while navigating extreme political pressure. The casting of Boris Chirkov as Maxim was initially controversial as studio executives wanted a more traditionally heroic-looking actor, but Kozintsev fought for Chirkov's more Everyman appearance. The banking scenes required extensive research as the directors consulted with actual Soviet banking officials to ensure authenticity. The film's depiction of counter-revolutionary conspiracies had to be carefully crafted to align with current political narratives, leading to multiple script revisions. The Red Army sequences were filmed with actual military personnel and equipment, providing unprecedented realism for Soviet cinema of the era.

Visual Style

The cinematography by Andrei Moskvin represents some of the most sophisticated visual work in Soviet cinema of the 1930s. The banking sequences employ innovative camera movements and lighting to create visual metaphors for the flow of capital and the complexity of financial systems. The film uses deep focus composition to simultaneously show Maxim's reactions and the activities around him, emphasizing his central role in the revolutionary narrative. The contrast between the opulent banking interiors and the stark Red Army scenes creates a powerful visual commentary on the transformation of Soviet society. The film's visual style evolved from the more expressionistic approach of the first two films toward a more realist aesthetic, reflecting the demands of socialist realism while maintaining artistic sophistication. The use of shadows and light in the conspiracy scenes creates film noir-like tension, unusual for Soviet cinema of this period.

Innovations

The Vyborg Side pioneered several technical innovations in Soviet cinema, particularly in its depiction of complex bureaucratic processes. The film developed new techniques for visualizing abstract concepts like banking and finance through creative set design and camera work. The conspiracy sequences used innovative editing patterns to create tension and suggest the interconnected nature of counter-revolutionary networks. The film's sound design was particularly advanced for its time, using audio cues to reinforce the political themes and character development. The production team created new methods for filming large-scale military sequences with limited resources, using clever camera angles and editing to suggest larger forces. The film's special effects, while subtle, were sophisticated for the period, particularly in scenes showing the destruction of counter-revolutionary materials.

Music

The musical score was composed by Dmitri Shostakovich collaborator Gavriil Popov, who created a soundtrack that balanced revolutionary optimism with dramatic tension. The film's main theme, associated with Maxim's character, became instantly recognizable to Soviet audiences and was later used in newsreels and documentaries about the revolutionary period. The score incorporates elements of Russian folk music, revolutionary songs, and modernist orchestration to create a uniquely Soviet musical language. The music during the banking scenes uses rhythmic patterns that mirror the counting of money and the mechanical processes of finance. The Red Army sequences feature martial music that emphasizes the collective nature of the Soviet military effort. The soundtrack was recorded using the latest sound technology available in the Soviet Union, resulting in unusually clear audio for the period.

Memorable Scenes

• The sequence where Maxim learns banking by staying up all night studying ledgers, using matchsticks to count and understand financial flows
• The tense wine store robbery scene where Maxim confronts his former comrade Dymba
• The montage of Maxim exposing the tsarist officers' conspiracy, cutting between their secret meetings and Maxim's investigation
• The final scene where Maxim leaves his office to join the Red Army, symbolizing his complete commitment to revolutionary defense
• The brief but powerful appearance of Lenin addressing the party congress, with Maxim watching from the crowd

What Critics Said

Contemporary Soviet critics praised The Vyborg Side as a masterful conclusion to the Maxim trilogy, with particular acclaim for Boris Chirkov's performance and the film's technical achievements. Pravda called it 'a triumph of socialist realism' and highlighted its educational value for Soviet youth. The film received the Stalin Prize, indicating official approval at the highest levels. Western critics, when they were able to see it, noted the film's technical sophistication while questioning its political messaging. Modern film scholars reevaluate the trilogy as a complex work that navigated the treacherous waters of Stalinist censorship while maintaining artistic integrity. Some contemporary Russian critics view the trilogy as both a masterpiece and a product of its time, acknowledging its artistic merits while recognizing its role in Soviet propaganda. The film is now studied as an example of how great art can emerge even under the most restrictive political conditions.

What Audiences Thought

The Vyborg Side was enormously popular with Soviet audiences upon its release, with Boris Chirkov becoming a household name and Maxim a beloved character across the USSR. Theaters were reportedly filled for weeks, with many viewers attending multiple times to fully appreciate the film's details. The trilogy's success was such that Maxim became a cultural reference point, with parents naming their children after the character. In the post-Stalin era, the trilogy maintained its popularity, though viewers began to read more complex meanings into the films. Contemporary Russian audiences still regard the trilogy fondly, though younger viewers sometimes find the political messaging heavy-handed. International audiences who have discovered the trilogy through film festivals and retrospectives generally appreciate its artistic merits while noting its historical significance as a window into Soviet cinema and society.

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