January 16, 2014

The One and Only Chapayev


The One and Only Chapayev

Boris Babochkin, star of the iconic 1934 film “Chapaev,” would have been 110 years old this Saturday, January 18.

You know how some actors are remembered for that one amazing role, no matter what else they do? Soviet actor Boris Babochkin, who would have celebrated his “eleventieth” birthday this Saturday, once made the “mistake” of starring as Chapayev in Chapayev in 1934, and for the remaining 40 years of his life he never surpassed that role.

Based on real personalities of the Russian Civil War, the film follows a local Red Army commander, Vasily Ivanovich Chapayev. With the help of political commissar Furmanov (whose real-life counterpart’s memoirs formed the basis of the plot), Chapayev organizes his troops and clashes with the White Army. And since – spoiler alert! – the Bolsheviks did, in fact, win the Civil War, there’s no doubt that the Reds in the movie will be victorious, no matter what dangerous and suspenseful situations [video] they find themselves in.

"Where should the commander be? In front, on his dashing steed!"

Babochkin’s Chapayev is a bit of a country bumpkin: a witty, charismatic leader and father-figure to his troops, but a little fuzzy on the nuances of political theory. “Are you for the Bolsheviks or the communists?” the villagers ask, and he says he’s “for the International!” He uses potatoes on a roughly drawn map to demonstrate military tactics, but if his men are in trouble, he throws all that out the window and rushes in to help. “Come to me midnight or later,” he tells his soldiers, “and if I’m drinking tea – drink with me. If I’m eating – eat with me. That’s the kind of commander I am!” Can we really blame the Soviet public for falling in love with the film and its title character?

  

Petka and Anka, comrades-at-arms

Machine-gunning lessons

Of course, Chapayev didn’t do it all alone. Besides Furmanov, he had Petka (Peter), his young aide, and Anka the Machine-Gunner (bonus points for a strong, independent female character!). The Chapayev-Petka-Anka combination was later expanded upon in endless Russian jokes.

But it wasn’t just the characters or the story that attracted millions to the film. Up until Chapayev, Russian and Soviet movies had been silent – in fact, even Chapayev was made in two versions, so that even movie theaters without sound equipment could still show it. For the first time, Soviet audiences could appreciate not only the visuals and the montage, but also dialogue, presented in real-time, complete with intonations and regional accents. You can’t get that with white-on-black titles.

Furmanov (left) mentoring Chapaev (right)

And let’s not forget the film’s political bent! Here was a local commander, a free radical, being trained and educated – slowly, respectfully – by a loyal party cadre, the commissar. Together, they repel the Whites; separately, the hint goes, maybe they wouldn’t have. For all its entertainment value, for all its cinematic innovation, the film owes a significant part of its success – and its original production – to its subtle message in favor of the ruling party. No wonder Stalin reportedly watched it over 30 times!

 

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons, vothouse.ru

Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

Murder at the Dacha

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.
The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.  
A Taste of Russia

A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.
The Little Golden Calf

The Little Golden Calf

Our edition of The Little Golden Calf, one of the greatest Russian satires ever, is the first new translation of this classic novel in nearly fifty years. It is also the first unabridged, uncensored English translation ever, and is 100% true to the original 1931 serial publication in the Russian journal 30 Dnei. Anne O. Fisher’s translation is copiously annotated, and includes an introduction by Alexandra Ilf, the daughter of one of the book’s two co-authors.
White Magic

White Magic

The thirteen tales in this volume – all written by Russian émigrés, writers who fled their native country in the early twentieth century – contain a fair dose of magic and mysticism, of terror and the supernatural. There are Petersburg revenants, grief-stricken avengers, Lithuanian vampires, flying skeletons, murders and duels, and even a ghostly Edgar Allen Poe.
Tolstoy Bilingual

Tolstoy Bilingual

This compact, yet surprisingly broad look at the life and work of Tolstoy spans from one of his earliest stories to one of his last, looking at works that made him famous and others that made him notorious. 
How Russia Got That Way

How Russia Got That Way

A fast-paced crash course in Russian history, from Norsemen to Navalny, that explores the ways the Kremlin uses history to achieve its ends.
Faith & Humor: Notes from Muscovy

Faith & Humor: Notes from Muscovy

A book that dares to explore the humanity of priests and pilgrims, saints and sinners, Faith & Humor has been both a runaway bestseller in Russia and the focus of heated controversy – as often happens when a thoughtful writer takes on sacred cows. The stories, aphorisms, anecdotes, dialogues and adventures in this volume comprise an encyclopedia of modern Russian Orthodoxy, and thereby of Russian life.
Survival Russian

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.
Fearful Majesty

Fearful Majesty

This acclaimed biography of one of Russia’s most important and tyrannical rulers is not only a rich, readable biography, it is also surprisingly timely, revealing how many of the issues Russia faces today have their roots in Ivan’s reign.
Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka

Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka

In this comprehensive, quixotic and addictive book, Edwin Trommelen explores all facets of the Russian obsession with vodka. Peering chiefly through the lenses of history and literature, Trommelen offers up an appropriately complex, rich and bittersweet portrait, based on great respect for Russian culture.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955