Page 140 - Inside the Film Factory New Approaches to Russian and Soviet Cinema

THE RETURN OF THE NATIVE: YAKOV PROTAZANOV AND SOVIET CINEMA 121

Figure 14 The classic Ostrovsky play Without a Dowry provided Protazanov with a safe
yet ideal showcase for his talents in 1937.

society through the works of Protazanov, Vladimir Gardin, Alexander Ivanovsky,
and Cheslav Sabinsky and, of course, their very popularity attested to the vitality
of this taste and culture.
Second, Protazanov kept alive the tradition of the narrative entertainment film,
which in its dramatic and comedic forms enjoyed great public popularity. Even in
the darkest days of the Stalinist era, this tradition was carried on, especially in the
work of Grigori Alexandrov, who much admired Protazanov. 68
Third, Protazanov was responsible–along with Fridrikh Ermler, a director of
proletarian origin–for returning the actor to a place of importance in Soviet
cinema; present-day Soviet cinema is known for its exceptional acting talent, not for
its technical innovations. Unlike Ermler, whose pistol was his method of
persuasion on the set, Protazanov was the complete professional, whose skills and
tact have been attested to by a generation of Soviet actors. 69
Fourth, Protazanov proved that well-made entertainment films did not require
huge outlays of time and material. Aelita aside, Protazanov’s movies were often held
up to the younger generation as examples of how much an experienced director
could accomplish with very little. Don Diego and Pelageya [1928] was completed in