Historical drama. A screen adaptation of the novel-chronicle of Russian and Soviet writer Lev Nikulin "Dead Swell", in turn based on the famous and legendary operation of the Soviet special services "Trust". I have not read the book, especially since the creators of the picture bothered to warn that they were creating a picture with documentary accuracy, relying on the declassified KGB archives, with the involvement of real participants in the operation. I stumbled upon the picture itself quite by accident, and decided to look, especially I heard about this operation, and now I wanted to see it with my own eyes, especially in the performance of such wonderful Soviet actors. The picture is long, but I have not regretted the time spent, and here is my brief opinion - The history of the most ambitious and successful operation of the Cheka-OGPU. No matter how hard I tried, I did not find any drawbacks in the picture, so let me focus your attention on the advantages of this historical drama, which caught the eye of your humble servant.
So, here they are:
1. Operation "Trust" - 1921. Soviet Russia is surrounded by enemies, especially in the West. The Civil War ended literally yesterday, the country is in ruin, and it is just beginning to recover. In the meantime, there are more than two million White emigrants in Europe who have not resigned themselves to defeat and are ready to continue their struggle against the Soviet regime. The situation requires decisive measures from the government, and under the leadership of the chairman of the Cheka (since 1923, the OGPU) Felix Edmundovich Dzerzhinsky, a fake monarchical organization is being created in the country, which should establish contact with White émigré circles abroad and agents of foreign intelligence services. The ultimate goal of the organization is to deter the most radical elements of the White Guards from active actions against the RSFSR. The organization is headed by a former nobleman, Alexander Alexandrovich Yakushev, and Artur Khristianovich Artuzov, an associate of Dzerzhinsky and one of the founders of Soviet counterintelligence, was appointed its direct head. Yakushev has a lot of work to do, his life hangs in the balance, but the game is worth the candle. I will not talk about the success of this operation, because they are known. I can only say that the script is well written, there are many characters in it, and they are all well written and entered into the story at the right moment. If you like pictures about intelligence and scouts (not about James Bond or Ethan Hunt) but about real scouts who do not fight everyone in a row, but are directly involved in their activities, like Stirlitz, then you will definitely like this picture, because there are all the components here , especially the documentary accuracy, for which the film consultants and the KGB itself were responsible.
2. Opponents - both the Chekists and the White Guards are shown as ordinary people with their convictions, which they will defend to the very end, and fears, especially longing for the Motherland, which is especially evident in one of the piercing scenes of the picture. Each of their parties believes in their righteousness and is ready to defend it, if necessary, then with arms in hand. The opponents are smart, cunning, but in the end the Chekists turned out to be smarter and smarter, which led to the complete collapse of the internal counter-revolutionary conspiracy and the neutralization of the most dangerous agents of foreign intelligence services, such as the famous Sidney Reilly (the prototype of James Bond, by the way!). I am a monarchist by conviction, but in the film I was rooting for the Chekists, because the radical elements of the White emigration wanted (and even managed) to commit several terrorist acts in which ordinary residents suffered. Terror against your own people, which you want to lead in the future? Incommensurable for a general - a monarchist who did not change his oath in the year of two revolutions. This is me about Kutepov.
3. The atmosphere is tense, fear blows from everywhere, danger can be expected around every corner, around every turn, therefore, caution, caution and more caution. This feeling will not leave you throughout the whole picture.
4. Music - disturbing, filled with deadly confrontation between two irreconcilable enemies. In addition, the film features the marches of pre-revolutionary Russia, as well as the famous "Internationale", and of course, Russian folk songs. Almost all of them turned out to be familiar to me, and I even sang along with the heroes of the picture.
5. Documentary accuracy - each character that appears in the picture (with the exception of some extras) is a real person who participated in this operation, and the actors were selected as similar as possible, and in many cases it was successful. The narrator also adds historicity to the perfectly recreated atmosphere of Soviet Russia and European countries in the early twenties of the twentieth century, plus documentary chronicles of those years. From this point of view, it is impossible to dig into the picture.
Of course, the operation is consecrated in the spirit of ideology with well-known turns, but this is not a minus of the picture.
A little about the main characters:
1. Alexander Aleksandrovich Yakushev performed by Igor Gorbachev - a former official of the Ministry of Railways, now - a Soviet employee and recruited agent of the Cheka-OGPU, head of the "Trust" organization, with an important task that will help to protect Soviet Russia from external and internal enemies. He shows himself as a brave man and a charismatic leader, thanks to whom the operation continued for so long ended in such a grand triumph. Igor Olegovich coped with the role brilliantly. Well done!
2. Artur Artuzov performed by Armen Dzhigarkhanyan is a high-ranking Chekist, one of the founders of Soviet counterintelligence, who, thanks to his conviction and knowledge, was able to recruit an obvious enemy of the Soviet government, and made him one of its most successful agents and supporters. Energetic actions and competent leadership contributed greatly to the successful completion of the operation, although not always without casualties. Armen Borisovich splendidly played the role of an experienced Chekist and a fiery revolutionary, as if Comrade Artuzov himself was in front of us. Bravo Armen Borisovich! Bravo!
3. Maria Vladislavovna Zakharchenko-Schultz performed by Lyudmila Kasatkina - a confidant of the military terrorist organization of General Kutepov, sent to the "Trust" organization to coordinate actions. An ardent monarchist and terrorist who is simply impossible to keep. The most dangerous opponent of Yakushev, from which you can always expect a blow. The ending of her life and work was predictable, and at the same time beautiful, with which you cannot argue. Lyudmila Ivanovna splendidly performed the role of this fiery officer, passionately devoted to her ideas and convictions to the end.
Even Natalya Krachkovskaya appeared in the episode.
Unfortunately, most of the participants in this operation died from "iron grip" in the thirty-seventh year, not seeing this film adaptation, and they deserve it.
This picture needs to be seen, even despite the rather significant chronometers, because this is the history of our country, for all residents of the former Soviet Union. Plus this is the story of a unique operation in the history of intelligence, when the special service of the young Land of the Soviets was able to get away from another invasion of foreign states and a new uprising within Russia itself. Six years of peaceful life and time, during which exhausted by long years of war and devastation, the country was able to recover and start building a new life with the hope for a "bright future", which the descendants successfully profited and sold for cabbage.
As a result, we have an excellent historical drama about the operation of the Cheka-OGPU, with an excellent and well-developed script, documentary accuracy, excellent music and atmosphere and great acting work.
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