“Circus” a Socialist Realist (Soviet) film directed by: Grigory Alexandrov – 1936
Circus by Grigory Alexandrov was a film project that took on a society challenge of racism, creatively depicted its harsh side, while gently showing you the warmth of a community that embraces racism as it does with so many other changes in life. Mr. Alexandrov does this with abundant amounts of comedy and high energy spirit for the right transitions. The transitions, in this film, really felt like they were right for the chosen section of the film project. For example, the very beginning had a globe that spun and while you were watching it spin on and on, you were led to a similar globe but in a different setting. Now, that’s down right neat way to take viewers to and from just about anywhere a director wants to take you. Other transitions, were present in Circus, such as, the full moon switched to a quarter moon upon Mary’s arrival, the transitions between special effects when the Montague was on the screen had well thought out effort. Speaking of special effects, the Dracula hands a letter off and then mentions the word, “Incognito” or “unknown” then he disappears right before your very eyes.
Grigory not only plays with comedy in this project he throws in the society’s uneasiness of race, in particular, a black baby, which is the son of Mary. Mary ran from her past, bringing little infant with her, finding shelter in someone else’s arms. That someone else kept her little child, a secret until one day Mary fraternizes with another man. Once the helpful man got wind of Mary’s love interest, he became angry and even threatens to tell everyone of her wrong doing. The idea of a white woman giving to a black child was not acceptable, at least where Mary previously came from.
After, challenging ones love, four amazing Circus performances onward to the thirtieth AND final performance for Mary, the truth has stopped the last performance prior to the ultimate climax. The truth of Mary being the mother of a black child was suppose to destroy Mary emotionally, and psychological. But what happened, instead, was the entire crowd followed suit in opening their hearts and minds to this little child Mary called little Jimmy. They welcomed him with a song and each of the members in the crowd held the little boy. They passed him around showing that the community doesn’t care about the race, it a child of the community and who cares, he’ll stay with this particular area and grow up to be an adult.
Extra Side notes I wanted to share with you about “Circus”
The circus performers in the sideshows reminded me of the Laurel and Hardy comedies
She ignored her own baby crying, what?
Nonsense doesn’t translate to Russian (at least in this film)
The transition from the lions POV and the man in the cage was “THE BEST”
The way they introduced how a community welcomed another race was better than many films I’ve seen- well done.
The overlapping images turned out decent, in my opinion
Keep in mind that "nonsense" is the actual word uttered by the German von Kneishitz--whose speech throughout the film is a mangled garble of English, German and some Russian.
ReplyDeleteInterestingly, the boy who played "Jim" in this film was really named Jim (full name James Patterson), and he was the son of an African American who had emigrated to the USSR and married a Russian woman. He went on to live the bulk of his life in the USSR and became a poet/writer--he's still living to this day, actually, but during the 1990s he and his mother moved to the US.
Mary ignoring her own child signified to me that all she wants to do is forget about her past and that her child is different, and she ignores him when Petrovich is around most likely to hide her shame. Ironically she doesn't seem to know that Petrovich as well as the rest of the Soviets (allegedly) wouldn't care that Jimmy is her child, and therefore she has no reason to be ashamed. At least she had a nanny for Jimmy.
ReplyDeleteI agree w/ elastical--she ignores the baby because she is worried she will lose Petrovich's interest in her. But it's also interesting to note that she is not the one who's carrying Jim during the victory May Day Parade...
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