The Unforgettable Year 1919 (1951)
A landmark Soviet propaganda film glorifying Stalin and Lenin's iron-fisted suppression of the 1919 anti-communist uprising in St. Petersburg.
The Unforgettable Year 1919 - Movie Information
- Original Title: Незабываемый 1919 год
- Release Year: 1951
- Directed by: Mikheil Chiaureli
- Type: Movie
- Genres: Drama, History
- Runtime: 1h 47m
- Original Language: Russian
- Spoken Languages: Russian
- Release Date (Theatrical): June 6, 1951 (SU)
- Alternative Titles: Nezabyvaemyy 1919 God (RU)
- Production Companies: Mosfilm
- Production Countries: Soviet Union
The Unforgettable Year 1919 - Plot
Soviet propaganda film in two episodes about Stalin's strong and cruel suppression of the 1919 anti-communist uprising in St. Petersburg, Russia. Stalin and Lenin are shown as heroes who destroyed the efforts of anti-communists led by White Russians with support from "bad" British capitalists headed by Sir Winston Churchill and Lloyd George.
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The Unforgettable Year 1919 - Cast & Crew
Director(s)
- Mikheil Chiaureli
Main Cast
- Pavel Molchanov
- Mikheil Gelovani
- Andrei Popov
- Vladimir Kenigson
- Mikhail Yanshin
- Sergei Troitsky
- Borys Andreiev
- Ivan Bobrov
- Aleksandr Degtyar
- Angelina Stepanova
Writers
- Mikheil Chiaureli
- Vsevolod Vishnevsky
- Aleksandr Filimonov
The Unforgettable Year 1919 - FAQs
What is The Unforgettable Year 1919 about?
The Unforgettable Year 1919 is a Soviet propaganda film structured in two episodes. It dramatizes Stalin and Lenin's brutal suppression of a 1919 anti-communist uprising in St. Petersburg, portraying them as heroic defenders of the revolution against White Russian forces backed by British capitalists including Churchill and Lloyd George.
Is The Unforgettable Year 1919 a propaganda film?
Yes, unambiguously so. Made during the height of Stalinist rule in the Soviet Union, the film glorifies Stalin as an almost mythic revolutionary hero. It presents a heavily idealized and historically distorted version of events, casting political enemies as villains and Soviet leaders as infallible saviors of the people.
Who directed The Unforgettable Year 1919?
Mikheil Chiaureli directed the film. A Georgian-born Soviet filmmaker, Chiaureli was one of Stalin's favored directors and produced several major Stalinist propaganda pictures. He also co-wrote the screenplay alongside Vsevolod Vishnevsky and Aleksandr Filimonov.
Who plays Stalin and Lenin in the film?
Mikheil Gelovani portrays Stalin, a role he played repeatedly in Soviet cinema of the era, becoming closely associated with the dictator's on-screen image. Pavel Molchanov takes on the role of Lenin. Both performances are shaped entirely by the film's propagandistic intent rather than historical accuracy.
Who are the main actors in The Unforgettable Year 1919?
The cast includes Pavel Molchanov, Mikheil Gelovani, Andrei Popov, Vladimir Kenigson, Mikhail Yanshin, Sergei Troitsky, Borys Andreiev, Ivan Bobrov, Aleksandr Degtyar, and Angelina Stepanova. Viktor Stanitsyn notably appears as Winston Churchill, depicted as a scheming capitalist villain.
When was The Unforgettable Year 1919 released?
The film was released on June 6, 1951, in the Soviet Union. It came out during the final years of Stalin's rule, a period when state-sponsored cinema was used extensively as a tool of political messaging and personality cult reinforcement.
Who composed the music for The Unforgettable Year 1919?
The score was composed by Dmitri Shostakovich, one of the Soviet Union's most celebrated and complex musical figures. Shostakovich composed for several state-commissioned films during this era, often navigating the tension between artistic integrity and the demands of Soviet cultural policy.
What are similar films to The Unforgettable Year 1919?
If you enjoy historical drama, you might explore Munich – The Edge of War (2021), Nuremberg (2025), The War Below (2021), The Pilot: A Battle for Survival (2021), and The Last Rifleman (2023). These films similarly engage with wartime history, political conflict, and the human cost of ideological struggle.
More About The Unforgettable Year 1919
Explore further details about this film on these authoritative resources.