Lyotchiki (Russian: Лётчики, romanized: Lyotchiki: ) (aka Men on Wings and The Pilots) is a 1935 Soviet romantic drama film directed by Yuli Raizman and Grigori Levkoyev.[1] Maxim Gorky called him among the best Soviet filmmakers of that time.[2]
| The Pilots | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Russian: Лётчики | |
| Directed by |
|
| Written by | Aleksandr Macheret |
| Starring |
|
| Cinematography | Leonid Kosmatov |
| Music by | Nikolai Kryukov |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Mosfilm |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 80 min. |
| Country | Soviet Union |
| Language | Russian |
Plot
editSchool Commander Nikolai Rogachyov (Boris Shchukin) and famous aerobatic pilot, is in charge of a civilian flying school in Russia. Pilot Sergei Belyaev (Ivan Koval-Samborsky), showing recklessness trying to emulate the test pilot Valery Chkalov), crashes the aircraft assigned to him.
Student flight school Galya Bystrova (Yevgenia Melnikova), who likes Belyaev, unfortunately, seeks to imitate him in the air. Commander Rogachyov falls for young student pilot Gayla, but their difference in age prevents him from declaring his love.
Rogachyov teaches that discipline in the air is necessary to survive as a pilot. Finally, that message begins to make sense to Sergei and Gayla.
Cast
edit- Ivan Koval-Samborsky as Student Commander Sergei Belyaev
- Yevgenia Melnikova as Flight School Student Galya Bystrova
- Aleksandr Chistyakov as Senior Mechanic Ivan Matveyevich Khrushchev
- Boris Shchukin as Flight School Commander Nikolai Rogachyov
- Grigori Levkoyev as Doctor at airfield (uncredited)
- Inna Fyodorova as Medical attendant (uncredited)
- Zoya Fyodorova as Nurse (uncredited)
- Nikolai Khryashchikov as Appearing (uncredited)
- Maria Klyuchareva as Sanitary (uncredited)
- Ivan Kobozev as Pilot Kobozev (uncredited)[3]
Production
editPrincipal photography for Lyotchiki took place in 1935 on the outskirts of Voronezh, on the airfield (now Holzunov Street in the Northern residential area).[4][N 1]
Reception
editUnder the title, The Pilots, Lyotchiki was released worldwide, while in the United States, it was re-titled Men on Wings. Aviation film historian James H, Farmer in Celluloid Wings: The Impact of Movies on Aviation (1984) described the film's "poor production values."[5] Aviation film historian Stephen Pendo in Aviation in the Cinema (1985) had a similar opinion, noting, "unexciting flying scenes."[6]
in the Soviet films of the time, Lyotchiki was considered a classic.[7]
References
editNotes
edit- ^ Lyotchiki was a "state-sponsored export" from the Soviet Union.[5]
Citations
edit- ^ Kherson 1954, p. 161.
- ^ Ryabchikova, Natalia. "Сталин и «Великий диктатор»: "Какие фильмы нравились вождю (ru); Stalin and the “Great Dictator”: What films did the leader like?." KinoPoisk, 5 March 2018. Retrieved: 14 July 2019.
- ^ Лётчики (1935) Full Cast & Crew
- ^ Podyablonskaya, Tatyana. "Год кино: 25 фильмов, снятых на воронежской земле (ru); "Year of cinema: 25 films shot in Voronezh land ." Komsomolskaya Pravda, 28 June 2018. Retrieved: 14 July 2019.
- ^ a b Farmer 1984, p. 320.
- ^ Pendo 1985, p. 14.
- ^ Firsova, Katrina."Что смотреть у советских режиссёров. (ru); What to watch from Soviet directors." the-village.ru, 22 October 2015. Retrieved: 14 July 2019.
Bibliography
edit- Farmer, James H. Celluloid Wings: The Impact of Movies on Aviation. Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania: Tab Books Inc., 1984. ISBN 978-0-83062-374-7.
- Kherson, Chrysanth. Boris Shchukin: The Path of the Actor. 1954.
- Pendo, Stephen. Aviation in the Cinema. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press, 1985. ISBN 0-8-1081-746-2.
External links
edit- Men on Wings at IMDb
- Lyotchiki at the TCM Movie Database