Taming the fire

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Movie
German title Taming the fire
Original title Укрощение огня
Country of production Soviet Union
original language Russian
Publishing year 1972
length approx. 166 minutes
Rod
Director Daniil Yakovlevich Khrabrovitsky
script Daniil Yakovlevich Khrabrovitsky
music Andrei Petrov
camera Oleg Gorshkov
cut Nina Glagolewa
Marija Timofejewa
occupation

Taming the Fire ( Russian : Укрощение огня) is a Soviet film from 1972. Directed by Daniil Yakovlevich Khrabrovitsky . The role model for the main role played by Kirill Jurjewitsch Lavrov was Sergei Pavlovich Koroljow .

action

The film describes the development of Soviet rocket technology and space travel in several episodes, following the life of the engineer Bashkirzew.

The film begins with preparations for launching an unmanned satellite. All 25 mandatory ground tests were successful, but on the 26th, carried out as a precaution, the satellite could not be detached from the launcher. Chief engineer Bashkirzew is nevertheless in favor of carrying out the start, some problems cannot be simulated on Earth. The other engineers hesitate. Finally, the representative of the Central Committee of the CPSU Marshal Logunov decides not to carry out the launch. Bashkirzew then flies to Moscow to have this decision revised. Due to bad weather, his plane has to make a stopover in the Crimea - coincidentally, in the area where he spent his youth. During an excursion, he suffers a heart attack and thinks back to the stages in his life.

The young Bashkirzew has designed a glider , which with the help of aviation enthusiasts, including his girlfriend Natascha, is started and controlled by hm himself. However, the first flight ends with a crash landing. Bachkirzew travels to Moscow with a new aircraft design and leaves Natascha behind. Instead of being used in aircraft construction, he was first sent to build the Magnitogorsk Metallurgy Combine . During a lecture where he is the only audience member, he met the space enthusiast Kondratjuk , who got him excited about rocket technology. Together with Kondratjuk and others, he founded the group to research reactive drives , which finally succeeded in launching the first Soviet liquid rocket.

While visiting his homeland, Bashkirzew can prevent Natasha's wedding to someone else by kidnapping her (with her consent) at the wedding ceremony. But since he only cares about the development of missiles, she leaves him after a short time.

Bashkirzew is finally enthusiastic about rocket technology through a visit to the space pioneer Ziolkowski , who explains his visions of manned space travel to him. First, Bashkirzew developed a rocket plane , but it exploded when it took off. His next development is a rocket launcher . Bashkirzew is appointed head of the production plant. After Germany's attack on the Soviet Union , he wanted to convince himself of the effectiveness of the new weapon against all regulations at the front. The unit is almost surrounded. Bashkirzew has to blow up the rocket launchers so that they do not fall into the hands of the enemy. He managed to return to Moscow, where he began relocating the plant behind the Urals on the instructions of Logunov.

After the end of World War II, Bashkirzew tried to improve the German A-4 missile . However, the first test starts fail. At a meeting with Stalin, Stalin insists on learning from German technology, as the USA would do with the help of Wernher von Braun . A "Ziolkowski patriotism" does not help. Bashkirzew replied that if one wanted to be successful, extensive investments in missile technology would be necessary.

With the physicist Kurchatov , he observed the successful test of the first Soviet atomic bomb . Bashkirzew raises the question of whether it is not a moral problem to develop long-range missiles for the atomic bomb. Kurchatov replied that the crimes took place in Hiroshima and Nagasaki , and that the Soviet Union must now react to ensure peace.

When the calculations show that the Soviet missiles are too heavy, this problem is solved by bundling several missiles in the first stage. However, the first two launches of the new launcher failed. Bashkirzew is accused of sabotage. He reproaches his critics for not having patience and for wanting quick results. However, the development of a rocket is a difficult process of knowledge that cannot be accelerated by decisions. Finally, on October 4, 1957, Sputnik 1 was launched .

Baschirzew visits Natasha and learns that he has a son with her. But she sends Bashkirzew away and asks him not to visit her anymore, since he doesn't need her. He only lives for his work. Bashkirzew refuses the offer of his colleague Sonja to enter into a relationship with her.

On May 1, 1960, Bashkirzew was preparing for the May demonstration when he received an urgent call. An American spy plane was located over the Soviet Union. It is shot down with a missile developed by Bashkirzew.

On the eve of the first manned space flight, Bashkirzew spoke to Yuri Gagarin . He does not want to lie to him that there is no guarantee that the flight will be successful. However, the flight is successful. At the evening banquet, Bashkirzew refuses to have his well-being toasted. One should rather drink to the whole people. Natascha happened to be in Moscow for two hours with her son. Bashkirzew shows her his apartment. Only then does Natasha realize the central role Bashkirzew plays in the Soviet missile and space program. She leaves him anyway.

The film jumps back to the opening scene. Bashkirzew dies of a heart attack, and his first flight with the self-constructed glider, which ends in a crash landing, appears in a fade.

The film ends with the (fictional) broadcast of the launch of a Soviet spaceship with a three-person crew, which is broadcast live by Eurovision and Intervision . A portrait photo of Bashkirzev hangs on the wall in the control center. His colleagues continue his work.

criticism

“Thematically interesting and with impressive shots of the Soviet cosmodrome, but overall the impression of an overly long report prevails”, so the lexicon of the international film .

Production and publication

Daniil Yakovlevich Khrabrowitsky directed the production of Mosfilm . The film was shot on color material in an aspect ratio of 2.20: 1. Filming locations included the Baikonur Cosmodrome and the Mosfilm Studios in Moscow. Andrei Petrov composed the music.

The film was originally scheduled to hit theaters on April 12, 1971, the 10th anniversary of the first manned space flight. This did not succeed due to numerous change requests for reasons of confidentiality. The premiere was on April 12, 1972. At that time, the Soviet manned space program was suspended after the death of the Soyuz 11 crew in June 1971.

On October 11, 1972, the film was shown at the Soviet Film Festival in Japan and a German version was released in GDR cinemas on April 12, 1973 . This was followed by publications in the CSSR, the USA, Italy and Hungary.

In 1999 Icestorm Entertainment released a German DVD version.

Others

  • In addition to Bashkirzew (Koroljow), other film characters are based on actual people. The role model for Central Committee member Logunov is the later Soviet Defense Minister Dmitri Ustinov , Bashkirzew's colleague Ognew is based on Vasily Mishin .
  • The fact that Korolev was imprisoned for several years during the great purge is completely left out in the film .
  • As technical consultants worked u. a. Boris Tschertok and Alexei Issajew with. In contrast to Isayev, the better-known Chertok is not mentioned by name in the credits.

Awards

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Taming the Fire. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed March 2, 2017 .Template: LdiF / Maintenance / Access used