Burnt by the Sun

Burnt by the Sun weaves three universal themes that cross one another with sometimes comic, and sometimes tragic, results against the background of Stalinist Russia: The joys and pains of family; vengeance; and the fickleness of political loyalty.

The first theme plays out over a series of scenes, several of which involve Kotov’s immediate family, and others that include Marusia’s extended family and friends. The most striking scene, in my mind, and one of the most beautiful I have ever seen in a film, shows Kotov and 6 year-old daughter Nadya floating down the river in a boat. Their time I sspent doing and saying things that fathers and daughters say to one another. He compares her soft round feet to his large, rough feet, the sort of thing parents do with their children. He tells her about the grand future of the Motherland, the industrialized Soviet Union, a place where she will “run without fleeing”. He imparts that bit of wisdom, which all fathers feel the need to provide, about working hard, and remaining loyal, normal standards of conduct in his world. He gazes out across the water, thoughtful, perhaps reflecting that his life’s efforts were undertaken for a moment like this very one. Kotov is a true believer, a patriot, whose life of painful decisions seem to be justified by this moment. As they sit quietly, she tells him she adores him.

The second theme, vengeance, is played out very darkly in a scene where Mitya tells Nadya a story about a poor boy who was cheated out of his future. He tells the story within earshot of the entire family, who are all gathered around the table. The family sits in absolute silence, everyone in the room (except Nadya) knowing parts of the story, but no one the whole. No one moves to stop him, or to challenge his version of the story. It is painful to watch the discomfort that hangs in the room. Marusia’s hands begin to shake, as painful memories are renewed. At this point, only Mitya knows his reason for returning, and, after seeing the story through to the end, it shows just how cruel the telling of the story was.

Not all of Mitya’s vengefulness was directed at Kotov. Mitya, we find out later, was a White Russian, one who opposed the Bolsheviks during the civil war, and as such was on the losing side. Mitya must have loved life in pre-revolutionary Russia, an accomplished musician and a person of privilege. He was not an ideologue, (Kotov later reminds him of Mitya’s betrayal of 8 White Russian generals), and he later tells Kotov that all he wanted was to go back to Boris’s (now Kotov’s) house and resume his life. To Mitya there has been no choice in his fate, other than prison or death. It is against all that has happened the past 20 years that Mitya strikes out against. Near the end of the film, as Mitya starts to light a cigarette while talking to the lost trucker, he see the balloon raise the portrait of Stalin. Without thinking, Mitya begins to salute the image, there in the middle of nowhere, with no one of consequence watching. He becomes aware of his action, and ends his salute. He is lost for a moment in the chaos of his mind, then regroups and sets about to carry out his mission. His soulessness makes him another casualty of Stalin’s purge, even before he kills himself.

Throughout the film, we see photographs in the house of Kotov and Stalin. Kotov is a national hero, his picture is everywhere, and he is a good friend and confidant of Stalin. As Mitya apprises him of his pending arrest, Kotov seems almost surreally unaffected. As far as we know, there is no basis to the charges, and, according to the code by which he has lived his life as a patriot, his loyalty to Stalin will win the day.

The fickleness of political loyalty comes crashing down in the scene where Kotov is driven off with Mitya and the other NKVD operatives. Kotov’s swagger is in full bluster, as he offers drinks all around, suggests they stop at a restaurant (his treat!), and jokingly hands over his gun. He watches them squirm a bit as his informs them that he will soon call Stalin’s private line, and there will be hell to pay. The lost truck driver sees and recognizes Kotov, which leads to a fight between Kotov and 3 of the NKVD. After he is subdued, and the truck driver subsequently shot, Kotov begins to realize that the rules have perhaps changed, and, following a long stare at a passive-faced Mitya, breaks down and cries. One can’t tell whether the tears are for his own inevitable end, that of his family’s, or for what he sees as an end of his beloved Motherland.

I can only image how horribly similar days went for thousands during Stalin’s purges.

Finally, This bit is from the web site of Oleg Menshikov, the actor who portrayed Mitya, regarding the upcoming sequel to Burnt by the Sun. (http://www.menshikov.ru/eng/cinema/us2/us2.html)

This movie is a sequel to "Burnt by the Sun". Sergei Kotov, the colonel who was betrayed by Stalin and sent to prison or death at the end of the first film, escapes from the Gulag, which is bombed at the beginning of World War II, and finds himself at the front as a simple soldier.