The film Burnt by the Sun was made in 1994 and directed by Nikita Mikhalkov. Though the film was made in 1994, it takes place in the 1930’s. This was a time in the Soviet Union when there were arrests made against people who were believed to be enemies of the Soviet Union. There was fear and terror among people in the Soviet Union because Stalin was trying to eliminate those who threatened his power. In the film, Mitya, an agent for the NKVD, is visiting with Colonel Kotov’s family. Kotov is a civil war hero, who is held in high esteem by the Russian people.
The title of the film is of great significance to the plot. Burnt by the Sun is actually the name of a song that was popular in the 1930’s. The title refers to all of the people who were harmed or killed during the course of the revolution in Russia and during the time of the Soviet Union. Throughout the film, the viewer can see a small sun that travels around the area where Colonel Sergei Petrovich Kotov lives. It eventually crashes into a tree and starts a fire. This sun symbolizes the impending death of Kotov as a result of the revolution that has taken place. The viewer can see the sun again at the end of the film when Mitya commits suicide. I am not sure about Mitya’s motivation. I believe that he committed suicide either because of what he did to Kotov and his family, or because he fears that he may share a similar fate to Kotov as he is involved with the NKVD.
Mitya’s actions throughout Burnt by the Sun seem to be motivated by both political and personal agendas. He was a former lover of Marusia, who is married to Kotov. Mitya still appears to have feelings for Marusia, so he wants to have Kotov killed. His actions are also motivated by politics. In the car that arrives to pick up Colonel Kotov, there are more men from the NKVD. This means that they all received orders to arrest Kotov. Kotov is viewed as a hero by the members of the Soviet Union for his service in the Civil War, so he could be seen as a great threat by Stalin. The viewer can see that Kotov knows Stalin because there is a picture of them together in the cottage.
Both Kotov and Mitya die as a result of the revolution. The sun that is present near the time of their deaths confirms this idea.
Yes and Kotov said to the men in the car that he had Stalin direct extension to his desk and was that he was going to call him the next day and get all of the men killed for what they were doing to him.
ReplyDeleteAnd the closer you were to the Sun, the more likely it came to be burnt...
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