The concept of “the commander power” in the Soviet cinema of the late 1930s - early 1950s: the case of the feature films “Sailors” and “Ship commander”

The authors examine the goals and consequences of the cultural revolution in the USSR. The combination of the tasks of developing literacy and loyalty generated contradictory results. Since the mid-1920s, the Soviet military fiction of the “short view” has been formed, describing the future conflicts. Soviet pre-war propaganda sowed harmful illusions about a quick and easy victory. As part of the understanding of Soviet mass culture, the images of the “commander power” of two feature films directed by Vladimir Alexandrovich Brown are compared: “Sailors” (1939, Odessa Film Studio) and “Ship Commander” (1954, Kiev Film Studio). The content is briefly analyzed, examples of cinematic images and atmospheric dialogues are given, and their historical and cultural significance is characterized. The central storylines are the “power” of the commander over subordinates, as well as the “power” of the commander over himself. At the present stage, the genre of alternative history is developing, its capabilities allow the authors to present brief and visual generalizations.