# The Turning Point (1945 film)

The Turning Point (Russian: Великий перелом, romanized: Velikij perelom) is a 1945 Soviet, Russian-language World War II film directed by Fridrikh Ermler based on a screenplay by Boris Chirskov. The film was one of the earlier Palme d'Or winners of 1946. It was produced by GOSKINO at Kinostudiya Lenfilm (Lenfilm Studio), distributed in the US by Artkino Pictures, and restored in 1967 at Lenfilm Studio. The film's working title was General of the Army (Russian: Генерал армии).

## Plot

During the Great Patriotic War, German and fascist forces advance eastward toward the Volga River. The German Wehrmacht concentrates its troops to seize a Russian city on the Volga's banks. The Soviet high command fears that the fall of the unnamed city (marked on maps as "Stalingrad") could have catastrophic consequences for the Eastern Front, potentially provoking an attack on the USSR by Japan and other nations.
General V. V. Vinogradov, commanding the front, suggests retreating to avoid disaster and save the army, but General Krivenko argues against it. The Supreme Command of the Soviet Armed Forces appoints General K. S. Muravyov to lead the front. Muravyov receives a direct order: "The city must not be surrendered; prepare to defeat the German forces!" Upon arriving at the front, Muravyov quickly assesses the situation, prepares the city for active defense, and reunites with his wife, Liza, who also serves in the army.
Muravyov believes the key to victory is to buy time without depleting strategic reserves, eventually exhausting the enemy and delivering a decisive blow to the Nazis. He views German commander von Klaus as overestimating his strength and underestimating the Red Army. Muravyov issues a difficult order to halt the evacuation of industrial enterprises: "An empty city will not be defended." General Vinogradov is reassigned as chief of staff.
Heavy defensive battles ensue, with the Germans continuously throwing in more troops, but Muravyov refuses to send soldiers or tanks from strategic reserves. The German forces are halted, but they manage to occupy significant portions of the city. Muravyov's wife dies in the fighting. Muravyov replaces General Krivenko, who advocates for a flanking counterattack, with the cautious and strategic General Panteleev, an expert on fortifications.
Panteleev believes the city’s defensive position offers significant advantages, depriving the enemy of their key asset—tank maneuvering—and proposes measures for active defense. Muravyov stresses that the city must not be surrendered, urging the defense of every building on the western bank of the Volga. He predicts that von Klaus will use his best divisions to capture the city, creating an opportunity for Soviet forces to encircle the Germans.
Soviet intelligence reports the timing of the German final assault, and Muravyov plans a concentrated artillery strike to weaken the approaching German forces. At 3 a.m., a barrage of artillery strikes the German concentrations. The crucial moment arrives: will the Germans proceed with the attack or delay? Muravyov’s plan proves correct. Despite heavy losses, von Klaus decides to launch his offensive, triggering the Soviet counterattack.
Soviet forces, bolstered by strategic and front-line reserves, push the Germans back and launch a counteroffensive. Muravyov successfully executes the Supreme Command's plan, trapping and destroying the enemy forces. Von Klaus and his staff are captured, but Muravyov refuses to engage with him, stating, "Now, it’s Manstein who interests me." He emphasizes that the battle's victory is only part of a greater offensive, with the new objective being "To the west, to Berlin." The city's defense concludes with a triumphant victory for the Red Army, celebrated across the country.

## Cast

* Mikhail Derzhavin, Sr as Col. Gen. Muravyev
* Petr Andrievsky as Col. Gen. Vinogradov
* Yuri Tolubeyev as Lavrov
* Andrei Abrikosov as Lt. Gen. Krivenko
* Aleksandr Zrazhevsky as Lt. Gen. Panteleev
* Nikolay Korn
* Mark Bernes as Minutka Driver
* Vladimir Marev
* Pavel Volkov as Stepan