The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-03-20
"POLIKUSHKA,"
M A S TER FILM,
SEEN IN CHICAGO
Tragedy of Serf Life Is
Marvelously Done
By TOM TIPPETT

I
released thru Russian Artflms, and
distributed in America by the Friends
of Soviet Russia and Workers Ger
many for the relief Of starving Ger
man children, was exhibited in Chi
cago last night at Orchestra hall.
Polikushka is a Russian serf, a
stableman on a manor, the owner OF
which in this case is a woman. She
is more kindly than the usual histor-
ical feudal lord. Polikushka has a
wife and ennumerable small children,
and an unconquerable weakness for
vodka. From the first he dvokes
sympathy as an unkept good natured
fellow constantly getting into trou-
BILE because Of his unquenchable
thirst. He steals for vodka, passes
as a horse doctor to get money for
it, gets fogged for theft and is con-
starNly assaulted by his wife for
drunkenness, but he keeps merrily on
reeling and laughing thru the first
part Of the photo play-the wife al
ways forgives and the children adore
him.
RejOices At Trust.
Dutloff, a fellow serf, a house
servant in fine clothes, is jealous of
Polikushka because the mistress is
fond of him. Soldiers are needed for
the army and Dutloff wants to send
Polikushka. Boyarimin, the noble
woman, refuses to give Polikushka up
to the conscripts and to hide him
away from them she sends him to
the city to fetch large sum of rubles
from her gardener. A man in Dut-
lofts own family is sent off to fight
for the Gear. The confidence of the
mistress and the prospects Of the trip
make Polilxushka very happy but fill
his wife with dread. He promises
faithfully and swears by the ikon not
to touch vodka. With horse and cart
and after many farewells to the
children he leaves.
Polikushka's Discovery.
Withstanding temptation bravely,
he passes up the inns and avoids
drink, altho there was plenty of it at
the place he slept where the soldiers
were on their way to war. He steals
out of the place at dawn with the
rubIes tucked away in his ragged
cap. Sleep overtakes him and while
he dreams of a triumphant return
with the money and the applause of
his family and neighbors the envel-
ope containing the rubles is shaken
from a rent in his cap as the cart
joys along the bleak Russian high
way. He awakens within sight Of
home and proudly takes off his cap
to secure the rubles. The money is
lost. Polikushka becomes a terror
stricken soul rushing madly back
over the roadway in frantic search
of the precious package. The pic
ture leaves him pitiful figure ex-
hausted on the ground. With hands
: and legs outstretched in tragic de-
! spair.
He returns home at twilight,
feigns smile to satisfy his wife and
: steals a rope from the cradle which
: he conceals under his jacket while
l food is being prepared. The mistress
sends for him and he goes out-bid-
ding a mute farewell. Hurrying into
a garnet he hangs himself where he
is found by a woman who has come
3 for clothes hung up to dry. She
! rushes out and crowd gathers. The
wife who is bathing the baby rushes
y frantically up the rickety ladder
looks up at Polikushka's dead body
and crumbles to the ground below
, A commotion near the cradle rallie:
|, her and she tears thru the neighbol
woman to see her drowned baby
e lifted out Of the bath.
I The kindly old noblewomen tear
: fully administers to the mother
: crazed by the double tragedy.
= Dutloff finds the rubles; the mis-
= tress refuses them-it is coin of mus
fortune. A substitute for young Dut
loft is bought with the money. Al
the soldier and revealing friends ar
coming home they must turn asid
for a funeral procession. On the car
Of the Inflated trip Polikushka's cot
> fin is tied and the smaller box is car
ried under the arm Of a man walk
n ing. The wife and all the ragged lit
; tie children follow.
c Rare Acting Of Moskvin.
IS The performance is superb. TIL
= Russian players have an interpretiv
a ability new in America and certainl
= not seen in our jazz photo-playl
70 mOohNlH . HidBhiilCchS BhdudtAOho v
n dramatic meaning is carried thruou
IS the entire play perfectly. Whethe
h he is tapping the bottom of an emr
n ty bottle for a doubtful drop Q
vodka or in the high moments Of hi
art when he discovers the loss Of tn
rubles, he is perfection always. Look
ing back into the doorway Of hi
N home on the way to the garnet hi
o acting is great.
e Perfect Acting Of Grief.
And what Is true of Moskvin ca
:. also be said for the others. Tn
:, woman who discovers the suicide dii
i, plays a remarkable piece Of acting
!, !, getting out Of the garnet. The VIII
!. reaches heights rarely seen here l
y. emotional acting. When she see
: Polikushka's swinging body her fac
. is one hardly to be forgotten--hc
Y fall to the floor below is perfection
D. Her Interpretation of grief-craze
woman is her high moment and sh