DetstvoGorkogo(TheChildhoodofMaximGorky)-1938DirectedbyMarkDonskoyG.Shenotinnik　　AReviewByOllie
　　TheChildhoodofMaximGorky,tellsthestoryofAlekseiPeshkova12yearoldboy,livingin19thCenturyRussia,whowouldlaterbeknownasMaximGorky,possiblyRussia'smostfamousandcelebratednovelistanddramatist.Madein1938,thefilmisbasedonGorky'sautobiography`MyChildhood',andisrichandpowerfulfilmwhichwillcaptureyourattentionfromthebeginning.
　　Naturally,beingmadein1938,thefilmisinblackandwhite,althoughthestoryissocolourfulandvibrant,withcharacterssoalive,youwouldbeforgivenforthinkingthefilmwasmademuchlater.Itdefinitelydoesnotfeelalmost65yearsold.
　　AlekseiLyarsky,whoplaysGorky,isinstantlylikeableastheyoungprotagonist.Capableofportrayingemotionsfarbeyondhisyears,heworkssuperblyalongsideacastofcommandingandbelievableproportion.ThereisanalmostDickensianfeeltosomeofthecharacters.Whiledesperatelysad,andeasytosympathisewith,theGrandfatherhasanineffablequality,bothhumorousandselfpitying.Instarkcontrast,Maxim'sGrandmotherisasimplewoman,oneofgoodnessandtruth,representingallthatisbeautifulintheoptimismofthepovertyinwhichtheylive.
　　Thisfilmismorethananautobiographicallookatoneperson'slife.Itisapeekthroughthewindowsofatimelongsincepassed,ahistorylessonandaboveallalessoninlife,loveandfriendship.ThisisprobablythemostdefinitivecomingofagedramaIhaveseen,withmoreauthorityandgravitasthanTruffautmanagedinthemuchacclaimed`400Blows'.
　　Thereareseveralsceneswhichstandout.FromasimpleactofkindnessfromMaxim,whenhegivesacrippledboyhispetmouse,toGorkyandhisfriendssittingaroundafiredreamingofaUtopianNeverland;fromhisGrandfathersalmostcomedicreactionstotheireverincreasingpoverty,tothetearsofhisGrandmotherashehandsheracoin.
　　Thisisarichandimmenselystrongfilm,advancedwellbeyondit'syears,whichholdsit'sownexceptionallywellnearly65yearslater.Thisfilmwillleaveanindeliblemarkonyourmemory,ifonlyfromthesimplicityofthetaleittells.Itis,withoutdoubt,purecinematicpoetry.Apieceoffilmhistorywhicheveryonewoulddowelltotryandsee-itwillnotdisappoint.Anextremelywellearned10/10!