
"TheTheme"isafilmthathadtostayontheshelfforalmosttenyearsbecauseofits"theme".MikhailUlyanovplaysKimYesenin,adisillusionedandcynicalplaywrightwhousesthesystembywritingtheconformistplaysandenjoysthebenefitsofbeingtheofficiallyrecognizedandappointed"greatSovietwriter"butwhoinrealityhasbeenusedbyasystemandspentallthetalentheeverhadinwritingtheplaysthathadnoartisticvaluewhatsoever.Bitterironyliesinthenameofthecharacter:SergeiYeseninwasareallifeenormouslytalented,widelypopularandbelovedRussianpoetwhocommittedsuicideattheageof30in1925becausehecouldnotfitintheSovietRussia.KimYesenininthemoviesuffersthewritingblockandarrivestothesmallprovincialtownwithafriendandayoungmistressinsearchofinspiration.Hemeetsanattractive,intelligentandwelleducatedmuseumguidenamedSasha(InnaChurikovaneverlookedsobeautifulandsophisticatedandIfinallyunderstoodwhyPanfilovalwayshadbeenfascinatedbyherface,neverconventionallypretty)whousedtobeabigfanofhisearlierworksbuthasalotofunflatteringthingstosayabouthisofficiallypraisedoutings.SashaisinlovewithatalentedhistorianwhohadmadeaverydifficultandlifechangingdecisiontoemigratefromtheSovietUnion.Hehadlosthisjobbybecomingadissidentandhadtoworkasagravediggertosupporthimselfwhilewaitingforpermissiontoleavethecountry.ThosewhoneverhadtoemigratefromtheircountryknowingthattheymightleaveforeverandneverbeallowedtogobacktoseetheirlovedonesandtheplacesdeartotheirheartagainwouldnotfullyunderstandwhyPanfilov'sfilmhadtostayontheshelfforalmosttenyearafteritwascompleted.Itwasreleasedonlyduringthe"perestroika"in1987andIsawitthen.IrespectPanfilovforhissidingwiththerealartistsrejectedbythesystembuthisfilmisnotonlyacourageousstatementagainsttheconformitysuffocatingculturallifeundertheBrezhnevregimewhichwouldbelatercalled"periodzastoya"or"stagnation",itisamemorableworkofcinemawithverygoodperformancesfromhismuse,InnaChurikova,MikhailUlyanov,andsupportingcast.






