Boris Godunov (1954) User Reviews

An excellent if flawed film version of a Russian operatic masterwork

[TheLittleSongbird · 8/10 · 5 September 2012]

Boris Godunov for me is the greatest of Russian operas and one of the finest operas there is too. This film version is excellent but it is not perfect at the same time. This is an abridged version of the opera, understandably as the opera is very long, which will make some despair. I didn't think all the cuts were bad, but a couple were so badly chopped that some scenes lost their impact. Act 3 is badly truncated to the extent that you are confused as to what is going on. I also didn't care for Fyodor's voice, to hear a high-pitched mezzo voice for a young boy really jarred for me. However, it is beautifully shot and the costumes and locations are splendid, with imaginative lighting, intoxicating shots of the Kremlin arches and a very realistic-looking burning city. As are the musical values, there is a lot of authentic Slavic flavour in the orchestral playing and conducting that in recent memory has only been replicated in my mind by Valery Gergiev. The chorus also sing powerfully.

The singing and acting of the principals is magnificent. Aleksandr Pirogov is one of the finest Boris Godunovs alongside Chaliapin, Christoff and Talvela. He does at times have a wobble to his voice, but there is also a dark sonority and command to it as well. One cannot deny either that this is a powerful reading of the tormented tsar, especially gripping in the justifiably famous Monologue. Part of you does wish that the Simpleton had more of a prominent role, he only has two scenes, but it is still important to the story. Ivan Kozlovsky sings and acts with eeriness, passion and poignancy. Maxim Mikhailov is a Pimen of great authority with a nobility to his sound, while Nikandr Khanaev's Shiusky is sly and malevolent. Aleksej Krivchenya is appropriately cunning as Varlaam, while Georgi Nelepp is an appealing Grigori and Larisa Avdeyeva likewise as Marina. Overall, flawed but still an excellent Boris Godunov. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Best movie of the opera even with the cuts they made

[Baby-26 · 8/10 · 30 July 2002]

Even all the years since this movie was made have not diminished what a powerful production it is. The number of sets that are either faithful reproduction or on actual location make the film a wonderful viewing experience. The music, of course, has always been one of my favorite. Even though I prefer the Rimsky-Korsakov version as being more operatically dramatic, this second version of Mussorgsky gets cut down in some instances (Pimen's monologue, the inkeeper song shortened, Boris' children's songs cut down or out) but none of this robs the spectacle that is presented to you as a film of the opera.

A great performance despite hugely flawed editing, sound.

[catuus · 8/10 · 24 December 2009]

Modest Mussorgsky's "Boris Godunov" is the greatest opera ever written, if we don't count Wagner's Ring. Vera Stroyeva's 1954 film of Boris is a stunning account of this stunning work – or it would be if we could get all of it. Despite Amazon's editorial review's assertion that "this is the most complete Boris Godunov ever recorded on film", we're missing over 40% of the opera here. Boris runs about 3 hours. There are 2 versions of the Stroyeva film on DVD, each running about 1 hour, 49 minutes. You do the math.

If telling you the end of a plot as well-known as anything by Shakespeare, not to mention well-known as history, is a "spoiler", then I plead guilty. The people who made the "spoiler" rule are called "terminally stupid".

This is basically the Rimsky-Korsakov botch job, in which Mussorgsky's story is run right off-track by shuffling events and scenes. That would be bad enough, but compensated for by brilliant performances. However, the botch is here followed by the axe. The end of the Prologue (part 1) is chopped off, losing the ending chorus. Act III is butchered terribly, to the point where the viewer might wonder: who's that guy in red robes lurking in the background? In Act V. the Simpleton appears only in Scene 1. Scene 2 (Mussorgsky's original Scene 3), there's no Simpleton and much of the scene – especially Dmitri's appearance – has disappeared. In Scene 3 (Mussorgsky's original Scene 2) the weakness of Rimsky's rewrite is made manifest. In Mussorgsky's mind, Boris was only supporting actor, and the protagonist was (or were) the Russian people. This is why the opera is supposed to end, not with Boris's death, but with the scene in the Kromy forest and the Fool's lament. Amazingly, that is the way it ends after all. After Boris's death – the scene's last few moments are cut – the film goes back to the Kromy forest in what I guess we must call Scene 4. The False Dimitriy appears, the Simpleton bewails the fate of the Russian people, and the opera ends. The split of the Kromy forest scene is disorienting, a sort of compromise between Mussorgsky's intention and Rimsky's meddling, but at least we can more clearly understand the opera's meaning.

What saves this truncated performance is the magnificence of the remains. The orchestra plays with true Slavic verve (not well served by the spotty sound reproduction). The sets appear to be actual locations within Russia, within Moscow even, and the Kromy forest parts are filmed outdoors with a realistic burning city in "Scene 4" of Act V. The cameras take full advantage of the fact that the sets are real Russian buildings, with wonderful filming angles. The lighting is imaginative. The influence of Eisenstein hangs wonderfully and heavily over this production.

The cast is nothing short of miraculous. Aleksandr Pirogi's Boris is stunning: full of passion and humanity (and guilt). The man reduces the scenery to splinters.

The small but pivotal role of Prince Shuisky lives in N. Khanayev. Through much of Russian history, if there's plotting and villainy afoot, there's a Shuisky at the bottom of it. Ivan IV Grozniy fed a couple of them to his dogs, but that wasn't enough apparently. Khanayev fairly radiates nastiness – he steals scenes without even singing. His sly and malevolent glances provide a complete subtext to events. The man is fabulous.

Grigoriy Otropiev, the False Dmitriy (unless he actually was Prince Dmitriy), is played by G, Nellep. Nellep has a ringing Slavic tenor – a heldentenor mellowed by more than a soupcon of Alfredo Kraus. He might be regarded as a bit pudgy for the role, but his performance is so compelling that he quickly looks every inch the part.

A. Krivchanye shines as the venal and cunning Varlaam, a renegade priest who plays both roles superlatively. This is an opera crammed with baritone and bass voices, and Krivchanye is equal to the best of the others.

The Simpleton is portrayed by I. Koslovsky. He has only 2 bits, but they are (like Shuiski's) central to the story and our understanding of it. If you're puzzled by Boris's lack of anger at the Simpleton's spot-on accusations, simpletons or fools are "touched" – and expression we use, which means "touched by god". They were held sacred in Old Russia – just as Court fools in western Europe could go unpunished by saying anything to the King. Koslovsky gives the role a passionate sadness more touching than any dying soprano.

Marina Mnishek is played with wonderful cunning and coquetry by L. Avdeyevna. Aside from great acting and looking the part spot-on, Avdeyevna's voice flows like melted butter and her beauty would launch a thousand ships – warships only.

Remember, at the end, Russians know that the Time of Troubles is well under way. Boris's son, the last of the Rurikids, is quickly assassinated, and "Dmitriy" is crowned in Moscow. He rules well but is challenged by a great flaw: he (or his Jesuit advisors) tries to Catholicize Russia. It's not long before "Dmitriy" is himself assassinated and the country dissolves in civil war. Polish and Swedish forces contend with Russians and each other to secure the throne for this or that candidate. After a few years the Troubles end when Mikhail Romanov becomes Tsar. He and his heirs are the implacable foes of Poland, which is ultimately absorbed in pieces by Russia, Prussia, and Austria.

What a pity this tremendous production of a very great opera has such poor sound and is so badly cut. Even so, sound and awful editing and all, this is at least a 8-star product.

The greatest of Russian operas made into as impressing a film as "Ivan the Terrible"

[clanciai · 10/10 · 28 May 2019]

This was the first of the great Russian filmed operas of the 50s, and it is of the greatest Russian opera of all. It has five acts, but it was successfully compressed into 100 minutes with nothing missing of anything vital. It also ends correctly with the revolution scene - when Rimsky-Korsakov edited the opera after Musorgsky's death, he made Boris' death scene the end of the opera. Although the film is old, it is a startling performance on all accounts, Pirogov makes a very convincing Boris with his nightmares and paranoic traumas, and Georgi Nelepp is dashing enough as the false Dimitri - all other characters are excellent as well, especially the peasants. It's the music that makes the opera, amazing from begining to end, with a never ending flow of memorable melodies, great dramatic scenes and spectacular settings reminding of Eisenstein's "Ivan the Terrible" - there are definite influences from there. But the most amazing thing is, that this grand epic opera film was directed by a woman, Vera Stroyeva, and the result is absolutely on the same level as Roman Tikhomirov's great opera films - that started five years after Vera.

An Observation on Some of the Dubbing

[schweinhundt1967 · 19 May 2007]

I find myself in agreement with Ed's review and critique of this particular film.

In particular, found the dubbing of Feodor Godunov's voice with a female(mezzo-soprano)discordant and jarring.This is obviously a male who IS pubescent and male,and has a high pitched woman's voice issuing from his lips.

The role is written for a mezzo-soprano,and traditionally is sung by a female(one of the operatic "trouser roles."This was from a period when the very young males were performed by females-many pages in Verdi and Meyerbeer for example.Also Cherubino,from "Marriage of Figaro."

It appears,that only from the late 60s and early 70s that very young male singers,whose voices were unchanged,started assuming these sorts of roles.For example at the Met,it was only with the current production(debuted 12/16/74) that a boy did the part.

They should either have had a very young boy play the part,or used a counter tenor sing the role.

If it's Godunov for Boris then it's...

[standardmetal · 8/10 · 14 March 2006]

I usually shy away from superlatives but it seems to me that Boris Godunov is arguably the greatest of all Russian operas. It has many problems, of course, such as which version to present: Mussorgsky's first or second version, Rimsky-Korsakov, Shostakovich, Rathaus or what have you. But it also has a title role for an actor-bass-singer to kill for and, in fact has had many illustrious interpreters over the years such as, most famously, Feodor Chaliapin (Sr.).

This is a cut film version of the opera but certainly one of the most powerful for all that. The lead is sung by Aleksandr Pirogov whose ability to sing on pitch is questionable, especially in the long notes where one can almost drive a truck through the wobble. But his acting ability has made that rather a moot point. (Yevgeni Nesterenko in the 1987 version, in comparison, looks like he is hosting a tea party.) Mussorgsky was interested in basing his melodies on natural speech patterns and this may be the reason why this doesn't matter so much.

But the pivotal role of the Simpleton (Fool) is beautifully sung and acted by Ivan Koslovsky, a staple of the Bolshoi Opera which is featured in this film. He was apparently one of the great Russian Bel Canto tenors and one TV program on Bel Canto tenors, rebroadcast 4/7/06 was about Koslovsky and included part of this performance.

All have been carefully cast: Georgi Nelepp sings Grigori, the False Dmitri and has been made up to look like his description except that he is nowhere around 20. Boris' son Feodor is often sung by a woman but not here. I. Khmelnitsky, the Feodor, is rarely heard in this film, but when he is, he has a surprisingly high piercing voice (counter-tenor?).

Though we will probably never know the truth, the death of the true heir to the throne, Dmitri, may have been due to his playing with knives at the time of an epileptic fit and many have thought Boris was innocent of any crime. So I think it's fair to describe this Boris as Pushkin's much as the Richard III in the play is Shakespeare's.

The visuals are sometimes astonishing and the direction by Vera Stroyeva is excellent. The film edits are often badly done and obvious and the English subtitles are sparse.