Stachka (1925) - full transcript
In Russia's factory region during Czarist rule, there's restlessness and strike planning among workers; management brings in spies and external agents. When a worker hangs himself after being falsely accused of thievery, the workers strike. At first, there's excitement in workers' households and in public places as they develop their demands communally. Then, as the strike drags on and management rejects demands, hunger mounts, as does domestic and civic distress. Provocateurs recruited from the lumpen and in league with the police and the fire department bring problems to the workers; the spies do their dirty work; and, the military arrives to liquidate strikers.
''STRlKE'', the first film
of prominent director
Sergei Eisenstein,
has been released in 1924.
lt played a considerable part
in the development
of the art of cinema.
A Production of the
First State Film Factory.
The film has been restored
in Gorki studios in 1969.
STRlKE
Scenario PROLETKULT Under
the Editorship of V. Pletnykov
Performed by the First
Workers' Theatre of Proletkult
Directed by
Sergei Eisenstein
Camera
Eduard Tisse
Sets
V. Rakhals
''The strength of the working
class is organization.
Without organization of the masses,
the proletariat is nothing.
Organized, it is everything.
Being organized means unity of action,
the unity of pratical activity.''
Lenin, 1907
PART ONE :
All is calm at the factory
All is calm at the factory,
BUT...
There is trouble brewing.
They hurry to...
The Director
Reporting
He laid down the law.
Through the hierarchy.
''Get me the files
on the factory district.''
lnformation of
''Private Agents''.
List of Agents who spy:
The Monkey, The Quiet One,
The Patriarch, The Fellow-Countryman,
Zoya, Bulldog, The Fox, The Taylor,
The Shepherd, The Owl, The Fly-by-night.
Preparations.
''The Fox''
Alms for the Blind.
''The Owl''
To the meeting place.
''The Monkey''
''The Bulldog''
A group of activists.
''They've pushed us into a corner,
so we've got to strike.''
''With our people...''
''lt would be better if the
people didn't go out on strike.''
Preparations.
''Agitate everywhere.''
''The Owl'' is in a tight spot.
A spy.
Secret meetings.
They're stirring up the people.
Accordion accompaniment.
''You've become even more
insolent, you scum.''
Meanwhile,
in the underground...
CALLS TO STRlKE
The boys are taking action.
''Enough of patience. Let's go out
on strike, comrades, into the struggle.''
PART TWO
A REASON TO STRlKE
The micrometer is stolen.
The price of the micrometer
is 25 rubles.
A loss of three weeks pay.
To the office to report the loss.
''We haven't had any thieves before.''
The Manager.
''Thief!''
Thief...
Comrades, the boss
accused me of the theft.
l'm not guilty but l can't prove it.
l cannot leave the factory with
the stigma of a thief. So l have
decided to put an end to myself.
Goodbye and remember l'm not guilty.
Yakov Strongen.''
''Break it up!''
''Stop work!''
The master craftsmen.
''Blow the whistle!''
''Go to hell!''
For the whistle.
To the Old Foundry.
The assembly.
The Old Foundry resists.
''C'mon, lads, let's take it!''
''To the office, comrades!''
''Don't open the gates!
Let no one in or out.''
The Tribune of Labor.
ln the office.
''Without our labor
the furnaces will go out,
the machines will stop,
the plant will die.''
''We have the power,
we are the power,
if we are united to struggle
against the capital.''
A ''carriage'' for the administration.
''Why didn't you warn us
about all this?!''
PART THREE
THE PLANT STOOD STOCK-STlLL
The first days.
''Get up for work.''
Copying their fathers.
Orders pour in...
Everything on which their
thrones rest
is made by the worker's hands.
''ls that on strike too?!''
Formulating demands.
''We demand an eight hour work day.''
''...Fair treatment
by the management.''
''A 30% increase in wages.''
At the police station.
''There are no cowards
or traitors among us.
We'll defend our demands
to the end.''
The stockholders.
''l'll read them.''
''A 6 hour work day for minors.''
''They're demanding
a 30% wage increase.''
''lt's shocking. They've
brought the factory into politics.''
''This is impudence.''
''And now, gentlemen...''
Police!
Sit down !
''Oh, that isn't all...''
''You press down hard and
you get...juice.''
The demands.
''The administration, having
considered the workers' demands
with the utmost care...''
''Clean it up.''
A nice reply.
And late into the night they
studied the workers' welfare.
PART FOUR
THE STRlKE DRAGS ON
Notice
Food store closed for repairs
''He's hungry.''
To the flea market.
The tobacco pouch is empty.
''Want my dinner, Daddy.''
On the prowl.
The Owl sees by day as well.
''Having reviewed the workers'
demands with the utmost care,
the administration
considers them impractical
for the following reasons:
1 . The eight hour work day
is completely illegal
and does not depend
upon the administration.
2 ) The wage increase...
At a prearranged place.
A civil manner from the
administration is recommended
only if the workers
submit unconditionally.
ln the evening.
ln the night.
''Beat him !''
''Beat him !''
The next night.
''Article 102 : 4 to 6 years
of hard labor... or...''
Towards morning.
''They've brought him around.''
''The leader.. and dangerous.''.
They are discussing the refusal.
''Who is for continuing the strike?''
''Against?''
''A minority for work.''
(An arrest warrant)
PART FlVE
THE PROVOCATlON TO DlSASTER
The Czarist police are not squeamish.
''l'll announce you immediately.''
''The King''
A shady deal.
''My realms are limitless.''.
The Kadushkino Cemetery.
Tough sorts.
''l need five
unscrupulous men.''
They're ALL without conscience!
Down to ''business''.
The Monkey works in wholesale,
the Owl in retail.
Pass it on.
The war council.
Liquor store.
From a meeting.
At ''work''.
Worming their way in...
SMASH lT!
The ''King's'' boys go into action.
Press the button.
Wait for the firemen.
''lt's provocation.
Call out the firemen.''
Stop gossiping and guard the fire
alarm or they will foil the plan.
''Comrades, follow me!''
''They want to buy us
with vodka!
Don't be provoked!''
''Provocateurs are here
working with the police.''
''Everybody go home,
Comrades!''
lt's been foiled...
''Follow me!''
''Fools!''
A dead end.
Struggling for a way out.
They have broken through.
''He got away.''
''Flush out'' the ringleaders!
''You scum ! Your own people...''
They've caught him.
PART SlX
LlQUlDATlON
ln the factory district
a State Liquor Store was smashed,
looted and burned by the strikers.
The crowd was dispersed
with water hoses.
The situation is tense.
There is fear of further unrest.
Troops have been sent to the
district by order of the Governor.
The First Strike
''DlS-PER-SE !''
''Comrades, help!''
''To the forge, comrades,
to the sledge hammers.''
''Go to your apartments.''
They have broken in.
Wild animals.
''You can't put them all in prison.
Our boys will hold out.''.
''The boys...''
''Your little district...''
''...is already...''
''But you, young man, could maybe
join us... we could help you.
What do you say?''
''Back to my cell!''
The carnage.
The defeat.
And like bloody unforgettable scars
on the body of the proletariat
lay the wounds of Lena,
Talka, Zlataust, Yaro,
Slavl, Tsaritsin and Kosteroma.
REMEMBER !
PROLETARlANS!
''STRlKE'', the first film
of prominent director
Sergei Eisenstein,
has been released in 1924.
lt played a considerable part
in the development
of the art of cinema.
A Production of the
First State Film Factory.
The film has been restored
in Gorki studios in 1969.
STRlKE
Scenario PROLETKULT Under
the Editorship of V. Pletnykov
Performed by the First
Workers' Theatre of Proletkult
Directed by
Sergei Eisenstein
Camera
Eduard Tisse
Sets
V. Rakhals
''The strength of the working
class is organization.
Without organization of the masses,
the proletariat is nothing.
Organized, it is everything.
Being organized means unity of action,
the unity of pratical activity.''
Lenin, 1907
PART ONE :
All is calm at the factory
All is calm at the factory,
BUT...
There is trouble brewing.
They hurry to...
The Director
Reporting
He laid down the law.
Through the hierarchy.
''Get me the files
on the factory district.''
lnformation of
''Private Agents''.
List of Agents who spy:
The Monkey, The Quiet One,
The Patriarch, The Fellow-Countryman,
Zoya, Bulldog, The Fox, The Taylor,
The Shepherd, The Owl, The Fly-by-night.
Preparations.
''The Fox''
Alms for the Blind.
''The Owl''
To the meeting place.
''The Monkey''
''The Bulldog''
A group of activists.
''They've pushed us into a corner,
so we've got to strike.''
''With our people...''
''lt would be better if the
people didn't go out on strike.''
Preparations.
''Agitate everywhere.''
''The Owl'' is in a tight spot.
A spy.
Secret meetings.
They're stirring up the people.
Accordion accompaniment.
''You've become even more
insolent, you scum.''
Meanwhile,
in the underground...
CALLS TO STRlKE
The boys are taking action.
''Enough of patience. Let's go out
on strike, comrades, into the struggle.''
PART TWO
A REASON TO STRlKE
The micrometer is stolen.
The price of the micrometer
is 25 rubles.
A loss of three weeks pay.
To the office to report the loss.
''We haven't had any thieves before.''
The Manager.
''Thief!''
Thief...
Comrades, the boss
accused me of the theft.
l'm not guilty but l can't prove it.
l cannot leave the factory with
the stigma of a thief. So l have
decided to put an end to myself.
Goodbye and remember l'm not guilty.
Yakov Strongen.''
''Break it up!''
''Stop work!''
The master craftsmen.
''Blow the whistle!''
''Go to hell!''
For the whistle.
To the Old Foundry.
The assembly.
The Old Foundry resists.
''C'mon, lads, let's take it!''
''To the office, comrades!''
''Don't open the gates!
Let no one in or out.''
The Tribune of Labor.
ln the office.
''Without our labor
the furnaces will go out,
the machines will stop,
the plant will die.''
''We have the power,
we are the power,
if we are united to struggle
against the capital.''
A ''carriage'' for the administration.
''Why didn't you warn us
about all this?!''
PART THREE
THE PLANT STOOD STOCK-STlLL
The first days.
''Get up for work.''
Copying their fathers.
Orders pour in...
Everything on which their
thrones rest
is made by the worker's hands.
''ls that on strike too?!''
Formulating demands.
''We demand an eight hour work day.''
''...Fair treatment
by the management.''
''A 30% increase in wages.''
At the police station.
''There are no cowards
or traitors among us.
We'll defend our demands
to the end.''
The stockholders.
''l'll read them.''
''A 6 hour work day for minors.''
''They're demanding
a 30% wage increase.''
''lt's shocking. They've
brought the factory into politics.''
''This is impudence.''
''And now, gentlemen...''
Police!
Sit down !
''Oh, that isn't all...''
''You press down hard and
you get...juice.''
The demands.
''The administration, having
considered the workers' demands
with the utmost care...''
''Clean it up.''
A nice reply.
And late into the night they
studied the workers' welfare.
PART FOUR
THE STRlKE DRAGS ON
Notice
Food store closed for repairs
''He's hungry.''
To the flea market.
The tobacco pouch is empty.
''Want my dinner, Daddy.''
On the prowl.
The Owl sees by day as well.
''Having reviewed the workers'
demands with the utmost care,
the administration
considers them impractical
for the following reasons:
1 . The eight hour work day
is completely illegal
and does not depend
upon the administration.
2 ) The wage increase...
At a prearranged place.
A civil manner from the
administration is recommended
only if the workers
submit unconditionally.
ln the evening.
ln the night.
''Beat him !''
''Beat him !''
The next night.
''Article 102 : 4 to 6 years
of hard labor... or...''
Towards morning.
''They've brought him around.''
''The leader.. and dangerous.''.
They are discussing the refusal.
''Who is for continuing the strike?''
''Against?''
''A minority for work.''
(An arrest warrant)
PART FlVE
THE PROVOCATlON TO DlSASTER
The Czarist police are not squeamish.
''l'll announce you immediately.''
''The King''
A shady deal.
''My realms are limitless.''.
The Kadushkino Cemetery.
Tough sorts.
''l need five
unscrupulous men.''
They're ALL without conscience!
Down to ''business''.
The Monkey works in wholesale,
the Owl in retail.
Pass it on.
The war council.
Liquor store.
From a meeting.
At ''work''.
Worming their way in...
SMASH lT!
The ''King's'' boys go into action.
Press the button.
Wait for the firemen.
''lt's provocation.
Call out the firemen.''
Stop gossiping and guard the fire
alarm or they will foil the plan.
''Comrades, follow me!''
''They want to buy us
with vodka!
Don't be provoked!''
''Provocateurs are here
working with the police.''
''Everybody go home,
Comrades!''
lt's been foiled...
''Follow me!''
''Fools!''
A dead end.
Struggling for a way out.
They have broken through.
''He got away.''
''Flush out'' the ringleaders!
''You scum ! Your own people...''
They've caught him.
PART SlX
LlQUlDATlON
ln the factory district
a State Liquor Store was smashed,
looted and burned by the strikers.
The crowd was dispersed
with water hoses.
The situation is tense.
There is fear of further unrest.
Troops have been sent to the
district by order of the Governor.
The First Strike
''DlS-PER-SE !''
''Comrades, help!''
''To the forge, comrades,
to the sledge hammers.''
''Go to your apartments.''
They have broken in.
Wild animals.
''You can't put them all in prison.
Our boys will hold out.''.
''The boys...''
''Your little district...''
''...is already...''
''But you, young man, could maybe
join us... we could help you.
What do you say?''
''Back to my cell!''
The carnage.
The defeat.
And like bloody unforgettable scars
on the body of the proletariat
lay the wounds of Lena,
Talka, Zlataust, Yaro,
Slavl, Tsaritsin and Kosteroma.
REMEMBER !
PROLETARlANS!