Red Devils (film)

Red Devils (also known as "The Hunt for blue fox") is a revolutionary adventure story written by the secretary of the Provincial Committee of the Kostroma RCP (B), novelist and screenwriter Paul Blyahin (Pavel Blyakhin) in 1921 and published in 1923–1926. The book became popular after the film adaptation of the first novel in 1923. The silent movie "Red Devils" has become one of the most famous and oft-quoted works of the Soviet adventure film.^[1]

History

The author describes the history of this writing:

The story "Red Devils" was written by me in 1921 in a car, freight car, on the way from Kostroma in Baku. Instead of three days, I went one month. On a makeshift table ready laid Mauser ... This was one of the first books about the Civil War. P. Blyahin.

Plot

The novel and film are about the adventures of the guys on the background of the Russian Civil War and the struggle with the Makhnovist forces. At the beginning Nestor Makhno and his troops attack the village, committing various crimes, including murdering peasants, robbing huts, stealing livestock, killing communists. In the attack, the guys father was captured, tortured and killed under Makhno's orders. The guys then organise a detachment against Makhno.

Characters

Young scouts, soldiers of the First Cavalry Army – Misha and DUNYASHA – Chinese Yu-yu (in the film 1923 is replaced by a black street acrobat Tom Jackson, as at the time of the film, the Soviet Union had a complicated relationship with China). For the same reason in the film The Elusive Avengers in 1967, when the Soviet Union had a complicated relationship with the United States, Tom Jackson was replaced by Yashku-gypsy.

Historical inaccuracies

The film and novel give an extremely negative portrayal of the Anarchist Nestor Makhno proven by an example of the text.

Land of the Soviets was burning in the fire of civil war. From all sides the heart of Russia - Moscow - moved numerous hordes of counter-revolution, From the east, the north and south were threatened by foreign invaders who supplied White Army weapons and food. In Crimea, sat down Wrangel troops which broke the Ukraine, in the area of Katerinoslavshchina.

And here, in the rear of a young Red Army rampaged kulak gang, led by different Batko and leader.

Urban workers and the rural poor selflessly fought for Soviet power, helped the Red Army and all our partisans than could. Hundreds and thousands of young volunteers joined the ranks of the glorious fighters for the cause of freedom and socialism.

During these terrible years, surrounded by enemies, the Soviet people lived hard, hungry and cold. After the war the industry was destroyed, fields are sown, even the bread was not enough to supply the Red Army. Country kulaks-the rich hid their bread and products, and in pits secret places, engaged in speculation and brutally robbed city population to go down for bread and potatoes last belongings.

In those days, to which the action of our story, the same the situation was in the city of Ekaterinoslav.

In Polye and throughout Ekaterinoslav province and walked gang robbed civilians famous in Ukraine Makhno. Acting in the rear of the Red Army, the gang brought incalculable harm Soviet people: organized pogroms, looting base supply, killing Soviet workers, especially the Bolsheviks and Red partisans. Village rich and bourgeois assisted them in every way in the struggle against Soviet power. They wanted to restore the old regime, the Tsar and landlords.

The film portrays Makhno just as negative as the novel in the film Makhnovist army are made up of kulaks, bandits, capitalists, British, German and Austro-Hungarian troops, and are allies of the White Movement

In the first film Makhno is captured this never happened in real life

In the second film Savur Mogila local kulaks break Makhno out of prison Savur Mogila portrays a much different portrayal of Makhnovist troops In this film all the allied and white guard support for them is gone they are now seen in the film as a decimated and defeated gang of peasant kulak bandits.

In Savu Mogila Makhno fled to Romania in March 1921 on like August 28, 1921 in real life.

References

1. https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=6gIssF2V4p0C&pg=PA36&lpg=PA36&dq=Pavel+Blyakhin&source=bl&ots=rGS5weR6Cr&sig=M304CFevZRi8Y-OPIEBLLSEQdqM&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjhot351cDJAhVHOxQKHT6OD9AQ6AEIOTAF#v=onepage&q=Pavel%20Blyakhin&f=false