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!