Battleship Potemkin

"Revolution is the only lawful, equal, effectual war. It was in Russia that this war was declared and begun."

1925 1h 15m RU

🙌

7.6

BANGER

🔥

100%

CERTIFIED FRESH

💯

METACRITIC

⭐

7.9

IMDB

★7.6TMDB · 1,342🍅100%Rotten Tomatoes●97Metacritic★7.9IMDB · 65,711

DramaHistoryWar

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

A dramatized account of a great Russian naval mutiny and a resultant public demonstration, showing support, which brought on a police massacre.

“Revolution is the only lawful, equal, effectual war. It was in Russia that this war was declared and begun.”

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Cast

Aleksandr Antonov
Grigory Vakulinchuk
Vladimir Barsky
Commander Golikov
Grigori Aleksandrov
Chief Officer Giliarovsky
Ivan Bobrov
Young Sailor Flogged While Sleeping
Mikhail Gomorov
Militant Sailor
Aleksandr Levshin
Petty Officer
Nina Poltavtseva
Woman with Pince-nez
Konstantin Feldman
Student Agitator

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Sergei Eisenstein
Writers: Sergei Tretyakov, Sergei Eisenstein, Nina Agadzhanova
Languages: No Language
Countries: Soviet Union

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Tight 75-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

101 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Sergei Eisenstein, shot by Eduard Tisse. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Edmund Meisel. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Sergei Eisenstein shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Aleksandr Antonov and Vladimir Barsky and Grigori Aleksandrov carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Revolution is the only lawful, equal, effectual war. It was in Russia that this war was declared and begun.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0015648 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Sergei Eisenstein directs. Eduard Tisse behind the camera. Edmund Meisel scores. Sergei Eisenstein cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Soviet Union. Dialogue in No Language.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Tight 75-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
2101 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3Directed by Sergei Eisenstein, shot by Eduard Tisse. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Edmund Meisel. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Sergei Eisenstein shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Aleksandr Antonov and Vladimir Barsky and Grigori Aleksandrov carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "Revolution is the only lawful, equal, effectual war. It was in Russia that this war was declared and begun.".
8IMDB entry: tt0015648 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Classified under 18 themes, including "panic", "baby carriage", "cossack", "slaughter".
10Released under 22 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography: Eduard Tisse
Original score: Edmund Meisel
Editing: Sergei Eisenstein
Production design: Vasiliy Rakhals
Runtime: 75 min · 1h 15m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Box office: $45,100
Original language: RU
Certification (US): NR
IMDB: Battleship Potemkin (1925)
Rotten Tomatoes: 100% 🍅 Fresh
Metacritic: 97/100
IMDB rating: 7.9/10 · 65,711 votes
MPAA: Not Rated

Awards

1 win total

Also by

Sergei Eisenstein

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Trailers & featurettes

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Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2022-06-06
★ 8/10
I'm not going to attempt to find loads of cinematic superlatives about this. It's just a great film that depicts the epitome of cruelty, indifference and kindred spirit at sea in spades. The crew of this powerful warship are treated little better than prisoners in a gulag. When the ship's doctor insists that their daily meat ration (which could "jump into the water by itself") is safe to eat, a few of them decide to take a stance. Their officer humiliates them, and when they refuse to back down he corners them on deck and orders them shot. This proves the flashpoint for his crewmen who proceed to seize the ship and sail to Odessa where they turn the guns on the army headquarters in the city and the conflagration grows. Will others join them, or will the status quo be returned and their ship destroyed...? Historians have already told us the answers to most of the factual questions, so it's not really about what happens - it is the magnificently poignant and suspenseful fashion in which Eisenstein paces the film. Clearly he has an agenda, his depictions are not exactly even handed - particularly the soldiers in the town dealing with the civilian population, but that doesn't overwhelm the overall sentiment of the sailors rebelling for just reasons, for decent treatment and for a degree of respect that was certainly lacking from their officers. The production itself is superb, the camerawork has an intensity that makes you feel as if you are actually on the boat at times. I'm sure there are more analytical reviews of this film to be had - but I think it is just a wonderful example of a man at the top of his game making an exciting film that delivers entertainment and a bit of thought-provocation in equal measure, at the same time.

Production companies