The Ascent is a 1977 movie directed by Larisa Shepitko.
WHAT HAPPENS?
Two Soviet soldiers are captured by Nazis. The first, Sotkinov, refuses to cooperate and is tortured. The second, Rybak, is more forthcoming. Their respective actions determine their physical and emotional fates.
ONE LINE REVIEW
The Ascent is a bleak but gorgeous study of survival.
THE ACTORS
Boris Plotnikov is tremendous as Sotkinov, the wounded soldier coming to grips with the reality of a desperate situation. Plotnikov effortlessly displays a range of emotions. He’s timid and shell-shocked before accepting his fate. Suddenly, Plotnikov grows stoic as he physically deteriorates. His final scenes reveal a tender embrace that suggests a spiritual stillness. The performance is subtle yet somehow commanding.
Vladimir Gostyhukin offers a contrast as the ascerbic and hardened Rybak. Gostyhukin layers the character with a cynical edge, which often belies the intense fear he carries. It’s an intriguing character – his instinct to survive clashes with Sotkinov’s acceptance of his fate. The movie’s best scene occurs as Gostyhukin launches into an explosive tirade against Plotnikov, accusing him of expressing hope for their situation.
Anatoliy Solonitsyn portrays Portnov, the Nazi investigator. Solonitsyn is brilliant in his exchanges with the soldiers – he is emotionally numb and a bitter realist given his role. He cruelly rips apart Sotkinov’s morality, suggesting that nothing in the world holds such value.
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