Benya Krik (film)

Benya Krik
Directed byVladimir Vilner [ru][1]
Screenplay byIsaak Babel
Based onOdessa Stories
Release date
  • 1927 (1927)
Running time
81 minutes
CountrySoviet Union
LanguageRussian

Benya Krik (Russian: Беня Крик, romanized: Benya Krik) is a 1927 Soviet black comedy silent film, directed by Vladimir Vilner [ru][1][2][3] and starring Yuri Shumsky [ru] as Benya Krik.

The film depicts the career of a Jewish Russian gangster, and was based on the Odessa Stories of Isaak Babel. The main setting is the city of Odesa.

Benya Krik as portrayed by Yuri Shumsky

Plot

The main character is the legendary Odessa bandit, robber, and adventurer Benya Krik, who, along with his gang of marauders, leads a wild and carefree life. In his gang, betrayal means death, and through fear and respect, Benya's gang grows to impressive proportions.

With the arrival of the October Revolution, Benya switches allegiance to the Bolsheviks, presenting his criminal gang as a division of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army.

Cast

Source material

Benya Krik is a fictional character in Isaac Babel's cycle of short stories, Odessa Stories. He is a Jewish Russian gangster, and he and his gang of thugs are the main focus of the stories.

Production

The film was based on a screenplay written by Babel in 1926, in which he adapted parts of his short stories "The King" and "How It Was Done in Odessa", in addition to creating new content.

Restoration

The film was restored and supplied with English subtitles by the National Center for Jewish Film.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b Christie, Ian; Taylor, Professor Richard; Taylor, Richard (19 August 2005). Inside the Film Factory: New Approaches to Russian and Soviet Cinema. Routledge. pp. 145–. ISBN 9781134944330. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  2. ^ Jay Leyda (1960). Kino: A History of the Russian and Soviet Film. George Allen & Unwin. p. 230.
  3. ^ "Беня Крик. Х/ф". Russia-K.
  4. ^ "Benya Krik", National Center for Jewish Film


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