Blast from the Past: Propaganda Movies
MGM’s Song of Russa, an American agit-prop WWII movie, starred Robert Taylor, Susan Peters, and Robert Benchley.
Grade: B-
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Theatrical Film Poster
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The picture was credited to director Gregory Ratoff, though he became ill near the end of production, and was replaced by László Benedek, who completed photography.
The credited screenwriters were Paul Jarrico (who was later blacklisted by HUAC)) and Richard J. Collins.
Taylor plays American orchestra conductor John Meredith, who, alongside his manager, Hank Higgins (Robert Benchley), travel to the Soviet Union shortly before the country is invaded by Germany.
In the process, Meredith falls in love with beautiful Soviet pianist Nadya Stepanova (Susan Peters) while they tour the country, but their bliss is destroyed by the German invasion.
Taylor had fought for weeks against making this movie until a representative of the Office of War Information had joined MGM’s Louis B. Mayer, stressing that President Roosevelt wished for the film to be made in order to bolster affirmative sympathy toward the Russians.
A commercial hit, Song of Russia was Taylor’s last film before going int service for three years, 1943-1946. He followed MGM’s star Gable, Jimmy Stewart and many other actors.
Unfortunately, Taylor’s first movie after the war was Undercurrents, in 1946, a misguided effort, directed by Minnelli, and co-starring Katharine Hepburn.
Cast
Robert Taylor as John Meredith
Susan Peters as Nadya Stepanova
John Hodiak as Boris Bulganov
Robert Benchley as Hank Higgins
Felix Bressart as Petrov
Michael Chekhov as Ivan Stepanov
Darryl Hickman as Peter Bulganov
Jacqueline White as Anna Bulganov
Patricia Prest as Stasa Bulganov
Joan Lorring as Sonia
Credits:
Directed by Gregory Ratoff, László Benedek (uncredited)
Written by Leo Mittler, Victor Trivas, Guy Endore (story), Paul Jarrico and Richard Collins (screenplay)
Produced by Joe Pasternak, Pandro S. Berman
Cinematography Harry Stradling Sr.
Edited by George Hively, George Boemler
Distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date: February 10, 1944
Running time: 107 minutes
Budget $1,828,000
Box office $3,729,000
