Mikhail Romm

Directing

Mikhail Romm

Born 1901-01-24 · Irkutsk, Russian Empire [now Russia]

Mikhail Ilych Romm (Russian: Михаил Ильич Ромм; 24 January [O.S. 11 January] 1901 – 1 November 1971) was a Soviet film director. He was born in Irkutsk. His father was a social democrat of Jewish descent who had been exiled there. He graduated from gymnasium in 1917 and entered the Moscow College for Painting, Sculpture and Architecture. From 1918 - 1921, he served in the Red Army during the Russian civil war, first as a signalman and later rising to the rank of inspector of a Special Commission concerning the numbers of the Red Army and Fleet of the Field Staff of the Supreme Military Soviet of the Republic. As such he travelled a lot and had the opportunity to see much of the life in different parts of the country, something that he later said he "recalled with gratitude". In 1925 he graduated as a sculptor from the class of Anna Golubkina of the Highest Artistic-Technical Institute and worked as a sculptor and translator. In 1928-1930 he conducted research on the theory of cinema in the Institute for the methods of extra-scholastic work. Since 1931 he worked at the Mosfilm studio. In 1940-1943 he was an artistic leader for the Mosfilm films production. In 1942-1947 he was the director of a theater studio for movie actors. From 1938 he was a lecturer, from 1948 he was the leader of the actor's-producer department of the VGIK, professor (from 1962). He influenced many prominent film-directors, including Andrei Tarkovsky, Grigori Chukhrai, Vasily Shukshin, Nikita Mikhalkov, Georgi Daneliya, Aleksander Mitta, Igor Talankin, Rezo Chkheidze, Gleb Panfilov, Vladimir Basov, Tengiz Abuladze, Elem Klimov and many others. He wrote many books and articles on the theory of cinematographic art, and also memoirs. He was awarded the Stalin Prize 5 times (1941, 1946, 1948, 1949, 1951). Romm was an honorary corresponding member of the Academy of the skills of DDR (1967).

Acting credits

Behind the camera

Lenin in October poster
6.0

Commissioned by Josef Stalin to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Soviet Revolution, Lenin in October was the first of Russian director Mikhail Romm's tributes to the Marxist visionary who helped orchestrate the insurrection of October, 1917.

Lenin in October

1937

The Grasshopper poster
5.2

Osip Dymov, the titular counselor and the doctor of thirty one years, serves in two hospitals at the same time: intern and anatomist. From nine o'clock in the morning and in the forenoon accepts patients, then goes to open corpses. But its income is hardly enough for a covering of expenses of the wife mad about talents and celebrities in the art and artistic environment whom it daily accepts in the house.

The Grasshopper

1955

Aleksandr Parkhomenko poster
5.1

About the life and heroic death of the old Bolshevik-Lugansk resident, participant in the civil war, Aleksandr Yakovlevich Parkhomenko. In 1918, capturing Ukraine, the German occupiers sought to use the Haidamaks, the White Guards and the Greens in their struggle. By order of Voroshilov, Aleksandr Parkhomenko from Lugansk arrives in Tsaritsyn. At the same time, the Germans launched an active offensive. The "red" battalions are poorly armed, however, Parkhomenko manages to raise them to the attack and put the enemy to flight.

Aleksandr Parkhomenko

1942

Dream poster
5.5

In search for a better life, Anna leaves her Ukrainian village for a big city. Three years later, she finds herself working two jobs and spending most of her days in a rooming house inhabited by broken people.

Dream

1943

Dream poster
5.5

In search for a better life, Anna leaves her Ukrainian village for a big city. Three years later, she finds herself working two jobs and spending most of her days in a rooming house inhabited by broken people.

Dream

1943

Admiral Ushakov poster
6.1

Historical epic about the legendary Russian naval commander of the 18th century, admiral Fyodor Ushakov, and his fight for Crimea during the Russo-Turkish War.

Admiral Ushakov

1953

The Thirteen poster
5.4

The film tells about a band of demobilized Red Army men and two civilians who cross a Middle Asian desert. They are forced to do battle with superior forces of Basmachi rebels for the dry draw-well.

The Thirteen

1937

The Thirteen poster
5.4

The film tells about a band of demobilized Red Army men and two civilians who cross a Middle Asian desert. They are forced to do battle with superior forces of Basmachi rebels for the dry draw-well.

The Thirteen

1937

Nine Days of One Year poster
6.8

Set in the Soviet scientific community, the story follows two dedicated physicists whose close friendship unfolds amid dangerous nuclear research, shaped by their shared affection for a strong-willed woman. Radiation exposure, scientific ambition, and romantic rivalries intersect as the characters confront the physical risks of their work and the personal consequences of their choices.

Nine Days of One Year

1962

Nine Days of One Year poster
6.8

Set in the Soviet scientific community, the story follows two dedicated physicists whose close friendship unfolds amid dangerous nuclear research, shaped by their shared affection for a strong-willed woman. Radiation exposure, scientific ambition, and romantic rivalries intersect as the characters confront the physical risks of their work and the personal consequences of their choices.

Nine Days of One Year

1962

Three Came Out of the Woods poster
9.0

After the partisans Julia, Pavel and Sergei went out on a combat mission, the detachment was surrounded and destroyed by punishers. Years later, a document was discovered stating that one of the three was a traitor.

Three Came Out of the Woods

1958

Attack from the Sea poster
6.0

The historical and biographic movie about the glorified Russian naval commander Ushakov. France begins aggressive wars. The Russian and allied troops freeing Italy are headed by A. V. Suvorov. The victory in the fortress of Corfu is ensured by operation of the admiral Ushakov.

Attack from the Sea

1953

Triumph Over Violence poster
7.5

Romm pulls out all the stops in its selection of documentary material to draw the viewer not only into absolute horror about fascism and nazism in the 1920s–1940s Europe, but also to a firm conviction that nothing of the sort should be allowed to happen again anywhere in the world.

Triumph Over Violence

1965

Triumph Over Violence poster
7.5

Romm pulls out all the stops in its selection of documentary material to draw the viewer not only into absolute horror about fascism and nazism in the 1920s–1940s Europe, but also to a firm conviction that nothing of the sort should be allowed to happen again anywhere in the world.

Triumph Over Violence

1965

Murder on Dante Street poster
5.5

A story about tragic events in France during the German occupation in WWII.

Murder on Dante Street

1956

Murder on Dante Street poster
5.5

A story about tragic events in France during the German occupation in WWII.

Murder on Dante Street

1956

Murder on Dante Street poster
5.5

A story about tragic events in France during the German occupation in WWII.

Murder on Dante Street

1956

Journey poster
NR

A movie almanac based on the stories of Vasily Aksenov: "Dad, fold it!", "Breakfasts of the forty-third year", "Halfway to the Moon".

Journey

1966

Lenin in 1918 poster
5.2

Historical-revolutionary film about Lenin’s activities in the first years after the Great October Revolution in Russia.

Lenin in 1918

1939

The Crash of the Emirate poster
9.5

1920. Western countries are trying to use the Bukhara khanate — a former protectorate of tsarist Russia — to fight the Soviet regime. Arrived in Tashkent by M. V. Frunze and V. V. Kuibyshev to organize the masses to fight counter-revolutionaries and agents of foreign intelligence services.

The Crash of the Emirate

1955

A Weary Road poster
6.0

The station keeper Kruglikov was exiled to a remote Siberian village many years ago for shooting his superior, a general, who demanded that he go with him as a matchmaker to Kruglikov's favorite girl, Raya. A political exile is brought to the station. She turns out to be Raya. For a few minutes the former bride and groom were together, and then she was taken away again.

A Weary Road

1956

And Still I Believe poster
5.2

Originally called World '68, later retitled The World of Today Romm’s film was conceived as an impassioned, large-scale essay on the origins of the 20th century and the subsequent reality the disappointed director felt slipping away from him. The film itself slipped away from him and was left unfinished at the time of his death. His younger colleagues, Marlen Khutsiev, Elem Klimov and German Lavrov, completed the film from the elements he left behind in addition to segments from Ordinary Fascism, closing the film with Romm’s ultimately optimistic outlook: "And still I believe that man is sensible..."

And Still I Believe

1974

And Still I Believe poster
5.2

Originally called World '68, later retitled The World of Today Romm’s film was conceived as an impassioned, large-scale essay on the origins of the 20th century and the subsequent reality the disappointed director felt slipping away from him. The film itself slipped away from him and was left unfinished at the time of his death. His younger colleagues, Marlen Khutsiev, Elem Klimov and German Lavrov, completed the film from the elements he left behind in addition to segments from Ordinary Fascism, closing the film with Romm’s ultimately optimistic outlook: "And still I believe that man is sensible..."

And Still I Believe

1974

The Russian Question poster
4.8

It is the story of an American journalist who spends time in Russia and sees socialism in action. Upon his return to the U.S., a prestigious editor asks him to write a book about his experience. He receives a handsome advance for the project and he and his fiancée are able to buy a house, a car, and other symbols of the American dream. But the editor’s generosity comes with a caveat: the book must present a negative picture of Soviet society. Will he simply keep the money and do what is expected of him, or will he instead tell the truth?

The Russian Question

1948