Futuristic sets highlight what’s reported to be Russia’s first SF movie. Loss, a Chief Radio Engineer in Moscow, is obsessed with translating a message from space he thinks is from Mars. On Mars, Aelia is obsessed with Loss after seeing him through a telescope.
Daily life in Moscow is a struggle as they try and put things back together after the 1917 revolution. Radio Engineer Loss can’t figure out the message received on December 24,1921. His wife Natasha works at a checkpoint trying to find housing for refugees.
On Mars the chief astronomer has designed a telescope that can see what’s going on down Earth way. Aelita wants a look but the telescope is supposed to be a secret but she doesn’t care. She spots Loss and Natasha in a lip lock and that gets her thinking about what that feels like.
Viktor Ehrlich is a crooked Soviet official who fixes it up to get a room at Loss and Natasha’s. He takes advantage of Loss’ obsession with designing a spaceship and makes moves on Natasha. Loss is jealous because Ehrlich won’t leave her alone.
One night he convinces Natasha to go to a dance with him. Natasha is informed at the gathering by Loss’ friend Spiridinov that he’s on his way out of town. She gets home too late and sees a short note from Loss that he’s off on a business trip to help rebuild Russia.
Six months go by and Loss is coming back home. Before he left he had his friend hide his spaceship drawings. He gets a note from Spiridinov that he’s leaving town and hid the drawings in the fireplace.
When Loss gets back home he has roses for Natasha. Then he sees shadows on the wall and he goes into a jealous rage when Natasha comes down to greet him. He pulls out a pistol and shoots her. As the police hunt for him he disguises himself as Spiridinov and goes home and retrieves his drawings. One person following is Kravtsov. He fancies himself a detective but the police chief refuses to hire him.
Meanwhile on Mars life for the workers isn’t ideal. They’re slaves of the ruling Elders and some are kept in refrigerators. Aelita’s obsession with Loss is causing her some big time trouble.
Back on Earth Loss has his rocket ready to go. Accompanying him is bored soldier Gusev. His wife tried locking him in his room but he gets out and joins Loss. Until takeoff they don’t know they have a stowaway…Kravtsov who wants to arrest Loss. He’s more than surprised when Loss tells him to look out the porthole and sees Earth getting smaller. The Communist revolution is coming to Mars.
This is definitely worth seeing.
What the well dressed Martians were wearing
Vintage45's Blog 