One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich

The comments of Mr. Dabell reveal what we value as 'cinematic experience' in the early 21st century - affect, false emotion, and illusion. 'One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich' is a great film and an extra-ordinary cinematic experience not only because it is "well acted & directed", but also because it is true to Solzhenitsyn's book and the real & horrific experience of hundreds of thousands, if not millions of Russians & other nationals in the USSR during Stalin's tyranny. If this is boring to Mr. Dabell perhaps he would have found the reality of building the prison camp & shooting the film in -30 degrees more interesting or perhaps he needs to read & understand the history of the 20th century more carefully. When the reality of the suffering of millions of fellow human beings becomes 'boring' we have by definition jetisoned part of out humanity, and failed to understand the difference between art and mere entertainment. As Solzhenitsyn wrote to my father (the director Casper Wrede) ".. you have made a good film, true to the truth, to the mood, to the feeling. I thank you, and I congratulate you with your success." What other review is necessary?

Having read the book, and being an amateur Sovietologist who studied Russian, I will state that this movie (which I haven't seen in 40 years, I will admit) does a tremendous job of bringing the book to life. The only scenes in the movie that I recall were not in the Book were the one where it shows the Captain starting his spell in the punishment cell, and a scene where a prisoner is receiving a package from home (which I won't spoil for you.). Once I got over the actors speaking in English and Norwegian accents-which I realized are better than "movie Russian" accents I found myself a "fly on the wall" and seeing things through Solzhenitsyn's eyes. The opening and closing credits where the camp first appears as a white light against a black landscape are an excellent use of artistic license to convey the isolation of the GULAG camps-and of the prisoners. And their guards.

I wouldn't have a clue what it is like to be in a Russian prison camp, but Solzhenitsyn, who wrote the book was in one... In any case, I thought the movie was excellent at capturing the dreary hopelessness of it all, and yes, it is depressing as Mr Dabell says, but that's the whole point. If you want a happy feel good movie, don't watch this one, but this story reveals what reality is like for a segment of the world's population, especially those in prison for political purposes. I personally love this movie and wish it would be released on DVD and not be forgotten. I read the book because of the movie, and found them very similar, but am so glad someone made this into a movie.

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, who wrote "One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich" on which this film was based, is one of my heroes. He suffered greatly under Soviet dictatorship and had the courage to risk his life by writing of his experiences. His work brought world attention to the plight of the many thousands of Soviet citizens unjustly imprisoned in Stalin's era and beyond.

In 1974, the Soviet government deported Solzhenitsyn after publication in the West of "The Gulag Archipelago", his major work exposing the Soviet prison system. He made his way to the U.S. where he lived for eighteen years. His citizenship was restored shortly after the breakup of the Soviet Union, and he returned to Russia in 1994.

I found "One Day in the Life. . ." most depressing as I absorbed it, but I didn't seek it out to be entertained. The subject matter was of course not pleasant, but the fact that this is a realistic depiction of what Soviet prisoners experienced makes it an important historical work.

Though I saw this film over thirty years ago, I still remember the surprising reaction that engulfed me when leaving the theater. My husband and I walked to the car in silence. When we were seated inside the car I turned to him and said words to this effect: "I have a strange sense of well-being and. . .comfort, or. . .triumph or something." He said, "So do I." We sat there for a few moments, rather surprised at this because the film was so depressing.

We came to the conclusion that the main character and many of the other prisoners, maintained and conveyed an awareness of their own human dignity despite the severe hardship and hopelessness of their days. They did this by respecting each other, sharing some of the very meager food or other items they had and carrying on their agonizing work with quiet acceptance. There were exceptions, no doubt, which I don't recall specifically. But, overall, the triumph of the human spirit came through clearly.

This film enriched our lives by making us grateful for our freedoms and the abundance of resources we enjoy here in the United States. In the current state of the world, we can take none of these things for granted.

This is not a review (as such) about Ivan Denisovich, more a counter to the comments made by a previous reviewer. I find it unbelievable that Mr. Dabell could complain about the film being boring with, as he puts it, "sparse stretches with barely any dialogue and barely any events begin to tire the viewer." What did Mr Dabell expect? A series of comic sketches, interspersed with some witty banter as the inmates hopped and skipped their way through the snow to their place of work? I saw the film back in the 70s and have not seen it since. It made such an impact on me that I have never forgotten it; I have tried to get a copy for many years, alas without success. I do remember the feeling of utter hopelessness, of futility coming through in the film. Feelings that I'm sure were felt by the actual inmates of such prisons back in those days. Escape was impossible. Where to? Certain death obviously, so any talk of digging tunnels, forging papers and planning escape routes (a la The Great Escape) were a complete waste of time. The film was true to the book and (what's more important in my eyes) true to the spirit of the times about which the book was written. If Mr Dabell found the film boring, maybe he should look to himself, maybe it's because Mr Dabell is a boring person. I would recommend anyone, with a spark of humanity, sit down and watch this film. You won't be disappointed, unless of course you happen to be a complete bore.