Call to Arms

This is a film from the series of so-called "defense" films, which presents a hypothetical "scenario" of a future war. The crew of test pilot Sergei Novikov makes a long non-stop flight on an airplane of a new design. Novikov's son, Yurka, a passionate inventor, manages to contact his father using a transmitter he designed himself. Just before landing Novikov felt bad - an old leg wound, received during the Civil War, had opened. But still the pilot managed to land the plane on the airfield of the aircraft factory. After an editorial article in the newspaper Pravda, the movie was removed from the screens.

Directed by Aleksandr Macheret, Call to Arms leans on a strong ensemble — Yekaterina Melnikova, Aleksandra Popova, Pyotr Beryozov — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about war titles of 1936.