简介：DescribedbyhistorianPaulRothaas"theepitomeoftheSovietpropagandafilm,realizedwithextraordinaryskilloftechnicalachievement",FragmentofanEmpirewasthefirstimportantfilmeffortbydirectorFrederickErmler.Combiningdocumentarytechniqueswithstraightdramaticnarrative,thefilmfocusesonasergeantinthearmyoftheCzarwholosestrackofhislovelywife.Bythetimehe'sdiscoveredthathisbridehasre-marriedtoanaristocrat,thesergeanthasexperiencedapoliticalepiphany,disdainingImperialisminfavoroftheburgeoningBolshevistmovement.Theprotagonist'sturnaroundiscounterpointedwithspectacularshotsofgrowingsocialunrestthroughoutRussia.Americanfilmcritics,traditionallyresistanttopropagandafilmsintheearly1930s,feltthatFragmentofanEmpirecontainedenoughofthe"popular"elementstoenjoyasuccessfulU.S.release.…