The epic Soviet television Series “The Life of Klim Samgin,” based on Maxim Gorky’s novel of the same name, spans a historical period in our country’s life from 1877 to 1917. These forty years are lived out on screen by the film’s protagonist, the hereditary intellectual Klim Samgin. Born in a difficult era, he witnessed tectonic changes in the structure of the Russian state. From early childhood, Klim strove to be better than his peers; he wanted to change this world, leave his mark on it, and become an exceptional person. Making his way through life, Klim was fortunate enough to meet a great many interesting people, become acquainted with their views of the world, adopt their tastes, raise his level of inner culture, and learn to distinguish what is genuine in this world from what is merely pretence. The formation of one’s own personality, as a person and an individual, does not happen all at once, but fourteen episodes provide sufficient running time for the viewer to encounter a multifaceted and strong character whose fate one would want to follow and care about. The Series will answer all the mysteries of Klim Samgin’s life.
