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The Cutlass

Name: The Cutlass
Director: Mikhail Shveitser, Vladimir Vengerov
Released: 1954
Duration: 83 min

Representation Score

3.0/10

Limited

1954

Director

Mikhail Shveitser, Vladimir Vengerov

Runtime

83 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

The Cutlass is a period-specific adventure film that focuses on historical mystery and regional settings. Its narrative structure is deeply rooted in the mid-20th century Soviet cinematic tradition, emphasizing collectivist values and traditional hierarchies. While the film offers insight into the regional dynamics between a Ukrainian village and Petrograd, it lacks multi-layered complexity. Character roles adhere to established genre norms, with male protagonists driving the action and female characters confined to domestic spheres. Ultimately, the film serves as a standard adventure tale of its time. It does not aim to disrupt social norms or include diverse representations of identity, disability, or sexuality.

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Category Breakdown

Does The Cutlass have LGBTQ+ representation?

Limited

The film does not include any LGBTQ+ characters or narratives that challenge the assumption that everyone is straight or cisgender. It follows the traditional social structures typical of 1950s Soviet cinema.

How does The Cutlass portray gender?

Fair

Male characters like Misha and Genka play significant roles in driving the story. Female characters, such as the mother and grandmother, are confined to traditional domestic roles.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The Cutlass?

Limited

The story alternates between a Ukrainian village and Petrograd. However, the cast appears ethnically uniform, focusing on regional differences rather than racial diversity.

How does The Cutlass represent religion and culture?

Fair

The narrative reflects mid-century collectivist values and social order. It uses a historical mystery to explore truth within established institutional frameworks.

Does The Cutlass include disability representation?

Minimal

There are no characters with visible or invisible disabilities. The plot centers on able-bodied protagonists involved in physical adventures.

Present on Screen

Provides a historical perspective on mid-century Soviet regional dynamics and collectivist values.
Offers a clear, structured adventure narrative centered around a compelling historical mystery.

Limited or Absent

Lacks representation of LGBTQ+ identities or non-straight relationships.
Female characters have limited roles and lack ability to act in the central mystery.
No visible or invisible disability representation is present in the narrative.

Official Synopsis

The teenager Misha Polyakov, being with his mother in a Ukrainian village on vacation with his grandmother and about to return home to Petrograd, offers his best friend Genka to go with him. Suddenly, a white gang of Nikitsky bursts into the village and attacks Misha’s house, where Commissioner Polevoy lives. The purpose of Nikitskiy (aka Nikolskiy) is a dagger located at Polevoy. Saving the commissioner, Misha learns from him the history and secret of the weapon, and receives it for storage with a request to solve the secret. Having returned with adventures to Petrograd, Misha Polyakov with friends begins to unravel the riddle of the dagger, in the handle of which is encrypted text.

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