Taming of the Fire

Plot

The film is split into two parts and based on the true story of the Soviet space and missile industry, with names altered for security. The lead character Andrei Bashkirtsev, played by Kirill Lavrov, is modeled on Sergei Korolev. In Part 1, Bashkirtsev's obsession with flying begins in his youth, and his career advances after meeting space scientist Konstantin Tsiolkovsky (Innokenti Smoktunovsky). Before World War II he develops early rockets and builds a launch center in Central Russia, then creates the Katyusha weapon and takes it to the front.

Despite arrest and imprisonment, he continues rocket design and is released to fight the Nazis. Part 2 covers the post-war period: Bashkirtsev designs a new rocket system, works with nuclear scientist Igor Kurchatov on nuclear missiles, and builds the rocket that launched Sputnik in 1957 from Baykonur Cosmodrome. He then achieves the first human spaceflight with Yuri Gagarin and other missions. By the mid-1960s he works toward a Moon flight, but his uncompromising nature causes conflicts with Soviet politicians, and he dies of a heart attack; his colleagues carry on his work.

Production

Mosfilm was the main production company, with assistance from the Soviet Army, Gagarin Space Center in Moscow, Baykonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, and OKB 1 and OKB 3 missile industries. All actors and crew passed background checks for clearance to film at Baykonur and Gagarin Space Center in 1970 and 1971. Footage from these locations adds authenticity, though most has not been publicly released. The original director's cut of 5500 meters was shown to Brezhnev and the Politbureau, then censored before public release in 1972 to 4553 meters (166 minutes); currently available copies run 158 minutes.

Did You Know?

• The film received the Crystal Globe Award in 1972.
• The film also received several awards at festivals in Europe and the Soviet Union.