Open ClassicCINEMA
Back to the collection

OPEN CLASSIC CINEMA · 854

The Palace and the Fortress

1924100 minSoviet Union
BiographyDrama

Synopsis

A young officer's private hopes are overtaken by the power of the imperial state when he is imprisoned without trial. Years pass inside the Peter and Paul Fortress while life continues across the river and beyond its walls. The separation gradually destroys the future he imagined, exposing the human cost concealed behind the grandeur of the palace.

Watch the film ↓
Video edition
Wikimedia Commons
Original language
No spoken dialogue. Intertitles: Russian.
This copy runs
75:27
Subtitles
No subtitle track in this language

No spoken dialogue. Intertitles: Russian. No subtitle track in this language.

Languages and subtitles

No subtitle track in this language

Wikimedia Commons · «Совкино» · Public domain

This copy runs shorter than the reference runtime. Editing and playback speed can differ between editions.

Cast

DirectorsAleksandr Ivanovsky

Inspirations

The historical drama draws on accounts of Mikhail Beideman's imprisonment, including works by Olga Forsh and Pavel Shchegolev. The contrast between palace and fortress gives the story its image of privilege sustained beside prolonged confinement.

Sources and availability

General references identify the work and its copy. A reference beside an editorial section is linked to the claims checked in that section.

Wikipedia — film referenceWikidata — film identity and credits

Work catalogued as public domain in the United States.

The public-domain references concern the original films in the United States. Rights can differ for other countries, editions, restorations, music or translations. Sources are listed on each film page.

Availability checked on September 12, 2026.

Photograph credit

Photographs cropped, resized and optimized as WebP, displayed in monochrome.

Audience rating

Loading ratings…

Keep exploring

Collection