Burnt By The Sun

Burnt By the Sun

Analyze at least three different specific scenes that you found particularly important or revealing. Why are they significant and what do they reveal? Were there any aspects of those scenes or the film as a whole that you found confusing or unclear? If you had to rewrite the ending, how would you change it?

Scene 1
Mitya tells a story to Nadya

This scene reveals Mitya’s true motives. In the story he explains what happened to him. It answers the family’s question of why he left without a word and incriminates Kotov as the villain who forced him to leave the family he loved.

As the story progresses you start to feel more sympathy for Mitya, for the life he has lost as a pawn of the Revolution. This contrasts with the impression of him in previous scenes as a schemer with ulterior motives.

This scene is rife with symbols. From the names in the story being anagrams of Mitya and Marussya To the fiery ball that floats into the house and singes the family.

Scene 2
In the attic with Marussya

After Mitya tells his story to Nadya, Marussya runs off as she realizes that her current husband is the one who was responsible for dispatching her lover and causing so much pain in her life. Kotov chases her trying to calm her; after they make love she asks straight out if he was the one responsible for sending Mitya away. When she asks if he would have left as Mitya did he responds without hesitating that he would. He is a soldier by trade and more importantly he loves his country. Unlike Mitya who left out of fear, Kotov would have gone because it was his duty as a soldier.

This scene marks the difference between the two men. Kotov works for the government out of nationalist pride and love of his homeland whereas Mitya follows orders because he is afraid of what will happen if he does not.
When they are in the car Kotov scoffs at the man who is afraid that he might take his own life, as though such a thought would never occur to Kotov this is in direct contrast to what we already know of Mitya from the beginning of the movie.

Scene 3
In the car

After they leave the dacha, Kotov is still sure of himself and arrogant enough to believe that his friendship with Stalin will save him. He treats the men in the car with disdain, boasting of knowing Stalin’s private number and tells them that they will be in great trouble when they get back to Moscow.

After the men in the car beat him and Mitya has killed the innocent by passer, Kotov finally begins to believe that he is in real trouble. He recognizes that now he is at the Mitya’s mercy unlike 10 years ago when their roles were reversed.

As I mentioned in my group posting one of my questions about concerns the symbolism for the number nine throughout the movie. Nadya is nine years old, the dacha is #9 and the day Kotov leaves is the ninth day. The only correlation I could find in Russian history was Victory Day on May 9th, but this refers to the victory in WWII. The prevalence of the number suggests that it is important to Mikhalkov but I couldn’t figure out why. Anybody have any thoughts on this question?