Described by historian Paul Rotha as "the epitome of the Soviet propaganda film, realized with extraordinary skill of technical achievement", Fragment of an Empire was the first important film effort by director Frederick Ermler. Combining documentary techniques with straight dramatic narrative, the film focuses on a sergeant in the army of the Czar who loses track of his lovely wife. By the time he's discovered that his bride has re-married to an aristocrat, the sergeant has experienced a political epiphany, disdaining Imperialism in favor of the burgeoning Bolshevist movement. The protagonist's turnaround is counterpointed with spectacular shots of growing social unrest throughout Russia. American film critics, traditionally resistant to propaganda films in the early 1930s, felt that Fragment of an Empire contained enough of the "popular" elements to enjoy a successful U.S. release. 译文(2): 《帝国的碎片》被历史学家保罗 · 罗塔形容为“苏联宣传片的缩影，以非凡的技术成就实现”，是导演弗雷德里克 · 埃姆勒的第一部重要电影作品。影片结合了纪录片技巧和直白的戏剧性叙事，主要讲述了沙皇军队中的一名中士与他可爱的妻子失去联系的故事。当他发现他的新娘再嫁给一个贵族时，这位中士已经经历了一次政治顿悟，他鄙视帝国主义，支持蓬勃发展的布尔什维克运动。主人公的转变与俄罗斯各地日益增长的社会动荡的壮观镜头形成了对比。20世纪30年代早期，美国电影评论家一向抵制宣传片，他们认为《帝国的碎片》包含了足够多的“流行”元素，可以在美国成功上映。
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