Baryshnikov/Hines in White Nights: Dance and the Cold War

seeking artistic Freedom Mikhail barishnikov defected from the Soviet Union while the Bolshoi ballet was on tour in Toronto in 1974 when he was 26. barishnikov's defection was big news and he enjoyed a high public profile solidifying his place in popular culture was the 1977 movie The Turning Point an exceptional movie that I profiled previously this video focuses on his second movie effort white knights from 1985 where he had a lead role with tap Legend Gregory Hines he again played a Soviet Defector whose fate is linked to an American dancer who left for the Soviet Union the theme of the Reagan Era movie is the lack of freedom in the Soviet Union and the extraordinary effort people made to escape the repressive regime white Knights features breathtaking dance segments from barishnikov and Heinz so grab some popcorn turn out the lights and enjoy the show [Music] Taylor hackford was the director of white Knights other movies to hackford's credit Are An Officer and a Gentleman and Rey the 37 year old barishnikov had many projects He was the artistic director of American Ballet Theater where he also danced an unusual situation similar to a player coach on a sports team he was the ABT artistic director from 1980 to 1989 between dancing managing a major Ballet company and acting in movies barishnikov was a very busy man to appreciate white nights it is useful to understand the relations between the two World superpowers the United States and the Soviet Union in the 1980s Ronald Reagan was elected president in 1980 rejecting his predecessor's policy of De taunt in favor of a harder line with the Soviets summarized by the adage peace through strength Reagan Advanced significant defense spending increases resulting in a troop buildup and new weapon systems although not young at almost 70 years of age when he took office Reagan was a dynamic rhetorical force and he used his skills honed from his acting days to turn up the heat on the Soviets the march of freedom and democracy which will leave Marxism leninism on the ash heap of history as it has left other tyrannies which stifle the freedom and muzzle the self-expression of the people there was a revolving door of Soviet leaders in the early 1980s as three uninspired heads of state died in less than three years the moribund condition of its leaders reflected the state of the Soviet Union in what is referred to as the era of stagnation Leonid Brezhnev the Soviet leader who replaced Nikita Khrushchev in 1964 died in 1982 at the age of 75 and was replaced by Yuri andropov former head of the KGB known for brutal crackdowns andropov died in 1984 and was replaced by 72 year old Constantine chernenko a Communist Party administrator an apparatchik who previously signed hundreds of party documents daily for 20 years he died about a year later the ossified Soviet leaders and economy were no match for Reagan in the U.S the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991 after the younger Dynamic Mikhail Gorbachev took over in 1986 instituting an opening and reform of the Soviet Union with policies known as glasnost and perestroika there was a steady flow of U.S films with a theme of U.S Soviet conflict in the early 1980s Rocky IV was released a week before white nights and featured Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa Underdog Rocky attempted to avenge the death of his friend Apollo Creed who was killed in a boxing match with Ivan Drago who advanced violent athleticism as a symbol of Soviet superiority is in serious trouble Rambo First Blood Part Two about a former Green Beret Soldier on a mission to rescue Vietnam prisoners of war from their Vietnamese Soviet captors was released earlier in 1985. finally Top Gun was released in 1986 and Adrenaline Rush hit that featured dog fights between U.S Navy Tomcats And Soviet migs at the movies in the 1980s areas of conflict between superpowers covered a wide range from boxing jet fighters to ballet as the U.S was victorious in packed movie theaters back to White Knights the movie centers around two defectors first is former Soviet ballet dancer Nikolai rochenko played by barishnikov who defected to the U.S seeking artistic Freedom this role hit home for barishnikov while on tour with the Bolshoi in 1974 he made a dramatic escape from his KGB handlers as he defected from the Soviet Union requesting political asylum in Canada on his way to Tokyo for a series of performances Nikolai relaxes with his manager played by Academy Award winner Geraldine Page the plane has electrical problems and crash lands on a Soviet military base in Siberia filmed at a royal Air Force Base in Scotland Nikolai is injured and taken to a military Hospital the always composed and self-absorbed KGB agent Colonel chiko finds out about the famous Soviet dancer Defector and interrogates him chiko is a Sinister and manipulative KGB agent clad and Brioni type custom suits who likely Advance through the brutal organization by ruthless means Nikolai I always admire residance our great dancer that's what a pathetic man Colonel chaiko is one of my favorite characters in the film played by polish actor director playwright yoshay scalamowski he directed The highly acclaimed 1982 drama Moonlighting which has a perfect Tomato Meter critic score on Rotten Tomatoes rather than send Nikolai to prison chiko masterminds a plot to score propaganda points by convincing Nikolai to embrace his Russian Homeland in an upcoming Moscow Gala convincing Nikolai is the task for Raymond Greenwood an American Defector played by Gregory Hines with limited economic opportunities in his younger years Raymond joined the army to fight in Vietnam disillusioned by atrocities he witnessed in the war and racism at home he left the U.S to take his tap dancing talents to the Soviet Union scoring a brief public relations victory for the Soviets on his defection while nikolai's story of his defection is believable Raymond's is puzzling troops came back after the Vietnam War disillusioned but I don't know of any that renounced their U.S citizenship to live in the Soviet Union a unique plot line with two defectors each going in different directions Nikolai sought artistic freedom from the suffocating Soviet system while Raymond fled racism and his demons from the war Raymond is shown here in a low-budget Siberian version of porgian Bess he and his russian-born wife Daria Isabella rossolini daughter of indrid Bergman and Roberto rossolini are stuck in Siberia after Soviet authorities have no use for him after their short-lived propaganda Victory after his defection chiko offers positive and negative incentives for Raymond to convert Nikolai to the Soviet cause of maybe something can be work out it's better to work in a theater than in the mind Raymond and nikolai's initial meeting is cordial enough as Nikolai tries to sort out the confusing arrangement all right Raymond Greenwood New York nice to meet you I suppose she's from New York too I am from Moscow we work in the theater here yeah I'm a tap dancer of course you're from New York she's from Moscow and you live here in Siberia the two don't get along due to nikolai's arrogance and demeaning statements irritating Raymond and Daria so glad [ __ ] how's your life in Russia hold a little bit like this like in the storybook over too much vodka they argue about the virtues of the United States Nikolai thinks the U.S is a great country that's what Raymond strongly disagrees It's a Wonderful country the hell do you know about America anyway man in a drunken stupor Raymond explains his Vietnam experience of killing and pillaging in Vietnam as he Taps away oh get out of here still a better place than this I don't talk this to me man I know about America a subplot is nikolai's relationship with Galena nikolai's former girlfriend whose life was turned upside down after his defection however she was able to rehabilitate her reputation becoming the head of a major Soviet Ballet Company Helen Mirren plays Galena mirin won the 2006 Academy Award for best actress for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II children who've just lost their mother and your mistaken Nikolai and Galena have chosen different paths Nikolai enjoys freedom of expression dancing Cutting Edge works in the west while Galena struggles as the head of a Soviet Ballet company to get Works approved by the state Nikolai has a searing emotional solo as Galena gazes on at the kirov theater actually the San Carlos theater in Lisbon Portugal she reveals that she is working with chiko under duress to convince Nikolai to embrace the Soviet system but in the end she loves Nikolai and wants to help him return to the U.S over time Raymond and Nikolai develop a mutual respect rehearsing for the Soviet Gala as Nikolai gets in dancing shape when Raymond's wife informs him that she is pregnant he concludes that he can no longer tolerate the manipulative strong-armed tactics of the state particularly after chiko holds Daria as a pawn as punishment for Nikolai trying to escape Raymond latches on to nikolai's plan to flee to the American Embassy in Moscow tonight Galena supplies information to a spy in the U.S state Department who helps the three make a run for the U.S embassy as chiko's Posse is in Hot Pursuit the central focus of white Knights is the stifling Soviet atmosphere and the compromises artists made to survive the system shedding light on why dancers left in pursuit of freedom of expression the challenging creative atmosphere of the Soviet system is the theme of an emotional exchange between Galena and Nikolai they refer to dancing George Balanchine works one of the most influential choreographers of the 20th century Baryshnikov danced in balanchine's New York City Ballet from 1978 to 1979. we have but this evening 10 years ago nothing ever comes of it it's a dream the ministry of culture assures me this time culture that they will consider the possibility and remember I did it Galena dance balanchin you're still waiting in the Soviet Union technically proficient dancers grew weary of a steady diet of Spartacus and Swan Lake while dancers in the west could expand their Horizons and experiment with various dance forms creative artistic genius is rarely a product of a committee process with the defections of Soviet stars in the 60s and 70s the Soviet Union's loss was the West's gain as these artists gained widespread notoriety with popular appeal in addition to barishnikov other Soviet ballet defectors included Rudolf Nureyev 1961 Natalia Makarova 1970 and later Alexander gudinov 1979 [Music] white Knights is a pro-american reagan-era film that portrays the Soviet Union as a drab hyper-authoritarian country Nikolai sings the Praises of his new country Raymond is disillusioned with the U.S with his defection however he ultimately risks his life and darias to escape back to the U.S I've seen white Knights multiple times at various times in my life I saw it when it first came out in 1985. it was a thrill to see barishnikov's bravado on the big screen along with Gregory Hines at the height of the Cold War I saw white Knights again about 15 years later what a contrast with the Soviet era as Russian dancers became a staple for U.S companies with a steady flow of stars and Russian tours to the West ABT had some notable Russian dancers and guest artists during that period both sides gained from the opening Russian choreographer and former Bolshoi ballet artistic director Alexi ratmanski created many Innovative works for Abt and New York City Ballet some with Russian themes while abt's David Hallberg became the first American dancer to become a principal dancer at the Bolshoi ballet however with the invasion of Ukraine in 2022 it looks like a reversion to the Soviet days in terms of lack of dynamism and freedom of expression Russia is an insular state with few friends the same can be said of its art scene non-russian dancers have left the country and works by prominent Western choreographers will likely disappear from Russian stages as those who control the rights to their ballets suspend collaboration with Russian companies forget about Balanchine and ratmanski more Spartacus and Swan Lake performances are in store for Russian ballet fans white Knights features thrilling dance segments noteworthy is that the film devotes substantial time at the beginning of the movie eight minutes to the 20-minute Roland petite work La zunam a Lamour the young man in death it is a dark depressing work about a young painter tormented by his unrequited desire for a cruel woman she taunts him persuading him to hang himself the ballet caused a sensation in France and had an outsized impact when Ballet Theater Now American Ballet Theater presented it in New York in 1951. ABT revived the work especially for barishnikov in 1975 one year after his defection something he would never have performed in the Soviet Union the movie features Heinz and gripping tap sequences Heinz who passed away in 2003 was a tap dancing Legend appearing in over 40 films and many Broadway Productions according to Abrams and DeAngelis everything about heinz's dancing was unconventional in terms of the history and rules of tap he experimented with rhythm as he was one of the first tap dancers to radically alter one of the rules of tap dancing keeping the same basic Tempo throughout the routine note his varied timing in New numerous segments throughout his routine in this clip from White Knights he preferred to do riffs like a jazz musician making up his steps as he went along he also improvised the phrasing of many tap steps mainly based on sound produced according to vallis Hill he aligned tap with the latest free-form experiments in jazz and new music and postmodern dance with his signature tight sleeveless t-shirt and baggy pleated trousers he exemplified the newer 1970s Jazz tap improvisation Style with a rougher Edge white Knights has a classic scene in which Raymond challenges Nikolai to 11 pirouettes for nikolai's 80s Boombox or Raymond's 11 rubles the clip in various forms has several million views on YouTube in a feat of great athleticism and bravado parishnikov Powers through 11 pirouettes barishnikov was a great Turner capable of six to nine turns on stage as shown here in Don Quixote in white Knights he employs more of a jazz style technique with a turned in position to pump out more turns the Slick Surface Street shoes relative to ballet slippers allowed him to crank out 11 turns note how his arms narrow as his turns progress like an ice skater and his aggressive spotting which is the whipping motion of his head I have several technical videos on barishnikov's Dancing linked at the end of this video a humorous scene is Nikolai mocking Raymond in Victory as Lou reads my love is chemical blares if Nikolai was in the National Football League his celebratory Antics would Merit a taunting penalty [Music] however his Swagger is interrupted by Galena as she makes an unexpected appearance and quickly puts him in his place Twyla Tharp choreographed highly entertaining Baryshnikov Heinz medleys with some segments inspired by martial arts [Music] the movie plot left much room for music as the two cranked loud music to evade KGB surveillance the White Knight soundtrack album contained Lionel Richie's Say You Say Me featured at the film's end the song won the Academy Award for best song in 1986. other artists on the album were music rates Phil Collins Lou Reed Robert Plant Roberta Flack and Nile Rogers barishnikov is on The Mark with a great portrayal of an arrogant demanding self-absorbed Nikolai the interplay between barishnikov and Heinz both in and out of the studio is compelling nikolai's dry humor and acerbic comments make him a lightning rod for Raymond and Chico the dance segments are thrilling with Heinz and barishnikov as they generate a lot of electricity sadly the clips underscore what the entertainment World lost with heinz's premature passing in 2003 while the bond between Heinz and barishnikov is genuine the plot is sometimes confusing with a Hollywood type escape to the American Embassy but so what realism is not my primary metric in evaluating a film entertainment value is by that standard white Knights is a winner white Knights is available on several streaming services unlike the turning point which can only be seen on DVD white Knights received largely negative reviews critics liked baryshnikov's dramatic presence and dance segments but did not buy the plot Roger Ebert wrote that it is a tortuous story dreamed up to accommodate two dancers with little in common New York Times critic Vincent Camby raved about barishnikov but panned the rest of the movie saying that the only reason to buy it is barishnikov white Knights is only tolerable when he's on the screen he wrote The Rotten Tomatoes critic rating is only 46 percent but the general public liked the movie The Audience score is 74 percent with a 3.9 out of 5 rating the spread between the critics and audience approval rating 28 percent is striking however the spread between critic and audience scores were similar for the pro-american movies listed earlier in this video in white nights some critics complained about the depiction of the Soviet Union the times Canby wrote that the movie's view of the Soviet Union is drab and nasty enough to satisfy the most committed hardliners the movie was commercially successful with a domestic box office of 42 million dollars which is inflation-adjusted of 107 million dollars according to the numbers.com what are your thoughts on white Knights would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section thanks for tuning in

Channel: Kent G Becker

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Id: h6yn3LU-9BQ

Length: 18min 21sec (1101 seconds)

Published: Wed Mar 15 2023