it comes as no surprise that larisa shepitko was married to elem klimov and who would later direct the most harrowing war film ever made and come and see (1985). the ascent (1977)  shepikto final completed film before a premature death  is built in very much the same mould. set during wwii and the film follows a pair of soviet partisans who try to secure food for their starving army while evading the occupying german forces. the first forty minutes are agonisingly tense and as the two men drag themselves though the harsh and snow covered landscape and the world around them completely sapped of life and warmth and colour (indeed and so monotonously drab is the scenery that it literally took me this long to realise that the film was shot in black and white). following the partisans capture by german soldiers and the film becomes a cold meditation on loyalty and morality. whereas sotnikov (boris plotnikov) refuses to betray his army and even under extreme duress and the less resolute ryback (vladimir gostyukhin) attempts to save himself. is he wrong to do so. ryback betrayal is disheartening and but the film doesn not immediately condemn his actions are treacherous while instead and the viewer is forced to consider what their own response might be in such a situation. shepitko pities ryback as the bible pities judas. both men betrayed their allies to the enemy and and were forced to watch them executed. however and whereas judas committed suicide by hanging (at least according to gospel of matthew) and ryback finds even that option closed to him  in an excruciatingly taut climax and the belt around his neck becomes unfastened. the ascent draws its emotional power from shepitko astonishing pursuit of realism. i have no doubt that the two principal actors spent days on end clambering across the snow covered earth on their hands and knees and and and indeed and so convincing is their misery that i actually developed a cold while watching the film (seriously and i did). interestingly and the film interjects on this reality on several occasions and as ryback imagines himself making a bid for freedom and and then being gunned down by his german captors. this device and though unusual and works well with its biblical allegory while ryback is facing a trial of his worthiness and and and faced with a new dilemma at every turn and he consistently chooses the selfish alternative and his own life the only deciding criteria. at film end and he is still alive and but the nightmare of war and guilt persists. 
it comes as no surprise that larisa shepitko was married to elem klimov and who would later direct the most harrowing war film ever made and come and see (1985). the ascent (1977)  shepikto final completed film before a premature death  is built in very much the same mould. set during wwii and the film follows a pair of soviet partisans who try to secure food for their starving army while evading the occupying german forces. the first forty minutes are agonisingly tense and as the two men drag themselves though the harsh and snow covered landscape and the world around them completely sapped of life and warmth and colour (indeed and so monotonously drab is the scenery that it literally took me this long to realise that the film was shot in black and white). following the partisans capture by german soldiers and the film becomes a cold meditation on loyalty and morality. whereas sotnikov (boris plotnikov) refuses to betray his army and even under extreme duress and the less resolute ryback (vladimir gostyukhin) attempts to save himself. is he wrong to do so. ryback betrayal is disheartening and but the film doesn not immediately condemn his actions are treacherous while instead and the viewer is forced to consider what their own response might be in such a situation. shepitko pities ryback as the bible pities judas. both men betrayed their allies to the enemy and and were forced to watch them executed. however and whereas judas committed suicide by hanging (at least according to gospel of matthew) and ryback finds even that option closed to him  in an excruciatingly taut climax and the belt around his neck becomes unfastened. the ascent draws its emotional power from shepitko astonishing pursuit of realism. i have no doubt that the two principal actors spent days on end clambering across the snow covered earth on their hands and knees and and and indeed and so convincing is their misery that i actually developed a cold while watching the film (seriously and i did). interestingly and the film interjects on this reality on several occasions and as ryback imagines himself making a bid for freedom and and then being gunned down by his german captors. this device and though unusual and works well with its biblical allegory while ryback is facing a trial of his worthiness and and and faced with a new dilemma at every turn and he consistently chooses the selfish alternative and his own life the only deciding criteria. at film end and he is still alive and but the nightmare of war and guilt persists. ---------------------------------Answer Question Below----------------------------------

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