Strike

Plot

In Russia's factory region during Czarist rule, there's restlessness and strike planning among workers; management brings in spies and external agents. When a worker hangs himself after being falsely accused of thievery, the workers strike. At first, there's excitement in workers' households and in public places as they develop their demands communally. Then, as the strike drags on and management rejects demands, hunger mounts, as does domestic and civic distress. Provocateurs recruited from the lumpen and in league with the police and the fire department bring problems to the workers; the spies do their dirty work; and, the military arrives to liquidate strikers.

Why watch

"Strike" is a harrowing exploration of class struggle and collective action, where the weight of oppression and hunger drives workers to the brink. Eisenstein's masterful use of stark imagery and relentless pacing immerses viewers in a world where hope is fragile, and the fight for justice is both urgent and devastating.

Talking points

• the role of propaganda in cinema
• the impact of class struggle on society
• the ethics of labor movements
• the portrayal of authority in film

Cultural context

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