The Shield and the Sword (Russian: Щит и меч, romanized: Shchit i mech) is a 1968 Soviet spy movie series in four parts directed by Vladimir Basov and produced by Mosfilm. Set during World War II, it is based on a novel by Vadim Kozhevnikov, who was Secretary of the Soviet Writers' Union.
The series was highly influential in the Soviet Union, inspiring many, including Vladimir Putin, to join the KGB.
The song "Where Does the Motherland Begin?" (С чего начинается Родина, S chego nachinayetsya Rodina), sung by Mark Bernes, that was main musical theme of each film in the series, became well known in the USSR.
Contents
Parts
Part 1. No Right To Be Themselves (Без права быть собой, Bez prava byt soboy)
Part 2. The Order is: Survive (Приказано выжить, Prikazano vyzhit)
Part 3. Without Appeal (Обжалованию не подлежит, Obzhalovaniyu ne podlezhit)
Part 4. The Last Frontier (Последний рубеж, Posledniy rubezh)
Plot
The year is 1940 and Nazi Germany is at the height of its military power, having captured most of Europe and eyeing the Soviet Union to the East. The Soviet military command suspects hostile intent from Germany and so arranges for its spies to infiltrate ranks of the German military and the SS. Alexander Belov (Lyubshin) is a Soviet spy, who travels from Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic to Nazi Germany under an alias of Volksdeutsche Johann Weiss. His mastery of the German language, steel nerves and an ability to manipulate others help him to use his connections in the SS to ascend the ladder of the Abwehr and then in the SD. He uses his position to identify sympathetic Germans, who help him to procure vital intelligence, and to help local resistance movements in their collective fight against Nazism.
Cast
Stanislav Lyubshin as Alexander Belov / Johann Weiss
Oleg Yankovsky as Heinrich Schwarzkopf
Georgy Martyniuk as Aleksey Zubov / Alois Hagen
Vladimir Basov as Bruno
Alla Demidova as Angelika Buecher
Juozas Budraitis as Dietrich
Aleksey Glazyrin as Steinglitz
Valentina Titova as Nina
Natalia Velichko as Elsa
Vladimir Balashov as Sonnenberg
Algimantas Masiulis as Willi Schwarzkopf
Nikolai Zasukhin as Papke
Lev Polyakov as Gerlach
Nikolay Grabbe as Deaf-mute Man
Yelena Dobronravova as Deaf-mute Woman
Vatslav Dvorzhetsky as Lansdorf
Anatoly Kubatsky as Franz
Nikolay Prokopovich as Schulz
Kristina Lazar as Brigitte
Valentin Smirnitsky as Andrey Basalyga / «Faza»
Igor Bezyayev as «Rabbit»
Vsevolod Safonov as «Nail»