Miles of Fire

Miles of Fire/The Burning Miles (Russian: Огненные вёрсты, translit. Ognennye versty) is an early Red Western filmed by Samson Samsonov in 1957. Often considered the earliest of the 'Red Westerns' (or 'Osterns'), it was made before the term was coined. The film is a Russian civil war drama, focusing on the conflict between the Reds and the Whites. One-time Mosfilm actor Samsonov had a versatile directorial career prior to The Burning Miles, fresh from an adaptation of Chekhov's The Cricket that won two prizes at the Venice Film Festival. He was later awarded the title of 'People's Artist of the USSR'. The White Guard Army led by General Anton Denikin are laying siege to a southern city in order to prevent a rebellion. They are also...