# What's your opinion on "Darling Lili", an old American movie? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** movies\ **Created:** [December 12, 2022, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-opinion-on-darling-lili-an-old-american-movie/976403 "2022-12-12T17:37:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-opinion-on-darling-lili-an-old-american-movie/976403/21 "2022-12-12T18:42:32Z")
_ **Aleksandr Nevsky** _ may be a great movie, but outside the former USSR it’s of interest mainly to scholars and film buffs. As is virtually every other Soviet film I can think of. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-opinion-on-darling-lili-an-old-american-movie/976403/22 "2022-12-12T18:43:24Z")
Are you talking about the 1935 film “The Youth Of Maxim”? ---
**Author:** ![Roman67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roman67/32/12809_2.png) [@Roman67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roman67)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-opinion-on-darling-lili-an-old-american-movie/976403/23 "2022-12-12T18:43:41Z")
[https://web.archive.org/web/20130927172937/http://www.forbfilms.ru/37-yunost-maksima-the-youth-of-maxim.html](https://web.archive.org/web/20130927172937/http://www.forbfilms.ru/37-yunost-maksima-the-youth-of-maxim.html) Now I’m trying to find a primary source in [archieve.org](http://archieve.org) in order to prove my jusgement. I confused Chicago with Detroit, and, accordingly, I’m sure to be extremely sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Roman67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roman67/32/12809_2.png) [@Roman67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roman67)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-opinion-on-darling-lili-an-old-american-movie/976403/24 "2022-12-12T18:46:03Z")
However, its negative impact is sensible in Europe, for there’re loads of stupid stereotypes created my this film, and, accordingly, Western intelligentzia doesn’t lack them. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-opinion-on-darling-lili-an-old-american-movie/976403/25 "2022-12-12T18:46:52Z")
For example? ---
**Author:** ![Roman67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roman67/32/12809_2.png) [@Roman67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roman67)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-opinion-on-darling-lili-an-old-american-movie/976403/26 "2022-12-12T18:49:40Z")
At least, the most of my conversationalists think that the German crusaders were battled past in the Chudskoye Lake itself. This stereotype is so ridiculous that the textbooks were filled with the ridiculous folly. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-opinion-on-darling-lili-an-old-american-movie/976403/27 "2022-12-12T18:54:26Z")
Are you referring to this battle? > **[Battle on the Ice](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_on_the_Ice)** > > Novgorodian victory > Livonian OrderBishopric of DorpatKingdom of Denmark > Novgorod RepublicGrand Duchy of Vladimir > Livonian Rhymed Chronicle: > 20 knights killed > 6 knights captured Not once when I saw the movie did I think I was watching a documentary. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-opinion-on-darling-lili-an-old-american-movie/976403/28 "2022-12-12T18:56:57Z")
> [@Roman67](#): > > However, the present era of modern cinema hasn’t produced nothing but technically perfect mediocre-to-bad stuff. We tend the view the past in a very flattering light. I’ve seen quite a few old movies that were trite or boring or who knows what. I think we have some great movies these days but, as someone mentioned, they are interspersed with many movies that aren’t very good for any number of reasons. “The African Queen” (1951) with Bogart and Hepburn is a fabulous movie, and not having any sex in it had nothing to do with how good it was. On the other hand, “Pulp Fiction” was a great movie, and the drugs and sex in it did nothing to detract from its overall worth. “Gladiator” was a great movie, and the violence did nothing to detract from its worth. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-opinion-on-darling-lili-an-old-american-movie/976403/29 "2022-12-12T18:59:56Z")
> [@Roman67](#): > > [Þíîñòü Ìàêñèìà | The Youth of Maxim Ñàìûå çàïðåùåííûå ôèëüìû](https://web.archive.org/web/20130927172937/http://www.forbfilms.ru/37-yunost-maksima-the-youth-of-maxim.html) I cannot read Russian. I suspect most of the other participants in your discussion here cannot, either. Do you have a citation in English? ---
**Author:** ![Roman67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roman67/32/12809_2.png) [@Roman67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roman67)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-opinion-on-darling-lili-an-old-american-movie/976403/30 "2022-12-12T19:03:38Z")
I’ve already explained my position in a set of sentences concerning old movies. As for sex, drugs, and violence, I don’t think that their artistic effect is great, just because all these things are so common, known, trite that there’s no need in portraying them on the screen. Art must reflect the most interesting, the most important moments of life. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-opinion-on-darling-lili-an-old-american-movie/976403/31 "2022-12-12T19:05:31Z")
I wouldn’t be so quick to dismiss the bulk of B movies produced under the studio system. I’ve seen a lot of them late at night over the last ten years, and many are quite good. Aside from technical aspects, they differ from movies today in that the stories are more down-to-earth and deal mainly with adult topics. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-opinion-on-darling-lili-an-old-american-movie/976403/32 "2022-12-12T19:07:15Z")
> [@Roman67](#): > > Art must reflect the most interesting, the most important moments of life. In a word - bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-opinion-on-darling-lili-an-old-american-movie/976403/33 "2022-12-12T19:11:33Z")
> [@Roman67](#): > > Art must reflect the most interesting, the most important moments of life. Art _must_ not do any such thing, and even if your statement had an element of truth to it what is interesting and/or important is not determined by you, me, or any public or private committee. ---
**Author:** ![Roman67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roman67/32/12809_2.png) [@Roman67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roman67)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-opinion-on-darling-lili-an-old-american-movie/976403/34 "2022-12-12T19:12:42Z")
“In Detroit, the high-ranking police official argued that “the film is Soviet propaganda and may inspire class hatred against the government, and the social order of the United States,” and on this basis banned this film from distribution. Only the Supreme Court of the United States was able to overturn this decision after a lengthy trial.” I have translated this passage from Russian Wikipedia. You’ve an opportunity to translate this passage once again, using DeepL and stuff. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-opinion-on-darling-lili-an-old-american-movie/976403/35 "2022-12-12T19:13:11Z")
And who’s to say anything Hollywood produced is art? It’s popular entertainment that sometimes transcends, nothing more or less. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-opinion-on-darling-lili-an-old-american-movie/976403/36 "2022-12-12T19:14:24Z")
Back to the topic at hand, what is _your_ opinion of “Darling Lili”? ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-opinion-on-darling-lili-an-old-american-movie/976403/37 "2022-12-12T19:17:44Z")
I can verify the translation. The protagonist is an uneducated factory worker who’s transformed from simple peasant into an experienced revolutionary. It was one of the first talkies shot at a Soviet film studio. Sounds really exciting! 🥺 ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-opinion-on-darling-lili-an-old-american-movie/976403/38 "2022-12-12T19:19:41Z")
I’m out. I’ve never seen _ **Darling Lili** _, though I remember it being around in the '60s ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-opinion-on-darling-lili-an-old-american-movie/976403/39 "2022-12-12T19:20:14Z")
> [@Roman67](#): > > “In Detroit, the high-ranking police official argued that “the film is Soviet propaganda and may inspire class hatred against the government, and the social order of the United States,” and on this basis banned this film from distribution. Only the Supreme Court of the United States was able to overturn this decision after a lengthy trial.” Thank you. However, that says nothing about whether the film was ever widely seen by American audiences – I strong suspect that it wasn’t. As others have noted, Soviet films (particularly from that time period) were likely not distributed widely in the U.S.; such films may have been seen by film buffs (particularly those interested in foreign films), left-leaning labor supporters, members of American Communist groups, and scholars, but the general population of American filmgoers probably had never even _heard_ of most Soviet films, much less ever seeing them. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-opinion-on-darling-lili-an-old-american-movie/976403/40 "2022-12-12T19:23:05Z")
They can count themselves lucky. I had to watch several for a film class decades ago, and I found them even more turgid and boring than Russian literature. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-opinion-on-darling-lili-an-old-american-movie/976403.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-opinion-on-darling-lili-an-old-american-movie/976403.md?page=3)