Directed by Alexei Batalov and based on Nikolai Gogol's classic short story, The Overcoat stars Roland Bykov as Akaky Akakyevich, a meek Russian civil servant who is able to improve his dreary life after purchasing an overcoat with an unexpected bonus from work. With his new coat, he begins to feel better about himself, and everyone else starts treating him with respect as well. However, his newfound happiness comes to a tragic end when thieves steal his precious piece of clothing.
Filmed in black and white, with a screenplay by L. Soloviev, The Overcoat's lead character captures audiences" hearts with his mild manner and hopeful outlook. In an opening scene, Akakyevich is tormented by his fellow co-workers. In response to their pranks, he replies calmly, "Please leave me alone. Why do you persecute me?" To which, none of his fellow workers has a reply. Anyone who has ever felt the desire to be accepted by society can relate to this scene and to the overall message of the film.
The Overcoat presents a moralistic lesson regarding society's materialistic view of people based upon their outward appearance. Akakyevich's life is transformed by his new overcoat. His tormentors at work now throw a party for him in honor of his new overcoat, people on the street refer to him as Your Honor, and he becomes, in his own words, "quite the ladies man." This shows how materialistic society can be and how more times than not, a person is judged more by what is outside than what is on the inside.
Once his overcoat is stolen, Akakyevich's life becomes even worse than it was before. The theft of the overcoat leads into one of the most cinematic scenes of the film. In an almost dreamlike scene, Akakyevich is chased by thieves through endless corridors that repeat themselves over and over. The scene ends with Akakyevich alone, without his beloved overcoat, letting out a scream of agony that echoes mockingly through the endless corridors.
Akaky orders a new overcoat after saving and making other privations. ... The focus of this story, apart from Akaky, is his new overcoat. The overcoats in this story signify rank. ... They act as if he has been promoted and the new overcoat signifies this rise in stature. ... He is now able to steal overcoats from people regardless of their position. ...
The Overcoat by Nikolai Gogol tells how people are treated by their rank in society. ... In the beginning of the The Overcoat, Akaky Akakievich starts out by not acknowledging society. ... At least for a month he looked in on Petrovich to discuss the overcoat (929). ... The only thing to ever show Akaky warmth and compassion was his new overcoat. His overcoat protected him from the cruelty of society and the cold. ...
This holds true for his pieces The Inspector General, Dead souls, and his short story The Overcoat. The Overcoat was one of his most influential short stories ever written, and with its accurate depiction of lower-class life in Russia it is cited as the beginning of Realism in Russia. ... Skipping ahead to after Akaky has gotten his new overcoat, his co-workers have started to show him more praising attention and invited him to a party to celebrate his gaining of a new coat. ... Akaky had to take a path through a large and empty square where he ran into two men who beat him unconscious and...
The Life of a Skipper The Skipper is a mean fellow who does not like many people and enjoys most of his time out at sea. He is portrayed as a middle aged man because he has a big beard and many battle scares from his battles with the sea. He also wears a big overcoat down to his knees and wears a ...
"Behind his simpleton-narrator lurks the wily author himself, who laughs at his narrator, at his heroes but above all at his readers- Written in 1842, The Overcoat was Gogol's last short story. It tells of how Akaky Akakievich' experiences an almost spiritual transformation when he buys a new overcoat. ...
Class in Society Ever since man has existed, there have been issues of class. From those who think they are superior to those who lives on the street. These classes also depict how man treats one another. Persons in the top class, usually rich tend to pick on lower class citizens. One thing the...
The Ages of Change The dynasties of China, though different in many ways to the modern government, are still very similar in many aspects. Some areas are more profound than others but similarity exist in almost every aspect of the rich culture of China. China is a very old country which had li...
