Hostile Whirlwinds (1956): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1956, Hostile Whirlwinds is a drama and history film directed by Mikhail Kalatozov, running about 97 minutes.

What it’s about. About the first years of the formation of Soviet power, about the life and work of Feliks Dzerzhinsky in 1918-1925. The film covers the most important episodes of his biography. In July 1918, as a result of a revolt of the Left Socialist Revolutionaries, the German ambassador Mirbach was killed. Feliks Dzerzhinsky alone goes to the headquarters of the Left Socialist Revolutionaries and Anarchists, he manages to persuade ordinary soldiers and sailors, participants in the rebellion, who are now cracking down on their leaders. In 1921, Dzerzhinsky was aimed at combating homelessness, as a result of which, by 1925, former homeless children, having completed their studies, were sent to the construction of Yugostal, the largest industrial plant in Ukraine.

Who’s in it. Hostile Whirlwinds stars Mikhail Kondratyev as Vladimir Ilyich Lenin, Vladimir Yemelyanov as Feliks Edmundovich Dzerzhinsky, Leonid Lyubashevsky as Yakov Mikhailovich Sverdlov and Vladimir Solovyov as Mikhail Ivanovich Kalinin, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 5.8/10, Hostile Whirlwinds has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Hostile Whirlwinds page.

If you liked it. Fans of Hostile Whirlwinds tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.