Donskoy, Mark

Donskoy, Mark (1901-1981), Russian film-maker of Ukrainian origin, famous for his adaptation of texts by Maksim Gorky. Donskoy was born in Odesa, now in Ukraine. It was in the era of early talking cinema that he established himself, in particular with three films stemming from Gorky’s autobiography: Detstvo Gor’kogo (1938; Gorky’s Childhood), V Ljudjah (1939; My Apprenticeship), and Moj Universitety (1940; My Universities). His realistic style, more humanist than socialist, caused him problems with censors, however. In spite of his war works, he did not enter a studio for several years, before making a comeback with another Gorky work: Mat’ (1956; Mother). In 1957 he made his most lyrical film: Dorogoj Cenoj (The Horse that Cried).