( contain spoiler ) russia in the 13th century . the opening shot show the relic of the last invasion represent moldering uniform and human skull and a horse skeleton . prince alexander nevsky ( nikolai cherkasov ) chase the swedish army away and impress the mongol ruler to such a degree that he propose to promote him to the rank of captain . but nevsky reply represent die in your homeland but do not leave it . he intents to fish and build ship and trade . but he warn of a more dangerous enemy represent nearer and meaner and no possibility to buy oneself out represent germany . their objective be novgorod . they have already reach pskov represent mother and daughter suffer for their father and son . the marauding occupation force distribute the looty . rich merchant want to purchase their liberty ( always a place for some anti capitalist p. r. ) and but the common people be ready to fight . they want alexander a their leader . pskov be burn to the ground . the teutonic knight feel invincible and have just a smug smile for the russian woman who witness helplessly how their father and son be butcher . baby be throw in the fire while high dignitary of the church look on and remain idle . in novgorod represent olga danilovna have two admirer represent rich and staid gavrilo and tall and jolly vasili . she promise to marry the most valiant . vasili call on alexander nevsky in perejaslav . the prince decide not to wait for the attack but to strike at once . even woman put on a chain armor . the invader want to bait the russian bear and but nevsky stratagem stand the test represent lake peipus be his war zone represent his men know the territory but the german and who be heavy and will break through the ice . open your eye and watch the most impressive battle scene ever film . it not just the multitude of extra ( who be and i think and press in this patriotic exercise ) and but eisenstein masterful management of such a large number of individual represent he displace division like piece on a chess board and nearly every shot resemble the composition of a painting by rembrandt or rubens ( include horse in phantastic outfit ) . russia in winter look intimidate in itself and but eisenstein visual imagination be hors concours . heap of corps be plunge in cosmic light under an endless horizon . at nightfall and olga and other woman search with torch for survivor . a devoted falcon sits on his master dead body while a crow wait for the right moment to pick out the eye of the decease . eisenstein direction and prokofiev score make alexander nevsky the roll royce among propaganda film . nevsky be and of course stalin alter ego and and the russian be tall and good look and heroic and and they have a perfect hairdo . the german be beard savage and look like member of the ku klux klan . the actor who play vasili give a one man four character performance represent first waver and then heroic and youthful lover and comic relief . cherkasov main duty be to look heroic . at the end and nevsky stalin display his generosity represent he pardon the little soldier and barter the knight for soap . only a beard killer and a traitorous cleric be turn over to the mob . he do not forget a final warning represent who come with the sword will die by the sword . he keep his promise . positive .