originally suppose to be just a part of a huge epic the year 1905 depict the revolution of 1905 and potemkin be the story of the mutiny of the crew of the potemkin in odessa harbor . the film open with the crew protest maggoty meat and the captain order the execution of the dissident . an uprising take place during which the revolutionary leader be kill . this crewman be take to the shore to lie in state . when the townspeople gather on a huge flight of step overlook the harbor and czarist troop appear and march down the step break up the crowd . a naval squadron be send to retake the potemkin but at the moment when the ship come into range and their crew allow the mutineer to pass through . eisenstein non historically accurate end be open end thus indicate that this be the seed of the late bolshevik revolution that would bloom in russia . the film be break into five part represent men and maggot and drama on the quarterdeck and an appeal from the dead and the odessa step and and meet the squadron . eisenstein be a revolutionary artist and but at the genius level . not want to make a historical drama and eisenstein use visual texture to give the film a newsreel look so that the viewer feel he be eavesdrop on a thrilling and politically revolutionary story . this technique be use by pontecorvo the battle of algiers . unlike pontecorvo and eisenstein rely on typage and or the casting of non professional who have strike physical appearance . the extraordinary face of the cast be what one remembers from potemkin . this technique be later use by frank capra in mr. deed go to town and meet john doe . but in potemkin and no one individual be cast a a hero or heroine . the story be tell through a series of scene that be combine in a special effect know a montage the editing and selection of short segment to produce a desired effect on the viewer . d. w. griffith also use the montage and but no one master it so well a eisenstein . the artistic filming of the crew sleep in their hammock be complement by the graceful swinging of table suspend from chain in the galley . in contrast the confrontation between the crew and their officer be charge with electricity and the clenched fist of the mass demonstrate their rage with injustice . eisenstein introduce the technique of show an action and repeat it again but from a slightly different angle to demonstrate intensity . the breaking of a plate bear the word give u this day our daily bread signify the beginning of the end . this technique be use in last year at marienbad . also and when the ship surgeon be toss over the side and his pince nez dangles from the rigging . it be these glass that the officer use to inspect and pass the maggot infested meat . this sequence tie the punishment to the corruption of the czarist era . the most noted sequence in the film and and perhaps in all of film history and be the odessa step . the broad expanse of the step be fill with hundred of extra . rapid and dramatic violence be always suggest and not explicit yet the visual image of the death of a few will last in the mind of the viewer forever . the angular shot of march boot and leg descend the step be cleverly accentuate with long menace shadow from a sun at the top of the step . the pace of the sequence be deliberately vary between the marching soldier and a few civilian who summon up courage to beg them to stop . a close up of a woman face freeze in horror after be strike by a soldier sword be the direct antecedent of the bank teller in bonnie in clyde and give a lasting impression of the horror of the czarist regime . the death of a young mother lead to a baby carriage careen down the step in a sequence that have be copy by hitchcock in foreign correspondent and by terry gilliam in brazil and and brian depalma in the untouchable . this sequence be show repeatedly from various angle thus draw out what probably be only a five second event . potemkin be a film that immortalize the revolutionary spirit and celebrate it for those already commit and and propagandize it for the unconverted . it seethe of fire and roar with the senseless injustice of the decadent czarist regime . it great impact have be on film student who have borrow and only slightly improve on technique invent in russia several generation ago .