Nail in the Boot (Gvozd v sapoge)
Main Cast
Character
Actor
Soldier
Siko Palavandishvili
Commander
Arkadi Khintibidze
Worker
Aleksandre Jaliashvili
Prosecutor
Akaki Khorava
Nail in the Boot Gvozd v sapoge , Georgian title Lursmani cheqmashi ) is a Soviet Georgian 1932 B&W silent movie directed by Mikhail Kalatozov . Red Army armoured train is attacked by enemy planes and blocked on damaged railway. The commander of the train sends a soldier to deliver an urgent message. But soldier's foot is severely damaged due to a protruding nail in his boot, and he is late. Before the reinforcement comes, the armoured train is lost in battle with superior enemy troops. The soldier is court-martialed, and he explains that his failure was due to flaws of workers of shoemaking factory. The crew of the armoured train partially consisted of mobilised workers of that factory, so they prepared their death by their own bad work.
The following weapons were used in the film Nail in the Boot (Gvozd v sapoge) :
Handguns Nagant M1895 Nagant M1895 revolvers are carried by the commander of the armoured train (Arkadi Khintibidze) and the soldier (Siko Palavandishvili), sent with the message. They are seen only in holsters.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Russian Nagant 1895, produced 1920s - 7.62x38R Nagant. The rounded front sight is a sign of revolvers produced from 1890s until 1930. Error creating thumbnail: File missing The armoured train commander carries a Nagant in holster. Error creating thumbnail: File missing The exhausted soldier holds his belt with holstered Nagant. Rifles Mosin Nagant Mosin Nagant Rifles are used by both Red Army and enemy soldiers. They are most likely M91s but the low quality of old film doesn't allow to make strict identification.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Mosin Nagant M1891 Dragoon Rifle - 7.62x54mm R Error creating thumbnail: File missing Mosin Nagant M1891 with attachable bayonet - 7.62x54mmR. Error creating thumbnail: File missing A Red Army soldier at the left holds an M91 rifle. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Error creating thumbnail: File missing Red Army cavalrymen with Mosin Nagant rifles. Error creating thumbnail: File missing "Enemy" soldiers in bayonet charge. Error creating thumbnail: File missing A closeup of muzzle and bayonet. This is definitly original M91 rifle as M91/30 had a different way of fixing the bayonet. TOZ-1 In the final scene a group of Soviet youth hold rifles. Some of them appear to be TOZ-1 model.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing A drawing of TOZ-1 - .22LR Error creating thumbnail: File missing Boys and girls march with rifles on slings. Some of these guns match the shape of TOZ-1. Error creating thumbnail: File missing The bolt and stock looks like TOZ-1. Mockup Training Rifle In the final scene a group of Soviet youth hold rifles. Most of these guns appear to be mockup training guns, widely used in 1920s-1930s for basic training.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Boys and girls stand in line, aiming mockup rifles. Machine Guns Maxim M1910 Maxim M1910 machine guns are mounted on the armoured train and the handcar.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Maxim 1910, simplified version with smooth water jacket - 7.62x54mmR Error creating thumbnail: File missing A Maxim in gun turret. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Error creating thumbnail: File missing A Maxim is mounted on the handcar that is used for reconnaissance and smokescreening of the train. Error creating thumbnail: File missing A closeup of a Maxim. Error creating thumbnail: File missing A gunner mans his Maxim in fixed mounting. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Four Maxims are mounted on each board of an armoured wagon. Maxim 1910 with 'Sokolov' wheel mount & shield - 7.62x54mmR Error creating thumbnail: File missing An infantry Maxim on Sokolov mount is seen inside the armoured train. It has corrugated-type water jacket so it's an M1910/30 that hardly can be seen in 1931 filmed movie or early version of original M1910 that seems to be more credible. Error creating thumbnail: File missing A closeup of Sokolov mount. Degtyaryov DP-27 Both Red Army and enemy soldiers use Degtyaryov DP-27 light machine guns.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Degtyaryov DP-27 machine gun - 7.62x54mm R Error creating thumbnail: File missing A Red Army soldier at the right holds a DP-27. Error creating thumbnail: File missing A soldier reloads his DP. Degtyaryov DT Degtyaryov DT machine guns are mounted on BA-27 armoured cars.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing DT machine gun - 7.62x54mm R Error creating thumbnail: File missing The frontal DT on BA-27 armoured car is seen. The DT, mounted in turret, is placed not coaxial with main gun but on another side and cannot be seen here. PV-1 A PV-1 machine gun is mounted on R-3 reconnaissance plane.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Nadashkevich PV-1 - 7.62x54mm R Error creating thumbnail: File missing The PV-1 is mounted on the side of cockpit. The shot is mirrored as R-3 (and other Soviet reconnaissance planes of 1920s) had the machine gun mounted on left side. Other Weapons RG-14 Hand Grenade In one scene a soldier inside the armoured train holds what appears to be an RG-14 (or RG-14/30) hand grenade.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing RG-14/30 hand grenade. Error creating thumbnail: File missing A soldier holds a grenade at the left during the last battle of the armoured train. Trivia Armoured Train A genuine armoured train, a part of 7th Independent Unit of Armoured Trains, appears in the movie. It is a Sormovo-type light armoured train, consisting of two artillery wagons, each armed with two turrets with 76.2mm M1902 guns and numerous Maxim machine guns.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing A turret with 76.2mm M1902 gun and two Maxim M1910 machine guns (only the one of right side is seen here). Error creating thumbnail: File missing Another view of the turret. A Maxim on left side is seen here. Error creating thumbnail: File missing A general view of the armoured train. Error creating thumbnail: File missing A closeup of 3-inch gun. 76.2mm M1909 Mountain Gun Enemy troops deploy 76.2mm M1909 mountain guns against the Soviet armoured train.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Error creating thumbnail: File missing M1909 mountain guns in action. "Enemy" crewmembers wear French Adrian steel helmets to make them look different from Red Army soldiers. 102mm Naval Gun A 102mm L60 naval gun is seen in one scene. It depicts an enemy long range cannon.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing The general view of the gun. Note that the crewmember at the right is in naval uniform. Error creating thumbnail: File missing The barrel. Error creating thumbnail: File missing The muzzle. Error creating thumbnail: File missing No, it's not James Bond gun barrel sequence ! BA-27 Armoured Car Numerous BA-27 armoured cars are seen. They are armed with a 37mm main gun and two DT machine guns.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing BA-27 armoured car. Airplanes Polikarpov R-1 and Tupolev R-3 reconnaissance planes are seen in the movie.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Ground crew arm the R-3 with aerial bombs. Note that this "enemy" plane have insignia in British, French or Russian Imperial air forces style. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Closer view of the bombs. Error creating thumbnail: File missing R-1 in flight. Error creating thumbnail: File missing R-3 in flight. Ammunition Error creating thumbnail: File missing Spent 7.62x54mmR ammunition. 
