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their purpose, we all are Heroes in our own, individual journeys through life. Because of this that the Hero’s Journey is considered a pattern weaved into life itself and not just a matter of storytelling in legends, myths and fairy tales.
In a movie one Hero certainly is the main character who drives the plot and with whom the audience is must identify in one way or another. In White Nights Nikolai Rodchenko (Mikhail Barishnikow) is that main character and thus his adventures throughout the movie touches most of the stations of the Hero’s Journey .
However, as Hero also refers to individuals in general the course of events that makes up their role in the plot may also reflect the Hero’s Journey.
With that in in mind let’s look at Raymond Greenwood, the black tap dancer who chose to defect to Russia in the hope to find a fairer life under communism. It’s clear that the events making up his journey will be much scarcer than Rodchenko’s adventure and he will probably not touch all the stations of the Hero’s Journey.
Ordinary World (0:22:00)
Raymond’s ordinary world is Siberia where he plays Porgy and Bess at his first appearance. He is married to Darya. His actor colleagues don’t seem to like him much. His abode is simple, almost primitive. For reasons that he doesn’t understand he has been relocated to this less conspicuous part of Russia. Colonel Chaiko comes for a surprise visit to tell him he has to persuade Rodchenko to dance at the opening performance at the Kirov ballet. Raymond is pleasantly surprised having tried to contact Chaiko unsuccessfully. However, Darya is repulsed by Chaiko and whatever call to adventure may come, we know this isn’t good.
Next Nikolai wakes up at Raymond’s place and first believes that Raymond is from the American embassy. But he is disappointed. Nikolai soon finds out that Raymond is there to watch him and Raymond has a hard time explaining the situation. Raymond has a hard time to explain anything and we feel his discomfort. So does Rodchenko:
NIKOLAI
So, you are from New York,
she’s from Moscow. And you live
here in Siberia.
RAYMOND
It’s only temporary.
NIKOLAI
Of course, nobody is here
permanently.
Raymond somehow gets his point across while dancing drunk, but Rodchenko is not at all convinced of the sanity of Raymond’s choice who obviously struggles with it himself. A few careless remarks slip from his tongue and Chaiko mentions that next day on the trip to the mine. Obviously there are wiretaps everywhere.
Before coming to the call to adventure: What’s Raymond’s dramatic need? What does he have to accomplish internally and externally? It becomes clear in the ordinary world that Raymond regrets having defected from the US. In his heart he knows that it’s still a better place than Siberia and Soviet Russia. His challenge is to accept this fact, admit his mistake to himself and then go back no matter what the obstacles.
Call to Adventure
Obviously Raymond is used by Chaiko to persuade him to dance at the Kirov ballet at the opening of the ballet season. Nikolai rejects the offer instantly and confronts him with the plotting, flimsy nature of the Soviet society and the KGB. Raymond
Refusal of the Call
Raymond may have come to regret his decision to come to Russia, but he doesn’t admit it - if to himself, then certainly not to others (0:43:00):
NIKOLAI
It’s still a better place than
this.
RAYMOND
(screams)
Don’t talk that shit to me. I
know about America. You can’t
fool me for a second.
The call to return home may sound subtly in the distance, but Raymond rejects it violently.
Meeting with the Mentor
Chaiko behaves like a mentor, but he really is a lying, deceitful Trickster and ShapeShifter** who will do anything to further his goal. The Mentor who pulls and pushes Raymond toward the realization that the only right thing to do is to escape Russia is actually Nikolai. During the many confrontations between the two, helped by Chaiko separating him from Darya Raymond slowly comes to understand that he needs to leave. When she finally tells him that she is pregnant he knows that the moment has come.
There is no clear indication when Raymond makes his decision. It has to be sometime before he walks in on Nikolai who is making a rope from carpet material. Raymond is not surprised - proof that by now the two have decided to go together (1:37:00).
In any case, Raymond’s final acceptance of the call to adventure comes well past the midpoint of the movie.
Crossing the First Threshold
Raymond convinces Darya to come with him and then the three climb out the window across to escape through the side door of the backyard. Whatever happens now, this is the point of no return for all three of them. Nikolai, whose dramatic need to face his fears and stand up for himself had crossed his threshold when the plane was forced to land in Siberia. For Nikolai all this is The Road Back. He had his victories. Raymond’s victories are still to come.
Tests, Allies, Enemies
No time and no need for Raymond to find allies. Everything has been set up by Rodchenko, Galina and the American embassy. However, he will find a surprising ally very soon.
Approach to the Inmost Cave
Though it could be done it would mean pushing it - interpret a cave approach into the events. There simply is no time from the moment they leave the room until Raymond’s ordeal.
Ordeal
Nikolai and Darya already crossed the backyard using a rope that Nikolai tied to a ladder. Raymond is about to follow when Chaiko and his men drive into the backyard. Raymond hesitates a moment then he decides to go back and stall Chaiko to help the two escape.
Raymond here brings the ultimate sacrifice. He has faced his failures of the past and decided to return no matter what awaits him in the US. Now he has to give it all up, his wife Darya, his freedom, maybe his life. He does it with almost no hesitation, the most noble thing a hero can do. We stand in awe before his decision. At this moment Raymond outshines even Rodchenko, who more or less safely makes it to the embassy, pulling Darya with him, saving her from the KGB.
In the process we encounter another Ally: when Kirigin comes to tell Chaiko that something is wrong in the room - he heard Raymond’s voice and that can’t be - Chaiko tells him to shut up and wait. Kirigin is terminally pissed and just stands in the door. Raymond stares him into the face - obviously something is wrong. Kirigin just stands there and smiles. He became Raymond’s ally.
Reward
The safe escape of Darya is Raymond’s reward. However, he can’t be sure. After the escape of Rodchenko and Darya he went to prison. We find that out only later, when he sits with Chaiko in a car driving through the night.
The Road Back
They drive through the countryside and Raymond expects to be executed. Chaiko feeds his fear by telling him that they will send his things to Darya. They stop at a bridge. Chaiko tells him to get out and walk.
Resurrection
Raymond walks, expecting to be shot any moment. But then lights come on, a man walks across the bridge toward Chaiko who embraces him. Darya calls from the other side and Raymond knows that he is free. “I never expected to see you again” are his first words to Darya. Raymond and Rodchenko embrace.
That was Raymond’s Heroic Journey - the trip of a lesser hero, but a hero nevertheless.
Thin? Maybe a bit, but that was to be expected. Raymond is only a supporting character and 2 hours of screen time can’t be true to all the details that make up his adventure. However, even though to a lesser degree the Hero’s Journey is still reflected in this sub-thread.
Write to: Ashton Zach at azach@trilane.com
* “The Writer’s Journey”, Christopher Vogler, Michael Wiese Productions, USA, 2007, p. 29-30 [ back ]
** Trickster and Shapeshifter are archetypes described in The Writer’s Journey. So actually is the Mentor, whose meaning is obvious. [ back ]
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