"Mess-Mend - Yankees in Petrograd" by Marietta Shaginian
Every now and then, I run across a truly unique entry. "Mess-Mend" is one.
It was written in 1923 under the pseudonym of "Jim Dollar" (a supposed American). Not until later was it discovered that the author was a Russian woman of Armenian ancestry.
Mess-Mend is story very much in the tradition of dime novels and pulp magazines. Full of Soviet propaganda, it became quite popular nonetheless. Its success is reflected in the fact that two sequels were written and a film adaptation was made (1926's "Miss Mend" a.k.a. "The Adventures of 3 Reporters"). The film itself was held in high enough regard to be released as voiced-over production in the 50s, and subtitled in Italian and French more recently. It's a super-long 3-part 4-hour-plus movie. The novel's notoriety years later led to the Russian-to-English translation, which I've just read.
There are more characters in the book than you can keep track of. Many of them appear in the storyline, disappear, reappear disguised and drop out again seemingly at random. It's more of a thriller than a science fiction tale per se. But the s.f. elements are present:
- Fabionite: which "…could put an entire army to sleep if you direct the light rays on it."
- References to the "Steinach treatment" - which itself was a springboard for many films dealing with the then fad of "rejuvenation".
- Transmitters which we are told are able to "… repell any army with the help of but a single electrician from our Petrograd Central Aero-Electrical station".
- A device described by a Russian engineer as the "Savali regulator which has been adapted to our own invention of an electro-climate"These last two inventions above sure seem to reveal that our comrades were way advanced over the decadent West!!! But wait there's more….!!! The mother of all SPOILERS is about to be revealed…..
- it seems that a disease called "vertebra media sine bestialia" has been discovered in certain disposed monarchs and great businessmen caused by "a powerful, apparently unbearably powerful feeling of terror in the nervous system; a feeling of terror in the face of the inevitability of communism!". Thus we discover the biggest enemies of the workers literally mutate into living animal-like creatures. (I never knew that was going on! J )
My only regret in reading the book was that I don't think it will help much when I finally re-watch the film which is still only available un-translated. Although the same overall flavor is to be found in both, there appears to be some major plot variations. For instance, "Mess Mend" in the novel is an organization dedicated to "mending the mess" of capitalism. "Miss Mend", the film variation, centers around a young lady called Vivian Mend.
Well, Mess-Mend was an experience to say the least. And at the risk of being profound, I actually got something other than amusement out of this little reading adventure. You know, it's very interesting learning about how the other side thinks.
written: 01/03/2004
