ABSTRACT
Jay Leyda’s death on 15 February 1988 ended a remarkable career that managed, over the course of six decades, to encompass an astonishing range of interests. Bridging East and West in a manner unique for an American scholar, his life was deeply interwoven with the great historical changes of this century.1 Now that Leyda’s resolute modesty can no longer intervene, it is important to reflect upon and re-evaluate one of the most important aspects of his contribution: his work as a Soviet film historian and Eisenstein scholar. This chapter might be considered as such an act of reflection and re-evaluation, informed by an investigation into the biographical, historical and political context of his work.2 Interest in Leyda’s Eisenstein scholarship is prompted in this case not only by a real sense of loss felt in his absence, but also by the important juncture scholars now face in Soviet film historiography, especially in the United States.3
