As Nazi Germany threatened peace in Europe during the 1930s, Soviet filmmaker Sergei Eisenstein turned to a 13th-century confrontation between the Russian people and the invading Teutonic knights to alert audiences to a renewed German danger. Told in an epic style (with a musical score by Sergei Prokofiev), the film Alexander Nevsky remains a prophetic artifact of its time.

The story is set in the year 1242 as the Russian people face invaders on all sides. From the east, Mongol warriors have penetrated into the country. The Russians have made an uneasy peace, believing that worse threats are coming from the west in the form of German invaders. As the film opens, Russian soldiers are recuperating from a recent battle against Swedish armies at the River Neva and seeking peaceful enterprises. The Mongol warriors are heading home, but only for a while.

Prince Alexander Nevsky (Nikolai Cherkassov), hero of the war against the Swedes, observes the passing Mongol chief, who offers to make him a general. "Better to die than leave your own land," he says, establishing the Russians' passion for the motherland.

The scene shifts to the "great city" Novgorod. News of the approaching German armies provokes intense discussions about what to do. The wealthy merchants propose buying off the brutal soldiers, but other patriots demand fighting to preserve their freedom. The nobleman Domash (N.N. Arski) urges them all to unite under the command of Prince Nevsky and defend their city.

Meanwhile, the German armies capture the city of Pskov and assert their glory with a pageant of killing and brutality, executing Russian patriots and throwing babies into fires. News of these atrocities inspires the people of Novgorod to send a delegation to Nevsky, pleading for his intervention. With a chorus singing, "Arise, ye people of Russia," the peasants rally behind Nevsky and rush to Novgorod to save "Mother Russia."

Although cheering crowds greet Nevsky's arrival, not everyone supports the war. The merchants seek to avoid war but the poor demand armed resistance. Nevsky presents a speech for unity, and the various townspeople contribute their resources to the defense of their city. Women as well as men prepare for battle. Two friends Vassily Buslai (Nikolai Okhlopkov) and Gavrilo Olexich (Alexander Abrikossov) decide to use the battle to decide who gets the hand in marriage of beautiful Olga (V.S. Ivasbeva).

As the German knights pray for victory over the Russian pagans, news of Nevsky's entry into the conflict inspire promises to destroy "the Russian beast." The enemies prepare for battle in the frozen forest. An advance guard of Germans is ambushed. Prince Nevsky decides to make a stand on the ice of Lake Chudskove. The peasant soldiers are armed with axes, spears, and swords supplied by the townspeople of Novgorod.

The ensuing battle scene takes about half the length of the movie. As the heavily armed German horse soldiers race across the frozen lake, the Russians prepare to attack on both flanks. The combat is intense, and the peasants (both men and women) show great valor. The decisive factor is that, as Nevsky has planned, the heavy (literally) German forces crack through the ice and drown in the frozen waters.

Dead and wounded Russians remain on the icy battlefield. Olga comes upon her two rivals, each battered by the heroic fight, and the three walk away together.

The victory in battle leads to celebrations in Pskov. Nevsky addresses the crowd, praising the collective heroism and reminding them, "If disaster ever threatens us again, I will make the whole of Russia rise in arms."

The Russians also punish the German invaders. And Olga asks Prince Nevsky to decide which of the heroes she should marry. Their equal bravery leads one of the suitors to choose another woman, who has fought bravely in the battle.

The movie concludes with this statement: "Whosoever comes against us with the sword shall perish by the sword. Such is the law of the Russian land and such it will always be."

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