Cars of Revolution: A Necessary Dream
It is possible to analyze the film "Cars of Revolution" from two main perspectives: the first is the film's production quality and dramatic narrative, and the second is the way it handles the sociological structure and historical realities of the period. The film's production, acting performances, and editing constantly keep the audience's interest alive. Maintaining a high level of curiosity, alongside the successful directing and visual aesthetics, is commendable.
On the other hand, the film successfully reflects the sociological turmoil and political conflicts of the period. The perseverance of the twenty-three engineers who undertook the automobile production and the difficult task they accomplished amidst impossibilities are conveyed in an impressive manner.
The excitement aroused by the film regarding the potential of this historical initiative, and the subsequent disappointment, is quite striking. The balanced combination of historical realities and dramatic elements allows the audience to feel this process deeply.
Could the Devrim Car Have Been Produced?
The perseverance and determination during the production process of the Devrim automobile must be emphasized. Turkey's undertaking of such a project at a time when it struggled to produce even basic industrial products is a serious example of self-confidence. The schedule for this project, which began on June 19, 1961, and was expected to be completed by October 29, 1961, was quite tight; this situation caused hesitation in public opinion and the bureaucracy. Considering the limited capital structure and the lack of private enterprise of the period, the difficulties preventing this process from turning into a sustainable industry are more clearly understood. The reasons for this can be seen in the film—although the character Hayati trying to produce a vehicle by dismantling his car and reverse-engineering it does not exactly overlap with what happened, in reality, a similar situation occurred, and the production process and planning began by examining various American and European-made automobiles.
By the way, Devrim is not the first car produced in Turkey. Before Devrim, assembly plants of foreign companies had already been established in the country. During the Democrat Party period, masters were trained in the assembly industry, and the domestic workforce gained competence.
Despite this, the idea of a domestic automobile was a highly optimistic and appropriate goal. The intense demand for imported vehicles in Turkey during those years makes Cemal Gürsel's proposal for domestic production consistent. Gürsel, who aimed to create a national economy in the post-May 27 period, clearly had the goal of reducing foreign dependency. However, the lack of full consensus and support for the project in public opinion and among the executive cadres prevented the institutionalization of the project.
Nevertheless, the support of this project by Cemal Gürsel and the presentation of two Devrim cars to the public on October 29, 1961, in a short period of 4 months—one way or another and despite various setbacks—is a commendable success.
Produced after four months of intensive work, the two Devrim automobiles were presented to the public in front of the parliament on October 29. The refueling negligence experienced during this presentation became an unfortunate turning point that determined the fate of the project. Cemal Gürsel's statement, "We made a car with a Western mindset, but we forgot to put gas in it with an Eastern mindset," may indicate that the technical success was not crowned with organizational success. Although this situation was reflected to the public in this way due to Cemal Gürsel's words, in reality, this occurred because of various malfunctions in the vehicle, which shows that Devrim was actually not a problem-free and producible vehicle on October 29. It can probably be said that the scrapping of the produced Devrim automobiles and the discontinuation of the project were due to Cemal Gürsel—who pushed the limits of this endeavor—coming face to face with the realities.
The Film Must Be Appreciated
When the film's fictional success and narrative structure are examined, as stated by Barmak (2021), even if the character names do not reflect reality, it is seen that the four-month process at the Eskişehir Railway Factory (Cer Fabrikası) is conveyed consistently with historical reality. Supporting fictional elements with historical data increases the credibility and artistic value of the production.
The characterization in the work is masterfully structured to heighten dramatic tension. For example, the simultaneous presentation of the character Necip's family responsibilities and the critical stages of the project, or the uncompromising and authoritarian personality of Master Recep conflicting with the other engineers, are successful applications of classical drama techniques. These elements maximize the emotional impact on the audience, reinforcing the impressiveness of the narrative.
The line delivered by Latif, one of the characters in the film, towards the end—"They wouldn't have allowed a car named 'Revolution' to roam the streets anyway"—was one of the quotes that stuck in my mind even after finishing the film. The reason for this is probably partly because I had seen clips of the film on social media before, but I still think it is a very apt remark.
In conclusion, it can be said that "Cars of Revolution" is not merely about a technical initiative; it is a cinematographic summary of how political instability, a lack of institutional infrastructure, and bureaucratic prejudices disrupted development goals. While the extraordinary effort shown by twenty-three engineers in a limited time concretely proved Turkey's industrialization potential, the shelving of the project due to organizational weaknesses and a lack of political support demonstrates that macroeconomic goals can be sustained not only by will, but through rational planning and social consensus.
References
Örnek, T. (Director). (2008). Devrim arabaları [Film]. Ekip Film.
Barmak, A. T. (2021). Devrim Arabaları ve Türk Otomotiv Sanayisine Etkisi. Tarih Çevresi, 97.