 The movie was released in Moscow in 1925. It was competing for box  office with _Robin Hood (1922)_ (qv), an American movie starring  Douglas Fairbanks (qv). The Soviet government hoped Potemkin would  earn more than "Robin Hood" in its opening week, as this would be a  symbol of the revitalization of Russian arts after the Revolution.  In the event, "Robin Hood" won, but it was a close race.