Kidnapping, Caucasian Style
Encyclopedia
A she-prisoner of the Caucasus, or Shurik's New Adventures , also known as Kidnapping, Caucasian Style is a Soviet comedy film dealing with the theme of bride kidnapping
.
The title is a play on The Prisoner of the Caucasus, which is a poem by Alexander Pushkin as well as a short story by Leo Tolstoy
. It was directed by Leonid Gaidai
and is the last film featuring the Three Stooges-esque trio Coward — Fool — Experienced (Georgy Vitsin
— Yuri Nikulin
— Yevgeny Morgunov
). The premiere of the film took place on April 1, 1967 in Moscow.
) goes to a place in the Caucasus
to learn the ancient customs of the locals and falls in love with a girl called Nina (Natalya Varley
). Her uncle (Frunzik Mkrtchyan) sells her as a bride without her knowledge and arranges to have her kidnapped by the eccentric trio: Coward, Fool and Experienced. After a failed attempt, the uncle decides to trick Shurik into helping with the kidnapping - telling him that it is a traditional custom and that it was Nina's own wish. Shurik goes through with the kidnapping, and does not figure out what has really happened at first, but with the help of a friend he manages to rescue Nina from her captors.
's previous film Operation Y and Other Shurik's Adventures
, which featured some of the same characters (Shurik and the trio Fool, Coward and Experienced) and was largely successful within the Soviet Union.
According to one of the writers, Yakov Kostyukovsky, Gaidai has decided that the trio (Fool, Coward and Experienced) have been used up and did not want to feature them again; he was only convinced to feature them again by Kostyukovsky and co-writer Slobodskoy.
The censors of Goskino
did not like the film and were ready to bar it from release. But by chance Leonid Brezhnev
,who was sworn in as country's new leader less than a year before, saw the film and liked it so much that he had rewatched it several times. The censors reconsidered and the movie was allowed to be shown.
The song was recorded behind the scenes by the voice of Aida Vedishcheva
(Vais). Varley lip-synchs it and performs a brief twist
dance. The theme of song is somewhat silly, full of optimism, and has a light, fast-paced melody.
"Yeslib' ya byl sultan" ("If I was a sultan")
The song was performed by Nikulin with Vitsyn and Morgunov joining in on the chorus. Varley performs a dance somewhat reminiscent of the Old Tbilisi dance theme. It is a comical song about the Islamic culture from a Russian perspective.
Bride kidnapping
Bride kidnapping, also known as marriage by abduction or marriage by capture, is a practice throughout history and around the world in which a man abducts the woman he wishes to marry...
.
The title is a play on The Prisoner of the Caucasus, which is a poem by Alexander Pushkin as well as a short story by Leo Tolstoy
Leo Tolstoy
Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy was a Russian writer who primarily wrote novels and short stories. Later in life, he also wrote plays and essays. His two most famous works, the novels War and Peace and Anna Karenina, are acknowledged as two of the greatest novels of all time and a pinnacle of realist...
. It was directed by Leonid Gaidai
Leonid Gaidai
Leonid Iovich Gaidai was one of the most popular Soviet comedy directors, enjoying immense popularity and broad public recognition in the former USSR & modern Russia...
and is the last film featuring the Three Stooges-esque trio Coward — Fool — Experienced (Georgy Vitsin
Georgy Vitsin
Georgy Mikhailovich Vitsin was a Soviet and Russian actor.- Biography :Born in St. Petersburg, then Petrograd, in 1918 , Vitsin enjoyed a long acting career and continued performing until close to the end of his life...
— Yuri Nikulin
Yuri Nikulin
Yuri Vladimirovich Nikulin was a well-known Soviet and Russian actor and clown who starred in many popular films.He was awarded the title of People's Artist of the USSR in 1973 and Hero of Socialist Labour in 1990...
— Yevgeny Morgunov
Yevgeny Morgunov
Yevgeny Alexandrovich Morgunov was a Soviet and Russian actor, film director, and script writer, Meritorious Artist of Russian SFSR .-Early life:...
). The premiere of the film took place on April 1, 1967 in Moscow.
Synopsis
A kind, yet naïve, anthropology student named Shurik (DemyanenkoAleksandr Demyanenko
Aleksandr Sergeievich Demyanenko was a Soviet and Russian film and theater actor, People's Artist of the RSFSR.-Early life:Aleksandr Demyanenko was born in Sverdlovsk, USSR in 1937. He went to a music school from 1946 to 1952. In 1954 he failed to enter the school of arts. In 1955, however, he...
) goes to a place in the Caucasus
Caucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
to learn the ancient customs of the locals and falls in love with a girl called Nina (Natalya Varley
Natalya Varley
Natalya Varley is a Soviet and Russian film and theater actress, RSFSR Honoured artist .- Filmography :* The Wizard of Emerald City as Bastinda/Gingema* Guest from the Future as Marta Erastovna* Errors of Youth...
). Her uncle (Frunzik Mkrtchyan) sells her as a bride without her knowledge and arranges to have her kidnapped by the eccentric trio: Coward, Fool and Experienced. After a failed attempt, the uncle decides to trick Shurik into helping with the kidnapping - telling him that it is a traditional custom and that it was Nina's own wish. Shurik goes through with the kidnapping, and does not figure out what has really happened at first, but with the help of a friend he manages to rescue Nina from her captors.
Cast
- Aleksandr DemyanenkoAleksandr DemyanenkoAleksandr Sergeievich Demyanenko was a Soviet and Russian film and theater actor, People's Artist of the RSFSR.-Early life:Aleksandr Demyanenko was born in Sverdlovsk, USSR in 1937. He went to a music school from 1946 to 1952. In 1954 he failed to enter the school of arts. In 1955, however, he...
as Shurik - Natalya VarleyNatalya VarleyNatalya Varley is a Soviet and Russian film and theater actress, RSFSR Honoured artist .- Filmography :* The Wizard of Emerald City as Bastinda/Gingema* Guest from the Future as Marta Erastovna* Errors of Youth...
as Nina (voice of Nadezhda Rumiantseva) - Vladimir EtushVladimir EtushVladimir Abramovich Etush is a Soviet film and television actor and a People's Artist of the USSR , an honorary title granted to citizens of the Soviet Union.- Filmography :* The Gadfly...
as comrade Saakhov - Frunzik Mkrtchyan as Nina's uncle
- Ruslan Akhmetov as Edik
- Yuri NikulinYuri NikulinYuri Vladimirovich Nikulin was a well-known Soviet and Russian actor and clown who starred in many popular films.He was awarded the title of People's Artist of the USSR in 1973 and Hero of Socialist Labour in 1990...
as Fool - Georgi Vitsin as Coward
- Yevgeni Morgunov as Experienced
Production
Kidnapping, Caucasian Style followed the success of Leonid GaidaiLeonid Gaidai
Leonid Iovich Gaidai was one of the most popular Soviet comedy directors, enjoying immense popularity and broad public recognition in the former USSR & modern Russia...
's previous film Operation Y and Other Shurik's Adventures
Operation Y and Other Shurik's Adventures
Operation Y and Other Shurik's Adventures is a 1965 Soviet slapstick comedy film directed by Leonid Gaidai, starring Aleksandr Demyanenko, Natalya Seleznyova, Yuri Nikulin, Georgy Vitsin and Yevgeny Morgunov. The film consists of three independent parts: "Workmate" , "Déjà vu" and "Operation Y"...
, which featured some of the same characters (Shurik and the trio Fool, Coward and Experienced) and was largely successful within the Soviet Union.
According to one of the writers, Yakov Kostyukovsky, Gaidai has decided that the trio (Fool, Coward and Experienced) have been used up and did not want to feature them again; he was only convinced to feature them again by Kostyukovsky and co-writer Slobodskoy.
The censors of Goskino
Goskino
Goskino USSR is the abbreviated name for the USSR State Committee for Cinematography in the Soviet Union...
did not like the film and were ready to bar it from release. But by chance Leonid Brezhnev
Leonid Brezhnev
Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev – 10 November 1982) was the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union , presiding over the country from 1964 until his death in 1982. His eighteen-year term as General Secretary was second only to that of Joseph Stalin in...
,who was sworn in as country's new leader less than a year before, saw the film and liked it so much that he had rewatched it several times. The censors reconsidered and the movie was allowed to be shown.
Reception
The film was hugely popular, topping the Soviet box office of 1967 with 76.54 million viewers.Soundtracks
"Pesenka pro medvedey" ("A little song about bears")The song was recorded behind the scenes by the voice of Aida Vedishcheva
Aida Vedishcheva
Aida Semёnovna Vedishcheva is a Soviet singer of Jewish descent . In the 1960s she contributed songs to several film soundtracks, including "The small song about bears", "Help me", "Forest deer", "Bear-mama lullaby", and "Chunga-changa"....
(Vais). Varley lip-synchs it and performs a brief twist
Twist (dance)
The Twist was a dance inspired by rock and roll music. It became the first worldwide dance craze in the early 1960s, enjoying immense popularity among young people and drawing fire from critics who felt it was too provocative. It inspired dances such as the Jerk, the Pony, the Watusi, the Mashed...
dance. The theme of song is somewhat silly, full of optimism, and has a light, fast-paced melody.
"Yeslib' ya byl sultan" ("If I was a sultan")
The song was performed by Nikulin with Vitsyn and Morgunov joining in on the chorus. Varley performs a dance somewhat reminiscent of the Old Tbilisi dance theme. It is a comical song about the Islamic culture from a Russian perspective.
External links
- World art page (Russian language review)