Anatoly A. Vasilyev Movies

Praised for its fine photography and production design if not its narrative, Sergei Bondarchuk directed this adaptation of the tale by Alexander Pushkin. Boris Godunov came to the Czarist throne at the end of the 16th century, after the original heir to Ivan the Terrible had died. At first, things went well for Godunov (played by Bondarchuk), but when the Russian people began to believe he had killed Ivan the Terrible's son in order to gain the throne, an alliance sprang up against the new Czar. Events continued to spin out of control as a young monk was presented as the son Godunov had supposedly killed. Now he was openly accused of failing an assassination attempt, which seems to be even worse than succeeding. In addition to these woes, Boris Godunov began to suffer serious health problems. So much for the joys of kingship. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

The ancient port of Odessa is the setting for this zany comedy about a woman's love for a mechanic in the merchant navy who stands her up on the day they are to register their intended marriage with the city. The jilted woman, Margerita (Ludmilla Gurchenko) is a photo-lab worker who had been ready to take a chance on a second marriage until her fateful rejection. She is so faithful to her fickle lover that she waits all day at the registrar's doorway, hoping he will show up. At the end of the day, resigned to her fate, she goes into town where her interactions with those she meets have good effects. When she runs into an old boyfriend, she does not encourage any renewed liaison since she still loves the mechanic. Towards the end of her story, the mechanic (Sergei Shakurov) unexpectedly comes back into the picture and suddenly, life may not be quite as desolate as she had first imagined. Both Ludmilla Gurchenko and Sergei Shakurov (a former athlete) are two of the most popular actors in Russia, and their presence, as well as the up-beat tenor of the story helped make this film quite popular on its release (18.4 million viewers). ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

Based on a story by Anton Chekhov, this film by renowned director Sergei Bonderchuk (best known for his film War and Peace) basks in the vast and visually magnificent qualities of life on the steppes of southern Russia in the era before the Russian Revolution. The story revolves around the journey of a wagon train bearing materials from the countryside to the marketplace. Riding along with the wagon train in carriages are an Orthodox priest and a trader carrying his nephew into town to receive some schooling. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi