Life and Extraordinary Adventures of Private Ivan Chonkin
The Life and Extraordinary Adventures of Private Ivan Chonkin (Russian: Жизнь и необыча́йные приключе́ния солда́та Ива́на Чо́нкина, Czech: Žvot a neobyčejná dobrodružství vojáka Ivana Čonkina) is a 1994 comedy-drama film directed by Jiří Menzel, based on the first two books of Vladimir Voinovich's novel trilogy of the same name. An international co-production between Russia, Czech Republic, the United Kingdom, France and Italy, it entered the competition at the 51st Venice International Film Festival, in which it won the President of the Italian Senate's Gold Medal.[1]
| The Life and Extraordinary Adventures of Private Ivan Chonkin | |
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| Directed by | Jiří Menzel |
| Screenplay by | Zdeněk Svěrák |
| Based on | Books 1 and 2 of The Life and Extraordinary Adventures of Private Ivan Chonkin by Vladimir Voinovich |
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| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Jaromír Šofr |
| Edited by | Jiří Brožek |
| Music by | Jiří Šust |
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Running time | 106 minutes |
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Plot
The film is set in 1941 in the Soviet Union before and during the first months of its involvement in World War II.
In the small village of Red makes a forced landing military plane U-2. The command is unable to tow the aircraft and decided to put him near the hour.
The military unit near the village of Red served ordinary Ivan Chonkin. Unpretentious and simple soldiers, who looked far from exemplary soldier, serving his military duty in the economic division of the regiment, doing what works in the kitchen, carrying loads on a horse. It was his command post near to detach aircraft in the village of Red.
Chonkin comes to the village and after a while begins to cohabit with village postmaster Nura. Soon he moves the airplane to Nura's courtyard and moves into her hut.
Cast
- Gennady Nazarov – Ivan Chonkin
- Zoya Buryak – Nyura
- Vladimir Ilyin – Golubev
- Aleksei Zharkov – Gladishev
- Valeri Zolotukhin – Kilin
- Zinovy Gerdt – Moisei Stalin
- Sergei Garmash – Milyaga
- Maria Vinogradova – Granny Dunia
- Yuri Dubrovin – Volkov
- Marián Labuda – Opalikov
- Aleksandr Garin – Svintsov
References
- Edoardo Pittalis, Roberto Pugliese, Bella di Notte, August 1996.
Further reading
- Menzel, Jirí (November 1995). "The art of laughter and survival". Index on Censorship. 24 (6): 119–122. doi:10.1080/03064229508536003. S2CID 145384794.