''Chasing Two Hares'' ( uk, За двома зайцями, Za dvoma zaitsiamy), also known as ''A Kyiv Comedy'', is a 1961 Ukrainian

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...

directed by

Viktor Ivanov Viktor Petrovich Ivanov (russian: Виктор Петрович Иванов, born May 12, 1950) is a Russian politician and businessman, former KGB officer, who served in the KGB Directorate of Leningrad and its successors in 1977–1994. He w ...

based on the eponymous play by

Mykhailo Starytsky Mykhailo Petrovych Starytsky ( uk, Михайло Петрович Старицький; 14 December 1840 – 27 April 1904), in English Michael Starycky, was a Ukrainian writer, poet, and playwright.Kyiv Kyiv, also spelled Kiev, is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine. It is in north-central Ukraine along the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2021, its population was 2,962,180, making Kyiv the List of European cities by populat ...

at the beginning of the 20th century, a frivolous barber named Svyryd Petrovych Holokhvosty (

Oleg Borisov Oleg Ivanovich Borisov (russian: Оле́г Ива́нович Бори́сов; 8 November 1929 – 28 April 1994) was a Soviet and Russian stage and film actor. People's Artist of the USSR (1978). Biography Childhood and youth Oleg Borisov was ...

) goes bankrupt and is forced to close his shop. Upon learning that a Mr. Sirko (Mykola Yakovenko) is offering a

dowry A dowry is a payment, such as property or money, paid by the bride's family to the groom or his family at the time of marriage. Dowry contrasts with the related concepts of bride price and dower. While bride price or bride service is a payment b ...

of ten thousand

roubles The ruble (American English) or rouble (Commonwealth English) (; rus, рубль, p=rublʲ) is the currency unit of Belarus and Russia. Historically, it was the currency of the Russian Empire and of the Soviet Union. , currencies named ''rub ...

for his unrefined and unattractive daughter, Pronya (Marharyta Krynytsyna), Svyryd decides to pay his debts by marrying her. Svyryd dupes a German creditor of his to finance the courtship. While showing off his new suit to friends in the park on

Saint Volodymyr Hill Volodymyrska Hill or Saint Volodymyr Hill ( uk, Володимирська гірка, ''"Volodymyrska hirka"'') is a large park located on the steep right-bank of the Dnipro River in central Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine. Its most famous and prom ...

, he sees and briefly flirts with the beautiful Halya (Nataliya Naum) before being chased away by her would be boyfriend, Stepan (Anatoliy Yurchenko). That evening, Svyryd takes Pronya to the movies on a date and afterwards makes a false confession of love to her. She invites him to her house to propose. Later that night, while drinking with his friends, Svyryd boasts about his successful date with Pronya; and that once he gets the money, he will start an affair with a beauty. Svyryd meets Halya in an alley, falsely confesses his love to her, claims to be a rich suitor, and forces her into an embrace. Halya's mother, Sekleta Lymerykha (Nonna Koperzhynska), happens by and stops it. Sekleta threatens him and makes him swear on the steps of Saint Andrew's Church to marry Halya whose heart actually belongs to Stepan. The next day, Sekleta, sister to Mrs. Sirko, lets herself into her sister's home where she insults them and is summarily thrown out. Svyryd narrowly misses Sekleta as he arrives to propose and receive the Sirkos' blessing for marriage with Pronya. Some time later, he runs into Sekleta who forces him to share an open carriage to her house where guests soon arrive to celebrate Sekleta's

name day In Christianity, a name day is a tradition in many countries of Europe and the Americas, among other parts of Christendom. It consists of celebrating a day of the year that is associated with one's baptismal name, which is normatively that of a ...

. During the celebration, Svyryd flirts with Sister Meroniya, a pretty nun, and gets her to drink. As the party winds down, Sekleta announces the engagement of Halya and Svyryd. As she happens to be passing by her sister's house, Mrs. Sirko tries to partake in the festivities, but is stopped by Pronya who is embarrassed by such a lowbrow party. Sekleta laments that none of her relatives stopped by to visit on the special occasion which leads Svyryd to realize that Pronya and Halya are cousins! Halya runs from the gathering to her beloved Stepan who informs her that Svyryd is a fraud. On the wedding day, curious friends of Sekleta discover Pronya is marrying Svyryd. A black cat crosses Svyryd's path on his way to Pronya's door, and he immediately trips and falls into the dirt, soiling and tearing his wedding attire. Sekleta's friends race to inform her before the wedding can take place. Sekleta halts the wedding party on the steps of Saint Andrew's Church and announces to everyone that Svyryd is in fact engaged to Halya. Pronya collapses upon realizing what has happened. As Svyryd tries to walk away, Sekleta stops him and demands that he now marry Halya; however, creditors and bill collectors suddenly appear with proof that Svyryd is bankrupt who then leaves the scene with his friends.

Cast

- Svyryd Petrovych Holokhvosty ("Galakhvastov") *Marharyta Krynytsyna - Pronya Prokopivna Sirko ("Priska") *Mykola Yakovenko - Prokip Svyrydovych Sirko, father of Pronya *Hanna Kushnirenko - Yavdokha Pylypivna Sirko, mother of Pronya *

Nonna Koperzhynska Nonna Kronidivna Koperzhynska (; 1 May 1920 – 10 June 1999) was a Soviet and Ukrainian stage and film actress, People’s Artist of the Ukrainian SSR (1967). Winner of the ''Kyiv Pectoral'' Theater Award (1995). Early life and education No ...

- Sekleta Pylypivna Lymerykha, sister of Yavdokha Pylypivna *Nataliya Naum - Halya, daughter of Sekleta Pylypivna *Anatoliy Yurchenko - Stepan, the groom of Halya *Kostiantyn Yershov - Dancer, friend of Holokhvosty *Tayisiya Lytvynenko - Khymka, servant of the Sirkos *Olga Wickland - Mademoiselle Ninon, hostess of the guesthouse

References

External links

{{IMDb title, tt0055635 1961 films Ukrainian romantic comedy films Films based on works by Ukrainian writers 1961 romantic comedy films Soviet romantic comedy films Dovzhenko Film Studios films 1960s rediscovered films