''The

Hussar A hussar ( , ; hu, huszár, pl, husarz, sh, husar / ) was a member of a class of light cavalry, originating in Central Europe during the 15th and 16th centuries. The title and distinctive dress of these horsemen were subsequently widely ...

Ballad'' (russian: Гусарская баллада, Gusarskaya ballada) is a 1962 Soviet

musical film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, but in some cases, they serve merely as breaks ...

by Eldar Ryazanov, filmed on Mosfilm. In effect, it is one of the best loved musical comedies in Russia. With most of its dialogue delivered in verse, Ryazanov's script romanticizes the adventures of Nadezhda Durova during the Napoleonic wars. The swift paced, action packed, humor filled adventure is ingeniously mixed with light-hearted acting bravado and memorable operetta pieces. The film's musical score and songs were written by Tikhon Khrennikov. The leading roles — those of the cavalry maiden Shurochka Azarova and the dashing hussar

Poruchik The rank of lieutenant in Eastern Europe ( hr, poručnik, cs, poručík, pl, porucznik, russian: script=latn, poruchik, sr, script=latn, poručnik, sk, poručík) is one used in Slavophone armed forces. Depending on the country, it is either ...

Dmitry Rzhevsky — were played by Andrei Mironov's wife Larisa Golubkina and the

People's Artist of the USSR People's Artist of the USSR ( rus, Народный артист СССР, Narodny artist SSSR), also sometimes translated as National Artist of the USSR, was an honorary title granted to artists of the Soviet Union. Nomenclature and significan ...

Yuri Yakovlev, respectively. Comedian Igor Ilyinsky appeared as one-eyed Field-Marshal Prince Mikhail Kutuzov. The film is based on the play ''A Long Time Ago'' by

Alexander Gladkov Alexander is a male given name. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history. Variants listed here are Aleksandar, Al ...

. Emil Draitser, ''Making War, Not Love: Gender and Sexuality in Russian Humor'' (New York: St. Martin's Press, 2000.)
p.120
&mdash

in '' Journal of Folklore Research'' The film proved so popular with Soviet audiences that

poruchik The rank of lieutenant in Eastern Europe ( hr, poručnik, cs, poručík, pl, porucznik, russian: script=latn, poruchik, sr, script=latn, poručnik, sk, poručík) is one used in Slavophone armed forces. Depending on the country, it is either ...

Rzhevsky became quite a folklore character, featured in numerous jokes. See Russian jokes#Poruchik Rzhevsky for samples.

Cast

* Larisa Golubkina as Shura Azarova *

Yury Yakovlev Yury Vasilyevich Yakovlev (russian: Ю́рий Васи́льевич Я́ковлев; 25 April 1928 – 30 November 2013) was a Soviet and Russian actor. He was awarded the honorary title of People's Artist of the USSR in 1976. Main works ...

Dmitry Rzhevsky * Igor Ilyinsky as Field-Marshal

Kutuzov Prince Mikhail Illarionovich Golenishchev-Kutuzov ( rus, Князь Михаи́л Илларио́нович Голени́щев-Куту́зов, Knyaz' Mikhaíl Illariónovich Goleníshchev-Kutúzov; german: Mikhail Illarion Golenishchev-Kut ...

Nikolai Kryuchkov Nikolai Afanasyevich Kryuchkov (russian: Никола́й Афана́сьевич Крючко́в; 6 January 1911 – 13 April 1994) was a Soviet and Russian film actor. He appeared in more than 90 films between 1932 and 1993. Selected fi ...

as Ivan * Viktor Koltsov as Major Azarov * Antoni Khodursky as Count Nurin *

Tatyana Shmyga Tatyana Ivanovna Shmyga (russian: Татьяна Ивановна Шмыга; born 31 December 1928 – died 3 February 2011) was a Soviet and Russian operetta/musical theatre performer. She went on to act in films as well. She was a People's Ar ...

as Louise Germont * Lev Polyakov as Pelymov * Yuri Belov as hussar-partisan

Interesting facts

* The director was planning to take

Alisa Freindlich Alisa Brunovna Freindlich (russian: Алиса Бруновна Фрейндлих, born 8 December 1934 in Leningrad, Soviet Union) is a Soviet and Russian actress. People's Artist of the USSR (1981). Since 1983, Freindlich has been a leading ac ...

for the leading role. She was even auditioned several times for the role. No one doubted that she would get the role. However, at the last moment, Larisa Golubkina, who was not known to anyone yet, was confirmed for the role of Shurochka. It was her debut in the movie. * Before

Freindlich Freindlich is a surname which is a variant of the German surname Freundlich. Notable people with the surname include: * Alisa Freindlich (born 1934), Soviet and Russian actress * Bruno Freindlich (1909–2002), Soviet/Russian actor of German ances ...

Lyudmila Gurchenko Lyudmila Markovna Gurchenko (née Gurchenko; russian: link=no, Людмила Марковна Гурченко; 12 November 1935 – 30 March 2011) was a popular Soviet and Russian actress, singer and entertainer. She was given the honorary title ...

, Valentina Malyavina, Tatyana Nikulina and

Svetlana Nemolyaeva Svetlana Vladimirovna Nemolyaeva (russian: link=no, Светлана Владимировна Немоляева; born 18 April 1937, Moscow) is a Soviet and Russian actress of film and theatre. She is the widow of Alexander Lazarev.(29 July 201 ...

were auditioned for the role of Shurochka. * The film was made especially for the 150th anniversary of the

Battle of Borodino The Battle of Borodino (). took place near the village of Borodino on during Napoleon's invasion of Russia. The ' won the battle against the Imperial Russian Army but failed to gain a decisive victory and suffered tremendous losses. Napoleon ...

. The premiere of the film was held September 7, 1962, the day of the battle, in the Moscow cinema "Russia". * A small part of the costumes, made for the film " War and Peace" was used during the filming. * Sergei Yursky and Vyacheslav Tikhonov were first auditioned for the role of Lieutenant Rzhevsky.

References

External links

* * * {{Eldar Ryazanov 1962 films 1960s historical comedy films 1962 musical comedy films Soviet historical comedy films Russian historical comedy films Soviet musical comedy films Russian musical comedy films 1960s Russian-language films Films directed by Eldar Ryazanov Napoleonic Wars films Films about female wartime cross-dressers Mosfilm films 1960s historical musical films Soviet historical musical films Films scored by Tikhon Khrennikov