''The Overcoat'' (russian: Шинель, Shinel) is a 1926 Soviet

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super ...

directed by Grigori Kozintsev and

Leonid Trauberg Leonid Zakharovich Trauberg (russian: Леонид Захарович Трауберг, 17 January 1902 – 14 November 1990) was a Ukrainian Soviet film director and screenwriter. He directed 17 films between 1924 and 1961 and was awarded the S ...

, based on the Nikolai Gogol stories "

Nevsky Prospekt Nevsky Prospect ( rus, Не́вский проспе́кт, r=Nevsky Prospekt, p=ˈnʲɛfskʲɪj prɐˈspʲɛkt) is the main street (high street) in the federal city of St. Petersburg in Russia. It takes its name from the Alexander Nevsky L ...

" and "

The Overcoat "The Overcoat" (russian: Шине́ль, translit. Shinyél’; sometimes translated as "The Cloak") is a short story by Russian author Nikolai Gogol, published in 1842. The story has had a great influence on Russian literature. Eugène-Me ...

". Charlie Chaplin was invited to play the lead role, but as an alien resident in the United States, was threatened by US government officials with being refused entry back into the country if he made the film and it contained Soviet propaganda.

Plot

Arriving in St. Petersburg, landowner Ptitsin (Nikolai Gorodnichev) tries to achieve with the help of bribes a favorable decision of his litigation concerning a neighbor. With swindler and blackmailer Yaryzhka ( Sergei Gerasimov) he finds a functionary who is willing to take the money. Cautious Bashmachkin (

Andrei Kostrichkin Andrei Aleksandrovich Kostrichkin (russian: Андрей Александрович Костричкин; 24 August 1901 – 28 February 1973) was a Soviet actor. He appeared in more than 50 films between 1925 and 1971. Honored Artist of the RSF ...

) to whom the briber comes, does not want to take on the dangerous enterprise, although he can not resist the charms of a beautiful female stranger (Antonina Eremeeva) whom he met on the Nevsky Prospekt. Later Akaky Akakievich finds out that the woman of his dreams is only an accomplice to swindlers. Fearing punishment, the frightened bureaucrat becomes even more reclusive, all the more carefully isolating himself off from people. Years later, the already aged and decrepit titular counselor Bashmachkin is forced at the cost of enormous efforts, down to saving the last penny to order a new custom overcoat from tailor Petrovich (Vladimir Lepko). It represents for him so much that it is impossible for him not to fall in love with the tailor's creation. The old campaigner literally becomes rejuvenated when he tries on the new clothing with a warm fur collar. Fellow officers have arranged a little party in honor of the colleague, but that night poor Bashmachkin is robbed on his way home from the festivities. He tries to complain and goes with his trouble to the authorities. Nobody wants to listen to him and he is kicked out, and some time later heartbroken Akakiy dies peacefully, a senseless death ending a meaningless life.

Cast

as Akakiy Akakievich Baschmachkin * Antonina Eremeeva as girl, "heavenly creation" *

Aleksei Kapler Aleksei (born Lazar) Yakovlevich Kapler (also Alexei, russian: link=no, Алексей (born Лазарь) Яковлевич Каплер; 28 September 1903 – 11 September 1979) was a prominent Soviet filmmaker, screenwriter, actor and writer. ...

as "insignificant man" / "significant man" * Emil Gal as tailor * Sergei Gerasimov as Yaryzhka, swindler-blackmailer *

Oleg Zhakov Oleg Petrovich Zhakov (russian: Олег Петрович Жаков; 1 April 1905 in Sarapul, Vyatka Governorate – 4 May 1988 in Pyatigorsk, Stavropol Krai) was a Soviet and Russian film actor. He performed in more than sixty films between ...

as Baschmachkin's colleague *

Yanina Zhejmo Yanina Boleslavovna Zhejmo (russian: Янина Болеславовна Жеймо; pl, Janina Bolesławowna Żejmo; 29 May 1909 – 29 December 1987) was a Soviet actress of Polish origin. Her father was Polish and her mother was Russian. She ...

as tailor's assistant *

Vladimir Lepko Vladimir Lepko (russian: Влади́мир Алексе́евич Лепко́; 1898–1963) was a Soviet and Russian actor. People's Artist of the RSFSR (1954). He died 19 October 1963 and is buried at Novodevichy Cemetery. Selected filmography ...

as tailor Petrovich * Pavel Berezin as functionary * Tatiana Ventzel as barber *

Pyotr Sobolevsky Pyotr Stanislavovich Sobolevsky (russian: Пётр Станиславович Соболевский; 22 May 1904 – 26 June 1977) was a Soviet actor. He appeared in more than 50 films between 1926 and 1973. Biography Sobolevsky was born on 22 ...

as functionary * Ksenia Denisova as Agrafena * Nikolai Gorodnichev as Pyotr Petrovich Ptitsin *

Boris Shpis Boris Vasilyevich Shpis (russian: Борис Васильевич Шпис; 1903–1939) was a Soviet film director and screenwriter. Biography Boris Shpis was a stage designer who joined Grigori Kozintsev and Leonid Trauberg's (FEKS) in 1924 ...

References

External links

* 1926 films Lenfilm films Soviet black-and-white films Soviet silent feature films Films directed by Grigori Kozintsev Films based on The Overcoat Films directed by Leonid Trauberg Soviet drama films 1926 drama films Silent drama films 1920s Russian-language films {{1920s-USSR-film-stub