The Steppe
La estepa
1978 · Soviet Union · 134 min
- Director
- Sergei Bondarchuk
- Screenplay
- Sergei Bondarchuk
- Music
- Vyacheslav Ovchinnikov
- Cinematography
- Leonid Kalashnikov
- Production company
- Mosfilm
- Based on
- The Steppe
What it is about
An adaptation of Anton Chekhov's novella of the same name, The Steppe follows Yegorushka, a young boy who sets out on a journey across the Russian steppe and crosses paths with a varied group of characters. The story relies more on the journey and its encounters than on action, and its tone moves between contemplative and observational.
How it was made
Sergei Bondarchuk, who also directed the film, wrote the screenplay based on Chekhov's novella. The production was handled by Mosfilm, with music by Vyacheslav Ovchinnikov and cinematography by Leonid Kalashnikov. The cast includes Oleg Kuznetsov as Yegorushka, alongside Innokenty Smoktunovsky, Georgi Burkov and Vasily Livanov, among others. Bondarchuk also appears on screen as Yemelyan.
Reception and legacy
The sources consulted offer little information about its critical and commercial reception, so specific awards and assessments cannot be detailed. The film belongs to late-1970s Soviet historical drama and to the tradition of Chekhov adaptations in Russian cinema. The release date should be treated with some caution, since the record gives 1978 while the reference text gives 1977.
Stills
More films by Sergei Bondarchuk
War and Peace
Waterloo
Destiny of a Man
They Fought for Their Country
Boris Godunov
Red BellsOriginal Cinematopedia text based on Wikipedia (en) and Wikidata.