The Czar Wants to Sleep (1934)
"Poruchik Kizhe" (original title)

A sarcastic comedy about the Russian-Soviet bureaucracy, based on the eponymous novella by Yuri Tynyanov. Set in the reign of Emperor Paul I. A copying error by a military scribe turns the ... See full summary »

Director:

Aleksandr Faintsimmer

Writer:

Yuri Tynyanov

Stars:

Mikhail Yanshin, Boris Gorin-Goryainov, Nina Shaternikova

Cast

Cast overview:
Mikhail Yanshin	...	Tsar Pavel I
Boris Gorin-Goryainov	...	Count von Pahlen
Nina Shaternikova	...	Princess Gagarina
Sofiya Magarill	...	Princess Gagarina's companion
Erast Garin	...	Adjutant
Mikhail Rostovtsev	...	Fortress commandant

Storyline

A sarcastic comedy about the Russian-Soviet bureaucracy, based on the eponymous novella by Yuri Tynyanov. Set in the reign of Emperor Paul I. A copying error by a military scribe turns the Russian words for "the lieutenants, however" into what looks like "lieutenant Kizhe". The Tsar reads the error, and wants to meet this (non-existent) Lieutenant Kizhe. His courtiers are at first too frightened to contradict the Tsar, but then the fiction turns out to be all too convenient for them. So Lieutenant Kizhe gets himself exiled to Siberia, recalled from exile, promoted, and married. He dies and receives a state funeral. In many ways, he is the most charming and lovable character in the film, even though he remains throughout the film a "confidential person, without a shape".

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

Soviet Union

Language:

Russian

Release Date:

9 December 1934 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Czar Wants to Sleep

Company Credits

Production Co:

Belgoskino

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The melody of the song sung by Nina Shaternikova to harp accompaniment was used by Sting as the basis for his 1985 song "Russians."

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Goofs

In a scene after 'Colonel Kizhe' returns from Siberia, in one shot his escort is standing with a curtain on his left and in the next he holds the curtain in his right hand obscuring the left side of his body.

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Quotes

Palen: [subtitled version] The prisoner is confidential, and has no shape.

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Connections

Referenced in Love and Death (1975)

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Soundtracks

"Lieutenant Kije"
Sergei Prokofiev

User Reviews

Make this film available!

The fact that this film was shown at London's Barbican suggests to me that the print must have been acceptable enough for such a showing. Now the question is, Why isn't this long lost and important film available in DVD (or even VHS)? A large number of persons in Europe and the USA have for many years hoped to see this film, if for no other reason than the wonderful music written for it by Sergei Prokofiev. What does one have to do to get such a wonderful production as this available for a wider public, not just patrons to the Barbican at London? Having been a devoted listener to Prokofiev's music for many years and aware of this film, PLEASE, someone 'out there' do the right thing and bring it out as a DVD.