The Sword and the Dragon (1956)
"Ilya Muromets" (original title)

A mythical knight goes on an epic journey and fights barbarian hordes in an ancient land.

Director:

Aleksandr Ptushko

Writer:

Mikhail Kochnev

Stars:

Boris Andreyev, Shukur Burkhanov, Andrei Abrikosov

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Boris Andreyev	...	Ilja Muromets
Shukur Burkhanov	...	Tsar Kalin
Andrei Abrikosov	...	Prince Vladimir [Prince Vanda, US]
Natalya Medvedeva	...	Princess Apraksia (as N. Medvedeva)
Ninel Myshkova	...	Vasilisa [Vilya, US] (as Nelli Myshkova)
Sergei Martinson	...	Mishatychka
Georgi Dyomin	...	Dobrynya Nikitich
Aleksandr Shvorin	...	Sokolnichek
Nikolai Glazkov	...	Plenchishye
Vladimir Solovyov	...	Kassyan (as V. Solovyov)
Mikhail Pugovkin	...	Razumets
Sergei Stolyarov	...	Aljoscha Popovich
Shamshi Tyumenbayev	...	(as Sh. Tyumenbayev)
Sadykbek Dzhamanov	...	Sartak (as S. Dzhamanov)
V. Tyagushev	...	Sbrodovich

Storyline

Ilya is a cripple without the use of his legs. When he aids some weary travellers, they surprise him by giving him a potion that restores his legs. He immediately becomes powerful and sets off to prove himself to his King. Doing so, he fights the evil Tugars, a wind demon that looks like a cross between a goblin and The Noid, a zeppelin-like ambassador, and the evil Tugars. Ilya gets framed for a crime he didn't commit, then is freed, then finally dispatches the Tugars and their dragon.

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Plot Keywords:

barbarian | dragon | wind demon | magical cure | giant | 

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Taglines:

A cast of 106,000! 11,000 horses!

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Genres:

Fantasy

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Details

Country:

Soviet Union

Language:

Russian

Release Date:

16 November 1960 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Sword and the Dragon

Company Credits

Production Co:

Mosfilm

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (35 mm magnetic prints) Mono (35 mm optical prints)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The costumes for Ilya and his two companions were based on Viktor Vasnetsov's 1898 painting "Bogatyrs", and are extremely faithful to the depictions presented there.

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Connections

Featured in Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Sword and the Dragon (1994)

User Reviews

RUSSIAN EPIC FANTASY IS ONE UNIQUE MOVIE.

In the UK this movie was known as EPIC HERO AND THE BEAST which is a title to conjure with but then so is the whole movie.The Russian folktale of Ilya Muromets is a powerful one and is told strikingly and spectacularly here although it lays itself wide open to unintentional humour.The hero Ilya is described at one point as a young man although even at this early stage of the movie he looks old enough to be Santa Claus's great grandfather;by the end he resembles Methuselah! Special effects are pretty good for the time and the fantasy creatures(especially the wind demon)are well realised.The dragon,however,which is supposed to strike fear in the hearts of those fighting it is easily disposed of when in the final battle it is barely touched by a sword when its head falls off! I remember reading the Dell or Gold Key adaptation of THE SWORD AND THE DRAGON as a kid and was impressed but over 30 years passed until I actually saw the movie.Was it worth the wait? Of course not,but for anyone interested in seeing a truly unique sword and sorcery piece this is worth tracking down.