Romance of a Horsethief

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Romance of a Horsethief
Romance of a Horsethief.jpg
Directed by Abraham Polonsky
Written by David Opatoshu
Based onnovel by Joseph Opatoshu
Produced by Gene Gutowski
Starring Yul Brynner
Eli Wallach
Cinematography Piero Portalupi
Edited by Kevin Connor
Music by Mort Shuman
Production
companies
Jadran Film
International Film Company
Prima Cinematografica
Distributed by Allied Artists
Release date
  • 1971 (1971)
Running time
101 minutes
CountriesFrance
Italy
Yugoslavia
LanguageEnglish

Romance of a Horsethief (French : Le roman d'un voleur de chevaux; Italian : Il romanzo di un ladro di cavalli; Serbo-Croatian : Romansa konjokradice) is a 1971 French-Italian-Yugoslav adventure film directed by Abraham Polonsky. It is loosely based on the 1917 novel with the same name by Joseph Opatoshu. [1] [2]

Contents

Plot summary

In Polish Russia, Stoloff, a Cossack in exile has gained control over a Jewish village. The villagers live by horse-thievery and under the leadership of Kifke. Stoloff's regime is tolerated until he commandeers the village's horses for the Russian army. Naomi has been away in France and gotten ideas of a revolution and inspires the town to resist. This gets Naomi into deep trouble, from which only Kifke and his compatriot Zanvil can rescue her. Zanvil is highly motivated since he is in love with Naomi.

Cast

Production

Filming began in July 1970 in Yugoslavia. [3] Polonsky called the film "a fairytale, pretending to affect an older style but in fact the contrary." [4]

Reception

The Los Angeles Times called the film "impressive... a rollicking folk tale." [5]

References

  1. Jay Robert Nash, Stanley Ralph Ross (1985). The Motion Picture Guide. Cinebooks, 1987. ISBN   0933997124.
  2. Leonard Maltin (July 2005). Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide . Signet, 2005. ISBN   0451216091.
  3. From Myra to Byron By A.H. WEILER. New York Times 28 June 1970: 79.
  4. Making Movies Polonsky, Abraham. Sight and Sound; London Vol. 40, Iss. 2, (Spring 1971): 101.
  5. Tell Them Brynner Is Here Thomas, Kevin. Los Angeles Times 15 Sep 1971: f9.