This is the Soviet answer to the Western, and it is genuinely funny and strange — a weary soldier, a desert, a comic sidekick, and dialogue that entered Russian speech the way Casablanca's did English. Soviet and Russian cosmonauts have watched it as a pre-launch ritual for decades, which tells you more about its cultural weight than any critic could. Almost nobody in New York programs it, so a late slot at Anthology is a real find.
What to expect
A spare archive theater, unreserved seating and a late-night crowd. The film runs about eighty-five minutes in Russian with English subtitles and mixes gunfights, deadpan comedy and folk-song interludes. Expect a small, curious audience rather than a packed house.
Good to know
- Anthology is on Second Avenue at Second Street — take the F to Second Avenue
- Seating is unreserved, so arrive with time if you want a center seat
- The film plays in Russian with English subtitles
- Late screenings here are rarely full, so same-day tickets are usually available
- The theaters are austere with firm seating and minimal concessions
- Second Avenue has plenty open late if you want somewhere to go afterward
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Common questions
Why do cosmonauts watch it?
It became a pre-launch tradition in the Soviet space program and has been carried on by Russian crews for decades.
Is it subtitled?
Yes, Russian with English subtitles.
What kind of film is it?
A Soviet Eastern — a Western in structure, transplanted to Central Asia after the Russian civil war, with comedy and songs mixed in.
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