The Grasshopper (1955 film)

1955 film by Samson Samsonov

The Grasshopper

Directed by| Samson Samsonov
Written by| Samson Samsonov (screenplay)
Anton Chekhov (story)
Produced by| Tatyana Berezantseva
Anatoliy Bobrovskiy
Starring| Lyudmila Tselikovskaya
Sergei Bondarchuk
Vladimir Druzhnikov

Production
company

Mosfilm

Distributed by| Artkino Pictures

Release date

* June 10, 1955 (1955-06-10)

Country| Soviet Union
Language| Russian

The Grasshopper (Russian: Попрыгунья, romanized: Poprygunya) is a 1955 Soviet drama film directed by Samson Samsonov based on a short story of the same title by Anton Chekhov.[1][2] It was nominated for a BAFTA award for Best Film in 1957.[3]

The lead character is said to be based on Sofia Kuvshinnikova who although married to another was until 1890 living with the painter Isaac Levitan in the town of Plyos where Sofia was improving her painting skills.[4]

Landscape with Church, near Plyos by Kuvshinnikova - 1893

Chekhov wrote The Grasshopper shortly after this time when the couple had returned. Chekhov was a close friend of Sofia's and may have had strong affections for her. The story was a way of criticizing her betrayal, both of him and her innocent husband, and created a small scandal. According to the memoirs of Chekhov's brother, Mikhail, the situation almost led to a duel with Levitan, but it was avoided thanks to the intercession of a mutual friend, Tatiana Shchepkina-Kupernik.[5]

## Cast

[edit]

* Sergey Bondarchuk as Dr. Osip Stepanovich Dymov (as S. Bondarchuk)
* Lyudmila Tselikovskaya as Olga Ivanovna Dymova (as L. Tselikovskaya)
* Vladimir Druzhnikov as Ryabovskiy (as V. Druzhnikov)
* Evgeniy Teterin as Dr. Fedor Lukich Korostylev (as Ye. Teterin)
* Anatoli Aleksin
* Anatoliy Bobrovsky
* Vasili Bokarev as Bryndin (as V. Bokarev)
* Georgiy Georgiu as Uzdechkin (as G. Georgiu)
* Mikhail Gluzsky as Burkin (as M. Gluzskiy)

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Rollberg, P., Historical Dictionary of Russian and Soviet Cinema, Rowman & Littlefield, 2009.
2. ^ Goble, A., The Complete Index to Literary Sources in Film, Bowker-Saur, 1999.
3. ^ BAFTA Awards (1957)
4. ^ Biographical notes and works from the Museum of Landscape, Plyos.
5. ^ "Why, because of his beloved, did Levitan almost call a duel with Chekhov?" by Vladimir Rogoza @ Школа Жизни.

## External links

[edit]

* The Grasshopper at IMDb

* v
* t
* e

Films directed by Samson Samsonov

* The Grasshopper (1955)
* Behind Show Windows (1956)
* Miles of Fire (1957)
* Optimistic Tragedy (1963)
* The Three Sisters (1964)
* Arena (1967)
* Each Evening at Eleven (1969)
* Much Ado About Nothing (1973)
* A Very English Murder (1974)
* The Golden Fleece (1976)
* Crane in the Sky (1977)
* Torgovka i poet (1980)
* Eighth Wonder of the World (1981)
* Offered for Singles (1983)
* Dancefloor (1985)
* Stranded (1989)
* The Mousetrap (1990)
* Casino (1992)
* Sweet Friend of Years Forgotten Long Ago... (1996)

* v
* t
* e

Venice Film Festival Silver Lion (1953–1994)

1953–1957|

* Little Fugitive / Moulin Rouge / Sadko / Thérèse Raquin / Ugetsu / I Vitelloni (1953)
* On the Waterfront / Sansho the Bailiff / Seven Samurai / La Strada (1954)
* Le Amiche / The Big Knife / Ciske the Rat / The Grasshopper (1955)
* Le Notti Bianche (1957)

1988–1994|

* Landscape in the Mist (1988)
* Recollections of the Yellow House / Death of a Tea Master (1989)
* Raise the Red Lantern / The Fisher King / J'entends plus la guitare (1991)
* Luxury Hotel / Jamón jamón / A Heart in Winter (1992)
* Kosh ba kosh (1993)
* Heavenly Creatures / Little Odessa / The Bull (1994)

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF

National|

* France
* BnF data

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