User reviews

Kozintsev was one of the great Russian directors, whose career started in the silent era. His star, Nikolai Cherkasov, played a hero who used brains as well as brawn in Eisenstein's Alexander Nevsky, and a politician who becomes almost demoniacally subtle and unscrupulous in Ivan the Terrible. As Don Quixote, he plays the would-be knight-errant with such quiet dignity that his delusions begin to seem preferable to the reality around him. Sancho Panza, as solid and earthy as his master is gaunt and unworldly, shows up the nobles who amuse themselves by playing along with Don Quixote's delusions as even more deluded and out of touch with reality. One can't help seeing a reference to Soviet society, perhaps too subtle for the censors to catch. This film, as well as Kozintsev's Hamlet and King Lear, are overdue for release on DVD in the United States.

This Russian film of the late 50's is the definitive cinematic version of Cervantes' masterpiece, featuring the great star Nikolai Cherkasov in the lead. It is available on VHS and should be sought out by all true film buffs.

The morality and concept of the story is well likeable, though I haven't read the book, Grigoriy Kozintsev's adaption is not enough engaging to captivate my interest the whole way through. Towards the end the movie has lost it charm and is not enjoyable to watch anymore. It becomes repetitive and feels to long for its ideal self.

While they have captures the atmosphere and the overall the aesthetic very well. Filmed in the Crimea region, where the hilly landscape not only comes close to the Spanish arid regions, but makes them even wider, even more epic.

Nikolai Cherkasov gives the old Knight Don Quixote a frail, spindly look, a man despite the ridicule and violence that sweeps against him, retains his dignity. Meanwhile, with Sancho Panza, played by Yuri Tolubeyev, as his chubby companion, makes his part crystal clear. He is the voice of reality, the contrast to the sprawling fantasy of Don Quixote.