White Sun of the Desert

Vladimir Motyl, 1969; 85m

One of most popular Soviet films ever made, White Sun of the Desert was described by its director as a "cocktail of Russian folktales and the American western." Ex-Red Army soldier Fyodor Sukhov, traveling through a remote desert region in Turkmenistan, gets caught up in a fight between an army unit and the forces of Abdullah, a local bandit leader. Fyodor takes on the somewhat dubious task of protecting the now-liberated women of Abdullah's harem, whom Abdullah has threatened with death. Wonderful action sequences, magnificent landscapes, surprising plot twists, and hit songs color this cult favorite; It is rumored that even today, Russian cosmonauts won't take off without first watching White Sun of the Desert.

by Richard Pena