Gardemariny, vperyod (1987, Russia)

A lavish historical adventure mini-series in which the heroes are three naval cadets in Russia at the end of the nineteenth century, possibly a difficult era for heroes to be portrayed in a Russian film of this date. Some of the scene setting shows a group of cadets practising fencing, and in fact singing about it in a way that reminded me of one verson of The Three Musketeers.

Tension is mounting between France and Russia at this time, and a secret diary has been stolen from Bestuzhev, a vice-chancellor of Russia. If this diary ever gets abroad, the consequences for the country would be grave.

The cadets agree on a plan, in which one of them will dress as an actress to get access to the villa where the papers are located, during a ball.

First he will have to shave off his moustache; I am not quite sure about those nipple chains though. However, the ruse works well, and they get the papers. Our hero has to make good his escape in a coach, still in female disguise, and he nearly gets spotted by a guard captain.

He goes to ground for a while, harboured by a friendly girl in the countryside.

The title means "Naval Cadets, charge!"

HF November 2008

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