Romance of a Horsethief

The story

Since time immemorial, the simple-minded boisterous people of Malava, a small Polish town near the border of imperial Russia, have lived on horse-stealing, horse-trading and horse-smuggling. Life changes abruptly when a Russian garrison, commanded by Captain Stoloff, occupies the town and, in the name of the Czar, requisitions all the horses for the Russian-Japanese War. With no more horses to steal, Kifke cannot afford to marry Estusha and all the young men in the village are likely to be incorporated into the Russian army. This state of affairs cannot continue and Zavill will take care of things.

Cast & crew

Yul BrynnerCaptain Stoloff

Eli WallachKifke

Jane BirkinNaomi

Lainie KazanEstusha

David OpatoshuSchloime Kradnik

Serge GainsbourgSigmund

Henri SerreMendel (as Henri Sera)

Linda VerasCountess Grabowsky

Marilù ToloManka

Branko PlešaLt. Vishinsky

Mort Shumanle pianiste