Dimitrie Cantemir

1973 HistoryWar 97 minutes Directed by Vlad Iovitse

Open in new tab

About Dimitrie Cantemir

In 1710 the Ottoman sultan names Dimitrie Cantemir (Mihai Volontir) hospodar of Moldavia and keeps Cantemir’s elder son as a hostage. Cantemir, seeing Turkish exactions, wants the tribute ended and the taken lands back. His wife Cassandra (Ariadna Shengelaya) warns that the boy will be killed. He meets Peter I (Alexander Lazarev) and sends Captain Decusară to say that seventeen Moldavian regiments are under arms and that the Russians should cross the Dniester. The Prut campaign of 1711 goes against the Russian army. Boyars defect, the force is surrounded, and the rising is put down. The Turks ask Peter for Azov, the razing of Taganrog, and Cantemir’s head. Peter refuses. Cantemir leaves Moldavia with him.

Cast & crew

More about Dimitrie Cantemir

Vlad Ioviţă wrote the script and co-directed the color picture with Vitaly Kalashnikov, who also photographed it. Eduard Lazarev wrote the music. Moldova-Film finished it in 1973. The Moscow premiere was 16 September 1974. It runs 97 minutes, in Russian and Moldovan.

Themes

  • A hospodar appointed by the sultan
  • A son held in Constantinople
  • Seventeen regiments and a failed Prut campaign
  • Dimitrie Cantemir
  • Peter I
  • Prut campaign
  • Moldavia
  • Cassandra
  • 1711
  • Moldova-Film

Background

The Prut campaign of 1711 left Peter’s army cut off. In the film the Turks demand Cantemir along with Azov, and Peter will not hand him over.

Making

Kalashnikov’s name is on both the direction and the camera. Ioviţă’s script stays inside those two years: the hostage son, the Lutsk understanding with Peter, and the retreat out of Moldavia.

Look

Vitaly Kalashnikov shot the color picture and shares the directing credit with Ioviţă.

Music

Eduard Lazarev composed the score.

Preservation

A color print of the 1973 Moldova-Film picture survives.

Notes

  • Natalya Varley plays Rodica, daughter of Russet. Leonhard Merzin plays Russet.
  • Dumitru Fusu is the reis-efendi. Emmanuil Vitorgan plays Charles XII.
  • Viktor Chutak plays the chronicler Neculce.
  • The reis-efendi threatens to execute the hostage son, then cancels the order and sends the boy to Cantemir.
  • The span on screen is November 1710 through the Prut campaign of summer 1711.

Scenes

  • The sultan gives Cantemir the throne and keeps the elder son.
  • Cassandra tells him the boy’s life is the price of a break with the Porte.
  • Decusară reports seventeen regiments and asks the Russians across the Dniester.
  • Peter refuses the demand for Cantemir’s head, and the two leave Moldavia together.

Also available

  • Wikimedia Commons (1973. Дмитрий Кантемир.webm)