The Lost Letter
About The Lost Letter
On a hot August day a Cossack is sent to the capital with a letter for the queen, tucked under his hat. On the road he meets a Zaporozhian who has sold his soul and is waiting to pay. That night a devil takes the horse and the letter. The Cossack follows into a wood full of spirits and plays cards with the witch who runs them. She cheats. He catches her, wins, and leaves with the horse and the letter. In the morning he says goodbye and rides for St. Petersburg.
Cast & crew
More about The Lost Letter
Zinaida Brumberg, Valentina Brumberg, and Lamis Bredis directed it at Soyuzmultfilm, from Nikolai Gogol's 1832 story. Zinoviy Kalik wrote the scenario with the Brumberg sisters. Nikolay Voinov and Elena Petrova photographed it. Serafim Vasilenko wrote the music. Vasily Kachalov narrates. Voices include Mikhail Yanshin, Boris Livanov, Sergey Martinson, and Leonid Pirogov. Igor Moiseyev set the Cossack and Zaporozhian dances. It was released on 1 January 1945 and runs 43 minutes. It is the first Soviet cel-animated feature. The Russian title is Пропавшая грамота.
Themes
Making
The Brumberg sisters and Bredis made Gogol's night ride as a painted feature. Moiseyev coached the dances so the Cossack and the Zaporozhian would move like dancers, not like drawn gags.
Look
Nikolay Voinov and Elena Petrova photographed the cel animation.
Technique
It is the first Soviet feature made in cel animation.
Music
Serafim Vasilenko wrote the score. Vasily Kachalov speaks the narration.
Preservation
A print survives.
Notes
- A timed copy runs 40 minutes 10 seconds.
- The letter is called a diploma in one English title, A Disappeared Diploma.
- The Zaporozhian is the companion who has already sold his soul.
- The card game is the way back to the horse and the letter.
Scenes
- The devil takes the horse and the letter while the Cossack is on watch.
- He catches the witch cheating at cards.
- He rides on to St. Petersburg in the morning.
Influenced by
- Nikolai Gogol's The Lost Letter
Also available
- Wikimedia Commons (1945. Пропавшая грамота.webm)
