LenFilm
Second creative union
... There is some kind of chemical compound
of the human spirit with its homeland,
which does not allow us
 to break blood ties with our nation,
the fatherland, thus allowing us to remain Russian...
F.M. Dostoevsky
Levsha ("Lefty")
Now it is already an old affair.
- Levsha -
A thing of antiquity, though not too far.
- Levsha -
But given these...
 Based on the tale of N.S. Leskov 
There is no need to hurry to forget.
I cannot say where exactly the first
legend was born about the steel flea.
Whether she was born among the workers in Tula, the Urals or Sestroretsk
I heard this crafty legend from an old gunsmith.
When the Congress of Vienna ended,
The Emperor Alexander Pavlovich
wanted to travel around Europe,
and see the wonders
 of different countries.
He travelled to every nation and
through his kindness
had the most devious
 conversations
and they all wanted to surprise him,
kneeled before him to make him stay,
but beside him was
 the Don Cossack Platov
who didn't like this kneeling,
and, missing his own household
 kept beckoning the Emperor home.
Mediterranean Sea.
The English knew this.
And invented various tricks 
for the arrival of the sovereign.
To captivate him with wonders and 
distract him from the Russians.
Oh! The making of English fog.
Sire Platov says:
Let's look at their armory's 
cabinet of curiosities.
Such perfections of nature.
I will argue no futher: what good are we
Russians? We have no value.
Please do not bring up politics.
The English immediately began to show
them different wonders
and explain what's what, and what they've adapted to military circumstances.
The Emperor rejoices during all of this,
and it all seems very good to him.
And Platov holds back his agitation,
saying that it all means nothing to him.
The Englishmen now bring the monarch
to the very Avalon Polvedersky.
This, they say, is the kind 
of productivity they have.
The Emperor looks at the pistol
 and cannot stop looking.
He was transfixed something awful.
Oh, oh, oh...
How could this be?
How could this even
 be made so thin?
If we only had even a single craftsman
like this in Russia.
I would be so very happy and proud.
I would make this wizard a noble.
At these words Platov dropped 
his right hand into his large trousers.
 and takes from there 
a gun screwdriver.
Platov shows the Emperor 
the signature...
 and there is indeed 
a Russian inscription:
"Ivan Moskvin in the city of Tula"
Why did you go and confuse them?
I now feel very sorry for them.
How...? How is this possible?
Why are you so indifferent?
Is there surely nothing 
surprising here for you?
I am only amazed by one thing...
that my great Don Cossacks, 
without any of this
 battled and drove away 
dozens of nations.
That is unquestionable.
I don't know what to attribute this to.
But I dare not argue, and 
am forced to remain silent. 
Hurrah!
Forward!
The English did not sleep.
Because they were positively slain.
While the emperor slept, they constructed
a new surprise for him.
That it robbed Platov of 
all his imagination.
[Cossack song about Russia
in Platov's dreams] 
The next day, as Platov came to bid
the Emperor 'good morning'
He even dared to report:
Whether it was not enough to observe
the outlandish foreign produce?
And wouldn't it be better for us 
to pack up and go back to Russia?
And the Tsar says to him:
No, I still want to see 
other new things.
This, Your Majesty, is our humble gift.
Said their workers 
in double-breasted vests.
And why do I not see it?
"Because you need a tiny-scope".
Says their worker.
This, they say, is a nymph-o-zoria.
Out of pure English steel was formed
an image of a flea.
And in the middle of it 
a wind and a spring.
Kindly turn the key...
And now it will start
 to do a "dance".
As soon as the emperor put the key in...
he felt that the flea began 
to move her antennae
Then the legs started to move.
And suddenly jumped!
And on one wing began a dance with two variations per side, and then the other...
And thus danced a quadrille 
with three variations.
The Emperor Alexander Pavlovich 
bowed to the English.
You have the foremost 
master in all the world.
Compared with you, my people 
cannot make anything.
Give them a million.
The Emperor says to Platov:
"Do not spoil my politics, you old devil"
Platov was very angry.
Because, he says:
What's the use of this machinery?
Did they make a gift? They did it.
Have we paid a million for it? We have.
And what about the case? It's with them.
Made from a whole diamond-encrusted nut.
And a case belongs to its thing,
yes, it does.
Leave it, please, this 
doesn't concern you.
Do not spoil policy. 
They have their own customs.
How much does the case
that the flea fits in cost?
Five thousand.
Pay it.
The tiny-scope belongs with us,
since you took so much money without it.
They soon left.
Because military affairs gave
 the Emperor a bout of melancholia.
And he wanted to have a spiritual confession
in Taganrog, at Priest Fedota's.
On the road with Platov, they had
 very few pleasant conversations.
Because they were growing
 to have very different ideas.
The Emperor was thinking that
 the English have no equal in art.
Platov argued that if they only took a look,
everyone could do it.
Only there's no useful teaching there.
And really English masters have
 completely different rules.
... of life, science, and food.
And every person there has all the
absolute circumstances before him.
And in fact it has an entirely
 different meaning.
"You are incontinent in conversation,"
says the sovereign.
And you smoke so much that now
I have soot in my head due to all your smoke.
The amazing flea made 
of English blue steel
Remained in Alexander Pavlovich's box
... until he died in Taganrog.
And this curiosity, with all his
other treasures 
 was given as inheritance 
to the new sovereign.
Emperor Nicholai Pavlovich did not 
pay any heed to the flea at first.
Because during his rise to power
confusion occurred.
And he was terrible, and
 wonderfully memorable:
He forgot nothing.
Left, left.
- Faster.
Left, left, left.
Left, left, left.
The Minister ... Kisel ... 
might be his name
reports to the emperor
He says this and that
This invention is made by Russian
 craftsmen, rather than overseas.
FOLK SONG: Devouring endless c
rusts without bread.
Walking bare-footed on the snow
The back beaten by whips.
Having served as a soldier.
Having been to prison.
Legs worn down by shackles.
The soul worn down 
with blisters.
The soul worn with by blisters.
We looked at them, but we did not find
anything that Russia needs.
One day Nicholai Palkovich started reviewing
his inheritance in his brother's box...
And he took out his snuff-box.
And from the snuff-box came 
a diamond-encrusted nut.
Inside he found the steel flea.
Which hasn't been wound for a long time,
and thus wasn't moving.
And lay still, as if numb.
The Emperor looked and wondered.
What is this trifle?
And why was it kept by my brother?
No, this must mean something.
Feels chilly, just like strong metal.
As you like, but it's not a real flea.
But a nymph-o-zoria.
And it is constructed out of metal. 
And this is not a work of ours,
 not of Russia's.
The Emperor commanded them to find out: where is it from and what does it mean?
They rushed to look into 
the case and in the lists
But nothing was written about it.
They started to ask 
here and there about it...
Nobody knew anything.
But, fortunately, the Don Cossack Platov 
was still alive
And to this day lay on his decrepit
futon, smoking his pipe.
Platov, once he heard of the worries
surrounding the palace,
finally got up from his futon.
The Emperor asked:
What do you need from me,
brave old man?
I don't need anything for myself,
Your Highness.
I came to report on this nymph-o-zoria,
which you have found.
Such and such happened.
And this is what happened
before my very eyes in England.
Yes, the work of the English
is very fine and interesting.
But we should not delight the senses
with just one look.
We must subject it to Russian
revisions in Tula.
Cannot our masters beat this?
So that the English don't
raise themselves over the Russians.
You speak very well, brave old men.
Which is why I'm trusting
 you with the case.
Take this with you and stop
 lying on that decrepit futon.
Because of all the bustle, this little box
is completely useless to me.
And when you're riding through Tula,
show the inventors of Tula this 
"nymph-o-zoria"
and let them think about it.
And ride to the Quiet Don.
talk sneakily to my Don folk there, trying
to figure out their life and devotion. 
And what they like.
They don't follow my orders 
and will probably do something.
Oh, nighty-night, nighty-night,
Sleep, while you're young.
When you grow up tall-
to the factory you'll go.
There you'll work,
You'll give up your money.
One must work endlessly...
Don't be, little son, like your father.
Nighty-night, nighty-night.
Here in the countryside 
I grew my beard.
and was lucky to live in the factory.
And struggled here, 
suffering from hunger.
I went through a lot of grief.
Yes, difficult is life in the factory...
Half the day you're hot as hell.
And the police chief drives us on...
So that we do not cause trouble.
For a little mistake, all of the whips...
Covering my back with stripes
 "Be quiet!"
Eh, it's hard to live here on earth.
The executioners will drive us
into our coffins.
The sun has reached the highest trea,
and we haven't eaten anything yet!
The whip gets cooled, meanwhile 
ulcers fight in our stomachs.
Platov conveys the word of the sovereign
to the Tula's gunsmiths.
And then asks him:
What should we, 
the Russian Orthodox, do?
The English are not a nation of idiots,  
and even quite clever.
And its art has great meaning.
Against it, we must think for a moment,
and with god's blessing.
Platov asked the people 
of Tula this way or that way:
 With all manners spoke to them
in the sly way of the Don.
But the people of Tula 
were his match in cleverness.
We, dear man, understand the gracious sovereign's word.
And we will never forget it, 
because he depends on his people.
Platov wagged, and postured, wagged, and postured, until the Tula people were won over.
The Tula people completely 
reassured Platov.
And you, ride on to your Quiet Don.
Walking heals the wounds
that you received for your country.
Well, when you go back, send for us.
And at that stage, god willing, 
we'll think of something.
Platov was not entirely happy that
they were asking for so much time.
Moreover, that they did not clearly state
what they were planning to create.
Well, nothing to be done.
Let it be done your way.
I know what kind of people you are,
otherwise you wouldn't have done anything.
I trust you.
But don't replace the diamond,
 and don't spoil the English's fine work. 
And I ride briskly, so don't mess 
around with it for too long. 
Ah yes, to the gates.
The gunsmiths got started
on the English nymph-o-zoria.
Three men, the most 
skillful of them all.
One- Levsha ("Lefty"), the hair at his temples
torn out through learning.
Said goodbye to their friends 
and to their homes
and came together at Levsha's house.
Shut the doors, barred the windows.
And began to work.
One, two, three days pass,
 they haven't left the house.
At the masters', in close quarters,
from the tireless work, a sweaty spiral 
formed in the air.
For a man accustomed
to fresh air,
He couldn't even fully exhale once.
Everything was done in extreme secret.
So that you weren't able
to figure out anything.
Rustling ray, jetting water,
Over sprinkled dew!
Where in the shade of a sultry
summer day,
A perfect beauty,
Scattered pieces on the turf
And between the jets, branches,
Enveloped by sleep, as if by foam,
My soul drew towards this view;
To which the lost were inclined
Lily, with the dazzling breast
All concern is for the work,
til heaviness, to sweat...
It dries up the young man, 
Oh, right to the end.
Oh, why did you leave us?
And then all the time required
was exactly the right speed.
So that a single minute useful
for Russia would not disappear.
Platov rode very quickly, and
with ceremony.
In this way they rolled into Tula.
First, they passed the gates
by a hundred jumps.
Then the Cossack stirred up the Coachman,
who whipped the horses into going in the
other direction.
And they stood at the porch.
Platov wouldn't leave the carriage.
And commanded the whistler,
as quickly as possible
To lead him to the masters
with whom he left the flea.
And the masters replied:
We are now nailing
down the very last nail.
And, once we nail it in, 
we'll bring out our work.
He'll eat us up alive
and it's up to us to save our hides.
- Is it ready?
- Everything, - he says, - is ready.
Give it here.
What is this?
And where is your work, with which 
you wanted to console the Emperor?
Our work is in there.
Where is the flea's key?
The key is where the flea is, 
within the same nut.
So you didn't do anything.
And indeed ruined the whole thing.
I'm going to rip your heads off.
There's no need to insult us.
We must endure all grievances from you,
as the embassador of the sovereign.
But just because you have 
doubted us and thought
We won't tell you the secret
 of our great work.
Well, you lying scoundrels,
I won't part with you this way.
One of you will come 
with me to Petersburg.
I'll try him out there,
to see what your tricks really are.
Sit here all the way til Petersburg 
like a poodle!
You'll answer for everyone.
What, you're taking him away from us, 
without any papers or documents?
Here's your document!
Forward, mates!
SONG: As the Don Cossacks,
They serve true,
Riding across the borders,
Never complaining,
Riding abroad,
Never worrying,
If there's wine - we drink it,
If there's no wine - water is fine,
If there's wine - we drink it,
If there's no wine - water's fine,
We would not exchange anything
for the Cossack freedom.
We would not exchange anything
for a Cossack freedom.
The girl sits in a palace,
wringing her hands,
A Pole stands in front of her,
Taking off his cap...
Those victorious heads of soldiers,
For a fight and attack - they are the first,
 And when it comes to salary - the last. 
As with the soldiers in the evening,
And so then, how about
 my Tula masters?
 have they justified themselves
 before the English "nymph-o-zoria"?
Platov answered in kind, 
as the case seemed to him.
The nymph-o-zoria, Your Highness,
is still the very same.
I brought it back with me.
And the Tula masters apparently
could not come up with anything better.
You are a courageous old man.
But what you report 
simply cannot be.
Give it here.
I know that my men 
cannot lie to me.
Something above and beyond
 has been made.
What a disaster!
Oh, those sons of bitches!
Thinks Platov.
Now I understand why they couldn't
say anything to me there.
At least it's good that I brought 
one of those idiots back with me.
With these words, 
Platov ran out to the porch.
He took Levsha by his hair and pulled it 
to and fro until all the clumps seemed to fall out.
And Levsha says:
All of my hair is torn out by study.
Why do you need to inflict 
on me this kind of repetition?
This- says Platov- is because
 I hoped and trusted in you.
And you messed up 
a very precious thing.
We are very grateful 
that you trusted in us.
But ruin? We did not ruin anything.
Take it, and look at it through the very
strongest tiny-scope.
Levsha says.
They brought a big tiny-scope.
Now bring this gunsmith here.
He would need to be dressed up. 
He's in the state we took him.
...and is now in very crude dress.
No matter. Bring him in as he is.
Yes!
Platov says to Levsha:
Now go as you are and answer
before the eyes of the Emperor.
Well then, I'll go as I am, 
and answer.
Says Levsha.
What does this mean, brother?
We looked this way and that
and did not see anything remarkable.
Leave it to him to split the hairs.
Let him answer as he can.
Where?
We put it in like so. Look yourself,
you cannot see anything.
Indeed, Your Highness, 
it is impossible to see anything.
Because our work is much
more secretive than this size calls for.
You should look at the details of just 
one of her legs through a tinyscope, 
and then a separate look at all heels,
 to see that she is walking.
Have mercy, but isn't 
this much too small?
But what can we do?
Only this way you will be
 able to see our work.
Only then will the surprise affect you.
See, I knew better than anyone 
that my Russians wouldn't lie to me.
Look, please: for although 
they are rogues,
they improved the English flea!
And Platov says to Levsha:
Forgive me, brother, 
that I tore your hair.
And Levsha says:
God forgives, - he says - this is not the first time
 we received a bolt from the blue.
Praise the Emperor!
  Praise the Emperor! Glory!
On this day, blessed Russia,
A country graced by the heavens,
On this day at the height of holiness,
The Emperor gives thee.
Praise the Emperor!
Praise the Emperor!
Praise the Emperor!
Long-live! Long-live! Long-live!
Yes, it will increase his power.
Wealth, happiness and rank.
Wealth, happiness and rank.
Wealth, happiness, and rank.
In affairs, heroic glory.
Like a current of a great river.
Like a current of a great river.
Like a current of a great river.
Like a current of a river.
Long-live! Long-live!
The hero uttered to the hero:
Not in vain have 
I worked with you,
Not in vain is my deed and yours,
Glorify thy deed, and glory to the hero.
The feat of thy glory. Long-live!
Glory! Long-live!
Glory! Long-live!
Glory to the Emperor! Glory to the Emperor!
Long-live! Long-live, the Emperor! 
Long-live! Long-live! Long-live!
This is not all that is surprising.
Says the English minister Kiselvrode.
Now if only we had a tiny-scope
that magnifies by five million.
You could see that on each flea-shoe
is engraved the name of the master.
The Russian master 
that did each of the flea-shoes.
And your name is here?
Not at all.
And why not?
Because I worked with parts 
even smaller than those heels.
making the tiny nails with 
which the shoes were nailed.
This not even the largest
 tiny-scope could see.
Where, then, is your tiny-scope
that you used to accomplish this feat?
We are a poor people...
And due to our poverty, 
we have no tiny-scope.
Our eyes are adjusted to this.
And now this new and improved nymph-o-zoria
should be packed up and sent back to England.
So that they will understand that to us
it is nothing special.
You must find, the Emperor ordered,
the flea's original craftsman 
To show him our work and to demonstrate
what kind of masters we have in Tula.
Thus Levsha was dressed 
in this manner.
Tightened the leather belt, 
as tight as it can be...
so that his guts wouldn't shake,
and took him to London.
From that time Levsha
 took to foreign sights.
Platov blessed him 
with the sign of the cross.
Let you be blessed, he said.
In France, such riches!
Hey Luli, c'est tres joli.
He's the groom but not so simple.
Hey Luli, c'est tres joli.
The king is young.
Hey Luli, c'est tres joli.
The courier, once Levsha 
was brought to London,
he gave the box 
to whomever needed it.
And those faces, to whom 
the courier gave the nymph-o-zoria,
from the very first minute, looked at it
with the strongest tiny-scope.
And now, the public statement reads:
For him to come out tomorrow, 
for all to see.
The English took Levsha
 into the Dining Room.
They asked for a lot of wine.
And the first goblet for Levsha.
And out of politeness, 
he did not drink their vodka.
Because it was green,
 as though seasoned with vitriol.
No- he says- this is not orderly.
Eat yourselves, first.
The English tasted the wine before them.
And then they started to pour his, too. 
Well, I got up...
And... to everyone's health, he says.
Crossing himself with his left hand.
And drank.
Who is he - Lutheran or Protestant?
Why is he crossing 
himself with his left hand?
Asked the Englishmen.
Well, no. He is of Russian faith. 
However, he is a "Lefty".
He does everything 
with his left hand.
They gave Levsha their own creation
 of hot "studing" in flames.
This, he says, I didn't know
 one could eat something like this.
Can I have something 
a little more, er, natural?
They changed it and placed 
other foods in its place.
The English kept Levsha pumped 
full of wine for three whole days. 
And then they said: "Now, rather."
They sent the Russian 
courier back to Russia.
Although the courier had rank 
and knew many different languages.
But they weren't interested in him,
only in Levsha.
And they convinced him to be their
guest for a while.
To have a look at their soap-saw mills.
We will, they said, deliver him 
back to Petersburg in one piece.
The English took Levsha
into their own hands.
And they took Levsha around
to see their art.
Levsha looked at all
 of their production.
And the metal factories and
soap-saw mills.
And he loved everything about
the order of their businesses.
Especially the conditions of their work.
He-re ev-er-y wor-ker
is al-ways con-tent and sa-ti-a-ted
Not dressed in rags, and each able to
wear a double-breasted vest.
Not working with boils,
but with knowledge and self-understanding.
Before each of them hangs
a multiplication table.
And a writing board
under each arm.
Everything the master does, he does while looking at the table, to check the numbers.
During the holidays, 
a couple of them would get together,
Take a stick in hand,
and walk with decorum.
Levsha looked at all of their works
and all of their houses.
But he paid the most attention to
old guns, and how they are cared for.
Oh, he says, we could do this, too.
This, he says, is not unlike
ours in its excellence.
And here Lefty suddenly 
became homesick.
Homesick and depressed.
And then at the time when 
the guns started to be charged
And their bullets were hanging out, 
because their trunks were cleaned with bricks.
Hurrah!
Well, there we go. Levsha was
 homesick, so homesick.
And he said to the Englishmen:
I humbly thank you for all the refreshments,
and everything here makes me very happy.
And everything that I needed
 to see here I've seen.
And now I'd like to go home
as soon as possible.
Try as they might, the English
could not keep him.
But he kept on saying, 
"Let me go, let me go."
And here the English scientists said:
It's a pity- they said.
At the very least, it would be better
if you knew the four rules of addition.
You are very skilled with your
hands, but don't realize it.
Such a small machine as 
the nymph-o-zoria
cannot be improved.
Now this nymph-o-zoria does
not jump, and does not dance.
Hey, what're you doing? There's no doubt 
that we're not gifted in the sciences.
But only we are loyal servants 
to our country.
and the English workers with 
double-breasted vests said to him:
Stay with us, and we will
educate you.
From you will come an incredible master.
We are committed to our
 homeland. And that's it.
Plus, I am single still.
And I'll be bored here.
That's beside the point.
We'll give you a "grandez"-vous.
Why a "grandez-vous"? 
This is a master's business.
If my house in Tula hears of this,
they'll make a big joke out of me.
We looked at the barometer: a storm
 is coming, and you'll surely drown.
This is not your Gulf of Finland,
But the Mediterranean.
It doesn't matter where I die.
But I'd like it to be in my native land.
Unless otherwise I might
go crazy.
There was nothing the British could do
to keep him there.
But they didn't keep him by force.
They nourished him, awarded
him money.
Gave him a gold watch
to remember them by.
And for the cool sea in late autumn
gave him a flannel coat ...
... and a windbreaker hood for his head.
But as soon as they came upon
the Mediterranean Sea
The storm became terrible.
And Levsha does not go in the cabin,
looking for his fatherland.
They put up Levsha in the best style, 
like a true gentleman.
But he didn't like sitting
in the closed compartment with other gentlemen.
He would come up on the deck and
 asks: "Where is our Russia?"
Many times the English called him
down to where it was warm.
But he could not be bothered,
and even started disobeying.
No, he said, I like it outside better.
Or all the swaying will make me ill
with a "guinea pig" down there.
The English captain said to Levsha:
Outstanding Russian! Let's drink!
What secret are you taking from our
state to yours?
That's my own business.
If that's true, then let's 
make an English bet.
What bet?
A bet that neither of us drinks alone,
 and always drinks the same amount.
They started this bet back
 in the Mediterranean Sea.
And everything was equal, and neither
yielded to the other.
And measured everything so carefully...
To the point that one, when looking
over the water, saw a devil rising out of it
And then the same 
thing appear to the other.
Levsha says:
Cross yourself and turn away.
This is a demon of the abyss.
No, these is the seawater-Cyclop.
Do you want me to hurl you into the sea?
Don't be afraid, he'll give you back to me.
If that's true, then hurl me overboard.
The English captain, when he heard of this,
 locked both of them downstairs
And gave them rum, wine, and cold food.
So that they could eat, drink, 
and keep up the bet.
And not to give them any 
hot pudding in flames.
Because if they have alcohol in their bowels,
it might catch fire.
Thus they brought them back 
locked in this way, to Petersburg.
And neither of them won- 
one or the other.
From here, their fates
have begun to differ.
The English, upon his arrival to Petersburg:
They suddenly called to him a doctor
and a pharmacist.
Covered him and left him
to sweat.
An order was given not to disturb him.
So that no one could even dare to sneeze.
The pharmacist immediately rolled out
a Gutta-Percha pill.
And put it into his mouth.
And Levsha was dumped 
onto the floor and they asked him:
Who are you and where
 did you come from?
Do you have a passport or 
some kind of document?
And Levsha said:
I would like to say 
a few words to the Emperor.
The English do not clean their guns with bricks.
Shouldn't they not clean them with bricks here as well?
May the god of war keep me,
they are not suitable to shoot.
He's ours then, a Russian?
Whistle for a cab.
They brought Levsha to the hospital.
And they looked at him there and said:
Oh, we do not accept anyone
 without documents.
Send him to the common people's
Obuhvinsku hospital.
They take all unknown 
classes there to die.
One nurse says to policeman:
Better to go to the Cossack Platov,
he has common sense.
So they found Platov.
Who was once again lying 
on his decrepit futon.
Platov listened to them and
 finally remembered Levsha.
Why, brother, he says, 
I knew him very well.
I even tore his hair.
I only do not know how I can help him
in his unfortunate state.
Because I have already finished serving.
And received my last ovation.
Nobody, he says, respects me anymore.
Ah steppe and grass 
are your bed now!
For the pillow - a white stone.
For a duvet - the darkness of night.
Your guards are now - the stars.
Until dawn, Levsha was dragged
to all the remote corners of the city.
So that he was completely beat up.
Tell the Emperor that the English
do not clean their guns with bricks.
Do not let our people 
clean our guns with bricks.
Or, keep us god from a war, 
they will not shoot well.
And it is with this devotion
 that Levsha died.
The real name of "Levsha"
just like the names of
 many of Russia's greatest geniuses
is forever lost for posterity.
Levsha
Based on the story of N.S. Leskov
Written and directed by:
Sergey Ovcharov
Director of Photography:
Valery Fedosov
Designer:
Natalia Vasilyeva
 
Olga Baranova, Yuri Serov
Composer: Igor Matsievsky
Sound: Vladimir Persov
Editor: Irina Tarsanova
Operators: A. Rodionov, V. Gusev
Editing: O. Amosova
Makeup: O. Smornovoy
Costumes: A. Sapunova, L. Konnikova
Choreography: E. Smirnov
Stunt Director: G. Makoeva
Senior Consultant: K. Chistov
Advisor: D. Vvedensky
Special effects:
Operator: Mr. Senotov
Designer: N. Krivosheev
Animation:
O. Masainova, S. Kositsin
Assistants:
Directed by: L. Gromov
Operator: S. Sidorov
Artist: VA Malyshev, V. Khripunov
Installation: S. Ryzhov
Art Direction:
E. Nikolaev, S. Bolmat, S. Kokovkin
Set Design: I. Emelianov
Pyrotechnician : A. Yakovlev
Orchestra by the Malyi Opera and Ballet 
Academic Theatre. Glinka's Academic Choir
Rostov Folk Ensamble   
Leningrad Chamber folk ensemble.
Early Music 
Rostov folk ensemble by T. Rudichenko.Conductor P. Bubelnikov
Administrative Unit:
B. Plyushchai, I. Yevseyev, Sobolev
Director: GEOGRY GUROV
Actors:
Levsha: Nikolai Stotsky
Platov: Vladimir Gostyukhin
Cast:
Tsar Alexander - Leonid Kuravlev
Tsar Nicholai Palkovich - Yuri Yakovlev
Minister Kiselvrode - Leo Lemke
Black Gentleman - Nikolai Lavrov
In the episodes: Smirnov, A. Slivnik,
A. Susnin, S. Parshin, N. Muravyov A. Khudoleev,
P. Fetisov, V. Kravchenko.
E. Baranov, K. Vorobyov, V. Zakharov, A. Koval,
S. Sokolov, A. Estrin, A. Shargorodsky, G. Danilov.
N. Kryukov, V. Lilikin, V. Nikonov, L. Smirnov, V. Zhavrovsky,
Y. Eliseev, V. Koheykin, I. Krinsky, S. Koshevarov,
G. Teikh, E. Enno, S. Sytnik, E. Gladkova, O. Kolosovskaya,
T. Lazovaya, M. Lapina, O. Mosyagina, O. Samoshina, L. Solovyova.
End of film.
Film studio "Lenfilm", 1986
