CHEKHOV'S MOTIVES

The well-known director Kira Muratova links motives and characters from different short stories by poet Anton Chechov in her film, catapults them into the 21st century and presents them in a different light through this modernisation. The film portrays a sensitive, somewhat clumsy young man who lives in the countryside together with his parents and siblings. By taking up a study in the far away city, the son tries to escape his tyrannical father’s influence. On his way to the city he accidentally runs into a wedding party. A few nouveau riche city people are being married in a strictly orthodox ceremony. The event turns increasingly into a farce though, since neither the bridal pair nor the numerous snobbish guests are particularly interested in the priest’s rituals and prayers. They bide their time in the church with making nasty remarks, flirting, and showing off. Irritated by the city folk’s disrespect and decadence, the young peasant’s son suddenly doubts his decision to leave the country life behind. He returns to his parent’s farm where he is greeted with ridicule by his father. Full of anger, the son thereupon plucks up the courage to confront his father for the first time.