“Белое солнце пустыни” (White sun of the desert) is a cult film in Russia. It’s a mixed film between action, comedy and drama. It was produced by Mosfilm in 1969 and directed by Vladimir Motul. The lyrics of the main song “Ваше благородие, госпожа Удача” (Your Honor Lady Luck) were written by Bulat Okudzhava and soon became a hit.
Red Army soldier Fyodor Shukhov is on his way home after many years of fighting in the Central Asian desert. He finds Sayid, a Central Asian man, buried in the sand and help him out of this situation. Soon after, being caught in a fight between a Red Army unit and the Basmachi leader Abdullah, he is left to guide and protect Abdullah’s harem while the Red Army is pursuing him. Shukhov and the group of women find refuge into the museum of a small village by the Caspian Sea, but Abdullah is not far behind, and he soon have to organise the defense of the site.
The film contains many sayings that are now widely used in Russian language. Here the main ones: