The Sunday Morning Movie Presents: Dersu Uzala (1975) Run Time: 2H 21M Bonus: Bizarre New Band!

Greetings gentle readers and welcome to another installment of the Sunday Morning Movie. Today it’s a tale of adventure and friendship from the Russian Far East, Dersu Uzala:

and next week’s film, Vampira:

Vampira (1971)

Reviews of Dersu Uzala:

Reviews On Reals says:

The Oscars really got it right when they awarded Dersu Uzala the Best Foreign Film of 1975. Directed by the legendary Akira Kurosawa, this film is his first and only non-Japanese production—and it couldn’t have come at a better time. In the early ’70s, Kurosawa was struggling. Despite being behind some of Japan’s most iconic films like Seven Samurai, Rashomon, and Yojimbo, his career hit a rough patch as Japanese cinema started shifting in a different direction. Just when he was close to retiring, Mosfilm, a major Soviet studio, invited him to adapt the memoirs of Russian explorer Vladimir Arsenyev. The story’s themes—nature, human connection, and mutual respect—fit right into Kurosawa’s vision. This chance to work on a large-scale project gave him a new perspective and a fresh creative spark. Dersu Uzala would later remain Kurosawa’s only non-Japanese film.

Decent Films says:

Though Kurosawa has always been a student of world cinema, his work consists almost exclusively of Japanese-language films shot in Japan, so Dersu Uzala, shot in Siberia for Soviet film house Mosfilm, represents a departure in both senses of the word for the director.

The unspoiled vastness of the Siberian wilderness, so utterly unlike the modern Japanese landscape with its cultivated forests, offered a radically new canvas for Kurosawa. Always a powerful visual stylist, Kurosawa crafted some of his most striking imagery for Dersu Uzala, especially in a numinous, eerily lit confrontation with a tiger.

Film Folly says:

Dersu Uzala is commonly classified as an adventure film. Yes, this movie contains elements of adventure cinema, but I can’t shake the feeling that calling Akira Kurosawa‘s classic work an adventure film somewhat diminishes it. While it is indeed a journey through an incredible, unspoiled land filled with numerous dangers for the daring explorers, this film is a poem that forces us to contemplate human nature and our place in the world. It is deep, philosophical, and challenging—qualities that I have rarely, if ever, found in the adventure films I’ve seen.

My take: A beautiful film filled with memorable images. The strength and depth of the friendship between a Russian soldier and his native guide is a breath of fresh air. Kurosawa tells a solid tale with a touch of tragedy at the end. It’s a straightforward film, accurately reflecting the relationship between the two men. It’s worth watching every few years or so: ⭐⭐⭐.

Director: Akira Kurosawa

Screen writers: Akira Kurosawa, Yuri Nagibin

Plot (Spoilers!)

Captain Vladimir Arsenyev is an explorer who has been tasked to map the rugged terrain of a region of the Russian Far East. He has a small detachment of soldiers at his command along with a train of horses. His job is immense and demanding.

The captain meets a native guide, Dersu Uzala, and the two form an instant friendship. Uzala is a master of the region’s terrain and an invaluable asset to the team. He saves the captain’s life on more than one occasion. He also proves to be a kind man, one who thinks of others as often as he thinks of himself. He earns the team’s trust and respect.

The expedition ends and the two part ways. Five years later, Captain Arsenyev is back in the region. He locates Dersu and the two embark on new adventures together. Dersu’s skills and quick thinking save the captain’s life once again and this time the favor is returned as Dersu is dragged from a raging river by his friends.

But old age is catching up to Dersu. He is losing his sharp hunter’s sight and his long-term survival is in doubt. The expedition now over, Captain Arsenyev invites Dersu to return to town with him.

Town life doesn’t suit Dersu however. He eventually returns to his native lands, bearing a brand-new rifle as a gift from the captain. This gift proves to be his downfall. He is murdered for the weapon. Captain Arsenyev is informed and he returns in time to see Dersu being buried in an unmarked grave. A few years later he tries to visit the grave but finds that it cannot be located.

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Bonus:

Angine de Poitrine