''Big School-Break'' (or ''Big Break'' translit. ''Bolshaya Peremena'', ) is a Soviet 1972 TV miniseries in 4 episodes. It was known in the US as ''The Long Recess'', and it is loosely based on Georgy Sadovnikov's novel ''Walk towards people'' (Иду к людям).
Plot
Nestor Petrovich Severov, a student preparing to begin his PhD in Russian history, has his ego bruised when his girlfriend, Polina, beats him on their entrance exam, taking the spot he had hoped to secure. Frustrated, he breaks up with her and decides to teach at a night school, where he soon discovers that educating adults, especially those reluctant to learn, is far from easy. He’s assigned as the homeroom teacher of 9th "A"—a diverse group of working-class adults, many of whom are older than he is. His students include the rebellious Grigory Ganja, who consistently disrupts classes, showing little respect for academic effort, and Nelli Ledneva, a student with a crush on Nestor, who awkwardly shares the class with her father, Stepan Lednev. Despite the challenges, Nestor becomes deeply invested in the lives of his students, attempting to navigate their issues with patience and persistence.
The classroom dynamics unfold further as Nestor works to help struggling students find their own paths. Grigory’s misbehavior strains his marriage to his wife Svetlana, a literature teacher at the school, and she eventually leaves him. However, with Nestor’s support, Grigory takes responsibility for his actions, leading to their reconciliation. Another challenging student, Gennady Lyapishev, continuously skips lessons to go dancing, but with the influence of Alexander Petrykin—a strict yet dedicated colleague—Nestor steers Gennady toward self-improvement. Meanwhile, Stepan’s daughter, Nelli, grows embarrassed by her father’s earnestness, even trying to bar him from attending class, though he finds his own way to participate. Eventually, Nestor’s sincere commitment to his students is rewarded not only by their growth but also by Polina’s return, recognizing the maturity and resilience he has gained through his transformative journey as an educator.
Cast
*
Mikhail Kononov
Mikhail Ivanovich Kononov (; 25 April 1940 – 16 July 2007) was a Soviet and Russian actor. People's Artist of Russia (1999).
Biography
He first appeared on stage at school. In 1963, Mikhail Kononov graduated from the Shchepkin Drama School a ...
as ''Nestor Petrovich Severov, the history teacher''
*
Yevgeny Leonov
Yevgeny Pavlovich Leonov (; 2 September 1926 – 29 January 1994) was a Soviet and Russian actor who played main parts in several of the most famous Soviet films, such as '' Gentlemen of Fortune'', '' Mimino'' and '' Striped Trip''. Called "one ...
as ''Stepan Lednyov''
*
Rolan Bykov
Rolan Antonovich Bykov (October 12, 1929October 6, 1998) was a Soviet and Russian stage and film actor, director, screenwriter and pedagogue. People's Artist of the USSR (1990).
Early life
Rolan Bykov was born to Anton Mikhailovich Bykov and Ol ...
as ''Alexander Petrykin''
*
Aleksandr Zbruyev
Aleksandr Viktorovich Zbruyev (, born 31 March 1938, Moscow, Soviet Union) is a Soviet Union, Soviet and Russian theatrical and film actor.
Selected filmography
* ''My Younger Brother'' (1962) as Dimka Denisov
* ''A Span of Earth'' (1964) as Alek ...
Savely Kramarov
Savely Viktorovich Kramarov (; 13 October 1934 – 6 June 1995) was a Russian–American actor and comedian. He acted in at least 42 Soviet films, and later appeared in several more after his immigration to the United States.
Early life
Sa ...
Valery Nosik
Valery Benediktovich Nosik (; 9 October 1940 — 4 January 1995) was a Soviet Russian film and stage actor, the People's Artist of Russia (1994) who appeared in more than 100 films, as well as in numerous stage productions at the Moscow Pushkin ...
as ''Otto Fukin''
* Nina Maslova as ''Vika Korovyanskaya''
*
Iren Azer Iren may refer to:
Given name
*Irén Ágay (1913–1950), Hungarian actress
* Irén Daruházi-Karcsics (1927-2011), Hungarian retired gymnast
* Iren Marik (1905-1986), Hungarian-born classical pianist
* Irén Pavlics (born 1934), Hungarian Slove ...
Lev Durov
Lev Konstantinovich Durov (23 December 1931 – 20 August 2015) was a Soviet and Russian theatre and film actor who appeared in more than 200 films and numerous stage productions between 1955 and 2008. He was named a People's Artist of the USS ...
Vladimir Basov
Vladimir Pavlovich Basov (28 July 192317 September 1987) was a Soviet Russian actor, film director and screenwriter. He was named a People's Artist of the USSR in 1983.
Biography
Vladimir Basov was born in the Urazovo village, Voronezh Governor ...
as photographer at the Petrykin's wedding
*
Elya Baskin
Ilya Zalmanovich Baskin (, ; born 11 August 1950), known professionally as Elya Baskin, is a Latvian-born Soviet-American character actor. He first gained attention for his role in '' Moscow on the Hudson'' (1984), as Robin Williams' character's b ...
as pupil
* Nikolai Grabbe as Tarasov
* Ivan Ryzhov as comrade Major (militia), head of the department
*
Valentina Ananina
Valentina Georgievna Ananina (; May 18, 1933, Moscow) is a Soviet and Russian theater and film actress.
Biography
Valentina Ananina was born May 18, 1933, in Moscow.
In 1957 she graduated from the Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography
The G ...
Vladimir Zemlyanikin
Vladimir Mikhailovich Zemlyanikin (; 27 October 1933 – 27 October 2016) was a film and theater actor. He was an Honored Artist of the Russian Federation (1994).
Yaroslavl
Yaroslavl (; , ) is a city and the administrative center of Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia, located northeast of Moscow. The historic part of the city is a World Heritage Site, and is located at the confluence of the Volga and the Kotorosl rivers. ...
(Central Park, Kotoroslnaya embankment, Damansky Island etc.) and
Moscow
Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...
(
Moscow State Pedagogical University
Moscow State Pedagogical University or Moscow State University of Education is an educational and scientific institution in Moscow, Russia, with eighteen faculties and seven branches operational in other Russian cities. The institution had under ...
).
Music
The main song of the film is ''Black and White'' (), sang by Svetlana Kryuchkova, written by
Eduard Kolmanovsky
Eduard Savelievich Kolmanovsky (; 9 January 1923 – 27 July 1994) was a Soviet and Russian composer. He was awarded a USSR State Prize in 1984 and named a People's Artist of the USSR
People's Artist of the USSR, also sometimes translat ...
and Mikhail Tanich specifically for her.
In the wake of the huge film success, this song became associated with Kryuchkova for many years.
Reviews
Despite critical reviews, the film is considered a classic and is often shown on Russian TV channels.
Mikhail Kononov
Mikhail Ivanovich Kononov (; 25 April 1940 – 16 July 2007) was a Soviet and Russian actor. People's Artist of Russia (1999).
Biography
He first appeared on stage at school. In 1963, Mikhail Kononov graduated from the Shchepkin Drama School a ...
was skeptical about the film. In his memoirs, he wrote: "In the multi-series "Big School-Break", the full spectre of four generations of actors was collected, ranging from popular folk to those who had just graduated from theater schools. I had to justify phantasmagoric situations and an absurd script. A lot has been written about the "Big School-Break", and it was successfully held abroad. Such was the strength of talents in Russia at that time. Any nonsense in their performance looked cute and charming, and most importantly — sincere".