''Three from Prostokvashino'' () is a 1978 Soviet

animated film Animation is a filmmaking technique whereby still images are manipulated to create moving images. In traditional animation, images are drawn or painted by hand on transparent celluloid sheets to be photographed and exhibited on film. Animati ...

based on the 1974 children's book '' Uncle Fedya, His Dog, and His Cat'' by

Eduard Uspensky Eduard Nikolayevich Uspensky (; 22 December 193714 August 2018) was a Soviet and Russian children's writer and poet, author of over 70 books, as well as a playwright, screenwriter and TV presenter. His works have been translated into 25 languages ...

. The main character is a six-year-old boy who is called "Uncle Fyodor" (voiced by Maria Vinogradova) because he is very serious. After his parents refuse to let him keep the talking cat (voiced by

Oleg Tabakov Oleg Pavlovich Tabakov (; 17 August 1935 – 12 March 2018) was a Soviet and Russian actor and the Artistic Director of the Moscow Chekhov Art Theatre. People's Artist of the USSR (1988). Biography Tabakov was born in Saratov into a family of do ...

), Uncle Fyodor leaves home. With the dog Sharik (voiced by

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 ...

), the three set up a home in the country village Prostokvashino ( rus, Простоквашино, p=prəstɐˈkvaʂɨnə, Простокваша = "

soured milk Soured milk denotes a range of food products produced by the acidification of milk. Acidification, which gives the milk a tart taste and unpleasant smell, is achieved either through bacterial fermentation or through the addition of an acid, such ...

"). There they have many adventures, some involving the local

mailman A mail carrier, also referred to as a mailman, mailwoman, mailperson, postal carrier, postman, postwoman, postperson, person of post, letter carrier (in American English), or colloquially postie (in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Unite ...

, Pechkin (voiced by Boris Novikov). The series has generated many quotable phrases in post-Soviet countries. It has made an impact comparable to that of ''

Well, Just You Wait! ''Well, Just You Wait!'' (, ), also known as I'll get you! in official translations, is a Soviet and Russian series of animated short films produced by Soyuzmultfilm. In the 2014 all-Russian poll, ''Well, Just You Wait!'' won by a wide margin ...

'' (1969-2017) in

Russian culture Russian culture ( rus, Культура России, Kul'tura Rossii, kʊlʲˈturə rɐˈsʲiɪ) has been formed by the nation's history, its geographical location and its vast expanse, religious and social traditions, and both Eastern cultu ...

Plot

Uncle Fyodor is a very independent city boy, "a boy on his own". After his mother forbids him from keeping his talking cat Matroskin, Uncle Fyodor runs away from home to live on his own. Uncle Fyodor and the cat arrive at the village Prostokvashino, where they meet the local

mongrel A mongrel, mutt, or mixed-breed dog is a dog that does not belong to one officially recognized breed, including those that result from intentional breeding. Although the term ''mixed-breed dog'' is sometimes preferred, many mongrels have no kn ...

Sharik. The three settle in an abandoned house. Uncle Fyodor's parents become very agitated at the loss of their son, and even put out a missing persons notice in the paper. Mailman Pechkin sees it, and claims the announced reward for the boy's safe return — a new bicycle. By the end of the film, the family is reunited, and the mailman receives his reward for notifying the parents. The parents tell the animals that they are welcome to come back to the city with them, but they decide to stay in Prostokvashino to make a summer house (

dacha A dacha (Belarusian, Ukrainian language, Ukrainian and rus, дача, p=ˈdatɕə, a=ru-dacha.ogg) is a seasonal or year-round second home, often located in the exurbs of former Soviet Union, post-Soviet countries, including Russia. A cottage (, ...

) for Fyodor.

Cast

* Maria Vinogradova as Uncle Fyodor *

as cat Matroskin *

as dog Sharik * Boris Novikov as mailman Pechkin *

Valentina Talyzina Valentina Illarionovna Talyzina (; born 22 January 1935) is a Soviet and Russian film and stage actress, People's Artist of the RSFSR (1985). Awarded the Order of Honor (2005) and the Order of Friendship (2010). She was a member of the Commu ...

as Uncle Fyodor's mother * Gyerman Kachin as Uncle Fyodor's father * Zinaida Naryshkina as little jackdaw

Sequels

The film has three sequels, ' (Каникулы в Простоквашино) (1980), ' (Зима в Простоквашино) (1984), and ' (Весна в Простоквашино) (2010). Since 2018, the animated series '' Prostokvashino'' has been broadcast.

References

External links

* {{IMDb title, 0189160
Prostokvashino (Простоквашино), trilogy (1978-84)
in English and Russian with subtitles a
Soviet Cartoons Online
1978 animated short films 1978 films 1970s Russian-language films Russian-language adventure comedy films 1970s Soviet films Animated films about birds Animated films about cats Animated films about dogs Animated films about talking animals Animated films based on children's books Films about postal systems Films about runaways Films based on works by Eduard Uspensky Soviet animated short films Soviet children's films Soviet adventure comedy films Soyuzmultfilm