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Seventeen Moments Of Spring
''Seventeen Moments of Spring'' (Russian: Семнадцать мгновений весны, Semnadtsat' mgnovenij vesny), also Seventeen Instants of Spring, is a 1973 Soviet TV miniseries. It was directed by Tatyana Lioznova and based on the eponymous book by the novelist Yulian Semyonov. The series consists of 12 episodes, 70 minutes each.

The series depicts the life of a Soviet spy Maxim Isaev operating in Nazi Germany under the name Max Otto von Stirlitz, played by the Soviet actor Vyacheslav Tikhonov. Other leading roles were played by Leonid Bronevoy, Oleg Tabakov, Yuri Vizbor, Yevgeniy Yevstigneyev, Rostislav Plyatt, Vasily Lanovoy and Mikhail Zharkovsky.

In 2009, a remastered version in color was released.

This series had openly disobeyed the Soviet cinema rule of depiction Nazis as monsters (Those Wacky Nazis will do, too). Walther Schellenberg, Müller and Bormann were performed by the very popular and charismatic actors Oleg Tabakov, Leonid Bronevoy and Yuri Visbor (but a touch of charm they have added to their roles did not hide the fact that the Nazi leaders were monsters - that is what is called "the brilliant acting") and Nazi bosses in general were shown as being very much alike the Soviet bosses of the time. And the protagonist, Stirlitz, looked like a Soviet intellectual who has to hid his true self under the mask of obedience, loyality and proper ideological orientation. Stirlitz's awesome ability to outwit his bosses and keep "the human face" at the same time (despite the fact that one could hardly make a career in SS from 1939 till 1945 without staining his hands) was praised by the Soviet audience, who felt as being spied in their own country.

Due to this, the series became the true Fountain of Memes and the source of many anecdotes (see Russian Humour), such as:

There was something in Stirlitz that revealed a Soviet officer in him. Was it his proud posture? Or some hidden flame of generosity in his eyes? Or a parachute dragging behind him?

Or:

1945, 1st of May. The very sad and depressed Hitler is walking alone down the corridor.

Stirlitz: (approachig Hitler) Heil Hitler!

Hitler: These days even you are mocking me, comrade Isaev...''

Stirlitz's odyssean wit that helped him to unbond the thickest knot of problems, became an object of mockery, too:

''During of the session of the Nazi headquarter council, Stirlitz breaks in, makes some photos of secret documents and escapes.

Hitler: Who was that?

Bormann: Stirlitz, the Russian spy.

Hitler: Why he is not arrested yet?

Müller: We tried to arrest him, but he always has a proper explanation of what he did.''

(comic effect was strenghthened by common knowledge that KGB, unlike Gestapo in the film, could always simply forge the evidence of one's "guilt").

There is also a prequel series, set in the Red October era. Avoid it.


This series provides examples of:

CasanovaMini SeriesTorchwood: Miracle Day
A Matter Of Life And DeathWorks Set In World War 2 The Eagle Has Landed

alternative title(s): Seventeen Moments Of The Spring
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