| Don Diego and Pelagia | |
| Director: | Yakov Protazanov |
| Cinematography: | Yevgeni Alekseyev |
| Studio: | Mezhrabpomfilm |
| Country: | Soviet Union |
| Language: | Silent Russian intertitles |
Don Diego and Pelagia (ru|Дон Диего и Пелагея|Don Diego i Pelageya) is a 1928 Soviet silent comedy drama directed by Yakov Protazanov.[1] [2]
The film's art direction was by Sergei Kozlovsky.
The stationmaster of a small railway station, Yakov Ivanovich Golovach, is obsessed with reading historical novels about knights. Fancying himself as the hero of one book – Don Diego – he often imagines himself dueling with an invisible opponent. One day, he is caught in the act by the female residents of nearby villages who have come to the station to meet the arriving mail train and sell their foodstuffs. Their laughter at his antics embarrasses and enrages him.
In a fit of anger, Yakov Ivanovich decides to enforce railway rules strictly, targeting violators who cross the tracks illegally. He manages to detain only an elderly woman, Pelageya Dyomina, who is slow to avoid him. Emboldened by his newfound authority, Yakov files a formal complaint against her. In court, he delivers an exaggerated speech, warning that Pelageya’s act could lead to catastrophic consequences, such as derailing a train or robbing the station. This results in Pelageya being sentenced to three months in prison.
Meanwhile, Pelageya’s husband struggles to manage their household alone and desperately seeks help. However, neither the local “legal expert,” the village priest and his wife, nor a visiting member of the Society for the Study of Rural Life offer meaningful assistance, only providing useless advice.
The local Komsomol cell eventually steps in, navigating bureaucratic hurdles to secure a review of Pelageya’s case. They succeed in overturning her sentence and securing her release. Deeply grateful for their efforts, the elderly couple decides to join the Komsomol, inspired by their support and advocacy.