Romance of a Horsethief

Romance of a Horsethief (Le roman d'un voleur de chevaux; Il romanzo di un ladro di cavalli; ) is a 1971 French-Italian-Yugoslav adventure film directed by Abraham Polonsky. It is loosely based on the 1917 novel with the same name by Joseph Opatoshu.

Plot summary
In Polish Russia, Stoloff, a Cossack in exile has gained control over a Jewish village. The villagers live by horse-thievery and under the leadership of Kifke. Stoloff's regime is tolerated until he commandeers the village's horses for the Russian army. Naomi has been away in France and gotten ideas of a revolution and inspires the town to resist. This gets Naomi into deep trouble, from which only Kifke and his compatriot Zanvil can rescue her. Zanvil is highly motivated since he is in love with Naomi.

Cast

 * Yul Brynner as Captain Stoloff
 * Eli Wallach as Kifke
 * Jane Birkin as Naomi
 * Lainie Kazan as Estusha
 * David Opatoshu as Schloime Kradnik
 * Serge Gainsbourg as Sigmund
 * Henri Serre as Mendel (credited as Henri Sera)
 * Linda Veras as Countess Grabowsky
 * Marilù Tolo as Manka
 * Branko Plesa as Lt. Vishinsky
 * Vladimir Bacic as Gruber
 * Branko Spoljar as Strugatch
 * Alenka Rancic as Sura
 * Oliver Tobias as Zanvill Kradnik

Production
Filming began in July 1970 in Yugoslavia. Polonsky called the film "a fairytale, pretending to affect an older style but in fact the contrary."

Reception
The Los Angeles Times called the film "impressive... a rollicking folk tale."