“ Put your faith in your sword, and your sword in a pole.”
This is one of the striking words the main character named Taras Bulba was known in this self-titled movie. Its story revolved between the conflicts of the Poles against the Cossacks. The poles deceived the Cossacks by helping them at first to fight against the Turks. However, the Poles cheated the Cossacks afterwards. Taras Bulba is a Cossack officer who has two sons whom he raised to learn everything about their enemy, the Poles. He sent them to study in Polish schools. The story rises in action when one of the sons falls in love with a polish woman and creates tension between loyalty to the troop and loyalty to loved ones.
Taras Bulba is an action movie released in 1962. The movie was set in 16 th century of Ukraine, similar to its book adaptation written by Russian Nikolai Gogol. The movie was directed by J. Lee Thompson and was a video version as the book of Gogol narrates it. The essence of the moral of the story was present. Taras Bulba became an epitome of patriotism as he killed his own son to show loyalty to the nation.
In 2009, a film about Taras Bulba was created once again by another director named Vladimir Bortko. It was released at the same time of Gogol’s 200 years. This version of the movie earned controversies for it has not followed the exact story as Gogol wrote it. Critics see that it was made to be sold rather than to reflect the reality wherein the story was based. The film was added with scenarios not in the book and some where omitted. Some has an ill feeling about this since they justify that Gogol wrote it without serving any political intention, however, the movie was made to be that way.
