{{Infobox television | image = Big School-Break.jpg | image_size = | image_alt = | caption = | genre = | creator = Gosteleradio | based_on = | writer = Aleksei Korenev<br />Georgy Sadovnikov | screenplay = | story = | director = Aleksei Korenev | starring = Mikhail Kononov<br />Aleksandr Zbruyev<br />Yevgeny Leonov<br />Rolan Bykov<br />Lyudmila Kasatkina | narrator = | theme_music_composer = Eduard Kolmanovsky | country = Soviet Union | language = Russian | num_episodes = 4 | producer = | editor = | cinematography = Anatoly Mukasei | runtime = 268 min | company = | budget = | network = | first_aired = {{Start date|1972}} | last_aired = {{End date|1973}} }}
'''''Big School-Break''''' (or '''''Big Break''''' translit. ''Bolshaya Peremena'', {{langx|ru|Большая перемена}}) is a Soviet 1972 TV miniseries in 4 episodes. It was known in the US as '''''The Long Recess''''', and it is loosely based on Georgy Sadovnikov's novel ''Walk towards people'' (Иду к людям).
Sadovnikov was offered to write a script for a film about the life of evening school students using his novel, with the condition that the film's director would be the co-author.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Георгий Садовников |url=https://fantlab.ru/autor8157 |access-date=2025-06-30 |website=fantlab.ru |language=ru}}</ref>
==Plot== Nestor Petrovich Severov, a student preparing to begin his PhD in Russian history, has his ego bruised when his girlfriend, Polina, beats him on their entrance exam, taking the spot he had hoped to secure. Frustrated, he breaks up with her and decides to teach at a night school, where he soon discovers that educating adults, especially those reluctant to learn, is far from easy. He’s assigned as the homeroom teacher of 9th "A"—a diverse group of working-class adults, many of whom are older than he is. His students include the rebellious Grigory Ganja, who consistently disrupts classes, showing little respect for academic effort, and Nelli Ledneva, a student with a crush on Nestor, who awkwardly shares the class with her father, Stepan Lednev. Despite the challenges, Nestor becomes deeply invested in the lives of his students, attempting to navigate their issues with patience and persistence.
The classroom dynamics unfold further as Nestor works to help struggling students find their own paths. Grigory’s misbehavior strains his marriage to his wife Svetlana, a literature teacher at the school, and she eventually leaves him. However, with Nestor’s support, Grigory takes responsibility for his actions, leading to their reconciliation. Another challenging student, Gennady Lyapishev, continuously skips lessons to go dancing, but with the influence of Alexander Petrykin—a strict yet dedicated colleague—Nestor steers Gennady toward self-improvement. Meanwhile, Stepan’s daughter, Nelli, grows embarrassed by her father’s earnestness, even trying to bar him from attending class, though he finds his own way to participate. Eventually, Nestor’s sincere commitment to his students is rewarded not only by their growth but also by Polina’s return, recognizing the maturity and resilience he has gained through his transformative journey as an educator.
== Cast == * Mikhail Kononov as ''Nestor Petrovich Severov, the history teacher'' * Yevgeny Leonov as ''Stepan Lednyov'' * Rolan Bykov as ''Alexander Petrykin'' * Aleksandr Zbruyev as ''Grigory Ganzha'' * Svetlana Kryuchkova as ''Nelli Lednyova'' * Yanis Yakobson as ''Nelli’s school-desk neighbour'' * Yuriy Kuzmenkov as ''Ivan Fedoskin'' * Natalya Bogunova as ''Svetlana Afanasyevna, literature teacher'' * Natalya Gvozdikova as ''Polina'' * Savely Kramarov as ''Timokhin'' * Viktor Proskurin as ''Gena Lyapishev'' * Valery Nosik as ''Otto Fukin'' * Nina Maslova as ''Vika Korovyanskaya'' * Iren Azer as ''Lyus’ka, Lyapishev’s girlfriend'' * Valeri Khlevinsky as ''Avdotyin'' * Lyudmila Kasatkina as ''The School Headmaster'' * Mikhail Yanshin as ''Professor Volosyuk'' * Valentina Sperantova as ''Auntie Glasha, the School Janitor'' * Lev Durov as ''Militiaman, comrade st. sargeant'' * Lyusyena Ovchinnikova as ''Valya, Petrykin's bride/wife'' * Lev Dubov as Engineer * Anastasiya Georgiyevskaya, Valentina Talyzina, Nina Zhilina, Lyudmila Antsiferova, Valentina Kuznetsova as ''The School Teachers'' * Vladimir Basov as photographer at the Petrykin's wedding *Elya Baskin as pupil * Nikolai Grabbe as Tarasov * Ivan Ryzhov as comrade Major (militia), head of the department * Valentina Ananina (episode) * Mikhail Remizov (episode) * Vladimir Zemlyanikin as Petrykin's friend * Gotlib Roninson as Brigadier * Yelena Koreneva as a girl in library * Valentina Titova as a wedding guest * Pyotr Shcherbakov as a guest
==Production==
===Film locations=== The film was shot in Yaroslavl (Central Park, Kotoroslnaya embankment, Damansky Island etc.)<ref>{{Cite journal |author = Ирина Ивойлова. |editor= |url= http://www.rg.ru/2010/01/21/school.html |title= Школьная история |type= газета |orig-year= | agency = |edition= Российская газета — Неделя |location= |date= January 2010 |publisher= |at= |volume= |issue= |number= 11 (5090)|pages = 11 |page= |series= |isbn = |issn = |doi = |bibcode = |arxiv = |pmid = |ref= |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150924143752/http://www.rg.ru/2010/01/21/school.html |archive-date = 2015-09-24 |language= |quote= 21 }}. In Russian</ref> and Moscow (Moscow State Pedagogical University).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://mpgu.su/kultura/filmyi-snyatyie-mpgu/|title=Фильмы, снятые в МПГУ {{!}} Главный портал МПГУ<!-- The title was added by a bot -->|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200925211216/http://mpgu.su/kultura/filmyi-snyatyie-mpgu/|archive-date=2020-09-25|access-date=2019-03-05}}</ref>
===Music=== {{external media | topic = | font-size = | clear = | width = 200px | video1 = [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldlgEeoiGeI ''Black and White'']}} The main song of the film is ''Black and White'' ({{Langx|ru|Чёрное и белое|lit=Chyornoe i beloe}}), sang by Svetlana Kryuchkova, written by Eduard Kolmanovsky and Mikhail Tanich specifically for her.<ref>Razzakov F. I. "Dossier on the stars. Idols of all generations". — Eksmo-Press, 1999. — p. 174—175.</ref><ref>[http://russianportal.taba.ru/blog/f/Obo_vsem/Muzyka/Pesni_iz_kinofilmov/19739_Bolshaya_peremena.html Видеосюжет: Светлана Крючкова исполняет песню «Черное и белое»] In Russian</ref>
In the wake of the huge film success, this song became associated with Kryuchkova for many years.<ref>{{Cite web|language=ru|url=https://www.goodhouse.ru/stars/news/my-vybiraem-nas-vybirayut-poklonnikov-porazili-redkie-foto-molodoj-svetlany-kryuchkovoj/|title="Мы выбираем, нас выбирают": поклонников поразили редкие фото молодой Светланы Крючковой|website=Домашний очаг|access-date=2021-11-11}} In Russian</ref><ref>{{Cite web|language=ru|url=https://aif.ru/culture/person/greh_menyat_oblik_pryamaya_i_otkrovennaya_svetlana_kryuchkova|title="Грех менять облик". Прямая и откровенная Светлана Крючкова|author=Татьяна Уланова|website=aif.ru|date=2017-06-21|access-date=2021-11-11}} In Russian</ref><ref>{{Cite web|language=ru-RU|url=https://www.kp.ru/putevoditel/serialy/interesno/gde-sejchas-svetlana-kryuchkova/|title=Три развода, клиническая смерть и рак: актриса Светлана Крючкова распланировала свои похороны|website=www.kp.ru|access-date=2021-11-11}} In Russian</ref>
==Reviews== Despite critical reviews, the film is considered a classic<ref>''Novitskiy Е.'' Georgiy Daneliya. — ''The Young Guard'', 2020.</ref> and is often shown on Russian TV channels.
Mikhail Kononov was skeptical about the film. In his memoirs, he wrote: "In the multi-series "Big School-Break", the full spectre of four generations of actors was collected, ranging from popular folk to those who had just graduated from theater schools. I had to justify phantasmagoric situations and an absurd script. A lot has been written about the "Big School-Break", and it was successfully held abroad. Such was the strength of talents in Russia at that time. Any nonsense in their performance looked cute and charming, and most importantly — sincere".<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.newsru.com/cinema/18jul2007/kononov.html |title=Последние дни Михаила Кононова. Отрывки из его неопубликованной книги. |access-date=2007-07-18 |archive-date=2013-12-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131227113828/http://www.newsru.com/cinema/18jul2007/kononov.html}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{IMDb title|0068304}} * [http://www.levdurov.ru/show_arhive.php?&id=1223 Bolshaya Peremena 35 years ago] {{in lang|ru}} * [http://www.levdurov.ru/show_arhive.php?id=523 How Bolshaya Peremena was filmed] at Lev Durov's website {{in lang|ru}}
Category:1972 films Category:1973 films Category:1970s romantic comedy-drama films Category:Soviet television miniseries Category:1970s Soviet television series Category:Soviet romantic comedy-drama films Category:Films shot in Moscow Category:Films shot in Yaroslavl Oblast Category:1970s television miniseries Category:1972 Soviet films Category:1972 Russian-language films Category:Russian-language romantic comedy-drama films Category:1972 comedy-drama films