Dersu Uzala

In the early 20th century, Captain Arsenyev embarks on a topographic surveying expedition in the Shkotovo region of the Ussuri territory. During the journey, he encounters Dersu Uzala, a nomadic Nanai hunter who impresses him with his exceptional wilderness skills. Dersu agrees to become their guide, leading the expedition through the rugged frontier. Dersu earns the respect of the group with his experience, instincts, keen observation, and compassion. He showcases his resourcefulness by repairing an abandoned hut and leaving essential provisions for future travelers. As the expedition progresses, Arsenyev and Dersu venture alone to explore Lake Khanka but are caught in a blizzard. Dersu saves Arsenyev’s life by building a shelter and tending to him throughout the night. The party faces numerous hardships, including fatigue and starvation, but Dersu’s wisdom and skills help them survive. Eventually, they encounter a Chinese family who offers them food, warmth, and hospitality. When the expedition nears its end, Arsenyev invites Dersu to accompany him back to Khabarovsk. However, Dersu, feeling his place is in the forest, declines the offer, asking only for rifle cartridges. Five years later, Arsenyev embarks on another expedition, hoping to reunite with Dersu. Eventually, they meet again, and Dersu agrees to guide the party once more. During the journey, Arsenyev and Dersu face a perilous situation when they become stranded on a raft heading toward treacherous rapids. Dersu pushes Arsenyev off the raft to safety but remains trapped as the raft is swept toward the rapids. Dersu leaps from the raft and clings to a tree branch, then directs Arsenyev and the others to fell a tree that enables him to reach the riverbank. As time passes, Dersu senses they are being stalked by a Siberian tiger. He warns the tiger to leave, but eventually shoots and mortally wounds it. Believing that Kanga, the spirit of the forest, will punish him, Dersu becomes increasingly fearful and troubled. Later, his eyesight begins to fail, leaving him unable to hunt reliably and survive alone in the wilderness. Arsenyev invites him to live with his family in Khabarovsk, but Dersu struggles to adapt to city life, feeling confined and out of place. He eventually tells the family he must return to the mountains. Though saddened, Arsenyev understands and gives Dersu a new high-powered rifle to improve his chances of survival. Later, Arsenyev receives news that the body of an unidentified Nanai hunter has been found and is asked to identify it. He recognises the body as Dersu’s and becomes upset. The official speculates that Dersu may have been killed for the rifle Arsenyev had given him. At Dersu’s burial, Arsenyev plants his walking stick beside the grave as a symbol of remembrance.

Plot from Dersu Uzala (1975 film)CC BY-SA 4.0