Synopsis
“Based on the autobiographical novel by
Vladimir Arsenyev,
Dersu Uzala presents the story of a Russian scientist who is sent with a party of soldiers to make a topographical survey of the wilds of Siberia at the turn of the century. He relies greatly on his hunter-guide,
Dersu Uzala, whose knowledge of nature saves his life more than once. What emerges is a sincere account of the inseparable friendship between a "civilized" Russian explorer and a "primitive" Siberian trapper. The story is told in flashback after Arsenyev returns to search for Uzala’s grave and finds the area lacerated by human progress.” – Harvard Film Archive
