Trivia / Say a Word for Poor Hussar

• Executive Meddling: Original script was rejected by the State Committee on Cinematography, probably because soviet censors understood it correctly. It was then accepted by Soviet TV, due to the rivalry between those two organizations. Later the script was rejected again, and only accepted after some significant changes — in particular, it was explicitly stated that the main villain should not be a member of any law enforcement agency.
• What Could Have Been The original script for this movie was published and it differs from the final product significantly. Here is the list of the most important changes:
  • Merzlyayev was originally supposed to be a gendarme officer, instead of a member of king's court. See Executive Meddling above.
  • Merzlyayev's feelings for Nastya were at least partially genuine. And he actually proposed to her near the end of the movie.
  • Artyuhov was not Merzlyayev's servant, but his agent.
  • Their plan was not something Merzlyayev just invented; it was already implemented on a number of other regiments — and worked.
  • The whole scene in Nastya's apartment didn't exist.
  • Powerful scene with hussars saluting Pletnyov didn't exist either.
    • According to the director's autobiography, he invented it on the spot.
  • The whole Breaking the Fourth Wall stuff was taken up to eleven: the filming crew was supposed to be clearly visible in the very beginning and the very end of the movie.
    • The black cat was supposed to say a few words.