Velvet Season (Barkhatnyy sezon)

Velvet Season (Barkhatnyy sezon) is a 1978 Soviet-Swiss action movie directed by Vladimir Pavlovich. The story is set in Autumn 1938 in Southern France. After the International Brigades of the Spanish Civil War are dissolved, a trio of former Brigades soldiers, Nicholas (Juozas Budraitis), Henri (Aleksandr Lazarev, Sr.) and Liz (Valentina Ignatyeva), stay for several days in a French seaside town to help the Red Cross nurse Marie (Tatyana Sidorenko) deliver a group of Spanish refugee children to a specially organised orphanage. Meanwhile, a local leader of French Nazis, Georges Grenier (Viktor Sergachyov), is arrested for several murders and sentenced to the death penalty. The Nazis under the command of Bernard (Algimantas Masiulis) plan to release their leader by taking hostages at a marine station. Nicolas, Henri and Liz are the only ones who have a chance to foil this plan.
__TOC__
= Revolvers =
== Nagant M1895 ==
=== Short-barreled ===
During the interrogation of the captured Nicholas and in the final scene, Bernard (Algimantas Masiulis) uses a nickel plated, short-barreled Nagant M1895 revolver.
=== Standard ===
Bernard (Algimantas Masiulis) holds a standard Nagant M1895 revolver when his gang take hostages. In the final scene, Liz (Valentina Ignatyeva) uses Bernard's revolver. This is a Soviet post-1930 version, possibly standing in for a French Mle 1892 Revolver or original Belgian Nagant.
= Pistols =
== Walther P38 ==
Walther P38s are seen in hands of Bernard's henchmen in the scene at the shooting range. Some police officers also carry P38s. The P38 was issued to German service starting in 1939 and couldn't be seen in France in 1938.
== Luger P08 ==
A Luger P08 is seen in the scene at the shooting range.
== FN Model 1922 ==
Several of Bernard's henchmen are armed with FN Model 1922 pistols when they surprise Nicholas.
== FN Model 1910 ==
Some French police officers carry FN Model 1910 pistols.
= Submachine Guns =
== MP40 ==
Anachronistic MP40s are widely used by Spanish Republicans and by Bernard's henchmen. Nicholas (Juozas Budraitis), Henri (Aleksandr Lazarev, Sr.), Liz (Valentina Ignatyeva), and Henri's friends Francois (Lev Polyakov) and an unnamed one (Viktor Filippov) use captured MP40s during the shootout with Bernard and his gang.
== MP38 ==
In the opening scene, Liz holds an MP38 fitted with the rear part of an MP40 receiver. The same prop is later seen in hands of Bernard's henchman. It is also used by Marie (Tatyana Sidorenko).
= Rifles =
== Enfield P14 ==
In the opening scene, many Spanish Republicans are armed with Enfield Pattern 14 rifles. The same rifles are used by French police. P14 (and, according to some data, the M1917) were quite widely used during the Spanish Civil War.
== Winchester Model 1895 ==
Winchester Model 1895 rifles are also used by Spanish Republicans. This is historically accurate as at least 9,000 Russian contract M1895s was provided from the USSR to Spain.
== 1893 Spanish Mauser ==
Several rifles that appear to be genuine 1893 Spanish Mausers are seen in the opening scene.
== Mannlicher M1895 ==
A French policeman holds a rifle that appears to be a Mannlicher M1895.
= Machine Guns =
== PKM (visually modified to resemble MG34) ==
In the opening scene, Henri (Aleksandr Lazarev, Sr.) carries a PKM machine gun, visually modified to resemble an MG34. A similar prop is also mounted on a plane used by the Spanish Nationalists or Legion Condor (the plane itself isn't seen, only the barrel and belt of the machine gun).
== Maxim M1910 ==
A Russian Maxim M1910 is seen among the weapons of Spanish Republicans. Again, it is a fitting weapon as no less then 2,500 Russian Maxims were delivered from the USSR and Poland.
= Trivia =
== Toy Pistol ==
A Spanish boy carries a toy pistol. The toy plays a notable role in one scene.
Category:Movie
Category:Action Movie
Category:Drama
Category:War
Category:Soviet Produced
Category:Swiss Produced/Filmed