The Turkish Gambit (Turetskiy gambit)

The Turkish Gambit (Russian: Турецкий гамбит; Turetskiy gambit) is a 2005 Russian/Bulgarian war thriller/detective film, based on the novel of the same name by Boris Akunin. Famous Russian detective Erast Petrovich Fandorin tries to expose an enemy spy during the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878. The Turkish Gambit (Turetskiy gambit) is the second film about the adventures of Erast Fandorin. It was preceded by Azazel (2002) and followed by The State Counsellor (2005). In all three movies, Fandorin is played by different actors.
Movie exists in two versions: the original four-episode mini-series (203 minutes time long) and an abridged cinematic (125 minutes); the latter came out plot unrelated, because the some scenes were removed during the rewiring. This page is based on the full original version.
P.S. 1: Nearly all firearms in this film are heavily anachronistic.
P.S. 2: This article contains major spoilers, so, if you still haven't watched this movie, DON'T READ IT!!!
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=Revolvers=
==Webley .455 Mk VI==
Anwar-Efendi/Captain Perepyolkin (Aleksandr Lykov) uses a Webley .455 Mk VI during the scene on the bridge. Erast Petrovich Fandorin (Egor Beroev) briefly holds a similar revolver in one moment. This revolver is an anachronism when the story takes place; the Mk VI is possibly standing in for the early Webley models, such as the Webley-Pryse.
==ZKR 551==
ZKR 551 revolvers appear in several scenes, evidently standing in for the similar and period-appropriate Colt Single Action Army. Erast Petrovich Fandorin (Egor Beroev) fires a ZKR 551 revolver during the firefight in the mountains. Zurov (Dmitriy Pevtsov) briefly holds one during training, and later, during preparation for a duel, when he hands it to his seconds- D'Hevrais (Didier Bienaimé) and McLaughlin (Daniel Olbrychski). Anwar-Efendi/Captain Perepyolkin (Aleksandr Lykov) also uses the ZKR 551 throughout the movie.
==Gasser M1880 Montenegrin==
D'Hevrais (Didier Bienaimé) owns a slightly anachronistic Gasser M1880 Montenegrin revolver. Varvara Suvorova (Olga Krasko) tries to shoot it once.
thumb|none|400px|Gasser Montenegrin M1880 - 11.75 x 36mm Gasser
==Smith & Wesson No.3 Russian Model==
Lukan (Viktor Verzhbitskiy) uses a Smith & Wesson No.3 Russian Model revolver several times. Anwar-Efendi/Captain Perepyolkin (Aleksandr Lykov) also uses a No.3 to injure himself.
==Rast-Gasser M1898==
General Sobolev (Aleksandr Baluev) and other Russian officers fire Rast-Gasser M1898 revolvers (standing for early Gasser models, such as the M1870 or M1876) during training. Anwar-Efendi/Captain Perepyolkin (Aleksandr Lykov) uses a Rast-Gasser M1898 revolver to kill Zurov (Dmitriy Pevtsov) and Kazanzaki (Aleksey Guskov). Later, he places the Gasser in the hand of the dying Kazanzaki.
==Mle 1892==
Several characters, include D'Hevrais (Didier Bienaimé), Lukan (Viktor Verzhbitskiy), and Mitya Gridnev (Marat Basharov) use the Mle 1892 Revolvers during training. General Ganetsky (Anatoly Kuznetsov) fires a Mle 1892 Revolver during the night scene. This is certainly an anachronism; the Mle 1892 may be standing in for the Mle 1873 (which the later Mle 1887 was based on, which in turn is the direct predecessor of the Mle 1892).
=Pistols=
==Flobert gun==
Varvara Suvorova (Olga Krasko) owns a Flobert gun (known in Russia as a Monte Cristo), but all shots of it are blurred due to movement.
==Flintlock Pistol==
Several Bashi Bazouks briefly carry Flintlock Pistols. Several Flintlock Pistols can be seen in the Turkish bank at the film's climax.
==Russian M1854 Naval percussion cap pistol==
Two Russian M1854 Naval percussion cap pistols can be seen in the Turkish bank at the film's climax.
==Hebel Flare Pistol Model 1894==
Ismail-Bei (Gosha Kutsenko) tries to use an anachronistic Hebel Flare Pistol Model 1894 in the night scene, but Erast Fandorin disarms him. All shots of it are blurred. While the signal pistol of the "modern type" was developed in 1877 by E. W. Very, it did not see use until at least 1882. Earlier signal pistols were small, muzzle loading launchers without a barrel and used a cap lock.
=Shotguns=
==IZh-18==
One of the Bashi Bazouks is seen with what appears the IZh-18.
=Rifles=
==Krnka M1869==
In the beginning scene, Serbian soldiers and volunteers (including Fandorin) carry the Krnka M1869 Rifles.
==Peabody-Martini==
Turkish soldiers use Peabody-Martini rifles with bayonets many times, but they are mostly dont seen clearly - only in the distance or blurred. Ismail-Bei also uses it in one scene.
==Winchester Model 1894==
Erast Petrovich Fandorin (Egor Beroev) picks up from one of the killed comrades in arms and fires a Winchester Model 1894 rifle at the film's beginning scene, set in 1876. This is another anachronistic weapon, but it can stand in for the Model 1873. In one of the subsequent scenes, Fandorin's M1866 switches to M1894, and then back.
==Winchester Model 1866 "Yellow Boy"==
Erast Petrovich Fandorin (Egor Beroev) captures a Winchester Model 1866 "Yellow Boy" rifle from the horse of one of the Bashi Bazouks. The Turks really used this rifle during the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878.
==Unknown Rifle==
At least one of the Cossacks is seen with a short rifle. It could be the Berdan No.2 Dragoon, though it's hard to say for sure.
==Berdan Rifle==
The Berdan Rifle is the main weapon of the Russian Army in the film. Erast Petrovich Fandorin (Egor Beroev) briefly holds a few of it.
==Serbian Mauser M1899 (Mocked up as Remington-Keene)==
Anwar-Efendi/Captain Perepyolkin (Aleksandr Lykov) uses a Serbian Mauser M1899, mocked up as a Remington-Keene Repeating Rifle in carbine configuration during the firefight in the mountains. The front part of the wooden foregrip is removed and a fake tubular magazine is mounted. The rifle is also equipped with a historically correct long brass telescopic scope. The exact model is ID'd by the shape of the bolt shroud, which is the Mauser Model 1893 style, and the unique safety lug on the receiver tang behind the bolt handle of the Model 1895 can be clearly distinguished. The presence of a thumb cut in the receiver wall most likely makes this a Serbian Model 1899. This gun also seems to be a carbine, converted from a full-size rifle in the 1920s (note the straight bolt handle).
In any case, this is an unusual choice. The Remington-Keene existed in 1878, but production did not begin until 1880, and even then it was a rare weapon (which is most likely why the film has to use a fake version). A more accurate choice for an early high-capacity bolt-action rifle would be a Vetterli. This is probably to show that Anwar-Efendi is a truly elite agent with access to exclusive weapons.
==Jezail musket==
Several Bashi Bazouks briefly carries Jezail muskets.
=Other=
==Dynamite==
The Turkish soldiers use sticks of dynamite (or the more historically probable black powder charges; it's hard to say for sure, and the film used in any way just pyrotechnics, of course) in the opening scene when Fandorin forces them to retreat with his Winchester.
Category:Movie
Category:Drama
Category:War
Category:Action
Category:Adventure Movie
Category:Mystery
Category:Thriller
Category:Detective
Category:Russian Produced/Filmed
Category:Bulgarian Produced/Filmed
Category:Boris Akunin