At the Beginning of Glorious Days
At the Beginning of Glorious Days () is the second part of a two-part film that started with The Youth of Peter the Great. Both parts were released in the Soviet Union in 1980 and are based on a novel, "Peter I", written by Aleksey Tolstoy. The film was directed by Russian director Sergey Gerasimov. The movie is considered to be a classic of Russian historical cinema. Synopsis. In late 17th-century Russia, Czar Peter the Great orders an attack on Turkey, which refuses to pay taxes to the Russian government. The Russian military  is equipped with outdated technology, and they suffer their first defeat. After the defeat the czar orders the building of a fleet, and sends many educated men to study in Germany, France, and Holland. Russian victory over Turkey will not only force the Turks to pay taxes, but also make the Sea of Azov accessible to the Russians.