Taras Bulba

In the 17th century, eastern Europe is divided among Ukraine, Poland, Russia, and Ottoman interests. A brutal battle pits the Turks against the Poles, and the Cossacks arrive to tilt the balance in Poland's favor. Yet the Poles reveal their true intent by planning treachery once they secure victory.

With victory secured, Poland tightens its grip on Taras Bulba's homeland. The Cossacks are forced to submit, their farms burned and communities scattered. In response, many Cossacks abandon the land and take to the hills to preserve their freedom.

Two decades later, Taras Bulba sends his two sons, Andriy and Ostap, to Kiev to receive a Polish-influenced education. The academy represents opportunity and danger, weaving Polish authority into young Cossacks' minds. Taras hopes their education will harden the Cossack resolve.

At the academy, Andriy falls in love with Natalia Dubrov, a Polish princess. This romance intensifies hostility toward the Cossacks and deepens the cultural rift in Kiev. The two brothers experience the strains of loyalty, love, and identity.

Unable to tolerate the hostile environment, Andriy and Ostap flee Kiev and return to Taras on the Ukrainian steppes. The move marks a retreat from city life and a reassertion of Cossack independence. They reunite with their father, recognizing that Polish rule remains a threat.

The Poles seek Cossack help to wage a new war, but Andriy refuses to fight for them. The denial becomes a source of accusation and the subject of a dangerous test of courage. Taras approves of Andriy's stance, and the riders leap a chasm, during which the accuser falls to his death, validating Andriy's stance and setting Taras on a path toward rebellion.

Hetman Ivan Mykola refuses to follow Taras, and Taras earns the loyalty of the Brotherhood by seizing the Holy Banner of St. Michael. The deposed Hetman is ridden down as Taras takes control. The council of elders falters, and Taras becomes undisputed leader.

Taras leads the Cossacks to Dubno, where the Poles expect to confront them. Instead, the Cossacks attack the Polish army and drive it back into the city, beginning a siege. Hunger and disease soon plague both sides as the fight drags on.

With Natalia's life in danger inside the besieged city, Andriy slips in to try and rescue her. He is captured, and Natalia is condemned to burn for loving a Cossack. To save her, Andriy agrees to lead a cattle-raiding party into the starving city.

Frustrated by the siege, many Cossacks return home, weakening the assault. The Polish commander takes advantage and launches a full assault. In the ensuing battlefield, Taras encounters his own son Andriy and kills him for his betrayal, a moment that shatters Taras but solidifies his resolve to press on.

Taras leads the survivors in a retreat to the edge of a cliff by a river gorge. Rejoining the battle, many fighters and horses fall into the river below as the cliffside becomes the scene of a brutal, fatal melee. The fighting continues toward an uncertain future.

The Cossacks win the siege and enter Dubno, with Andriy to be buried there as a true Cossack. Taras declares a creed of mercy: they will not ravage or pillage, will burn out the plague, and will open the supply wagons to feed the people of the city. The town becomes a symbol of Cossack restraint after war.