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Drama

Thunderstorm (1934): Cast & Plot

Thunderstorm (1934) movie poster

Thunderstorm is a 1934 drama directed by Vladimir Petrov, starring Alla Tarasova as Katerina Petrovna Kabanova, Ivan Chuvelyov and Mikhail Tsaryov. It runs 1 hour 25 minutes.

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Thunderstorm (1934) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 25m (85 min)
Director
Vladimir Petrov
Genre
Drama
Original language
Russian
Studio
Lenfilm
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Thunderstorm About?

The premise of Thunderstorm without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

Adapted from Aleksandr Ostrovsky’s play “The Storm”, the film follows Katerina in a Volga town. She marries the violent drunk Tikhon and enters the world of merchants known as the “dark kingdom”. Dominated by her mother‑in‑law Kabanikha, she is tormented until, in Tikhon’s absence, she meets Boris, a man who offers the freedom she longs for.

Thunderstorm Themes & Keywords

· 1 tag
  • based on play
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Cast & crew

Thunderstorm Cast & Characters

Alla Tarasova leads the cast as Katerina Petrovna Kabanova, with Ivan Chuvelyov as Tikhon Kabanov, her husband and Mikhail Tsaryov as Boris Grigoriyevich, her lover. Directed by Vladimir Petrov; 8 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in Thunderstorm

· 4 more
From the director

More from Vladimir Petrov

More films directed by Vladimir Petrov: The Inspector-General, The Battle of Stalingrad, 1812 and Peter the First, Part II.

Full filmography
Plot

Thunderstorm Plot Summary

What happens in Thunderstorm from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 6-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Thunderstorm examines how rigid traditionalism and hollow morality corrode a wealthy, modern family and lay bare the wounds of secrecy, desire, and power. Set against the backdrop of a prestige-filled household, the drama centers on Zhou Puyuan, a powerful businessman whose authority and sense of propriety mask a pattern of domination, hypocrisy, and hidden appetites. The full-text version begins with a prologue that shifts the scene to a former Zhou mansion turned hospital run by Catholic nuns. There, an old man visits two distressed women—one silent and morose, the other violently unsettled—while nurses reveal through their conversation that a tragedy struck the house a decade earlier, leaving the place rumored to be haunted.

Full summary

The whole story of Thunderstorm, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Thunderstorm?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
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  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

Who is the powerful businessman patriarch of the Zhou family?

Details

Thunderstorm Also Known As

Also known as “The Storm”.

Also known as
  • The Storm

Seen Thunderstorm?

FAQ

Thunderstorm FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date

Runtime, release date, director, cast, post-credit scenes and language of Thunderstorm, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Thunderstorm?

Thunderstorm runs 1 hour 25 minutes (85 minutes).

When was Thunderstorm released?

Thunderstorm was released on March 25, 1934.

Who directed Thunderstorm?

Thunderstorm was directed by Vladimir Petrov.

More films by Vladimir Petrov

Who is in the cast of Thunderstorm?

Thunderstorm stars Alla Tarasova as Katerina Petrovna Kabanova, Ivan Chuvelyov as Tikhon Kabanov, her husband and Mikhail Tsaryov as Boris Grigoriyevich, her lover, among 8 credited actors.

Does Thunderstorm have a post-credit scene?

No. Thunderstorm has no extra scene during or after the credits.

What language is Thunderstorm in?

The original language of Thunderstorm is Russian.

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