"Striped Flight" by Alexei Kapler, summary

The screenplay for this eccentric comedy was written in 1961. The plot revolves around events aboard a Soviet cargo ship transporting a shipment of predators. The text served as the basis for the film of the same name.

The film adaptation of the work was a resounding success, attracting nearly forty-six million viewers. The film topped the box office and, in 1973, won the prestigious Silver Prize at the Calcutta International Children’s Film Festival.

Part One: Circus and Memories

The action begins in the foyer of a crowded circus. Seven sailors linger at the buffet counter and shake hands with a plump bartender named Shuleikin. A young ice cream vendor asks how these men know him. The man replies that he’s known them for five years and begins to recount the events of days gone by.

In the remote tropical port of Colombo, the cargo ship "Eugene Onegin" was being unloaded under the scorching sun. Shuleikin worked there at the local trade office and suffered from the hot climate. A trade agent persuaded the ship’s captain, Vasily Vasilyevich, to take a special deck cargo on board. The ship picked up twelve cages containing ten tigers and two lions. The agent registered the terrified Shuleikin as the tamer. The agent confidently declared, "The paperwork is in order!"

A sales representative announces the loading of a five-hundred-kilogram supply of horse meat. A bamboo sack is brought on board. The foreigner hands over this cargo as a bonus for a wholesale buyer. Left unattended, the sack comes to life and disappears from view, startling the barmaid, Marianna.

Conflicts and court discipline

Marianna is the captain’s niece. The girl is insolent to Oleg Petrovich, the first mate. The first mate is stern, a disciplinarian, and disdains women. Oleg Petrovich harshly criticizes Marianna for her appearance. The captain becomes upset by his niece’s behavior. The girl complains to her uncle about his nagging, but then passionately confesses that she is in love with the first mate. The captain reminds her that true love requires heroic deeds.

Unexplained incidents begin to occur on the ship. An unknown assailant spills ink on the logbook. At dinner, the sailors pull nuts and bolts from their bowls of borscht. The first mate fishes his missing personal chronometer out of a pot of hot soup. Oleg Petrovich finds his cabin ransacked, and a crushed globe lies on the floor. He blames Marianna for everything.

Macaque hunting and false trails

The mystery is soon revealed. The culprit of the disaster turns out to be a nimble chimpanzee from a striped gift bag. The monkey seizes a fire extinguisher and generously sprays foam at the captain and first mate. The commander organizes a hunt for the macaque. Having devised a plan, Vasily Vasilyevich heads to the center of the deck and stumbles upon the animal. The chimpanzee deftly activates the cargo winch, after which the rope grabs the captain by the ankle and throws him straight into the open hatch. Boatswain Yelisey Stepanovich throws a tarp over his superior, thinking he’s caught the troublemaker.

At this point, the monkey reaches the steam siren, filling the deck with its shrill whistle. Later, the first mate secretly lures the chimpanzee to his quarters and hides it in a wardrobe.

Wanting to annoy Oleg Petrovich, Marianna sews pads in the shape of claws. At night, she crawls on all fours across the deck, leaving fake footprints. The first mate ambushes the girl with a fire axe. A violent roll throws Marianna right into the sailor’s arms. A black, dirty mark appears on the first mate’s white jacket. Oleg Petrovich lets the offender go, demonstrating his leniency. The captain learns of the prank and has his niece arrested.

Briefing and rolling cages

The supposed tiger tamer, Shuleikin, gives the crew a ridiculous briefing. He shows the sailors a cross-sectional drawing of a tiger. The drawing highlights the rump, butt, and liver. The man boasts that the animals have become like gentle lambs under his control. Suddenly, a huge tiger, with a thunderous roar, lunges at the bars of the cage, forcing the boaster to cover himself with his briefcase.

Sailor Motya volunteers to fetch pepper from the pantry, as Marianna is terrified of a mouse. The young man returns laden with rat traps set by Sidorenko.

A freedom-loving macaque memorizes the first mate’s triple knock. Once outside, the monkey easily slides back the massive bolts on the tiger cages. The enormous cats slowly disperse throughout the ship. One predator attempts to enter the cramped radio room, while two sailors struggle to hold the door shut. The radio operator frantically broadcasts a danger message. A second group of predators occupies the galley. The tigers walk on scattered eggs and are covered in white flour. The cook sits on the roof, clutching a ladle, sighing.

During a severe seaslide, the boatswain’s cage begins to roll uncontrollably across the deck. It collides with the cage of the trembling Shuleikin. The carts alternately hang over the ocean and then roll back. Preparing for death, Shuleikin sincerely repents to the boatswain and shouts, "My profession is a catering department!" He admits that he simply wanted to get to Odessa as soon as possible. Soon, the sailors throw the boatswain a strong rope, and his comrades secure both cages.

Foreign Tamer and the Finale

A helicopter appears in the sky. A real animal trainer descends onto the deck. He’s wearing patent leather boots and a tiger-skin cape. The specialist loudly inquires about the beast’s location and cracks his whip. Predators obediently flock to the helicopter from all sides.

Suddenly, the action shifts to the moment the crew parted from the first mate. Oleg Petrovich leaves the ship forever. He looks for Marianna, but instead sees Shuleikin in a white coat, expertly slicing sausage.

Meanwhile, three wet tigers emerge onto a crowded Odessa beach. The animals scare away all the beachgoers. One predator licks a discarded ice cream, while another sniffs a fat man sleeping under a newspaper. Marianna pulls the tigers back by their ropes. She complains that because of them, she’ll be late for Oleg Petrovich’s send-off.

The first mate descends the gangway. A macaque dressed in a striped vest follows him, carrying a suitcase. Out of breath, Marianna boards with the tigers, but sailor Knysh informs her she’s too late. The girl sobs bitterly on the railing, certain her hopes have been completely dashed.

Five years later, the bartender Shuleikin finishes his story. A solemn march echoes from the arena. The fat man runs into the auditorium, dragging the intrigued ice cream vendor with him. The arena is equipped with massive bars for the predators’ performances. The entire ship’s crew is seated in the front row. The girl notices Oleg Petrovich and Marianna happily sitting next to the sailors.