The Manchurian Variant
(Manchzhurskiy variant)

Theatrical Release Poster

Country	USSR
Directed by	Guk In Tsoi Igor Vovnyanko
Release Date	1989
Language	Russian
Studio	Kazakhfilm

Main Cast
Character	Actor
Kasym-khan Chadiyarov alias Ishijima	Asanali Ashimov
Yoshiko	Tatyana Tsoi
Maj. Mitsumi	Yedgor Sagdiyev
Prince Fujimuri	Yergali Urazimbetov
Baron Yamamoto	Eduard Pak
Gen. Handa	Oleg Li
Lt. Col. Saito	Aleksandr Mun

The Manchurian Variant (Manchzhurskiy variant) is a Soviet 1989 adventure movie directed by Guk In Tsoi and Igor Vovnyanko. In August 1945 Soviet agent Kasym-khan Chadiyarov (Asanali Ashimov) works undercover in Manchuria, impersonating a Japanese businessman Ishijima. His mission is to prepare forthcoming Soviet operations against the Japanese Kwantung Army.

This movie is the third in the tetralogy about the adventures of Chadiyarov, preceding by The End of Ataman (Konets atamana) (1970) and Trans-Siberian Express (Transsibirskiy ekspress) (1977), and followed by Who are You, Mr. Ka? (Kto vi, gospodin Ka?) (2009).

The following weapons were used in the film The Manchurian Variant (Manchzhurskiy variant):

Pistols

M1911A1

Kenpeitai (military police) Lt. Col. Saito (Aleksandr Mun) carries an M1911A1 pistol (a nonstandard gun for Imperial Japanese Army). An M1911A1 is used by Chadiyarov (Asanali Ashimov) in several scenes.

World War II Colt M1911A1 - .45 ACP. This was an issued U.S. Army pistol with parkerized finish, thus the official designation of M1911A1

Saito holds an M1911.

A close view of the pistol in Chadiyarov's hands.

Chadiyarov hands the pistol back to Saito.

In the climactic scene Chadiyarov captures Japanese Gen. Handa.

Submachine Guns

PPSh-41

Soviet commando group is armed with PPSh-41 SMGs, both with drum and stick magazines.

PPSh-41 - 7.62x25mm Tokarev

PPSh-41 Submachine Gun with 35-round box magazine - 7.62x25mm Tokarev

A Soviet commando leaves the plane with a PPSh in hands.

Another commando runs with a PPSh with stick magazne.

A commando fires his PPSh.

Rifles

Arisaka Type 38

Most Japanese soldiers are armed with Arisaka Type 38 rifles.

Arisaka Type 38 rifle - 6.5x50mmSR Arisaka

Soldiers with Arisaka rifles at the car.

A wounded Soviet officer with captured Arisaka.

A soldier holds his rifle.

Mosin Nagant M1891/30

While Arisaka rifles are seen on more or less close-ups, rifles, seen in the distance, appear to be Mosin Nagant Rifles.

Mosin Nagant M1891/30 - 7.62x54mm R

A typical Mosin Nagant magazine is seen on the rifle at the right.

Machine Guns

Degtyaryov DP-27

A Degtyaryov DP-27 is mounted on a Soviet postwar BTR-152 APC, standing for Japanese armoured vehicle. Soviet commandos also use DP-27s.

Degtyaryov DP-27 - 7.62x54mm R

A BTR-152 with DP-27.

Soviet commandos with DP-27 and PPSh-41.

Other Weapons

Hand Grenade

What appears to be a generic mockup of a hand grenade is used by Chadiyarov (Asanali Ashimov).

Trivia

A BTR-152 stands for Japanese armoured vehicle.

Footage

FN Model 1910

What appear to be FN Model 1910 pistols are seen in hands of Japanese secret police agents in documentary footage (or at least the scene is credited in such way; maybe this is postwar footage of some events in China or Indo-China).