The Master and Margarita (1988 TV series)

The film is an adaptation of the novel The Master and Margarita written by the Russian author Mikhail Bulgakov. Three storylines are interwoven.

• The first one is a satire of the ‘30s in the 20th century, the period during which Joseph Stalin is in power in the Soviet Union. The demon Woland comes to Moscow to have his annual Spring Ball of the Full Moon. Together with his demonic suite, he challenges the corrupt lucky ones, bureaucrats and profiteers of that period in an hilarious way..
• The second one is set in the biblical Yershalaim, and describes the inner struggle of Pontius Pilate before, during and after the conviction and execution of Yeshua Ha Nozri.
• The third one tells the love story between a nameless writer in Moscow in the ’30s and his lover Margarita. The Master has written a novel on Pontius Pilate, a subject which was taboo in the officially atheistic Soviet Union.

This series follows faithfully the storyline of Bulgakov's original novel, except for the nighttime scenes. While many scenes in Bulgakov's novel are playing in the dark, it's always daytime in this adaptation. Due to the limited budget, Wojtyszko said he had focused on good acting rather than on special effects. At least one character was 'added' by the staff of Mr. Wojtyszko to the number appearing in the original novel by Bulgakov - i. e. a 'Ms. Karaulina' (featured by Ms. K. Sienkiewicz [1935-2017]) - a 'mother' (as she describes herself at the Griboyedov) and a writer, who 'wrote five kolkhoz novels in sixteen years with no leave', whose 'windows face a WC' and who is 'chased around the flat by a lunatic with axt'. As well, Anna Richardovna (featured by Ms. M. Zawadzka, b. 1944) is falsely described at the end of Part 2 as 'the secretary to Proleshnev' actually being one to Prokhor Petrovich.