The second Best Foreign Language Film winner from the Soviet Union was something impressive. "Moskva slezam ne verit" (called "Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears" in English) starts out portraying three college friends in 1958, and picks up twenty years later.
In 1958, Katya (Vera Alentova) is motivated, hard-working and bright, while Liudmila (Irina Muravyova) is manipulative, shallow and scheming, and Antonina (Raisa Ryazanova) is shy and simple. They're all from the countryside, but all looking to get jobs in the city. Over the next few days, Antonina ends up with one Nikolai, and these two are the most traditional; Liudmila ends up with hockey player Sergei. Katya, meanwhile, gets filmed for a TV project on the factory by cinematographer Rudolph, who ends up getting her pregnant. They try to talk things over at a park bench, but he just leaves.
Twenty years later, the movie focuses on Katya's redemption, one might say. She is now the director at the factory (and even gets to drive to work, practically unheard of in the USSR), and her daughter Alexandra is doing quite well. Granted, Katya's successful in her public life, but what about privately? It looks as though her personal life will remain empty until she meets one Gosha (Alexei Batalov), an honest, outspoken, perceptive fellow. She does meet Rudolph again - and this time he's going by his real name Rodion (he called himself Rudolph because western names were popular in the '50's) - but she leaves him at the bench.
This movie makes an interesting use of duality. There are two meetings in the park; Rudolph/Rodion leaves Katya the first time, but she leaves him the second time. Rudolph/Rodion makes two speeches about how TV is the wave of the future and will eliminate theater, movies, and books. There are two trips to the countryside. Katya twice falls asleep crying. Katya is twice filmed for a TV interview by Rudolph/Rodion; she's working at the factory the first time, and she's the director the second time. And finally, there are two scenes where people dance to "Besame mucho". And watch how they use the alarm clock in the middle of the film.
Among other things, how Gosha and Rudolph/Rodion bond at the end is classic for Soviet cinema. And, we get to see remnants of the '50's and '70's that even we in the west can understand: as teenagers, the girls swoon over movie stars (and their socks looked kind of like bobby sox), and people wear colorful clothes in the '70's. A classic in every sense of the word.
In 1958, Katya (Vera Alentova) is motivated, hard-working and bright, while Liudmila (Irina Muravyova) is manipulative, shallow and scheming, and Antonina (Raisa Ryazanova) is shy and simple. They're all from the countryside, but all looking to get jobs in the city. Over the next few days, Antonina ends up with one Nikolai, and these two are the most traditional; Liudmila ends up with hockey player Sergei. Katya, meanwhile, gets filmed for a TV project on the factory by cinematographer Rudolph, who ends up getting her pregnant. They try to talk things over at a park bench, but he just leaves.
Twenty years later, the movie focuses on Katya's redemption, one might say. She is now the director at the factory (and even gets to drive to work, practically unheard of in the USSR), and her daughter Alexandra is doing quite well. Granted, Katya's successful in her public life, but what about privately? It looks as though her personal life will remain empty until she meets one Gosha (Alexei Batalov), an honest, outspoken, perceptive fellow. She does meet Rudolph again - and this time he's going by his real name Rodion (he called himself Rudolph because western names were popular in the '50's) - but she leaves him at the bench.
This movie makes an interesting use of duality. There are two meetings in the park; Rudolph/Rodion leaves Katya the first time, but she leaves him the second time. Rudolph/Rodion makes two speeches about how TV is the wave of the future and will eliminate theater, movies, and books. There are two trips to the countryside. Katya twice falls asleep crying. Katya is twice filmed for a TV interview by Rudolph/Rodion; she's working at the factory the first time, and she's the director the second time. And finally, there are two scenes where people dance to "Besame mucho". And watch how they use the alarm clock in the middle of the film.
Among other things, how Gosha and Rudolph/Rodion bond at the end is classic for Soviet cinema. And, we get to see remnants of the '50's and '70's that even we in the west can understand: as teenagers, the girls swoon over movie stars (and their socks looked kind of like bobby sox), and people wear colorful clothes in the '70's. A classic in every sense of the word.