Magnet5176

I've read the other comments and strongly believe that people who are into action & special effects Hollywood by-product should not be allowed to watch - let alone comment - on such classic gems as Jane Eyre. How can one claim that this adaptation lacks passion?! One scene with Mr. Dalton, with all his fire, anguish, brooding good looks and strength sends my knees knocking!

Passion does not equal graphic nudity; this movie's passion is in the context, the story & the magnetism of its main characters. Also, how can a film that tells a story taking place in early 1800s seem dated?!

I fell in love with this production the first time I saw it. Mostly because of the amazing performance by Mr. Dalton as Edward Rochester. Ms. Clark provides some nice contrast to his fiercely compelling character. The love story is timeless. The passion is unmeasurable. I could go on and on. Please watch it and judge for yourself.

First of all, I've read the other comments, and one struck me as being kind of funny. I believe the comment was left by a non-Russian speaker, since he was complaining about the subtitles. Specifically, he didn't like that the last names of the characters (Beliy, Pchelkin) were translated as "white" & "bee" - but this is exactly what they were called in the film! The difficulty comes from the English speaking audience's failure to understand that there are nicknames in the movie formed from the characters' last names - from Belov (last name) to Beliy ("White" = nickname), from Pchelkin (last name) to Pchela ("Bee" = nickname). The last names & nicknames were used interchangeably throughout the movie.

Now, the film has been so popular that I decided to watch it last weekend even though I never enjoy the new Russian cinema. In places, my dislike was confirmed once again - in terms of editing & other little details, Russian film makers have yet to learn quite a bit from their Western counterparts. However, the story & acting redeem this movie. The plot is ambitious, the acting is daring and believable, and the music, the music! Don't want to offend anyone, but the music was the best thing about this movie! Subtle at times, overpowering where needed, just perfect!

All and all, great attempt at a crime saga, I'd recommend it.

Ah, this movie brings back memories! I used to watch it quite often growing up in Russia, and it's still my mother's all-time favorite. It's a story of two friends and a woman that is loved by both of them. Their friendship is so great that it is not broken up by that love, and when the woman chooses one of them, the other accepts it and remains "a friend of the family."

Now, it is also a story that is told against the background of Soviet history. The friends are army officers, and the turbulent times throw them from the Civil War in the early 20s to the Soviet conflict in Finland, from China to the Urals. It's funny that dependent on the political climate of the time, the Soviet TV used to cut one or another part of the movie - for example, when they were unfriendly with the Chinese, the Chinese plot was simply cut out of the film, but then reappeared later.

Against the background of this historical time line, the main character and his wife have a son, who grows up and falls in love just before the WWII starts. He also goes to the army just like his dad and gets killed, and so does his wife. Both of them die quite heroically, and the main character and his wife end up raising the grandson. The friend of the family keeps reappearing throughout the movie, coming to the rescue in the most difficult situations.

All and all, it's a very sweet movie with quite an interesting historical context. It made me cry many times, especially in the end, when the little grandson announces he wants to be an army officer, too. It's a very touching story.

I cannot believe I'm the first one commenting on this film! Twenty years ago, you'd be hard pressed to find one Russian who wasn't head over heals in love with this movie. It's a story told in several parts that takes place over several decades. It begins around the time Latvia was overtaken by the Soviets, with this beautiful love story set against the backdrop of the changing times. Although my recollection is somewhat hazy (it's been 20 years!), I believe the main heroine is a daughter of this rich farmer. She falls in love with a guy who is pro-Soviet, some kind of an activist, who is determined to eradicate people like her father. Needless to say, lots of drama results from this predicament. Then there is a rich suitor who wants to marry her, and her father likes him, but can't get her to change her mind.

Then, the WWII starts with all its chaos. The activist goes into the underground resistance against the Nazis, while the rich suitor becomes one of those Latvian legionnaires (that are now celebrated all over Latvia, even though they were essentially helping the Nazis). Through a series of misunderstandings, she comes to think that the activist was killed. By now, she has a son by him and has to make a difficult choice as to how to survive. For the sake of her son, she accepts the rich suitor's advances. By the time the war is over, the activist learns she married another and decides not to come back.

After the war, she is condemned for living with a Nazi rich suitor and sent to Siberia. I think, twenty years pass or so. All the while, the activist learns her fate and starts looking for her. At some point, she learns that he's alive, but it takes them some time to find each other. The last scene (I am choking up just thinking about it) is them meeting after all these years, with this most beautiful score playing in the background (Raimond Pauls, who composed the score, was the most famous composer of popular music in the former Soviet Union). It ends with them just standing there, looking at each other, realizing that their whole life passed in search for each other, but their love survived.

I know it sounds somewhat made up, but the actors, the music, the scenery - everything came together in this movie. If you get a chance, spend a weekend with it (I think, it's broken up in 6-8 parts). You won't be sorry.

This movie deserves to be recognized. It is an original comedy spoofing the early years of the Soviet empire, with all their grotesque and pretentiousness. It is a story of an American killer-for-hire, who is sent by the Mafia to kill an informer. Out of all places, the informer is hiding in the newly Soviet Russia. The killer is mistaken for the well-known scientist traveling around the world, so the Soviet bureaucracy kicks in the high gear, determined to show off the new wonderful Russia for the famous foreign 'scientist'. With all the attention and constant companionship of one over-zealous Soviet tour guide (a hilarious turn by an unknown Russian actress), the killer gets in all these ridiculous situations just to follow up on his contract. In turn, the informer knows that the mob guys are after him and decides to strike first. In short, it is a never ending situational romp with funny one liners that I remember to this day (even though I saw it when I was a child growing up in Russia).

Now, I don't think this movie is available with subtitles, so you've got to know your Russian before you see it. You won't be sorry - the actors are superb (especially the Polish actor, who also appeared in 'Novie Amazonki'), the script is smart and funny as hell, and the early years of Soviet Empire have never looked so ridiculous as in this film.