M. Yakovchenko Movies

In this musical comedy from the Ukraine, director Alexsi Mishurin may not have choreographed the exploits of two young dancers into a smooth, sophisticated storyline, but he has kept the pace fast and the action lively. The two dancers are on their way to the city of Kiev to audition for acceptance into a prestigious theatrical school. Since this is a musical after all, it features a duet by the dancers on top of their train and since this is also a comedy, the female of the duo is pressed into posing as a man and as her own sister. Other features unusual to films from the USSR also crop up, lightening the atmosphere compared to the usual World War II drama. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi