Nina Ruslanova Movies

In the former Soviet Union, all apartment blocks were owned by the State. Because they were poorly built and poorly maintained, service and repair people held tremendous power, and used it. One plumber might serve a whole street of apartment buildings, and could demand whatever he wanted in order to perform even the most routine repairs, ie...extra money or a bottle of vodka (or more). In this comedy, the reality of this situation is clearly depicted. Afonya (Leonid Kuraviev) is a typical drunken, bullying plumber, extorting extra money and drink from his victims. He pals around with his buddy Kolya (Yevgeny Leonov), spending most of his "working" day in bars, drinking beer and eating crawfish and salted fish. Despite constant reprimands from the workers' committee, nothing puts a dent in his behavior until he falls in love with lovely young nurse Katya (Yevgenia Simonova), who insists that he treat people better. His buddy Kolya wants him to continue doing things the old way. West Europeans viewing this film found it surrealistic, because they could not believe the situations in it were real. Soviets, on the other hand, found it side-splittingly right on target, and it was very popular. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

Directed by Kira Muratova, Chekhovskie Motivy (Chekhov's Motifs) is a scathing satire of various Russian cultural and literary traditions, some of which are best illustrated by the legendary Anton Chekhov. Interconnected segments take place within the farmhouse of a farcically stereotypical peasant family. Happenings include a traditional Russian Orthodox wedding and a wildly intelligent teenaged peasant's desperate plea for money from his father. This absurdist film is not limited to the works of Chekhov, though he is perhaps the most easily recognizable figure being parodied. With a controversial career spanning over 30 years, Muratova has gained a reputation as one of the most frequently banned screenwriters in the former Soviet Union. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide

Based on a true story about the 1942 bombing of a Red Cross ship carrying wounded men, this gripping interpretation by Arkady Sirenko focuses on the three days when the only survivor of the wreckage fought for his existence trekking through snow and ice to reach a town and safety. When Andrei Bouliguin (Viatchelav Baranov) sets off across the wasteland ahead of him carrying a sack of mail the men on the ship gave him as a last gesture, he is plagued each morning by a Nazi fighter plane that is out to strafe him and his mail bag -- but circumstances contrive to save the soldier each time. The harsh cold, even during this spring season, and the arduous journey, as well as the tension of facing the Nazi plane each day, would have defeated the soldier if he were not inspired by the many letters he must deliver, and the thought of his mother and home. His stubborn persistence in the face of nearly impossible odds epitomizes the persistence of the Soviet people in fighting the Nazi's, and as the soldier comes closer to reaching his goal, parallels with World War II continue. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

Alexei German directed this French-Russian co-production with atmospheric black-and-white cinematography on snow-covered streets depicting Moscow life of the early '50s. After work, boiler repairman (Alexander Bashirov) walks through the night and into an encounter with Stalin's police. Glinsky (Y. Tsurilo), aka The General, heads a household of his wife (N. Ruslanova), son, twins, grandmother, and servants. Amid anarchic actions at a madcap hospital, the staff turns toady as the General goes about his usual routines. When a KGB plot leads to the General's arrest, he flees only to be caught at the train station. Forced from their apartment, his wife and son move into a seedy rooming house where everyone has their own individual toilet seats. En route to a gulag, the General is gang-raped. Since he's a doctor, he winds up being taken to the country house of the dying Stalin. After a return to his family and the ruins of his home in Moscow, he eventually links up with the boiler repairman. Shown in competition at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide

Kira Muratova directs and co-stars in this dramatic film that was shelved for 20 years before it was released. Nadya (Nina Ruslanova) is a young woman who travels to meet the noted geologist Maxim (Vladimir Vysotsky). She takes a job as a housemaid before discovering Maxim is romantically involved with town official Valentina Ivanovna (Kira Muratova). The heartbroken Nadya departs before Maxim can return, leaving him and Valentina to pursue their romance. Leading actor Vysotsky became an immensely popular folk singer in the former Soviet Union and was eventually silenced and banished by government officials. When he died in 1980 at the age of 42, over one million people attended his funeral. The posthumous release of his poetry in addition to his musical legacy and acting have endeared him to the masses. Fans still make pilgrimages to his grave to pay respects to the man who was for his country what Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen were to America. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide