Larisa Udovichenko Movies

The grim lives of Russians living with alcoholism and its aftermath is the subject of this drama. In the story, Arkady (Sergei Shakurov) has just come out of an involuntary stay at an alcohol rehabilitation clinic. As a result of his drinking, he has lost his wife and children. It is New Year's Eve, and as he exits a train at a stop near Leningrad, Jeanne (Natalya Gundareva), an inebriated celebrant, picks him up for an evening's companionship. He takes pity on her alcoholic inability to get in to work the next day and goes in to do her job for her. Meanwhile, he's really more attracted to a single mother living in the apartment next door to Jeanne's, which is why he didn't sleep with her the night before. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

Based on the last play written by Alexander Vampilov (1937-1972) titled "Last Summer in Chulimsk," the film focuses on events in the lives of its protagonists between sunrise and sunset, with the setting restricted mainly to the porch of the Siberian inn where many of the figures in the story are either staying or working. Valentina is an attractive waitress who is infatuated with an older, handsome police constable sharing his temporary room at the inn with the local female pharmacist. While she has her eyes on him, the acerbic innkeeper's wife (Inna Churikova, wife of the director Gleb Panfilov), is keeping her eye on her errant son who is bent on conquering Valentina's affections. Surrounding Valentina at the inn then, is a lascivious young man with no honorable intent, a police inspector who ignores her existence, a sharp boss in the way of the innkeeper's wife, and a meek innkeeper. Valentina's father himself would like to see his daughter married off to the local Party secretary. Each of these individuals is struggling with their own problems, but Valentina's personal choices seem the hardest since it looks like she is going to get what she does not want, and not get what she wants the most. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

One of the most popular TV miniseries in its home country, The Meeting Place Can't Be Changed is a police procedural set in post-World War II Moscow. Vladimir Sharapov (Vladimir Konkin), recently discharged from the Red Army, joins the homicide bureau of the local police. Sharapov, who tends to do everything by the book, often clashes with seasoned police detective Gleb Zheglov (Vladimir Vysotsky). The latter is so convinced that "a thief's place is in prison" that he does not stop at planting evidence himself if necessary. The two men learn to work together during a murder investigation that leads them to a gang of criminals known as "the Black Cat." ~ Yuri German, All Movie Guide