Too much of everything

Blistering performances.

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

This is a life story of three girlfriends from youth to autumn ages. Their dreams and wishes, love, disillusions. Different careers. And big late love.Allegedly, US President Ronald Reagan watched the film several times prior to his meetings with the President of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev, in order to gain a better understanding of the "Russian soul". What is so odd about this is the idea that the Russian soul is all that different from the American soul, or any other country's soul. The women featured here could just as easily been American in most (if not all) of their adventures.That being said, I was a bit surprised about how "free" everything seemed. Russia gets a bad rap as a strict, awful place, but we actually get a very feminist vision in this story... and touch on some questionable subjects like abortion. Perhaps Soviet Russia was not what we think? (at least not by 1980.)

The film "Moscow doesn't believe in tears" has many characteristics of the typical Bolshevist movie. First of all, the plot develops at quite a slow pace. The director is not in a hurry, for there are no budget restrictions, apart from the materials. And the audience values a quiet and calm life style. And secondly, the story contains little passion or energy - although all people struggle to survive. Russian Bolshevists know that they are nothing more than a face amidst the masses. Their ideal is spending a weekend in their datsja (second house). In this respect the film strongly differs from "Die Legende von Paul und Paula", made in East-Germany at about the same time (recommended). In addition "Moscow doesn't believe in tears" describes daily events in the lives of common people. Nonetheless, the film is certainly not boring. In fact it is amazing (just read on). Let me briefly sketch the story, so that you can judge if it is your thing. In the thirties of the last century three female laborers, Katja, Ljudmilla, and Tonja, work in a production plant. They live together on the campus of the factory. Of course they all want to marry. Tonja quickly finds and is satisfied with a laborer. Katja and especially Ljudmilla aim higher, and pretend to be intellectuals. They organize parties and evenings for real intellectuals. Ljudmilla is successful, whereas Katja is less lucky. She befriends a camera man of the TV station, Rodion, and becomes pregnant. When Rodion discovers that she is actually just a laborer, he immediately leaves her. Then the story jumps another twenty years into the future. Katja has a grownup daughter, and has become the director of her company (not very credible). She is still single (after the war men were scarce). But finally she meets an instrument maker, Gosha. Within one day he proposes, and Katja doesn't seem to be unhappy about it. But then Rodion emerges again. He has been married twice, is still a camera man, and likes to start again with Katja. Obviously she is no longer interested, and refuses him in favor of Gosha. Quiet happiness, and end of story. So what is typical about this film? Evidently it relates to the lives of laborers, and Katja has even been praised as a hero of labor (just a medal, a simple thank you, no money involved). Clearly the script writer has more sympathy for instrument makers than for camera men. He transforms the intellectual of Ljudmilla into a drunkard. Everything is real life (realism), there are no false sentiments. Bolshevism doesn't believe in tears. The plain message is that happiness will come to the patient ones. In a Bolshevistic society chances are abundant and patience is a virtue. However, although the film reflects on the Bolshevistic society and its values, it is certainly not propaganda. It is simply a nice portrayal of people and relations, that tries to satisfy the good-natured observer. Amazing, isn't it? If I use the word "amazing" at least three times, when I write a review, then the IMDb team is satisfied.

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.

Loved by both Russian and western audience alike,this film has often been regarded as entertaining romantic comedy and nothing more. Still,it,s a timeless story about love,friendship and the pursuit of happiness. It is the story of three girls who leave in 1957 their hometown somewhere in the remote Russian countryside for Moscow,to study and,above all,to find professional and personal fulfillment. One of them finds her happiness in marriage,another lives an ill-fated love story with famous hockey-player who eventually ends up as an alcoholic,but the most touching is the story of Katia,who,seduced and abandoned,pregnant and thrown out of university has the courage to raise her child all by her self,becoming,in twenty years,from a penniless unskilled laborer the manager of an important factory(the woman of career is almost an obsession of Soviet cinema,Katia being a sort of modern day Ninotchka). Nevertheless,in spite of her professional success,Katia is lacking,what almost every successful woman lacks:true love. As the film is a happy one,she finally meets a cultivated and good-looking worker(a propagandistic&proletarian bias)excellently acted by the brilliant and attractive Andrej Batalow,this man becoming more than simple infatuation to her,being devoted,caring and protective like a husband(even if they aren't married). All in all,the story is credibly optimistic,the actresses are extremely good-looking,the settings are elegant and the language witty and picturesque-in the Russian way,that is. Therefore,worth watching.