Zhestokiy romans

"A cruel romance" was a big success in the Soviet Union. When I saw it in my local moviehouse the Russian lady giving the introductory speech was full of praise. For Western eyes the film is rather goody-goody.

The film was made in the period just after the death of Brezhnev. In this politically unstable period directers didn't dare to treat controversial subjects. A costume drama set in the 19th century was relatively save, criticizing the corruption of pre-revolutionary nobility and civil servants. All the characters in "A cruel romance" are busy keeping up appearances. Sincerity is a luxury that no one seems to be able to afford. Illuminating in this respect is a dialogue in which one character says he has never accepted a bribe, whereupon his counterpart responses that his job is too unimportant to be offered a bribe.

This theme can produce good films such as for example "Sense and sensibility"(1995, Ang Lee). The problem of "A cruel romance" is however that it exaggerates almost everything. Nobody gets drunk in a normal way for example but blind drunk at the very least.

The story is also about a girl having to choose between a dull and an adventurous (but maybe unreliabke) husband. A theme that has been worked out (and in a better way) in many Western movies.

To conclude with at least one positive remark, the landscape around the Volga river has been beautifully captured by the cinematographer.