What a wonderful find!
The story of this very Russian film is universal and easily could have been made with Judy Garland in the lead. A young Russian girl is in love with show business and wants to leave her small town for Moscow and make it big in the big city. She encounters her long missing, remarried with child, father and gets a boy friend (Alexander Abdulov) who uses her and them leaves her.
After bouncing about Moscow trying many different jobs - some in show business - she gets her big break when a roller skating bear gets diarrhea (!!!!!) and takes it's place.
The film is fuzzy, warm and wonderful with great dancing, a glorious musical score and an uplifting theme for the female lead. And the lead is outstanding! A great film to try if you want to see a charming Russian film about Russian people and Russian life. And little, if any, propaganda.
