Deti Arbata

"Children of the Arbat" caused an absolute sensation when it first appeared in serialized form in a popular Soviet magazine in the late eighties. It was the heyday of "perestroika," when for the first time in 70 years Russians were enjoying the opportunity to speak freely about their troubled history. "Children of the Arbat" portrayed both the idealism of the generation building communism in the thirties, and the brutality and repression of the Stalin years that terrorized Soviet citizens. The magazine carrying the installments of "Children of the Arbat" usually sold out immediately, sometimes disappearing even before the news stands officially opened.

This made-for-(Russian) TV version of the trilogy faithfully captures the mix of idealism, suspicion, and terror that permeates the novel. The main protagonist, Sasha Pankratov, comes across exactly as one would expect, I found the female lead, Varya, a little less convincing, appearing on occasion almost hysterical and too rough around the edges.

In the almost two decades that have passed since the publication of the novel, much has changed in Russia, and the broadcast of this 15-part series did not cause anywhere near the sensation that the novel did in the eighties. That is certainly a good sign that Russia has become a more normal country, in which its historical legacy can be freely and openly discussed. In any case, the movie provides an excellent overview of a critical period in Soviet history.