A Cruel Romance

It is the best Russian film I have even seen. It is based on A.H. novel. The actor and actress are the best one. It also include some nice songs which really express the theme of the film. The film won the 1985' Russian National Film Festival.

I read a comment from one of the readers that he has a difficulty understanding the film from the Western point of view. At least this time the viewer admits having problems with crossing the cultural boundary. Film is not riddled with cliches, it`s theatrical and highly artistic. It should be viewed almost as a poem translated into reality. It doest`n ask from actors just stand there and act natural, it asks for a brilliant, almost satirical work, which is performed in this movie perfectly. Realism is not the goal here. And yet, story like that very well could happened at that time, to the smallest details.

Women without money never had it easy - especially before modern times, when their options were limited to marriage.

This movie is about a relatively poor woman and her marriage possibilities - and her naive dreams of love, and the hypocrisy of those surrounding her, and the cruelty of some. Universal themes, still valid nowadays.

Beautiful songs, solid acting, melancholic photography. This is sad and wonderful candy.

AKA The Cruel Romance

Absolutely one the the very BEST film ever made. Powerful drama thanks to Orstrovsky, and the amazing director and his heavenly cast. Hail to Alisa Frejndlikh, who appeared in his comedy "The Office Romance". Everyone love movie as a form of art should not miss it.

This film has great music, acting and sets. Overall very good adaptation of the play. I enjoyed it immensely.

The film centers around a young woman who comes from a noble family but has no dowry for suitors. It explores the changing situation in the mid 1800s among the classes. At this time there were 3 classes: the nobles, peasants and the emerging raznochintsy class. Many of the characters in the film are from the latter, and the focus upon wealth and social status is apparent.

In summary, this is a great film which really shows the changing social structures of the 1850s Russia. I would highly recommend this film to anybody interested in romance or Russian history.