Complete credited cast: | |||
Vladimir Fogel | ... | Volodia, a Printer | |
Nikolay Batalov | ... | Kolia, the Husband | |
Lyudmila Semyonova | ... | Liuda Semyonova, the Wife | |
![]() |
Leonid Yurenev | ... | Building Superintendent |
Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
![]() |
Yelena Sokolova | ... | Clinic Nurse |
Mariya Yarotskaya | ... | Paesant at the Clinic |
A married couple have a small apartment in Moscow. When an old friend of the husband's arrives in the city, he is unable to find lodgings. Kolia, the husband, invites his friend to move in with them. While Kolia is away on business, sensual Liuda and attractive Volodia fall in love and have an affair. After his initial outrage, the husband calms down. Kolia winds up on the sofa, and the three settle into a menage-a-trois until the wife finds herself pregnant. The two men are trying to decide what to do, but Liuda is strong enough to make her own decisions. Considered a landmark film because of humor, naturalism, and its sympathetic portrayal of the woman. Written by Fiona Kelleghan <fkelleghan@aol.com>
If this film was not explicitly the inspiration for Truffaut's Jules and Jim then he and Room certainly had the same muse singing on their shoulders. A fascinating silent film, very influential and far ahead of its time.