Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears (1980)

This is a life story of three girlfriends from youth to autumn ages. Their dreams and wishes, love, disillusions. Different careers. And big late love.

Director:

Vladimir Menshov

Writers:

Valentin Chernykh, Vladimir Menshov

Stars:

Vera Alentova, Aleksey Batalov, Irina Muravyova

Won 1 Oscar. Another 2 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Vera Alentova	...	Katerina 'Katia' Tikhomirova
Aleksey Batalov	...	Georgi 'Gosha'
Irina Muravyova	...	Lyudmila Gurina
Raisa Ryazanova	...	Antonina
Aleksandr Fatyushin	...	Sergey 'Seryozha' Gurin
Boris Smorchkov	...	Nikolay
Yuriy Vasilev	...	Rodion 'Rudolph' Rachkov
Natalya Vavilova	...	Aleksandra, doch Kateriny
Oleg Tabakov	...	Volodya
Yevgeniya Khanayeva	...	maty Rachkova
Valentina Ushakova	...	Anna Nikitichna, maty Nikolaya
Viktor Uralskiy	...	Mikhail Ivanovich, otets Nikolaya
Zoya Fyodorova	...	tetya Pasha, vakhtersha
Liya Akhedzhakova	...	Olga Pavlovna, director kluba
Tatyana Konyukhova	...	Herself

Storyline

This is a life story of three girlfriends from youth to autumn ages. Their dreams and wishes, love, disillusions. Different careers. And big late love.

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Plot Keywords:

single mother | female bonding | city name in title | vodka | working class | 

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Taglines:

The Funniest, Tenderest Love Story of the Year

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Official Sites:

Mosfilm [rus]

Country:

Soviet Union

Language:

Russian

Release Date:

11 February 1980 (Soviet Union)

Also Known As:

Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears

Filming Locations:

Moscow, Russia

Box Office

Budget:

$900,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Mosfilm, Vtoroe Tvorcheskoe Obedinenie

Technical Specs

Runtime:

150 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color Color (Sovcolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The episode where hockey player Gurin, who quit alcohol, again appeared drunk asking for money, was cut from the film. "Let's leave hope for spectators, that Gurin will improve"- said film director.

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Goofs

When Katerina is talking to Gosha in the elektrichka train the position of the hand bag besides her changes between the shots.

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Quotes

Lyudmila Gurina: Don't cry.
Lyudmila Gurina: You know what Moscow thinks of tears.
Lyudmila Gurina: We shouldn't be sitting around, we should do something.

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Connections

Spoofed in Starye pesni o glavnom 2 (1997)

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Soundtracks

Aleksandra, Aleksandra
Written by Sergey Nikitin and Dmitry Suharev and Yuri Vizbor
Performed by Tatyana Nikitina and Sergey Nikitin

User Reviews

Small Theme with a Big Heart

Culturally interesting since this occurs in a Communist country that US propaganda gave little insight on the values and realities of the people. We see idealistic poets who say the older generation made mistakes, women promoted to executive positions, a film produced by the State yet approaching sexual themes, Western idolization, the drudgery of repetitive industrial work, and class distinctions between the haves and have-nots.

Also of interest is the protagonist's view of herself. Without revealing plot twists, it is suffice to say that a woman is socially seen as submissive to the man. This is a shock to Western sensibilities of women's equality, especially as we see her ordeals as a result of a man's selfishness and dominance. What is revealing is that she, herself does not rebel against the System. She works within the parameters, creates her own success, and becomes transformed.

Being Western, I found myself questioning whether she had truly achieved something. The crown of achievement, we are taught, is independence, equality. Whereas she achieved that in a career and in her lifestyle, in her heart, she yearned for a man, to be the little wife, and to submit herself to a patriarchal marriage. But, in the end, who are we to judge another's happiness?