Platicsco Good story, Not enough for a whole film

Voxitype Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

Mabel Munoz Just intense enough to provide a much-needed diversion, just lightweight enough to make you forget about it soon after it’s over. It’s not exactly “good,” per se, but it does what it sets out to do in terms of putting us on edge, which makes it … successful?

Janis One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

Andres Salama This Oscar winning Russian film from 1979 begins the action in 1958, when we get to know three young women, who have come from the provinces to study in Moscow and are now living in a student's residence. While they are studying, they work in blue collar, factory jobs, but dream of escaping that life by marrying some powerful men. When a professor asks them to take care of his nice apartment while he's traveling, they see this as a perfect opportunity to impersonate women of higher status than they are and woo some eligible man into the apartment. One of the girls woos a famous athlete, another named Katya (who eventually becomes the center of the movie and is played by the beautiful Vera Alentova) gets involved with a cameraman in the then new medium of television. Eventually, Katya gets pregnant from the encounter with him, and when he realizes that she is a factory girl instead of a professor's daughter, decides to have nothing to do with her (he is in part afraid of the rejection of his snobbish mother, and the subtext of this, of course, is that the Soviet Union was far from a classless society). She thinks about aborting her baby, but eventually gives birth to a daughter and decides to raise her alone.The movie then cuts to twenty years later. While her friends have married but remain trapped in a drab, working class life, Katya has remained single but has prospered professionally. She is now a director in a factory (a prestigious job in Soviet times) and lives in a nice apartment with her daughter, who is now a young woman. Despite her professional success, Katya is still looking for love, though she usually ends up in doomed affairs (for instance, when she gets involved with a married man). Eventually, she finds a promising prospect with Gosha, a masculine blue collar worker she finds on the train. But just when the relationship starts to develop, the long forgotten cameraman reappears in her life.One of the interesting things of this movie is to get a glimpse of Soviet life at the late Brezhnev era, a time of relative prosperity… Sometimes the director goes for the easy reaction of the public, and modern audiences might not always approve of some of the cultural mores. But this is an interesting and entertaining film if somewhat overlong (two hours and a half).

Emil Bakkum The film "Moscow doesn't believe in tears" has many characteristics of the typical Bolshevist movie. First of all, the plot develops at quite a slow pace. The director is not in a hurry, for there are no budget restrictions, apart from the materials. And the audience values a quiet and calm life style. And secondly, the story contains little passion or energy - although all people struggle to survive. Russian Bolshevists know that they are nothing more than a face amidst the masses. Their ideal is spending a weekend in their datsja (second house). In this respect the film strongly differs from "Die Legende von Paul und Paula", made in East-Germany at about the same time (recommended). In addition "Moscow doesn't believe in tears" describes daily events in the lives of common people. Nonetheless, the film is certainly not boring. In fact it is amazing (just read on). Let me briefly sketch the story, so that you can judge if it is your thing. In the thirties of the last century three female laborers, Katja, Ljudmilla, and Tonja, work in a production plant. They live together on the campus of the factory. Of course they all want to marry. Tonja quickly finds and is satisfied with a laborer. Katja and especially Ljudmilla aim higher, and pretend to be intellectuals. They organize parties and evenings for real intellectuals. Ljudmilla is successful, whereas Katja is less lucky. She befriends a camera man of the TV station, Rodion, and becomes pregnant. When Rodion discovers that she is actually just a laborer, he immediately leaves her. Then the story jumps another twenty years into the future. Katja has a grownup daughter, and has become the director of her company (not very credible). She is still single (after the war men were scarce). But finally she meets an instrument maker, Gosha. Within one day he proposes, and Katja doesn't seem to be unhappy about it. But then Rodion emerges again. He has been married twice, is still a camera man, and likes to start again with Katja. Obviously she is no longer interested, and refuses him in favor of Gosha. Quiet happiness, and end of story. So what is typical about this film? Evidently it relates to the lives of laborers, and Katja has even been praised as a hero of labor (just a medal, a simple thank you, no money involved). Clearly the script writer has more sympathy for instrument makers than for camera men. He transforms the intellectual of Ljudmilla into a drunkard. Everything is real life (realism), there are no false sentiments. Bolshevism doesn't believe in tears. The plain message is that happiness will come to the patient ones. In a Bolshevistic society chances are abundant and patience is a virtue. However, although the film reflects on the Bolshevistic society and its values, it is certainly not propaganda. It is simply a nice portrayal of people and relations, that tries to satisfy the good-natured observer. Amazing, isn't it? If I use the word "amazing" at least three times, when I write a review, then the IMDb team is satisfied.

I B Moscow Does Not Believe In Tears is an appealing comedy-drama with much to say about Soviet society from the 1950s to the 1970s. The cast deliver standout performances, and this is the film's greatest strength. The story is about their lives. The city's scenery is often featured, with cinematography that's good for a Soviet drama film. The score, however, is standard fare, but there are a few notable songs. Considering its high entertainment value it's no wonder that Moscow Does Not Believe In Tears became one of the most popular films in the Soviet Union. It even won an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 1980. It's just one of those films where everyone involved in making it contributed to a result that delivers on all fronts. If the acting or the direction was worse then the result could have been another forgettable drama. Soviet filmmakers, however, specialized in drama films. This is because of the restrictions that were put on them by the government. Many good dramas were released during the Soviet period, and Moscow Does Not Believe In Tears is one of the most memorable. I definitely recommend seeing it.

imdbfriend This movie is not likable by everyone, although I loved it. There is not much to this movie if we compare it with fast paced action, thriller of Hollywood or intense drama, but instead this is a simple movie of three women friends in general or more specifically of Katerina who is a hard working women, then successful women, unmarried mother and raises her well too. So this movie starts with the friendship of three women characters then shows how their lives are changed when two gets married and other didn't as she got pregnant and her boyfriend left her and then goes to their later stage of lives when they are not young any more and how their lives have changed. In short, I can say it is kind of character study from start to end (as characters grow at every segment of the movie like in the beginning they are in hostel having fun, partying and all, working, then get married, become mother and then later stage when one is successful but not that lucky in love, other lucky in love others having mixed life). Acting by the main character is very good and believable as fun loving girl, traditional at times, working women (working in factory with men's and even better at her job than others, she even repairs the machines), mother, and at the end lover. Other casts too are good and works well. Direction is good too. I think the reason for me liking this movie is its simplicity, in the story, the way it is presented; in down to earth characters one someone can relate to easily. So if you like such movies then you might like this one. Watch it.