Parizhskiy sapozhnik

This little known Russian movie, from the director of the following year's Oblomok imperii/ A Fragment of Empire is both surprising and accomplished.

The mute cobbler is interested in the local girl but she is already pregnant by one of the gang of sailor suit toughs. The Soviet Youth League secretary's only assistance to her is a book about sex in Russian literature and things turn nasty.

The mute is not shown as either simple or saintly, as might be expected, and the assured acting, along with the convincing detail of the riverside community, make this a more substantial piece of the Russian film history picture than expected.