I Step Through Moscow

Infobox Film
name = I Step Through Moscow (Я шагаю по Москве)


image_size =
caption = Nikita Mikhalkov on the 1964 film poster.
director = Georgi Daneliya
producer =
writer = a famous Russian poet of 60s Gennadiy Shpalikov
narrator =
starring = Nikita Mikhalkov
Alexei Loktev
Evgeniy Steblov
music = Andrei Petrov, words - a famous Russian poet of 60s Gennadiy Shpalikov
cinematography =
editing =
distributor = Mosfilm
released = fy|1963
runtime = 78 minutes
country = USSR
language = Russian
budget =
preceded_by =
followed_by =
website =
amg_id = 1:101996
imdb_id = 0057694

"I Step Through Moscow" (Я шагаю по Москве) is a Soviet movie filmed in fy|1963 on Mosfilm and directed by Georgi Daneliya, starring Nikita Mikhalkov, Alexei Loktev, Evgeniy Steblov and Galina Polskikh. The People's Artists of the USSR featured in cameo roles include Rolan Bykov, Vladimir Basov, Lev Durov, and Inna Churikova. The famous movie theme, performed by Mikhalkov, was written by the composer Andrei Petrov. The film, regarded as one of the most characteristic of the Khrushchev Thaw, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival of 1964 and was awarded for the work of cameraman, Vadim Yusov, best known for his subsequent collaboration with Andrei Tarkovsky.

Plot summary

The film begins from an episode in the one of Moscow Airports in summer 1963. The young man Volodya (Alexei Loktev) pays attention at a girl who is dancing though there are no music and begins the dialogue:- Are you leaving or have you come?- I'm meeting.- Whom?- My husband.- The people who're meeting are happy. - When you get married, you'll be happy too.- And are you both happy?- Yes, we are.- It can't be true.- Oh, believe me, it can.

Volodya is a young worker from Siberia. He came to Moscow for a couple of days. His first novel was published in a Moscow famous magazine "Yunost" (The Youth) and a famous writer Voronin decided to invite a young author to Moscow because he wants to discuss it. In the Moscow Underground Volodya unexpectedly makes a friend Kolya (Nikita Mikhalkov), returning home after a hard day. Volodya wants to stay at his old friends' home, but he doesn't know where the necessary street is so Kolya decided to help him to find it.

Unfortunately, an evil homeless dog bites Volodya in Chistoprudny boulevard (one of the most beautiful streets of Moscow). Then Kolya decided to help his new friend again - they both came to Kolya's home where Kolya sews Volodya's trousers and introduces him to Kolya's large family. Next morning Volodya recognised that his old Moscow friends aren't in Moscow (they left for south) and Volodya stays at Kolya's. Then Volodya goes for a walk.

At last alone, Kolya decided to have a sleep, but then camed his old friend Sasha (Evgeny Steblov). Sasha is in trouble - he is going to marry his fiancee Sveta this day, but he is called up for military service. He begs Kolya to help him. Kolya helps. Then two young men go to the State Moscow Supermarket to buy a suit for a bridegroom and they meet Volodya there (Volody has lately bought a new suit for himself). Then friends decided to buy a present for a bride and they go to the music shop, because the saler Alyona (Galina Polskikh) is an old friend of Kolya...

This film was highly beloved by Soviet youth in early 60s. Though its plot is a bit naive and too unpretentious, it showed how wonderful life is, gives hope and calls to look at the unplesant things in an optimistic way. The song by the same name from the film is still popular and became the unofficial hymn of Moscow youth.

The popularity of this film was low in 70s and raised again in 80s in contrast to Soviet 80s "chernukha" ("black" films, gloomy satiric and social dramas with philosophical motives). Nowadays it's still very famous. There are new versions of the song by some 90s Russian punk groups (for example, "Nogu svelo" ("The Cramp in the leg")) and also attempts of the film re-make ("Zhara" - "The Heat", which, however, wasn't successful).

Cast

*Aleksei Loktev as Volodya
*Nikita Mikhalkov as Kolka
*Galina Polskikh as Alyona
*Yevgeni Steblov as Sasha
*Vladimir Basov as Floor Polisher
*Rolan Bykov as Man in Park

References

External links

Film: [http://nl.youtube.com/watch?v=mvQtg2Z5e8c]