Search - Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears on DVD

A slice of life

Alejandra Vernon | Long Beach, California | 03/13/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This tender, and by turns funny and sad film never fails to make me laugh and cry. The 1981 Academy Award winner for Best Foreign Film, it follows the life of three women, starting from 1958 in their youth, where they share a room in a worker's dormitory, then skipping 20 years, to how they've dealt with their lot in life, and what has become of their dreams.The acting is fabulous, and Vera Alentova as Katerina is magnificent. One can feel her exhaustion, her heartbreak, and her incredible inner strength.
Perhaps this could be labeled a "woman's movie", because I think there are scenes that many women will relate to, and think, "I've been there". It's a story that could take place anywhere in the world, but the Russian settings, and the music (I adore the picnic scene !) are wonderful.There is one huge flaw: The white subtitles sometimes fade into the picture and become unreadable, but I'm not deducting any stars, because the acting is so brilliant, that you won't have to understand Russian to know what is being said.
Some might find the final scenes unrealistic and far-fetched, but I would disagree. Life is full of bizarre coincidences and fated events...I find this film strikes a chord of truth, as well as being quite magical."

Moscow Does Not Believe In Tears

Alejandra Vernon | 06/13/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have watched this movie 20 times since it came out in 1980. This version is so good because the producers corrected the errors in the original subtitles. They were white letters on white tableclothes and white benches. It made it very difficut to read especially during some very critical scenes. That has been corrected in this DVD version. I highly recommend the subtitled version of this film over the English dubbed. The acting is so well done that the voice intonations are critical to the quality of the film. The dub-overs do not have those intonations that are so unique. This is the tale of three Russian women who are very close friends and the paths they took in life. It spans over 20 years. The story could happen in almost any large city in the world, but it is an added touch that it takes place in Moscow during the Communist rule. One gets an interesting insight into life there at that time."

Average/below average release by KINO

V. Romascanu | Beaconsfield, Quebec Canada | 04/06/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"The film requires no introduction, however, the KINO "regular" edition (the special edition is out of print) is a bitter disappointment, moreso for the price it goes by. The subtitles are not optional (hardcoded into the mpeg) - so VERY poor DVD authoring workmanship there! Try to get the SE if possible (supposedly with extra features, and optional, multi-language subtitles.)"

A lovely slice of "Russianness"

Alejandra Vernon | 06/06/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"When I think about what it means to be Russian (and I am not Russian), I think of two movies. One is "Wartime Romance" and the other is "Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears." There are quite a number of such moments in both films, but in "Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears," my favorite moment is when a Russian man finds out that his girlfriend makes more money than he does. He goes on a vodka binge and nobody knows where he is. A friend of the girlfriend goes out to find the man, but has never met him. He finally finds the man's apartment and enters the room, where "Gogi" is still drinking. There is a moment of hostility, since Gogi does not know this man, but Gogi suddenly shrugs his shoulders and offers the stranger a drink. This ability to relate even to strangers is a wonderful part of what it means to be Russian."Moscow Does Not Believe In Tears" is an upbeat movie, and in this way is not typical of Russian movies in general. It was made with an international audience in mind. Consequently, it is a great film for American audiences, but not depressing enough for a Russian domestic film."I am so sad to be happy, and so happy to be sad" goes an old song about Russians. But "Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears" is a wonderful and happy film, where true love overcomes all problems. I recommend it highly."