Not by Bread Alone

2005 1h 52m RU

🙌

7.7

BANGER

★7.7TMDB · 3

Drama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

During the post-WW2 reconstruction in Russia, bald-headed technocrat Drozhdov equates communism with the empowerment of the ordinary man over the arrogant "specialness" of genius. Dedicated scientist Lopatkin takes refuge in Moscow with the potty, brilliant old inventor Busko. Lopatkin works tirelessly on his invention, embarking on a roller-coaster of rejection and acceptance, his work vilified, plucked apart and plagiarized by colleagues, particularly by his nemesis Drozhdov. Drozhdov's wife Natasha, alienated from her cold, controlling husband, is increasingly drawn to Lopatkin, whom she knew when they both taught at the same school. Soon she runs away from her husband and happily keeps house for the two absent-minded ex-professors Lopatkin and Busko. Natasha is ready to give Lopatkin her own life, love and faith. Lopatkin is eager to sacrifice his life for the idea, doing the utmost for his motherland.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Svetlana Khodchenkova
Nadezhda Drozdova
Aleksey Petrenko
Professor Busko
Mikhail Eliseev
Lopatkin
Viktor Sukhorukov
Drozdov
Valentina Berezutskaya
Lukeria Pavlovna
Varvara Shulyatyeva
maid Shura
Alexander Rosenbaum
Evgeniy Grishkovec

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Stanislav Govorukhin
Writers: Vladimir Valutskiy
Languages: Russian
Countries: Russia

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

ERA

Did you know

Released 21 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

CRAFT

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Stanislav Govorukhin, shot by Yury Klimenko. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

ERA

Did you know

Editor Vera Kruglova shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Svetlana Khodchenkova and Aleksey Petrenko and Mikhail Eliseev carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0777962 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

Only 3 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Stanislav Govorukhin directs. Yury Klimenko behind the camera. Vera Kruglova cuts. Produced in Russia. Dialogue in Russian.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released 21 years ago.
2Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
3Directed by Stanislav Govorukhin, shot by Yury Klimenko. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Editor Vera Kruglova shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Svetlana Khodchenkova and Aleksey Petrenko and Mikhail Eliseev carry the top of the cast.
6IMDB entry: tt0777962 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
7Only 3 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.