There Was an Old Couple

1965 1h 43m RU

😐

5.2

MID

★5.2TMDB · 10

Drama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

In this provocative Soviet drama, an aged couple are left homeless after their farm burns down, and they head off to live with their impoverished daughter. When they arrive, they are appalled to learn that she has abandoned her child and husband to run away with a married man. The husband is now an alcoholic, so the grandparents stay on to support their son-in-law in his time of need and to help care for their grandson. Later, the errant daughter is dumped by her lover and returns. Many fights ensue until the grandfather banishes his troublesome daughter from their lives.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Vera Kuznetsova
Lyudmila Maksakova
Georgiy Martynyuk
Galina Polskikh
Anatoli Yabbarov
Viktor Kolpakov
Nikolay Kryuchkov
Nikolai Sergeyev

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Grigoriy Chukhray
Writers: Yuli Dunsky, Valeri Frid
Languages: Russian
Countries: Soviet Union

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

61 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Grigoriy Chukhray, shot by Sergei Poluyanov. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Aleksandra Pakhmutova. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

ERA

Did you know

Vera Kuznetsova and Lyudmila Maksakova and Georgiy Martynyuk carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0059946 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

Only 10 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Grigoriy Chukhray directs. Sergei Poluyanov behind the camera. Aleksandra Pakhmutova scores. Mariya Timofeyeva cuts. Produced in Soviet Union. Dialogue in Russian.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

161 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
2Directed by Grigoriy Chukhray, shot by Sergei Poluyanov. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Original score by Aleksandra Pakhmutova. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
4Editor Mariya Timofeyeva shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Vera Kuznetsova and Lyudmila Maksakova and Georgiy Martynyuk carry the top of the cast.
6IMDB entry: tt0059946 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
7Only 10 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.