简介：Kat'ka’sReinetteAppleswasbrokeallboxofficerecordsin1927inUSSR.Filmisstillremarkablycontemporarytodayandcapableof“wakingup”drowsingstudentsinRussianfilmcourses.FilmisnotableasitisregardedasanaccurateportrayalofthisperiodofSoviethistoryandconstitutesoneofthefirstattemptstocreateafilmbaseduponcontemporarySoviet"everydaylife".ErmlercreatesanastonishingportraitofLeningradundertheNEP,orNewEconomicPolicy.TheNEPwasaseriesofmeasuresinstitutedbythecommuniststhatallowedameasureofprivateenterpriseintothenewSovietstate;foritscritics,theNEPthreatenedthereturnofcapitalismandallitsvices.DramaticusesoflightingattimesrecallGerman'sexpressionistfilms,buttherealtreatsherearetheremarkablestreetscenes:Ermlermakeextraordinaryuseofreallocationsaroundthecity,oftenmixingtheiractorswithpeopleonthestreets. Theopeningtitlesclearlyannounceanew,previouslyunseengenre―“acomicmelodrama.”Katka,ayoungpeasantgirl,comestoPetrogradtoearnenoughmoneytobuyacow,butshecannotfindajobatafactoryandisforcedsellapplesonthestreet.Privatetradeisthefirststeptowarddegeneracyandcriminallife.ShegetsmixedupwithawickedvillainSemka,andbecomespregnant.However,sheisstillbasicallygoodandthereforerealizesthewickednessofthemanandbreakswithhim.Thefilmacquaintsuswiththesocietyofstreetvendors.InErmler'sschemeofvalues,KatkaispreferabletoSemka'snewgirlfriend,Verka,becauseKatkatradesinapples,Verkainforeigngoods.Thestreetvendors,illegalsmallbusinesspeople,alsohavetheirsenseofcommunity.Theyhiresomeone,Vadka,anunemployedintellectual,tolookoutforthepolice.WelearnhowloathsomeVerkareallyiswhensherefusestocontributetoVadka'smeagrecompensation.Inthisbustling,exciting,butverypoorworld,Sovietpowerseemsveryremote.ThereisnomentionofLenin,oftheParty,orofthenoblegoalsofcommunism.Theauthoritiesexistonlyintheformofthepolice,whoseemnonetoocapable.ThemostremarkablecharacterinthemovieisnotthegrotesquelyoverdrawnSernka,oreventheprototypeofthestrongSovietwomanfigure,Katka,buttheunemployedintellectual,Vadka,amanwhoisincapableoftakingcareofhimselfinthenewcircumstances.Hecannotevenproperlykillhimself:hejumpsintoshallowwater.Hereturnstothebridgetofindthathisonlyjackethasbeenstolen.Katkasavestheunfortunatefellowseveraltimes.Shetakeshiminandgiveshimsomethingtodo-thejoboftakingcareofhernewbabywhilesheisoutworking.Vadkaisathoroughlydecentman.Intheclimacticsceneofthemovie,heconfronts,fightsanddefeatsSemka.Thehappyendingisinevitable,althoughKatka'ssuddenransformationisunmotivated.Shegivesuphershadyjobandbecomesaworker.ShemarriestheservingandlovingVadka,andtheallianceofworkingclassesandhonestintelligentsiaisreaffirmed.IndepictingKatkaasabreadwinner,andmuchthestrongercharacter,thefilmhasafeministmessage.…