Cinema
Bed and Sofa
Третья Мещанская
Abram Room · 1927
Synopsis
In Moscow, in a basement flat on Meshchanskaya Street, Nikolai and his young wife Lyudmila live modestly on her salary; she puts up poorly with the housework and the cramped flat, and he, a charmer, proves authoritarian. Vladimir, a printer and former comrade of Nikolai in the Red Army, arrives from the provinces with nowhere to stay. Without consulting his wife, Nikolai installs him on the divan for an indefinite period. Vladimir is attentive to Lyudmila; then Nikolai goes away on a trip.
Context
Produced by Sovkino, the film had as screenwriters Viktor Shklovsky and the director himself; Nikolai Batalov, Lyudmila Semyonova and Vladimir Fogel play the three main roles. Its original title refers to Third Meshchanskaya Street, where the characters live. In France, it circulated under several titles, Trois dans un sous-sol, Trois sur un sofa or Ménage à trois, and Montparnasse released it on DVD in 2009.
Who it is for
A silent film of about an hour and a half, shot almost entirely in one apartment, which is easy to follow.
Prizes and reception
According to DVDClassik, an international success, remarkable for its way of approaching sexuality and women's autonomy.
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