Abstract

Moscow Is So Dull

As in the West, a dominant topic of Moscow, Russia conversation these days is talk about what lies ahead for the young people. The moviemakers have hold of this theme and, as a consequence, the movie theatre is a good place to go for an insight into contemporary Soviet life. Unfortunately such films as Three Poplars on Plisetskaya Street, One Hundred Ways of Love, I Am Twenty and July Rain are not likely to be seen in the West for some time to come. According to the author, among Moscow intellectuals, he can fairly quickly tick off some of their hopes. They want an end to the more stifling excesses of bureaucracy and downgrading of personality. They yearn for privacy, and above all desire to travel abroad. Among ordinary people, there is a sense of never having had it so good. Last year's great fiftieth anniversary blowout simply reinforced their faith in their Socialist society, and this faith, sustained by an ever-improving economic security, is confirmed by what their mass media tell them is happening in the corrupt old capitalist empire.