The Merry Canary (1929)

Directed by Lev Kuleshov; script by Anatoly Marienhof and Boris Gusman; camera by Boris Francisson and Pyotr Yermolov; movie poster by monogrammist S.

This is an adventure film about an underground Bolshevik cell during the Civil War in the Ukraine. It was one of the first works shot by famous Russian director Lev Kuleshov (1899–1970).

Two Communists, Bryansky and Lugovets, are ordered to follow enemy counter-intelligence. Bryansky makes the acquaintance of an actress from the Merry Canary Café who is loved by the head of counter-intelligence and his aide. Lugovets is arrested. In order to save him, Bryansky wins the love of the actress at a charity auction, which he gives to the aide in exchange for his uniform. Dressed as the aide, Bryansky enters the prison and saves his comrade from execution. The film is somewhat naïve, with an unrealistic plot and scenes, and the Bolsheviks are more like detectives or amorous heroes.