Tanya

The second film is not of the same quality. It is a talkie and the obvious influence of Hollywood in the catchy musical theme, the "star" system, and other features has not improved it. There is also a serious social criticism, for Tanya, the peasant girl who becomes a factory shosk-worker, works so hard and becomes a Stakhanovite merely for personal aggrandisement and not to aid her fellow citizens and build up the country's production. Nevertheless, the story is no fairy story but a true picture of a generate ion of Russian people—of a peasant girl for whom the Five-year Plan brought education, the ability to handle complex modern machinery, the opportunity to obtain high technical education, and finally election to the Soviet Parliament. It is to be hoped that the blind hysteria of Red-baiting will not prevent us from seeing more Soviet films.