FREE ON YOUTUBE The Thief

FREE ON YOUTUBE  Early in the film it becomes clear who "The Thief" is: Stalin. Fortunately, this symbolism never gets in the way of the heartbreaking story! We quickly become aware of the film's point of view. It is about the betrayal of the post-war years. From hopelessness. We experience all this from the perspective of Sanya, who was born on the street as the child of a homeless mother after the Second World War. When Sanya is six years old, his mother is approached by a man in uniform. His name is Tolyan and he may have been an officer once. Maybe not. Nothing about Tolyan is trustworthy, which the mother will learn in several bitter lessons. "Uncle" Tolyan is charming. He is tall and wears a mustache. Just like Stalin. While most Russians are sick and miserable, he seems robust and healthy. You need money to be healthy in Russia. Tolyan is a thief. He steals not only the possessions of others, but also the hearts. His mother Katia (Ekaterina Rednikova) falls in love right away. Of course there are also material reasons for this, as she is not able to feed herself and her child. And Sanya (Misha Philipchuk)? It's all much more complicated for him. He often has visions of his biological father speaking to him. He died before Sanya was born. In the boy's dreams, the father promises to return soon. Sanya's relationship with Tolyan (Vladimir Maskhkov) is difficult. It is a mixture of fear and love. Once Tolyan asks the boy to look after his revolver. The child's eyes widen like saucers. Tolyan is a charmer who accommodates his "family" in different guesthouses. In truth, his uniform and irregular residences serve as protection from person checks. Tolyan loves vodka. He loves toasting Stalin. Little by little we learn more about his criminal activities. In case of burglaries Sanya even helps him to penetrate through narrow windows. Around them we experience the daily reality of Stalin's Russia. Fear and a strange form of love. Do the Russians think about Stalin like Sanya thinks about Tolyan? Probably. Stalin was just as big a cheater as Sanya who played the role of protector. A charming thief and liar. But in the end Tolyan is forced to tell the truth. His whole "fake" is reduced to this pathetic truth. And Stalin? It will probably take a few more generations before the Russians admit his betrayal,