There Is Such a Lad 1964

Comedy

Romance

Runtime

101 mins

Language

Russian

Directed by

Дмитрий Сорокин

Made by

Gorky Film Studios

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There Is Such a Lad Plot Summary

Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for There Is Such a Lad (1964). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.

Pashka Kolokolnikov is a young, hopeful, and somewhat naïve truck driver roaming the Chuisky Tract near Gorno-Altaysk. Open-hearted and curious about life, he meets a string of people on his routes, each leaving a mark on his journey. When a kolkhoz chairman hires him to haul timber, Pashka’s path glances toward a quiet, reserved librarian named Nastya, and a fragile romance begins to bud. Yet Nastya’s heart seems drawn to another man, Gena, a more confident suitor, and Pashka’s early hopes are gently, but firmly, dashed. In a moment of candor after the awkward rejection, he steps back, encourages Gena to pursue Nastya, and quietly contemplates his own streak of misfortune in love, a reflection that lends a bittersweet resonance to his adventures.

In a separate encounter along the road, Pashka once again crosses paths with a city woman who speaks of household culture. At first he refuses her payment, but a crude remark from her husband darkens the moment, and Pashka demands a fare that exceeds the norm, a small flare of defensiveness that reveals his stubborn pride. The day’s farce ends, yet the encounter lingers as part of his evolving sense of worth and fairness.

Seeking friendship, Pashka returns to a former acquaintance, Katya (Катя Лизунова), hoping to rekindle their relationship. Katya’s cool reception stirs a debate about modern relationships and lingering past loyalties, a conversation that nudges Pashka toward new understandings of love and companionship. That night, a landlady’s tale about a driver who met a spectral woman in white—Death personified—haunts Pashka, fusing his romantic longing with existential fear. In his dreams, Nastya reappears, but she is cast not as love alone, but as a symbol of mortality, a reminder that life’s fragility can shape one’s courage.

On a routine trip with his colleague Kondrat Stepanovich, Pashka ventures into matchmaking again, introducing Kondrat to a widow named Anisya. The budding romance between Kondrat and Anisya brings a touch of tenderness to the film’s rhythm, illustrating how even ordinary days can birth quiet happiness.

A turning point arrives when a fire erupts at a fuel depot. While others flee, Pashka chooses to stay, driving the burning truck away from the depot to avert catastrophe. He sustains injuries in the act, and the event lands him in a hospital bed. There, a journalist from Leningrad interviews him, adding a light, playful energy to his recovery. A heartfelt talk with a retired teacher reinforces a message that resonates with him: pursue knowledge, savor simple joys, and cultivate a resilient spirit.

As the film closes, Pashka drifts into a final dream of Nastya—this time, not Death, but Love guiding his path. The dream kindles a quiet resolve, urging him to keep moving forward, to seek fulfillment in life, and to trust that love, in its many forms, can help him grow beyond luck and into a fuller future.

There Is Such a Lad Timeline

Follow the complete movie timeline of There Is Such a Lad (1964) with every major event in chronological order. Great for understanding complex plots and story progression.

Hired to transport timber; first meeting with Nastya

On the Chuisky Tract near Gorno-Altaysk, Pashka is hired by a kolkhoz chairman to transport timber. He meets Nastya, a reserved librarian, and begins courting her. Nastya remains indifferent and prefers her suitor Gena, leading to an awkward confrontation. Pashka accepts her rejection and reflects on his unlucky love life.

Daytime during the timber assignment Kolkhoz yard near Gorno-Altaysk

Nastya's indifference; Pashka's continuing affections

Despite his efforts, Nastya remains aloof and uninterested in a relationship. Pashka keeps pursuing her, showing stubborn optimism. In a rare moment of generosity, he even urges Gena to reconcile with Nastya, revealing his own capacity for care despite being rejected.

Evening Nastya's library

City woman encounter: fare dispute

On a routine ride, Pashka picks up a city woman who lectures him about household culture. He initially refuses her payment, feeling insulted by her husband's dismissive remark. In response, he demands an exaggerated fare to prove a point and navigate the put-down.

During the trip Along the Chuisky Tract

Reunion attempt with Katya; modern relationships debate

He visits his old acquaintance Katya hoping to reignite their friendship. Katya rejects his advances, and they clash in a heated discussion about modern relationships. The encounter underscores Pashka's ongoing difficulty with romantic expectations.

Evening Katya's home

Death spectral tale; Nightly haunting begins

That night, their landlady tells a story of a driver who met a spectral woman in white—a personification of Death. The tale haunts Pashka and blends with his romantic longing for Nastya. The line between love, life, and mortality feels thinner.

That night Landlady's apartment

Dream: Nastya as Death

Pashka dreams of Nastya appearing as Death, merging his fear of loss with his longing for her. The dream blurs the boundary between romance and existential dread, leaving him unsettled yet awake. He wakes with a heightened awareness of life's fragility.

Night In his dream

Matchmaking with Kondrat; meeting Anisya

During a routine trip with Kondrat Stepanovich, Pashka acts as a matchmaker and introduces Kondrat to a widow named Anisya, sparking a budding romance between them. The episode shows Pashka's desire to help others find happiness even as he grapples with his own heartbreak. It hints at a growing sense of responsibility.

Daytime on the road Along the Chuisky Tract

Depot fire; heroic rescue

During a routine trip, a fire erupts at a fuel depot. While others flee, Pashka heroically drives the burning truck away from the depot to prevent a catastrophic explosion. His daring act saves lives and property, but he sustains injuries in the effort. The incident marks a turning point, highlighting both his courage and vulnerability.

Daytime Fuel depot

Hospital interview with Leningrad journalist

In the hospital, a journalist from Leningrad interviews him, drawing out his modest heroism and charm. The conversation sparks a playful, informal connection between them as he recalls the ordeal. The encounter opens a window to public recognition of his experiences.

During recovery Hospital room

Wise words from a retired teacher

A retired teacher visits and urges him to pursue knowledge and find joy in simplicity. The conversation broadens Pashka’s view of life beyond romance and danger. It plants a seed of curiosity about learning and contentment.

During recovery Hospital or local meeting spot

Final dream: Nastya as Love inspires perseverance

The film ends with Pashka dreaming of Nastya again, but this time she appears as Love rather than Death. The vision motivates him to persevere and seek fulfillment in life beyond heartbreak. He wakes ready to pursue a brighter future.

Ending sequence at night Home, in his sleep

There Is Such a Lad Characters

Explore all characters from There Is Such a Lad (1964). Get detailed profiles with their roles, arcs, and key relationships explained.

Пашка Колоколников (Pashka Kolokolnikov) — Leonid Kuravlyov

An open-hearted, optimistic truck driver who moves through the Chuisky Tract with wide-eyed curiosity. His naïve charm makes him susceptible to unrequited love, yet he remains steadfast and generous, even offering encouragement to others. His near-misses with love and fate culminate in a heroic act that transforms his outlook on life.

🚚 Trucker ❤️ Romantic 🌟 Naive

Настя Платонова (Nastya Platonova) — Lidiya Aleksandrova

A reserved librarian whose cool demeanor hides a capacity for quiet affection. She alternates between indifference and attraction as Pashka pursues her, ultimately choosing another suitor. Her choices push Pashka to confront the nature of love and rejection.

📚 Librarian 💔 Reserved 🌸 Independent

Гена, инженер (Gena, Engineer) — Rodion Nahapetov

A practical engineer who vies for Nastya’s attention, representing a reliable, conventional path. He embodies the competing visions of stability and romantic pursuit that define Pashka’s struggle.

🧰 Engineer 💬 Competitor 🧭 Stable

Катя Лизунова (Katya Lizunova) — Larisa Burkova

A former friend of Pashka who rejects his advances when he revisits their old pattern of flirtation. Her response underscores the evolving social rules about friendship and romance on the road.

👩‍🦱 Ex-friend ❣️ Rejection 🗣️ Independent

Кондрат Степанович (Kondrat Stepanovich) — Boris Balakin

Pashka’s colleague and matchmaker who introduces him to a widow, Anisya. He embodies camaraderie and the complexities of helping others find companionship.

🤝 Friend 💘 Matchmaker 🚜 Rural

Анисья (Anisya) — Nina Sazonova

A widowed woman connected to Kondrat, whose budding romance with him highlights the film’s theme of second chances and quiet resilience. Her presence broadens Pashka’s circle of human connections.

💑 Widow 🪪 New romance 🏡 Domestic

Иван Егорович Прохоров, председатель колхоза (Chairman Prokhorov) — Viktor Filippov

The kolkhoz chairman who hires Pashka to haul timber, representing authority and the backbone of rural economic life. His interactions with Pashka frame the logistics of labor and trust on the road.

🏛️ Chairman 🧭 Authority 🚚 Leader

There Is Such a Lad Settings

Learn where and when There Is Such a Lad (1964) takes place. Explore the film’s settings, era, and how they shape the narrative.

Time period

1960s-1970s Soviet Union

The story is set in a Soviet rural milieu with collective farming life, state-run transport, and a social order that frames romance and ambition. Road life, depots, and local administration hint at a period of post-war modernization and cultural change. The era serves as a stage for intimate, human dramas set against larger societal norms.

Location

Chuisky Tract, near Gorno-Altaysk

The film unfolds along the Chuisky Tract, a long road through the Siberian countryside near Gorno-Altaysk. It centers on truckers, rural communities, and a remote fuel depot, capturing the practical rhythms of Soviet road transport. The landscape and roadside towns provide a backdrop for encounters that shape Pashka’s hopes and fears.

🗺️ Road 🏔️ Siberia 🚚 Trucker life

There Is Such a Lad Themes

Discover the main themes in There Is Such a Lad (1964). Analyze the deeper meanings, emotional layers, and social commentary behind the film.

❤️

Love

Pashka’s romantic optimism drives his pursuit of Nastya, even as she remains reserved and chooses another. The film juxtaposes his vivid longing with the reality of unrequited affection, highlighting the vulnerability of a hopeful heart. Across their interactions, love is depicted as both transformative and precarious.

👻

Death

A landlady’s tale of a driver meeting a white-clad woman—Death personified—haunts Pashka and blurs the line between dream and fate. He experiences ominous visions, infusing his romance with existential fear. The specter recurs as a symbol of danger around the open road.

🔥

Courage

Pashka’s heroism shines when he drives the burning fuel truck away from the depot, sacrificing his safety to prevent a catastrophe. The act earns him respect and leaves him physically scarred, yet morally emboldened. It underlines how ordinary courage can redefine a life.

🌿

Simplicity

Interludes with a retired teacher and reflections on everyday joys emphasize values beyond romance and fame. The characters learn to find meaning in small pleasures and knowledge, reinforcing a sense of contentment with simple, honest living. The film suggests fulfillment comes from sincere connections and curiosity.

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There Is Such a Lad Spoiler-Free Summary

Discover the spoiler-free summary of There Is Such a Lad (1964). Get a concise overview without any spoilers.

In the remote stretches of the Chuisky Tract near Gorno‑Altaysk, the open road becomes both workplace and classroom for Pashka Kolokolnikov, a young truck driver whose honest heart is tempered by a habit of harmless fibs. The landscape is a quiet tapestry of pine‑clad hills and endless horizons, where daily hauls turn into brief interludes with strangers whose stories echo the simple, often unspoken yearnings of Soviet life. The film moves at a measured pace, letting the rust‑colored scenery breathe, while Pashka’s steady‑tempered demeanor sets a tone of gentle melancholy mixed with quiet humor.

Along his routes Pashka encounters a handful of memorable characters who each reflect a different facet of the longing that drives him. A reserved librarian, Nastya, offers a glimpse of tender possibility, while a more confident suitor, Gena, hints at the subtle competition that love can bring. A city woman and her outspoken husband provide a sharp, if fleeting, encounter that tests Pashka’s pride, and an old acquaintance, Katya, forces him to confront lingering questions about friendship and loyalty. Even the peripheral figures—his stalwart colleague Kondrat Stepanovich and the widowed Anisya he introduces to him—add layers of quiet camaraderie that suggest ordinary lives can hold unexpected warmth.

The film’s atmosphere is one of introspective charm, balancing the ruggedness of a trucker’s world with the soft introspection of a man searching for meaning beyond the road. Conversations drift between practical concerns and philosophical musings, allowing Pashka’s inner life to surface in understated moments. Though his journey is punctuated by gentle setbacks and fleeting hopes, the overarching mood remains one of resilient optimism, inviting the audience to contemplate how simple acts of kindness and the pursuit of love can illuminate even the most solitary of paths.

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