by Hal Erickson
synopsis
Slowly but surely, a few Russian films trickled into America despite the "Red Scare" of the 1950s. Cossacks of the Kuban has no message, unless the message is that it's okay to laugh out loud once in a while. Marina Ladynina plays Galina, the female owner of a Siberian horse farm. Her principal rival in the horse-breeding business is ex-Cossack Gordei (Sergei Luklanov). The two settle their differences with a climactic hurdle race--and in so doing, they fall in love, Hollywood-style. The musical interludes may seem strident to those not familiar with Soviet films, but the comedy content saves the day.
