Believable, sometimes humorous but often downbeat, this drama about two Yugoslav brothers just after World War II cuts a wide swath across that former nation's cultural divisions. Dragoslav (Svetozar Dvetkovic) is on a train bringing soldiers home from the USSR in 1945 when a young man he had been trying to help kills himself. After the police haul Dragoslav in for questioning, they suspect he is actually a Russian spy. Although they release him for the time being, his freedom does not last long; he is soon arrested and put in jail. In the meantime, the woman he loves (Vladica Milosavljevic) has moved in with Kosta (Meto Jovanovski), his brother. The devil-may-care Kosta lives on black market deals and favors American-style clothes and music. His attitude is diametrically opposed to that of Dragoslav, who stubbornly maintains his faith in the Communist Party, even behind bars. By the time 1949 rolls around, the fate of the brothers and the woman they both love looks anything but bright.
by Eleanor Mannikka
synopsis
