Vory v Zakone on AllMovie

Originally Vory v Zakone, this uncompromising Russian drama takes place during the Brezhnev years, when corruption reigned unchecked. Anna Samokhina plays a mob moll caught in the middle of a blood feud between gangsters Boris Scherbakov and Arnis Licitis. Bartender Vladimir Steklov, who loves Samokhina, tries to help her out, to no avail. The on-the-take cops aren't much use either; they're more preoccupied with framing one of their own to keep him from informing on his colleagues. Kings of Crime was adapted from two short stories by Fazil Iskander.