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Based on the last play written by Alexander Vampilov (1937-1972) titled "Last Summer in Chulimsk," the film focuses on events in the lives of its protagonists between sunrise and sunset, with the setting restricted mainly to the porch of the Siberian inn where many of the figures in the story are either staying or working. Valentina is an attractive waitress who is infatuated with an older, handsome police constable sharing his temporary room at the inn with the local female pharmacist. While she has her eyes on him, the acerbic innkeeper's wife (Inna Churikova, wife of the director Gleb Panfilov), is keeping her eye on her errant son who is bent on conquering Valentina's affections. Surrounding Valentina at the inn then, is a lascivious young man with no honorable intent, a police inspector who ignores her existence, a sharp boss in the way of the innkeeper's wife, and a meek innkeeper. Valentina's father himself would like to see his daughter married off to the local Party secretary. Each of these individuals is struggling with their own problems, but Valentina's personal choices seem the hardest since it looks like she is going to get what she does not want, and not get what she wants the most.