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- It is Riga of the 1930ies. The educated but unemployed Olģerts Kurmis – literate in English, French and Latin – supports himself by doing odd jobs for the wealthy Mr. Kalnkāja, who hopes to be elected to Parliament. Kurmis feels responsible for the young girl Emma Kārkls, who has already been jailed for petty theft. The two continue their struggle for existence together, until Emma is arrested again – this time for “political activities”.
Made by the temperamental director Leonīds Leimanis, this last film of his was the first full-length feature film in Latvian cinematic history to be based upon the works of a writer Andrejs Upītis. Film critics point out similarities between this film by Leimanis and both Italian neo-realism and interest in the life of “the little man”. Filmed in the Soviet era as a critique of “bourgeois society”, the film is still topical for today’s audiences; it takes on an especially ironic context before every parliamentary election.
- DVD, PAL (World format) 1 h 30 min, black-and-white
PLEASE NOTE - May not play on regular American (NTSC) DVD players.
In Latvian, Subttles: ENG, RUS, DEU, FRA, ITA
- Riga, Latvia 2011
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