''A Trip Without a Load'' (russian: Порожний рейс, Porozhniy reys) is a 1962 Soviet

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super ...

directed by

Vladimir Vengerov Vladimir Yakovlevich Vengerov (russian: Владимир Яковлевич Венгеров; 1920–1997) was a Soviet film director. He directed fourteen films between 1951 and 1985. People's Artist of the RSFSR (1978). His 1962 film ''A Trip ...

. It was entered into the

3rd Moscow International Film Festival The 3rd Moscow International Film Festival was held from 7 to 21 July 1963. The Grand Prix was awarded to the Italian film '' 8½'' directed by Federico Fellini. Jury * Grigori Chukhrai (USSR - President of the Jury) * Shaken Ajmanov (USSR) * S ...

where it won a Silver Prize.

Plot

A young novice Muscovite journalist, Pavel Sirotkin, (

Aleksandr Demyanenko Aleksandr Sergeyevich Demyanenko (russian: Алекса́ндр Серге́евич Демья́ненко; May 30, 1937 – August 22, 1999) was a Soviet and Russian actor. He was given the honorary distinction of People's Artist of the RSFSR. H ...

) is assigned to write an article on the editorial board of the northern

timber industry Lumber is wood that has been processed into dimensional lumber, including Beam (structure), beams and plank (wood), planks or boards, a stage in the process of wood production. Lumber is mainly used for construction framing, as well as fini ...

driver, leading toiler Nikolay Khromov (

Georgi Yumatov Georgi Aleksandrovich Yumatov ( rus, Гeopгий Алeксандpoвич Юматов, p=ɡʲɪˈorɡʲɪj jʊˈmatəf; 11 March 1926 – 6 October 1997) was a Soviet and Russian film actor. He appeared in 72 films between 1946 and 1994. He ...

). Ending up in the harsh winter conditions of work and life, at first Sirotkin by chance is confronted with merely with negative developments, and then with outright fraud in the timber industry. Front-rank Khromov is a shrewd operator who deftly manipulates the mileage account, and the company's director Akim Sevastyanovich ( Anatoliy Papanov) is a cunning and resourceful chief for whom implementation of the plan at any price is a principle of leadership. The journalist is to choose between precise execution of the assigned task or staying true to his principles. After gathering enough facts about the activities of some self-serving timber industry workers which is sufficient for an exposing and devastating article, Sirotkin notifies Akim Sevastyanovich. Director of the forestry administration tries to dissuade Pavel in his findings. When this does not work, he gives Khromov the task of driving Sirotkin by car to the district center, hinting that he is interested in the disappearance of the journalist. It seems that fate gives a chance to Khromov to bury all evidence of his misdeeds with impunity. It is possible to just leave the inexperienced urban dweller in the snow-covered

taiga Taiga (; rus, тайга́, p=tɐjˈɡa; relates to Mongolic and Turkic languages), generally referred to in North America as a boreal forest or snow forest, is a biome characterized by coniferous forests consisting mostly of pines, spruces ...

far from settlements and to allow him to freeze. The moral conflict of the journalist and chauffeur approaches critical mass. But suddenly the truck loses all gasoline because of a malfunction and stops in the middle of the frozen river and the vast plains. The short day passes, the snowstorm begins and the long night is approaching, the temperature drops to minus 40 degrees Celsius. Khromov and Sirotkin face the prospect of freezing to death before they are found or to survive at any cost. In this situation manifest the true psychological and human qualities of each man.

Cast

as Nikolay Khromov, the driver *

as Pavel Sirotkin, journalist * Tamara Syomina as Arina, accounting clerk of the forest industry * German Kachin as Viktor Kryukov, the driver * Svetlana Kharitonova as Tonya, Viktor Kryukov's wife * Anatoliy Papanov as Akim Sevastyanovich, director of the forest industry *

Boris Chirkov Boris Petrovich Chirkov (russian: Борис Петрович Чирков; 13 August 1901, Brianka – 28 May 1982, Moscow) was a Soviet and Russian actor and pedagogue. He appeared in 50 films between 1928 and 1975. He was awarded four St ...

as old man at the aerodrome * Irina Gubanova as doctor (uncredited)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Trip Without A Load 1962 films 1962 drama films 1960s Russian-language films Soviet black-and-white films Soviet drama films