(Russkiy vopros). For those looking for vintage Cold War material, here it is! Based on the play by K. Simonov, The Russian Question is the story of Garry Smith, an American journalist who spends time in Russia and sees socialism in action. Upon his return to the United States, a prestigious editor asks Smith to write a book about his experience. A handsome advance for the project is given, but the editor’s generosity comes with a caveat: Smith’s book is to be a real hatchet job against Soviet society. Will Smith simply keep the money and do what’s expected of him—or will he instead speak the truth? Although the propagandistic aims of the piece couldn’t be clearer, Romm—a longtime and much beloved professor at the Soviet film school VGIK—brings a humanity to his characters; the sequences when Smith discovers the treachery of those around him have a real emotional tug. The music is by the great Armenian composer Aram Khachaturian.

—Richard Peña

• Written by Romm, based on the play by Konstantin Simonov. Photographed by Boris Volchek. With Vsevolod Aksyonov, Yelena Kuzmina, Mikhail Astangov, Mikhail Nazvanov. (91 mins, In Russian with English subtitles, B&W, 35mm, From Seagull Films)