A Simple Case (1930): cast, story & where to watch
1930 · Film · ★ 6
Released in 1930, A Simple Case is a drama and romance film directed by Vsevolod Pudovkin, running about 75 minutes.
What it’s about. As a response to criticism for the allegedly excessive “mass appeal” of his earlier epic STORM OVER ASIA (1928), Vsevolod Pudovkin unleashed his flair for experimentation in what was supposed to be the director’s first sound feature. Everything went wrong: technical problems forced him to complete the film as a silent; viewers were baffled by the lack of a recognizable plot; then, the ideological climate of the Soviet Union changed. He was now being blamed for catering to bourgeois taste! Time has come to set the record straight. Here’s lyrical cinema at its best, deliberately operatic and yet intimate as it matches the characters’ inner life with the solemn rhythms of nature, and depicted through breathtaking black-and-white photography. A sensation at last year’s Pordenone fest, Pudovkin’s long-forgotten swan song to the art of montage is resurrected by Gabriel Thibaudeau’s emotionally charged live music performance. –PCU (USSR, 1930, 75m)
Who’s in it. A Simple Case stars Aleksandr Baturin as Langovoy, Yevgeniya Rogulina as Mashenka, Mariya Belousova as Girl and Andrei Gorchilin as Worker, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 6.0/10, A Simple Case has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.
Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch A Simple Case page.
If you liked it. Fans of A Simple Case tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch A Simple Case (1930)?
- Streaming, rental and purchase options for A Simple Case change frequently. Check our where-to-watch page for the latest availability in your country.
- Is A Simple Case worth watching?
- A Simple Case holds an audience score of 6.0 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy drama and romance. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
- Who stars in A Simple Case?
- A Simple Case stars Aleksandr Baturin, Yevgeniya Rogulina, Mariya Belousova, Andrei Gorchilin and Anna Chekulaeva.
- When was A Simple Case released?
- A Simple Case was released in 1930, with a runtime of about 75 minutes.