Summary
In the labyrinthine milieu of pre-revolutionary Russian high society, Vyacheslav Viskovsky's 'Kak oni lgut' (How They Lie) unfurls a harrowing tapestry of deceit, ambition, and tragic romance. At its core is Anya (Vera Kholodnaya), a seamstress whose ethereal beauty belies a profound vulnerability. She becomes an unwitting pawn in the machinations of Count Vorontsov (Osip Runich), a man whose aristocratic facade conceals a venal soul and an insatiable appetite for wealth. Vorontsov, entangled in ruinous debts, orchestrates an elaborate charade, presenting Anya as a long-lost, indigent cousin to secure a vital loan and cement his social standing through a strategic marriage. This grand fabrication intertwines with a forged document – a spurious will designed to divert a substantial inheritance from its rightful heir. As Anya, ensnared by a deceptive affection, navigates this treacherous landscape, her childhood confidant, the earnest attorney Sergei (Vladimir Maksimov), begins to discern the sinister undercurrents of Vorontsov's schemes. Simultaneously, the cynical yet keenly observant journalist Mikhail (Nikolai Branitskii) meticulously documents the unfolding drama, driven by a desire to peel back the veneer of societal decorum and expose the rot beneath. The narrative culminates in a devastating revelation, where the intricate web of lies, spun with such meticulous cruelty, unravels, leaving a trail of shattered illusions, public disgrace, and a poignant commentary on the corrosive power of falsehood in a world obsessed with appearances.
