Sasha (1930) - A movie about real life, not just tractors

Is it worth your time?

Honestly, if you have a soft spot for silent films that feel a bit gritty and lived-in, yes.

You’ll like this if you enjoy watching actors who have faces that look like they’ve actually worked a day in their lives. If you’re looking for something fast or easy to follow while you scroll on your phone, you’re gonna hate it.

It’s a bit of a slow burn, but in a way that feels intentional, like the movie is just sitting there with you.

So, I finally caught up with Sasha (1930) last night. It’s one of those Soviet films that people usually skip because it’s not as famous as the big ones with the montage battles.

But man, there is something so quietly heavy about this one. It’s directed by Aleksandra Khokhlova, and you can tell she wasn’t interested in making everyone look like a perfect hero.

The story is pretty simple: Sasha gets herself into a tough spot with a pregnancy and a guy who isn’t exactly a winner. It reminded me a bit of the drama in The Barker, but way more grounded in a cold, dusty reality.

The first thing that hit me was Mariya Sapozhnikova’s face. She plays Sasha, and she doesn't do that wide-eyed silent movie acting that feels like a theater performance.

She just looks tired. Like, genuinely exhausted by the world.

There is this one scene where she is just sitting by a window, and the light is hitting the side of her nose, and the shot just stays there. It goes on for way too long, but I didn't want to look away.

It’s those moments where you realize the movie isn’t trying to rush you to the next plot point. It just wants you to feel how lonely that room is.

And then there is Andrey Fayt. If you’ve seen enough of these old movies, you know Fayt is the king of looking suspicious.

In this, he’s got this sharp energy that makes every scene feel a little dangerous, even when nothing is happening. He has a way of leaning against a wall that makes you think he’s about to ruin someone’s life.

I kept thinking about The Black Chancellor while watching him, even though the vibes are totally different. He just has that presence.

The way the film is edited is kind of jumpy, which I guess is standard for the time, but here it feels like Sasha’s own anxiety. Sometimes a cut happens and you’re suddenly in a different room and you have to take a second to catch up.

I liked that it didn't hold my hand. It’s not like The Honeymoon Express where everything is served up on a silver platter for the audience.

There is a sequence with some machinery—because it’s a Soviet film, so of course there is—but it’s not about the glory of the machine. It feels loud and intrusive, like it’s drowning out the characters' actual feelings.

One weird thing I noticed was a cat that shows up in the background of one of the house scenes. It’s just doing its own thing, sniffing a bowl, and the camera doesn’t care, but I couldn't stop watching the cat.

It made the set feel like a real house instead of a movie studio. Little things like that are why I prefer these kinds of movies over the big polished stuff.

The writing, which Kuleshov had a hand in, doesn't feel preachy. Usually, these films end with a big speech about the future, but Sasha feels much more private.

It’s about her choices and the way people treat her when she’s down. It gets pretty dark, honestly.

I will say, the middle section drags a bit. There’s a lot of walking around and looking at buildings that could have been trimmed down by ten minutes.

I found myself checking how much time was left during a particularly long sequence in an office. But then something small happens, like a character dropping a piece of paper, and you’re back in it.

It’s definitely more interesting than something like Jane Goes A' Wooing, which feels like a toy compared to this. Sasha has teeth.

Is it a masterpiece? I don't know. I don't really like using that word because it sounds like a homework assignment.

But it’s a movie that stuck with me when I went to sleep. I kept thinking about the way the shadows fell across the floor in the final act.

It’s a messy film about a messy life. 🎞️

If you can find a decent copy, give it a look. Just don't expect it to cheer you up much.

It’s better than Monkeying Around, that's for sure. Unless you really just want to see people acting like fools, which I get sometimes.

But Sasha is for when you want to feel something a bit more heavy and real.

Also, the music in the version I saw was a bit distracting, so maybe play your own low-key stuff in the background. Something slow.

Anyway, that's my take. A solid, dusty gem from a time when movies were still figuring out how to be human.