This lavish Soviet/Czech co-production is based on Fyodor Dostoyevsky's famous novel, The Gambler, which tells the story of a Russian living in Germany, in a gambling resort. This film is set at the turn of the century, and was filmed in Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad), Czechoslovakia. Played by Nikolai Burlyayev, the gambler succumbs completely to his addiction, using up every resource he has (human, spiritual and financial) in his wagering, finally becoming a rootless drifter.

The film is about the fate of the soldiers of the Izhora battalion. Formed from the factory’s workers, the battalion took part in decisive battles against the regular units of the Nazi army and ended its heroic journey on the coast of the Baltic Sea.

About the great violinist and composer Niccolo Paganini.