Doctor
Since Zoya Verenskaya's husband passed away ten years ago, she has been devoted to her daughter Lee. At present, Lee is in poor health, and she is in danger of losing her eyesight. Zoya's suitor Dmitry wants to get married, but Zoya is determined to wait until Lee is better. Then, on a vacation in the Crimea, they learn Lee's true feelings for Dmitry, and suddenly all of their lives are thrown into turmoil.
Gizella's Father Cherubino Raccio
When Viktor meets Gizella one day beside the lake, he takes an interest in her and begins to call on her regularly. The one passion in the life of Gizella, who is unable to speak, is dancing. When Viktor deceives her and she finds him with another woman, she moves away and begins a career as a ballerina. Later, as she is on tour performing “The Dying Swan”, the artist Glinskiy attends her performance. Glinskiy, whose own obsession is to depict death in his art, becomes fascinated by Gizella, and he is determined to use her as a model for a special project.
Theater director
Marianna (Vera Kholodnaia) is a poor but decent girl who is working for the millionaire Dymov. Dymov has a son, a dilettante youngster who with the help of his wealth will seduce Marianna who, besides being poor, decent and talented, has also a fiancée. Marianna doesn't hesitate to leave her family and fiancée in order to obtain the splendid life offered by Dymov Jr. Alas; their romance is short lived.
Based on the Chekhov story "In the Dark."
The tsar
Administrator of the theatre
A tragic story of a ballerina.
Nastya's grandfather, the porter
In order to allow another servant to go home to be with her children, Nastya agrees to serve in her place, as a maid in the household in which Nastya's grandfather is a porter. Soon afterwards, the woman who owns the house goes on a trip, leaving her son Pavel at home. Pavel is engaged to Ellen, but Ellen flirts openly with other men. Nastya and the servants quickly realize that Ellen is having an ongoing romantic affair with Baron von Rehren. This puts the servants, and especially the sensitive Nastya, in a painfully uncomfortable position.
Based on Gustav Kadelburg's farce The Road to Hell.
Golova
Based on Gogol's story. It is Christmas Eve, and the town witches’ son, a blacksmith, seeks an honest marriage to his love who wishes for a pair of shoes fit for the Tsarina. A mischievous devil is trapped into providing service to the smith.
This film captures a stage production at Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, accompanied by the choir of Moscow Synagogue. Brothers Isaak and Borukh are both in love with Sarra, but Sarra chooses Isaac and they got married. However, Sarra could not conceive for ten years, and their Rabbi tells them that according to Jewish law, they must divorce. Isaak's parents push him to sign the divorce paper, then their Rabbi drops the divorce paper to Sarra's feet. She tells Isaac about her grief, and Isaak commits suicide. Soon after-wards, Sore realizes that she is pregnant, but she is now single.
A man rents out his uncle's room to all kinds of people.
