Regarded by the official Soviet press of the time as a prime example of shameless "Western-style" entertainment, Miss Mend was nevertheless hugely popular, becoming one of the most successful Soviet films of the decade. Though you’ll find no tractors, capitalist oppression, or revolution, the film does manage a few jokes at the American characters’ ’ expense. 

Co-director Boris Barnet, actor, ex-boxer, and a graduate of the Kuleshov School, directed other notable silent films including The Girl With the Hatbox and The House on Trubnaya Square; his career extended to the mid-1960s with his most notable sound film being Outskirts (1933).  Fedor Ozep, also a screenwriter, emigrated from the Soviet Union.  In Germany, he directed a wonderful version of Tolstoy's The Living Corpse and The Murder of Dmitri Karamazov, making later films in France, and finishing his long career as a Hollywood director.

BONUS FEATURES:

• Miss Mend: A Whirlwind Vision of an Imagined America - A brand new, 25-minute documentary exploring the creative forces and cultural influences behind Miss Mend
• Creating The Music of Miss Mend: Go behind the scenes of Robert Israel’s brilliant new score in a new, 15-minute documentary featuring the actual Miss Mend recording sessions
• PLUS: Miss Mend and Soviet Americanism – A new booklet essay by historians Ana Olenina and Maxim Pozdorovkin

NOTE: This 2-disc set will count as one rental because the feature is covered over two discs.