Women of Ryazan

The film is set in the village of Ryazan in Russia. It opens in Spring, 1914, just before the outbreak of the World War I. The well-to-do farmer Vasilii Shironin has a daughter, Vasilisa, and a son, Ivan. While Ivan's love towards Anna was by luck also Vasilii's choice for his bride, Vasilisa's love towards Nicolai was strongly opposed by Vasilii. Before the general mobilization in Russia, Ivan is married to Anna while Vasilisa leaves home to start her family with Nicolai without the formal marriage. Vasilisa and Nicolai openly defies the conservative villagers' gossiping. When the war breaks out in the summer, both Ivan and Nicolai were drafted.