[1] The film takes place in late autumn and early winter of 1917 during the events of the October Revolution and the beginning of the Russian Civil War.

A young Russian doctor called Mikhail Polyakov (Leonid Bichevin) arrives at a small hospital in a remote village in Yaroslavl Governorate.

After an allergic reaction to a diphtheria vaccination, he has his nurse Anna give him morphine to negate the effects.

Songs performed by Alexander Vertinsky – "Tango Magnolia", "Snow Lullaby", "Cocainetka" – were used in the soundtrack of the film.

At the 2009 Russian Guild of Film Critics Awards Aleksei Balabanov received the prize Best Director.