The Elder Son (Russian: Старший сын, romanized: Starshiy syn) is a 1976 Soviet two-part television drama film directed by Vitaly Melnikov based on the eponymous play by Alexander Vampilov.

[1] Two hapless young men – student Vladimir Busygin and his chance acquaintance Semyon Sevostyanov, nicknamed Silva – escort two girls they just met in a cafe back home to the suburbs in the hopes of advancing their relations.

Having overheard the conversation, Vladimir conceives an outrageous plan: he decides to introduce himself as the man's illegitimate son, and so solve the problem of dinner and a place to sleep.

Unable to keep up the pretence, Vladimir eventually confesses his deceit to Nina, who has also been experiencing bafflingly unsisterly feelings towards her new "brother."

At this point Silva turns up: Vassenka, finding him in Natalia's home, had tried to set fire to the house, in a fit of jealousy, by throwing a box of lit matches through the window.