His warm and sincere delivery of Dark Is the Night won the sympathy of millions of Soviet people, catapulting Bernes into enduring fame.

A deep bond of friendship forms between Arkady Dzyubin, a machine gunner from Odessa, and Sasha Svintsov, a steelworker from the Urals.

Sasha, somewhat embarrassed, confesses to Arkady that he has an acquaintance in the city, a girl named Tanya, who has invited him to her home.

When Arkady and Sasha return late in the evening to their unit, they find that a fierce battle has taken place during their absence, and many of their comrades have been killed.

To lift the soldiers' spirits, Arkady, with his usual wit, shares the story of Sasha's "unfortunate" love.