Happiness and unhappiness go hand in hand For his debut film, director Olgert Dunkers chose an acutely social theme, and did not lose out, receiving a Diploma for the film festival of the Baltic republics, Belarus and Moldova in Minsk in 1969. The script, also written by debutant Andrei Dripe, does not stand out for its special originality, but it is not without sincerity in showing the characters. Geert (Roman Grabowskis) lost his father early, and Uncle Robert (Gunars Cilinskis) in his imagination became the embodiment of masculinity and skill. Robert was known in the collective farm as an excellent driver, a man of broad nature. So wide that even in his eyes he was called “barin”. It cost him nothing to put beer for the whole company, to order a song for himself at the dance. This behavior of the uncle literally hypnotized Geert. He also wanted the same freedom from monetary dependence ("Many of my classmates already have motorcycles, and I have nothing...").
In addition, for the first time, Geert found himself in an atmosphere of “verbal accessibility” of women. (Robert's words about Anna:" "Fire, not a woman!", or a meeting in the morning with Strautmanis: "Not always a real home where you live...") All this slightly changed the idea of Geert about adulthood. Suddenly prohibitions ceased to be prohibitions. The inaccessible became available. And then Uncle Robert with his monologues, deep into the soul of the young man: "A friend will betray you, his wife will cheat, and we are connected by something quite different: blood kinship is a great power!" With no experience in life, it is not easy for Geert to understand where the truth is and where the lie is, who is right – who is to blame. Some say one thing, others the opposite ("We would be much happier if we always told the truth"). - Inga (Lilita Ozolina) The young man is torn between two fires: he is drawn to one side, then to the other. Realizing the truth of Inga’s words, he can’t abandon his uncle’s tempting lifestyle. All this leads to a regular ending.
A true film about a confused young man who, by trial and error, tries to find his way in life.