Russian films made in the 1970s which deal with the Civil War (1918-21) there often have qualities which make them resemble American westerns. Nikita Mikhalkov is one of the better-known of the post-Soviet filmmakers; he won an Oscar for his 1994 film Burnt By The Sun. This very popular 1973 film was his first; he was 28 at the time. Svoid sredi... is told in an unconventional manner (especially for Soviet films of the time) reminiscent of the films of Sergio Leone. The story recounts the many exploits of Shilov (Yuri Bogaryrev) who seeks to recapture a stolen gold shipment that belongs to the Red Army. He is suspected of stealing the gold himself, and he seeks to clear his name. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi