Moscow, 1902. The famous director Konstantin Stanislavsky, in search of inspiration for staging a new play, decides to get acquainted with the life of the city "bottom". He turns to Vladimir Gilyarovsky, a recognized expert on the Moscow slums, for help.
The Tsar is having his daughter Zabava marry a charmingly handsome and a handsomely charming Paul, a rich heir and a foreign fancy pants. However, it's a bit of a challenge, since Zabava wants a marriage of love, not of calculation. Her unexpected encounter with sailor Ivan, a simpleton yet an...
