Heart of a Dog

IMDb 7.9 1988 • 136 min • DramaComedyScience Fiction

Director

Vladimir Bortko

Country

SU

Plot Summary

"Heart of a Dog" is a Soviet film adaptation of Mikhail Bulgakov’s iconic novella. Set in 1920s Moscow, it tells the satirical and darkly humorous story of a stray dog named Sharik, who is transformed into a human by Professor Preobrazhensky through a daring medical experiment. The resulting man, Poligraf Poligrafovich Sharikov, embodies the social and ideological tensions of early Soviet society. With its sharp critique of class struggle, human nature, and the perils of radical change, the film is celebrated for its faithful adaptation, brilliant performances, and rich allegorical depth.

Top Cast

Evgeniy Evstigneev
Evgeniy Evstigneev Professor Filipp Preobrazhenskyy
Boris Plotnikov
Boris Plotnikov Doctor Bormental
Vladimir Tolokonnikov
Vladimir Tolokonnikov Sharikov
Nina Ruslanova
Nina Ruslanova Darya Petrovna
Olga Melikhova
Olga Melikhova Zinochka