Fine acting, expert photography, and an excellent script depicting a modern Florence Nightingale make "Girl from Leningrad" fine film-fare. With its authentic Mannerheim Line scenes showing the Soviet troops in action against Finland and Germany as a background for a Red Cross nurse romance it packs a terrific wallop.

The young woman around whom the drama and action centers is Comrade Commander Natasha, played by the lovely Russian film actress Zoya Fyodorva. Her rough, heavy clothing and high boots fail to hide her lovely charm, which fairly oozes out, if given half a chance. Besides her hospital duties, which are very arduous, she has to manage a group of young nurses who are full of life and still half scared to death.

A young Russian officer who has evidently led some especially brave and gallant maneuver against the enemy (just what and where the censor deletes) is brought to the camp hospital behind the lines. Because of the seriousness of his physical disorder Natasha takes charge of him herself, and he promptly reciprocates by falling in love with her. This can't be, for Natasha has given her heart to her fiance at the front and the hospitalized officer realizes this when Natasha volunteers for duty at the front upon word of the supposed death of her fiance in action. Here some of the most vivid and spectacular war scenes actually filmed under fire are released by the Soviet government. Especially noteworthy is a long sequence showing the white clad U.S.S.R. troops advancing under fire to blow up an enemy pill-box with dynamite. The film has an unusual ending which smells like Hollywood and would spoil the plot if recorded here. The picture was produced in Russia; the dialogue is in Russian with English titles. Incidently the star, Zoya Fyodorva, bears a remarkable resemblance to Sonia Henie. (Hollywood please note.) E. V. F. (linotypist for the Crimson.)