Heart of a Dog (1988)

Director: Vladimir Bortko

"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.

Cast

Evgeniy Evstigneev

Professor Filipp Preobrazhenskyy

Boris Plotnikov

Doctor Bormental

Vladimir Tolokonnikov

Sharikov

Nina Ruslanova

Darya Petrovna

Olga Melikhova

Zinochka

Aleksei Mironov

Fyodor

Roman Kartsev

Shvonder

Anzhelika Nevolina

Vasnetsova

Natalya Fomenko

Vyazemskaya

Evgeniy Kuznetsov

Pestrukhin