
Young Maxim grows up under the czarist regime with his grandparents as guardians. Continually demeaned by his martinet grandfather, Maxim is drawn to his warm-hearted grandmother, who instills in him the willingness to pursue his writing muse.

Aleksei Lyarsky
Aleksei Peshkov

Varvara Massalitinova
Akulina Ivanva Kashirin

Mikhail Troyanovsky
Vasili Vasilyevich Kashirin
Yelizaveta Alekseyeva
Varvara Kashirina Peshkova
Aleksandr Zhukov
Mikhail Kashirin, an uncle
K. Zubkov
Old Grigori

Daniil Sagal
Vanya, aka 'Gypsy'

Sergey Tikhonravov
The Lodger

Vyacheslav Novikov
Yakov Kashirin
Igor Smirnov
Alexei, aka 'Lenka' or 'Lex', a crippled boy
E. Mamaev
Sacha Kashirin, nephew
V. Korochentchikov
Mikhail's son, also named Sacha
Valentin Korneyev
Member of 'The Gang' (uncredited)
A. Lebedev
Member of 'The Gang' (uncredited)
Vladimir Maslatsov
Member of 'The Gang' (uncredited)