Heart of a Dog 2015

In the unforgiving Moscow winter of 1924, a stray dog’s fortunes take a dramatic turn when he’s discovered foraging through trash by a cook. The scalding effects of boiling water leave him lying motionless in a doorway, his thoughts consumed by self-pity and despair. But fate intervenes in the form of successful surgeon Filipp Filippovich Preobrazhensky (no stranger to defying the odds), who arrives bearing a succulent piece of sausage that sets the dog’s tail wagging anew. As gratitude overflows, the canine follows his new benefactor back to his spacious flat, where he’s christened Sharik - a moniker he finds ironic, given his slender build and far cry from the pampered fat dogs he’s accustomed to.

Within the professor’s household, Sharik becomes acquainted with Doctor Ivan Arnoldovich Bormenthal (the professor’s trusted student and protégé), as well as two devoted servants: Zinaida Prokofievna Bunina and Darya Petrovna Ivanova. Despite Dr. Preobrazhensky’s vocal anti-communist sentiments, his esteemed reputation and frequent medical treatments of the RCP(b) leadership render him virtually untouchable. Consequently, he refuses to downsize his opulent seven-room flat, instead treating the Bolsheviks on the housing committee, led by Schwonder, with palpable disdain.

As Sharik settles into his new role as “a gentleman’s dog,” he finds himself effortlessly adopting the mannerisms of his refined master. The passage of time brings about a marked improvement in Sharik’s health, prompting one of the servants to take him on leisurely strolls through Moscow’s snowy streets. As he prances along, adorned with his new collar, Sharik remains impervious to the taunts of a stray canine that dares to cross his path.

However, Sharik’s tranquility is short-lived, as Dr. Preobrazhensky finally reveals his true intentions for taking in the dog. With Filip’s laboratory prepared, Sharik finds himself being dragged into the room by the skin of his neck, his protests falling on deaf ears. As the professor’s sinister plan unfolds, Sharik is sedated and subjected to an operation that will leave him forever changed.

The surgical procedure, overseen by Bormenthal, involves the transplantation of a human pituitary gland and testicles into Sharik’s torso - organs harvested from Klim Grigorievich Chugunkin, a life-long troublemaker who met his demise in a brutal brawl. Only repeated injections of adrenaline manage to keep the dog alive throughout the ordeal.

As the weeks tick by since the groundbreaking operation, the household is left reeling in stunned silence as Sharik (Poligraf Poligrafovich Sharikov) undergoes a profound transformation. Initially, he emerges from his canine roots with an unrefined and uncouth human form. The Professor’s associate, Schwonder, secures crucial documents under this newly minted name, which holds significance in the world of printing arts and technology.

As Poligraf Sharikov struggles to adapt to his newfound humanity, the Professor and Bormenthal take on the daunting task of teaching him basic social graces. However, their efforts are met with ridicule as Sharikov dismisses etiquette as a relic of a bygone era, advocating instead for a more natural approach to life. This leads to a series of embarrassing incidents: he curses in front of women, refuses to shave or dress properly, and indulges in sloppy eating habits.

Meanwhile, Sharikov’s presence begins to wreak havoc on the Professor’s life. One fateful day, his mischievous pursuit of a cat inadvertently triggers the bathroom faucet, leaving the apartment awash in water after Bormenthal locks himself inside, unable to free himself. Later, Sharikov is caught attempting to assault one of the female servants, prompting Bormenthal to deliver a severe beating and force an apology from the wayward Sharikov. Enraged by this treatment, Sharikov vanishes for several days.

Bormenthal later pleads with the Professor to permit him to administer arsenic to Sharikov, deeming him a “man with the heart of a dog.” The Professor is horrified by this suggestion and refuses to “sully the dog,” pointing out that the human body parts used in the operation came from a homeless drunkard with Bolshevik sympathies. Bormenthal then proposes redoing the surgery using the body of a genius, but the Professor remains steadfast in his refusal, citing the original intention behind the operation: to improve humanity.

As the Professor’s beliefs begin to shift, he concedes that any peasant woman could give birth to a genius, rendering eugenics an exercise in futility. In the end, the Professor refuses to condone Sharikov’s murder or undo the operation, which poses a significant risk to both their lives.

As Sharikov’s tenure in the Soviet government’s employ draws to a close, he returns with a peculiar new occupation: capturing and strangling stray felines. His justification for this gruesome task is that the party has taken it upon itself to transform these unwanted animals into affordable fur coats for the working class. Shortly thereafter, Sharikov brings home a female coworker, whom he introduces to Professor Preobrazhensky as his de facto wife.

However, the professor sees fit to enlighten her about the true nature of Sharikov’s existence, revealing that he is in fact a product of a laboratory experiment gone awry. The woman, upon learning this shocking truth, departs the apartment in tears. Consumed by fury, Sharikov vows to have her terminated from her position. Bormenthal, sensing the escalating tensions, intervenes once more, physically subduing Sharikov and extracting a promise that he will not pursue such drastic measures.

The following day, a high-ranking party official, Professor Preobrazhensky’s trusted friend Pyotr Alexandrovich, arrives to convey a startling piece of information: Sharikov has denounced the professor to the secret police, also known as CHEKA. Although the government distrusts Sharikov’s motivations, the official assures the professor that he will not be harmed. After departing, Sharikov returns, and the professor and Bormenthal insist that he vacate the premises permanently. Instead, Sharikov refuses, producing a revolver in a fit of rage.

Enraged by Sharikov’s defiant stance, the professor and Bormenthal pounce upon him, ultimately rendering him immobile. As night falls, an unsettling silence settles over the apartment, with the lights remaining on long after bedtime. Over the subsequent days, Professor Preobrazhensky and Bormenthal appear noticeably more at ease than they had been since Sharikov’s arrival.

As the tension dissipates, the police arrive, accompanied by Schwonder, bearing a search warrant that demands the professor and Bormenthal produce Sharikov forthwith. Unfazed, the professor orders Bormenthal to summon Sharikov, who is gradually reverting back into his canine form. The professor attributes this transformation to a natural phenomenon, though it is clear to the reader that he and Bormenthal have simply reversed the experimental procedure.

In tow behind Schwonder’s increasingly agitated countenance, the police depart, leaving the apartment bathed in an air of relief. Sharik, now fully restored to his canine state, settles back into his role as a refined gentleman’s dog. However, in the book’s final moments, it is revealed that Professor Preobrazhensky has brought home a human brain and removed its pituitary gland, suggesting that Sharik may retain memories of his time as a human or that the professor intends to conduct a similar experiment in the future.