Borets i Kloun plot
Ivan Poddoubni and Anatoli Dourov fulfill a long-cherished wish in Odessa: to join the circus. Ivan becomes a wrestler, and thanks to the director of the circus, he becomes the undisputed champion of tsarist Russia and a magnet that attracts the audience. Anatoli becomes a clown and does a successful song with pigs. The pair become friends and soon become a legend in 19th century Russia, but they are no guarantee of happiness.