By the Bluest of Seas

A storm capsizes their ship in the Caspian Sea. Yussuf and Alyosha cling to the wreckage as the chances of rescue fade. On the third day adrift, they are spotted by fishermen who pull them from the sea.

The fishermen bring them to a nearby island off the coast of Soviet Azerbaijan. They are welcomed into the Lights of Communism collective farm, where locals treat them as new workers. Mariya, the farm's leader, immediately captures their attention.

Yussuf and Alyosha integrate into the collective farm and quickly become smitten with Mariya. Mariya runs the farm with competence, and the island life intensifies the attraction between the newcomers and her. The trio's dynamics begin to complicate the farm's harmony.

Alyosha and Mariya exchange flirtatious banter as they explore the island and its fishing operations. Yussuf watches with growing jealousy, sensing how close Mariya is to his friend. The two men remain drawn to her despite the surrounding labor and routine.

Alyosha pretends to be ill to stay behind from a fishing trip and instead travels to a nearby town. He returns at night bearing gifts for Mariya. Yussuf publicly condemns his friend's deceit in front of the group.

On their final day at sea, Alyosha acknowledges his disgrace and concedes that Yussuf should marry Mariya. He recognizes that his own feelings are tangled and steps back from pursuing her.

Yussuf proclaims that he intends to marry Mariya, embracing the responsibility and companionship she represents. He accepts a future with her and signals his loyalty to her as a partner.

A violent storm erupts as tensions flare aboard the ship. Mariya is knocked overboard from the top deck; Alyosha dives in, closely followed by Yussuf. They search frantically but cannot locate her before the waves pull her away.

Back on shore, the men mourn Mariya, thinking she is dead. To their astonishment, she is carried back by the waves wearing a life preserver and survives. The moment turns the premature funeral into a celebration of her return.

Alyosha seizes a chance to slip away with Mariya. Alone together, he confesses his love, but Mariya rejects him, leaving him lonely and unsure of what comes next. He departs before she can offer any explanation.

Alyosha learns that Mariya has a fiancé serving in the Pacific Fleet. She urges Yussuf to imagine the pain of being called away, showing her resolve to remain faithful to him. The revelation unsettles their immediate hopes for a mutual union.

Despite heartbreak, Yussuf and Alyosha reconcile and decide to leave the island together. They sail away side by side, singing about a woman who awaits her loved one's return from the sea, signaling a shared, bittersweet solidarity.