A Walk in the Woods

In the pleasant woods on the outskirts of Geneva, two superpower arms negotiators, a Russian and an American, meet informally after long, frustrating hours at the bargaining table. The Russian, a seasoned veteran who has mastered the Soviet hard line, is urbane and humorous, but, at the same time, profoundly cynical about what the current sessions can accomplish. His young American counterpart is new to the arms talks, and a bit stuffy and pedantic... he's also feverishly idealistic about what can - and must - be achieved through perseverance and honest bargaining. As the seasons pass, a strong friendship develops between the men, and when the Russian announces he's retiring, the American looks upon his leaving with both genuine regret and real fears about whom will replace him.