Virtually every frame of the Russian Symphony of Life is filled with happy, singing, smiling carefree peasants. Put bluntly, the film is more propaganda than entertainment. The storyline concentrates on Andrei (Vladimir Druzhnikov), a budding musician whose hands are seriously injured in war. Despairing, he retreats to his Siberian homeland, where his supportive friends and family give him a new lease on life. The musical setpieces carry the day in the overlong Symphony of Life, which was even longer before its American release.
~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide