My Apprenticeship (V lyudyakh) was the second entry in Russian director Mark Donskoy's "Maxim Gorki" trilogy. Picking up where 1938's My Childhood left off, the story covers the years in Gorki's life when the future writer (Alexei Lyarsky) was on his own, looking for a purpose and place in life. Before he can make up his own mind, Gorki is trapped into serfdom by a wealthy family. As he grows from his teen years to full manhood, Gorki fights his way towards freedom of thought and body. Based on Gorki's autobiography, the film was followed in 1940 by My Universities. My Apprenticeship has also been released as On His Own and Among People
Hal Erickson, www.allmovie.com