Neveroyatnye priklyucheniya italyantsev v Rossii (1974)

Directors:

Franco Prosperi
Eldar Ryazanov

Writers:

Emil Braginsky (writer)
Franco Castellano (writer)

Release Date:

31 January 1974 (Italy)

Genre:

Comedy | Adventure

Plot:

In Italy, a dying woman tells her granddaughter that she hid her treasure many years ago in Russia, in the city of Leningrad...

Plot Keywords:

Russia | Italy | Death Of Mother

Cast

Andrei Mironov
Ninetto Davoli	...	Giuseppe
Antonia Santilli	...	Olga
Alighiero Noschese	...	Antonio Lo Mazzo
Tano Cimarosa	...	Rosario Agrò
Evgeni Evstigneev
Olga Aroseva
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Gigi Ballista	...	Dottore (as Luigi Ballista)
Valentin Grachyov		(as Valya Grachyov)
Zoya Isayeva		(as Z. Isayeva)
King	...	Lion
Aleksandr Lukyanov
Yuri Mikhajlov		(as Yu. Mikhajlov)
Ella Nekrasova		(as E. Nekrasova)
Boris Runge
Franca Sciutto
Larisa Vikkel		(as L. Vikkel)
Valeri Vinogradov		(as V. Vinogradov)

Also Known As:

Невероятные приключения итальянцев в России (Soviet Union: Russian title)
Una matta, matta, matta corsa in Russia (Italy)
Unbelievable Adventures of Italians in Russia

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

Soviet Union | Italy

Language:

Russian

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

Moscow, Russia

Company:

Dino de Laurentiis Cinematografica

Trivia:

Producer Dino De Laurentiis was not committed to the film to such an extent that he tried to cut the living expenses of the large Russian crew while shooting on location in Italy. He also demanded that a very small number of takes should be shot to reduce lab bills. This resulted in a crew going on strike. He also vetoed casting of Italian big names stars such as Alberto Sordi Marcello Mastroianni, Claudia Cardinal and Sophia Loren. This decision backfired when the finished film was presented to Paramount for a possible distribution deal. Paramount bosses told De Laurentiis that the film could have been a great international success if well-known international stars had been cast.

Movie Connections:

Remake of It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963)

nice Russian comedy about treasure hunt

It is not my favorite Ryasanov's movie, but nevertheless I recommend it for everybody who like comedies about treasure hunting. The plot is quite usual. Somewhere in very poor Italian hospital dies old Russian lady, who appears to be one of noble Russian aristocrats. She left Russia after revolution 1917, but she was not able to take with her all her treasures. So in the hospital, before she dies, she reveals to everybody, who is near her (her granddaughter, gangster, doctor, paramedics, patients) her secret. And treasure hunt begins! The movie is quite funny, but not the best example of Russian comedies. The good news is that unlike many Russian comedies which are fun only for native speakers, this one can be comprehended by any audience.