Moscow on the Hudson (1984)

Director:

Paul Mazursky

Writers:

Paul Mazursky (written by) &
Leon Capetanos (written by)

Release Date:

6 April 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Vladimir Ivanoff walks into a department store to buy blue jeans, walks out with a girl friend, an immigration lawyer and a buddy. His life and theirs will never be the same again.

Plot:

When a Russian musician defects in Bloomingdale's department store in New York, he finds adjusting to American life more difficult than he imagined.

Plot Keywords:

Musician | Immigrant | Security Guard | Friend | Saxophone

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe.

Cast

Robin Williams	...	Vladimir Ivanoff
Maria Conchita Alonso	...	Lucia Lombardo
Cleavant Derricks	...	Lionel Witherspoon
Alejandro Rey	...	Orlando Ramirez
Saveli Kramarov	...	Boris (as Savely Kramarov)
Elya Baskin	...	Anatoly
Oleg Rudnik	...	Yury
Aleksandr Benyaminov	...	Vladimir's Grandfather (as Alexander Beniaminov)
Lyudmila Kramarevskaya	...	Vladimir's Mother (as Ludmila Kramarevsky)
Ivo Vrzal-Wiegand	...	Vladimir's Father (as Ivo Vrzal)
Natalya Ivanova	...	Sasha (as Natalie Iwanow)
Tiger Haynes	...	Lionel's Grandfather
Eyde Byrde	...	Lionel's Mother (as Edye Byrde)
Robert MacBeth	...	Lionel's Stepfather
Donna Ingram-Young	...	Leanne
Olga Talyn	...	Svetlana
Aleksandr Narodetsky	...	Leonid (as Alexander Narodetzky)
Pierre Orcel	...	Young French Man
Stephanie Cotsirilos	...	Veronica Cohen
Frederick Strother	...	Bill (as Fred Strother)
Anthony Cortino	...	Male Clerk
Betsy Mazursky	...	Bloomingdale's Manager
Kaity Tong	...	Kaity Tong
Royce Rich	...	Bloomingdale's Cop
Christopher Wynkoop	...	Agent Ross
Lyman Ward	...	Agent Williams
Joe Lynn	...	Mean Man on Subway
Joy Todd	...	Blanche
Paul Mazursky	...	Dave
Thomas Ikeda	...	Korean Cab Driver
Barbara Montgomery	...	Mrs. Marlowe
Dana Lorge	...	Wanda
Adalberto Santiago	...	Latin Band Leader
Sam Moses	...	Dr. Reddy
Yakov Smirnoff	...	Lev
Sam Stoneburner	...	Panama Hat
Michael Greene	...	Texan
Rosetta LeNoire	...	The Judge (as Rosetta Le Noire)
Sal Carollo	...	Uncle Sal
Filomena Spagnuolo	...	Uncle Sal's Mother (as Filomena Spanguolo)
Annabella Turco	...	Uncle Sal's Wife
George Kelly	...	Wild Bill Hawthorne
Yury Olshansky	...	Blozonov
Jacques Sandulescu	...	Truck Driver
Emil Feist	...	Circus Performer
Vladimir Tukan	...	Strong Man
Mark Rutenberg	...	Animal Trainer
Yuri Belov	...	Circus Clown (as Yury Belov)
Igor Panich	...	Circus Clown
Yuri Golovshchikov	...	Russian Officer (as Jurij Gotowtschikow)
Sina Kasper	...	Shoe Clerk
Ken Fitch	...	Man at Reception
Murray Grand	...	Piano Player at Reception
Ann E. Wile	...	V.A.G. #2
Michael T. Laide	...	Waiter at Reception
Linda Kerns	...	Fat Lady at Bloomingdale's
Armand Dahan	...	Iranian
José Rabelo	...	Supermarket Clerk (as Jose Rabelo)
Jim Goodfriend	...	Mr. Aaron
Antonia Rey	...	Counter Woman at McDonald's
James Prendergast	...	Bailiff
Brandon Rey	...	Carlo
Paul Davidovsky	...	Russian Man
Andrei Kramarevsky	...	Russian Man at Soho Loft
Arkady Shabashev	...	Leader in Russian Band
Dina Shvarts	...	Singer in Russian Band
Bella Rosenberg	...	Singer in Russian Band
Anatoly Mogilevsky	...	Singer in Russian Band (as Anatoli Mogilevsky)
Mikhail Shufutinskiy	...	Singer in Russian Band (as Mikhail Shufutinsky)
Donald King	...	Mugger
David Medina	...	Mugger
Juanita Mahone	...	Gorgeous Black Girl
Robert Kasel	...	Handsome Man
Kikue Tashiro	...	Japanese Woman
Joyce R. Korbin	...	Counter Woman at Coffee Shop
Luis Antonio Ramos	...	Mexican Dishwasher (as Luis Ramos)
Kim Chan	...	Chinese Customer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Connie Chung	...	Herself (uncredited)
George Coutoupis	...	Gang Member (uncredited)
Kim Delgado	...	Hot Dog Customer (uncredited)
Jackée Harry	...	Woman (uncredited)
Udo Kier	...	Gay Man on Street (uncredited)

Directed by
Paul Mazursky

Writing credits
Paul Mazursky		(written by) &
Leon Capetanos		(written by)

Produced by
Pato Guzman	....	co-producer
Paul Mazursky	....	producer
Geoffrey Taylor	....	associate producer

Original Music by
David McHugh

Cinematography by
Donald McAlpine		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Richard Halsey

Casting by
Joy Todd

Production Design by
Pato Guzman

Costume Design by
Albert Wolsky

Makeup Department
Joseph Cranzano	....	makeup artist
William A. Farley	....	hair stylist (as William Farley)
Ingrid Thier	....	hair stylist: Munich
Ingrid Thier	....	makeup artist: Munich

Production Management
Gerhard Hegele	....	unit manager: Munich (as Gerhard 'Gipsy' Hegele)
Patrick McCormick	....	production manager
Arno Ortmair	....	unit production manager: Munich (as Arno Ortmaier)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Paula Brody	....	dga trainee
Steve Gilbert	....	dga trainee
Alex Hapsas	....	first assistant director
Timothy J. Lonsdale	....	dga trainee
Thompson O'Sullivan	....	dga trainee
Joseph Ray	....	second assistant director
Stefaan Schieder	....	assistant director: Munich (as Stefaan Scheider)
Jay Tobias	....	dga trainee

Art Department
Frank Didio	....	head carpenter
John Ford	....	prop man
Tony Gamiello	....	set dresser
James Garland	....	construction grip
Joe Greco	....	stand-by carpenter
Robert Griffon Jr.	....	prop man (as Bob Griffon)
Steven J. Jordan	....	set decorator: New York (as Steven Jordan)
Vincent Lawrence	....	assistant scenic artist
Karl Loreck	....	draftsman: Munich
Michael Molly	....	art director: New York
Ron Petagna	....	head carpenter
Herwig Pollak	....	prop buyer: Munich (as Herwig Pollack)
Klaus Ringel	....	prop man: Munich
Peter Rothe	....	art director: Munich
Cosmo Sorice	....	scenic artist
Walter Stocklin	....	property master (as Wally Stocklin)
Hans Swanson	....	set dresser

Sound Department
John K. Adams	....	sound effects
Rick Alexander	....	sound re-recording mixer: Hollywood (as Dick Alexander)
Barbara J. Boguski	....	adr: Hollywood (as Barbara Boguski)
Neil Burrow	....	sound effects
Clayton Collins	....	apprentice sound editor (as Clay Collins)
Les Fresholtz	....	sound re-recording mixer: Hollywood
Devon Heffley Curry	....	adr: Hollywood (as Devon Heffley)
Ellen Heuer	....	foley artist
Dick Le Grand	....	sound effects
Dennis Maitland	....	production sound mixer
Kim Maitland	....	sound recordist
Robert Nichols II	....	sound recordist
Dan O'Connell	....	foley artist
Maggie Ostroff	....	sound apprentice
Vern Poore	....	sound re-recording mixer: Hollywood
Steve Rice	....	dialogue editor: Hollywood
Daniel Rosenblum	....	boom operator
Charles Ewing Smith	....	sound editor
Thomas Vehrig-Perron	....	sound assistant: Munich
David Lewis Yewdall	....	supervising sound editor: Hollywood

Special Effects by
Bernie Grill	....	special effects assistant: Munich (as Bernhard Grill)
Richard Richtsfeld	....	special effects chief: Munich

Stunts
Victor Magnotta	....	stunt coordinator
Dennis O'Neill	....	stunt double

Camera and Electrical Department
Lou Barlia	....	camera operator
Ricki-Ellen Brooke	....	second assistant camera: New York
Sandy Brooke	....	first assistant camera: New York
Michael Burke	....	electrician
Ken Connors	....	electrician
Russell Engels	....	gaffer (as Rusty Engels)
James Finnerty	....	key grip
James W. Finnerty	....	grip
John Finnerty	....	grip (as John 'Spike' Finnerty)
Adam Glick	....	set lighting technician
Louis Goldman	....	still photographer
Thomas F. Hanlon	....	video playback operator (as Tom Hanlon)
Ronald Hersey	....	clapper loader: Munich (as Ron Hersey)
Hans-Juergen Hoepflinger	....	electrician: Munich (as Hans-Jürgen Höpflinger)
Fred Leitensdorfer	....	key grip: Munich (as Freddie Leitensdorfer)
Dick Mingalone	....	additional camera operator: New York
George Patsos	....	grip
Herbert Sporrer	....	grip: Munich
Alexander Witt	....	focus puller: Munich
Dieter Zander	....	gaffer: Munich

Casting Department
Ilona Brennicke	....	extras casting: Munich
Meg Mazursky	....	casting coordinator
Sabine Schroth	....	casting: Munich

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Michael Dennison	....	wardrobe supervisor
Emmi Horoschenkoff	....	wardrobe mistress: Munich (as Emmy Horoschenkoff)
Teresa Alba Schipani	....	wardrobe (as Alba Schipani)
Ursula Schrader	....	wardrobe (as Ursula Jones)
Ille Sievers	....	costume supervisor: Munich
Linda Wayne	....	assistant wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Clayton Collins	....	apprentice editor: Hollywood (as Clay Collins)
Brad Fuller	....	apprentice editor
Helen Hahn	....	negative editor: Hollywood
Bob Kaiser	....	color timer: Hollywood
Chip Keye	....	apprentice editor
Elizabeth Sayre	....	post-production assistant: Hollywood
Julie Tanser	....	assistant editor
Jim Todd	....	negative editor: Hollywood
Renée Vial	....	editing assistant: Munich (as Renee Vial)

Music Department
Stephen A. Hope	....	music editor: Hollywood
Allan Mirchin	....	music engineer: Hollywood
Gregg Phillips	....	saxophone instructor: Mr. Williams
Michael Rod	....	musician: saxophone
Celia Weiner	....	assistant music editor: Hollywood (as Celia R. Weiner)

Transportation Department
Edward Iacobelli	....	transportation captain
Max Schillinger	....	head driver: Munich
James Patrick Whalen Jr.	....	head driver (as Dinny Whalen)

Other crew
Tom Adler	....	location assistant
Patricia Aldersley	....	production runner: Munich
Udo Alter	....	location manager: Munich
Sonja Beutura	....	production assistant: Munich (as Sonja Beutur)
Donna Cipriani	....	assistant production accountant
Neil Connuck	....	location assistant
Anastacia DeLonge	....	translator: Russian
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	title designer
David Gamburg	....	instructor: Russian, Mr. Williams
Kate Guinzburg	....	production office coordinator
James Hapsas	....	production assistant
Michael Hill	....	auditor
Sue Leibman	....	assistant: Mr. Mazursky
Lillian O. MacNeill	....	script supervisor
Price Marshall	....	executive secretary
Jill Mazursky	....	production assistant
Michael McCormick	....	production assistant
Mickie McGowan	....	adr group coordinator
Mary Meidinger Wilson	....	production assistant: Munich
Blair Bellis Mohr	....	production assistant (as Blair Bellis)
Steve Rose	....	studio coordinator
Mark Rutenberg	....	assistant: Mr. Williams
Renate Seefeldt	....	production accountant: Munich (as Renata Seefeldt)
Annie Spiegelman	....	production assistant
Vladimir Tukan	....	technical consultant
Wally West	....	technical consultant
Nancy Willen	....	unit publicist
Carl Zucker	....	location manager: New York
Dennis O'Neill	....	stand-in (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Bavaria Film
• Columbia Pictures Corporation
• Delphi Premier Productions

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1984) (USA) (theatrical)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (1984) (USA) (VHS) (pan and scan)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1986) (USA) (TV)
• Warner-Columbia Films (1984) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Egmont Entertainment (2002) (Finland) (DVD)
• LK-TEL Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (2000) (Finland) (TV)
• TV3 (1989) (Finland) (TV)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2012) (Australia) (DVD)
• Video Trade (1980s) (Finland) (VHS)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1994) (2002) (Finland) (TV)

Other Companies

• Arnold & Richter  studio facilities: Munich
• Bavaria Studios  studio facilities: Munich
• Filmtrucks  location equipment
• Filmtrucks  location services
• Modern Film Effects  titles and opticals
• Voici  catering

Also Known As:

Runtime:

115 min | West Germany:117 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Russian

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Finland:K-12 (cut) (1984) | France:U | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:12 | Iceland:L | Netherlands:AL | Australia:M | Portugal:M/6 | Finland:K-11 (uncut) (2002)

Filming Locations:

Bartlett Place, Gerritsen Beach, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Bavaria Film

Trivia:

Director Paul Mazursky spent a year's preparation on this movie by speaking with Russians living in the USA as well as ones still living in the then Soviet Union in Kiev, Moscow and Leningrad.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: All license plates on Moscow cars are obviously fakes, especially the ones on the KGB's Volga.

Quotes:

french man on bus:[first lines]
french man on bus:Excuse me, sir. Does this bus go to the Lincoln Center?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "At the Movies: Power/Down and Out in Beverly Hills/Hannah and Her Sisters/The Best of Times" (1986)

Soundtrack:

FREEDOM

A wonderful movie

I cannot understand why this movie has received such a low rating of 6.2. I love Robin Williams when he is funny and also when he is serious. He is the best of actors and his performance in Moscow on the Hudson, as a Russian musician, is awesome. Cuban-born Maria Conchita Alonso also gives an excellent performance as the Italian young lady who falls in love with Williams. My recommendation: don't wait any longer, rent Moscow on the Hudson. You'll cry, you'll laugh, and you'll appreciate freedom. No matter how risky freedom could be, it's the only opportunity to be yourself.