Déjà vu (1988)

Director:

Juliusz Machulski

Writers:

Aleksandr Borodyansky (screenplay)
Juliusz Machulski (screenplay)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

The Prohibition years. Chicago bootleggers suffer losses due to their betrayal by one Mick Nich - Mikita Nichiporuk...

Plot Keywords:

Hitman | Gangster | 1930s | Communism | Hired Killer

Cast

Jerzy Stuhr	...	Johnny Pollack
Galina Petrova	...	Klara Glushko
Nikolai Karachentsov	...	Mishka Yaponchik (Mike the Little Jap)
Vladimir Golovin	...	Mick Nich (Mikita Nichiporuk)
Liza Machulska
Viktor Stepanov
Oleg Shklovsky	...	George (Sr. Lt. Perepletchikov)
Vasili Mishchenko	...	Kostya
Vladimir Belousov
Vsevolod Safonov
Gennadi Vengerov	...	Sanitar Petrovich
Vitali Shapovalov
Wojciech Wysocki
Armen Khostikyan		(as A. Khostekyan)
Murad Janibekyan		(as M. Dzhanibekyan)

Also Known As:

дЕФЮ БЧ (Soviet Union: Russian title)

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

Poland | Soviet Union

Language:

English | Russian | Polish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

Odessa, Ukraine

Company:

Odessa Film Studios

Quotes:

Johnny Pollack: Where can I exchange the currency?
Hotel Administrator: In the bank. But better yet...
[whispering]
Hotel Administrator: in the Nichiporuk Bakery

Movie Connections:

Featured in V.I.P. (1991)

Funny and original, know your Russian before you watch

This movie deserves to be recognized. It is an original comedy spoofing the early years of the Soviet empire, with all their grotesque and pretentiousness. It is a story of an American killer-for-hire, who is sent by the Mafia to kill an informer. Out of all places, the informer is hiding in the newly Soviet Russia. The killer is mistaken for the well-known scientist traveling around the world, so the Soviet bureaucracy kicks in the high gear, determined to show off the new wonderful Russia for the famous foreign 'scientist'. With all the attention and constant companionship of one over-zealous Soviet tour guide (a hilarious turn by an unknown Russian actress), the killer gets in all these ridiculous situations just to follow up on his contract. In turn, the informer knows that the mob guys are after him and decides to strike first. In short, it is a never ending situational romp with funny one liners that I remember to this day (even though I saw it when I was a child growing up in Russia).

Now, I don't think this movie is available with subtitles, so you've got to know your Russian before you see it. You won't be sorry - the actors are superb (especially the Polish actor, who also appeared in 'Novie Amazonki'), the script is smart and funny as hell, and the early years of Soviet Empire have never looked so ridiculous as in this film.