This film is nothing much, but nothing really bad. If you choose to watch it, you're in for 75 minutes of light-hearted, well acted and reasonably well filmed comedy. It is not rated (in Italy at least) but I suppose PG would be recommended in most countries due to some scenes and sexual allusions throughout the film. One trivia not mentioned here is that Venice was re-built at Mosfilm studios, and looks better than the original (no tourists fooling around). I especially enjoyed Tom Conti's Italian accent and mimics and the good (almost collective) performance by Smotkunovskij, Larionov and Shirvindt as the three inquisitors. Aleksandr Abdulov looked too high-pitched to me (and based on what I gather from the Russian press this role added nothing to his fame). Very enjoyable Zouc, good Wilby, very professional but maybe too cold Isabella Rossellini. Connoisseurs of Russian life will especially enjoy the Turkish bath scene.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
