Ivan Vasilevich menyaet professiyu (1973)

An ordinary Soviet building manager, living in the 20th century, is extremely similar to Tsar of All Rus' - Ivan IV the Terrible (1530 - 1584). He would never have known about this, but one day his neighbor created a time machine.

Director:

Leonid Gaidai

Writers:

Mikhail A. Bulgakov (play) (as Mikhail Bulgakov), Vladlen Bakhnov (as V. Bakhnov)

Stars:

Yuriy Yakovlev, Leonid Kuravlyov, Aleksandr Demyanenko

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Yuriy Yakovlev	...	Ivan Vasilyevich Bunsha / Czar Ivan The Terrible
Leonid Kuravlyov	...	George Miloslavsky
Aleksandr Demyanenko	...	Shurik
Saveliy Kramarov	...	Feofan
Natalya Seleznyova	...	Zinaida Mikhaylovna Timofeyeva
Natalya Krachkovskaya	...	Ulyana Andreyevna (as Natalya Belogortseva-Krachkovskaya)
Natalya Kustinskaya	...	Yakin's Lover
Vladimir Etush	...	Anton Semyonovich Shpak
Mikhail Pugovkin	...	Karp Savelyevich Yakin
Sergey Filippov	...	Swedish Ambassador
Eduard Bredun	...	Trader of Radio Components (as E. Bredun)
Aleksandr Vigdorov	...	Strelets (as A. Vigdorov)
Valentin Grachyov	...	Strelets (as V. Grachyov)
Natalya Gurzo	...	Nurse (as N. Gurzo)
Ivan Zhevago	...	Doctor (as I. Zhevago)

Storyline

Shurik Timofeev builds a working model of a time machine. By accident, Ivan Bunsha, an apartment complex manager, and George Miloslavsky, a petty burglar, are transferred to the 16th century Moscow, while Tsar Ivan the Terrible goes into the year 1973.

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Plot Keywords:

tsar | time travel comedy | comedy of manners | time machine | burglar | 

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Genres:

Adventure | Comedy | Sci-Fi

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Did You Know?

Trivia

When a film director Yackin tried to figure out who was playing Ivan IV, among other famous Russian movie stars he mentioned Yury Nickulin, one of the favorite artists of Gaiday(the director of "Ivan Vasilievich"). They say Gaiday initially offered Nickulin to play Ivan the Terrible and Bunsha. But Nuckulin rejected.

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Goofs

The Czaress Marfa Sobakina died 15 days after the marriage to Iwan The Terrible in the Alexandrov Kremlin cause of a big deceases (apparently she was poisoned). So she wouldn't join a party and wouldn't be so colorful and jolly as described in the movie. Furthermore they were married at the 28 October 1571 and the movie takes place in spring-summer period. However this goof is taken directly from the play "Ivan Vasilievich" by Michail Bulgakov, on which the movie is based on.

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Quotes

Engineer Alexander Sergeyevich Timofeyev: Well, if you were my wife, I would hang myself.

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Crazy Credits

The opening credits say: The "experimental artist union" presents: a non-science-, fictitious, a not quite realistic and a not accurate historical movie

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Connections

Referenced in Vecherniy Urgant: Philip Kirkorov (2020)

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Soundtracks

Pogonya
("A pursuit")
Written by Aleksandr Zatsepin
Performed by an instrumental ensemble

User Reviews

One of the best Soviet comedies ever filmed!

Hi!

As the title of the comment points this is one of the best Soviet comedies ever filmed. And that's is the reason for many people from other countries of the world not to get it's meaning. I would say that even modern day Russians - who have never lived in The Soviet Union, who have no idea what Iron Curtain or Warsaw Treaty Organization is will never understand and enjoy it in full. But anyone who is acquainted with Soviet reality will vote 10 of 10 - I am sure. So do not blame Americans or peoples from other countries for not getting Soviet comedies (those were great; and modern day Russian comedies is pure crap - I am sorry) - they were so very oriented to our former reality that are hard to get in modern days. My score is 20 of 10.

Details

Country:

Soviet Union

Language:

Russian German

Release Date:

June 1973 (USA)

Also Known As:

Ivan Vasilevich Menyaet Professiyu

Filming Locations:

Moscow, Russia

Company Credits

Production Co:

Mosfilm

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1