1961's "The Amphibian Man" (Chelovek-Amfibiya) was that rare Soviet title that crossed the Atlantic relatively intact, bypassing Roger Corman for a straightforward dubbing job that reduced the running time from 96 to 82 minutes but otherwise remained as faithful to its source as the Czech "Voyage to the End of the Universe." Only a year or so before John Lamb's "The Mermaids of Tiburon" offered a beautiful tail to tell for masculine viewers (as played by Diane Webber), here we have a male version to engage the female contingent. Vladimir Chebotaryou and Gennadi Kazanskiy are listed as codirectors of this adult fairy tale of love beneath the waves, kicking off in typical Hollywood frenzy with reports of a strange aquatic creature terrorizing South American beaches (shot off the scenic Crimean coast), convincing wealthy sea captain Pedro (Mikhail Kozakov) to switch from pearl diving to monster hunting while his reluctant bride Guttiere Baltazar (Anastasiya Vertinskaya) only agrees to marriage for the sake of her financially strapped father (Anatoliy Smiranin). An attempted escape goes awry when she dives into the water and loses consciousness as a menacing shark approaches, rescued from certain drowning by the 'Sea Devil' that Pedro is searching for, hardly the fearsome description of the papers but an all too human figure (Vladimir Korenev) wearing an elaborate costume of webbed hands and feet. The young man is named Ichtyandr, son of renowned scientist Salvator (Nikolai Simonov), who was forced to transplant a shark's gills to replace his offspring's damaged lungs, enabling him to exist above and below the water, essentially a first step to create a utopian society that will live in freedom beneath the sea. Guttiere is unaware of the identity of her actual rescuer (Pedro takes the credit), and is startled when Ichtyandr calls to ask if she's all right from his place on the ship's anchor, so smitten with this never before seen vision of loveliness that he braves the big city against his father's wishes to find her. For one who has lived a sheltered life away from the trials and tribulations of humanity, the lad is literally a fish out of water when dealing with greed and prejudice, still making a strong impression on the girl, who feels a flattering connection to him for his unwavering admiration for her. Pedro is never far away to squash their blossoming romance, and her refusal to accept his unconditional gift of pearls shows how misplaced pride can often be. An audience used to viewing wild stories set in outer space may well be taken aback by this tender, inner space venture, fabulous underwater photography and solid characterizations ensuring great success in its native Russia (a reported 65.5 million theater goers), yet for decades poor quality prints in the West have done it few favors. "The Amphibian Man" and "The Mermaids of Tiburon" both share the need to supply a villain to provide conflict, perhaps unnecessary and almost guaranteeing a downbeat finale.
