Ivan Vasilyevich Changes His Profession

In early 1970's Moscow, scientist Shurik toils in his apartment trying to create a working time-machine. He is dedicated to the task, so dedicated he barely registers it when his wife leaves him. One day, Shurik successfully transports himself back to the time of Ivan The Terrible, taking with him a burglar and the superintendent of his building. While Shurik makes it back to the present, there is one problem: the other two are left in the 1500's and Ivan the Terrible has come home with him. So begins a raucous tale combining science-fiction, comedy and history: Leonid Gaidai 's 'Ivan Vasilievich Changes His Profession.'

Based on the play 'Ivan Vasilievich' by Mikhail Bulgakov, the film tells a wild tale that is sure to entertain. A successful combination of science fiction with comedy, it contains much broad humour, as well as many witty moments and acerbic set pieces. The Tsar's reactions to the contemporary world and its' trappings makes for fantastic satire, highlighting the cultural juxtaposition between the Russia of the past and (that which was then) the present. One also may learn a little about the country's history from the film- though to rely on it as a teaching aide for that purpose would be folly. While the ending is a little underwhelming, the film is a crazy, funny trip through time that is full of delights.

'Ivan Vasilievich Changes His Profession' is also a visually striking movie, with Vitali Abramov and Sergei Poluyanov's naturalistic cinematography being strong, though slightly traditionalist in terms of composition and framing. The production design- overseen by Yu. Fomichov and Yevgeni Kumankov- is stylish, making everything on screen seem deeply textured and intricate. The set and location design and decoration is of an especially high, rich quality, bringing life and realism to the picture; which works as a counterbalance to the fantasy of the narrative.

Nadezhda Buzina's costume design brings additional authenticity to the film, with her detailed work lingering in the mind long after the credits have ceased to roll. Her outfits for the Tsar are particularly impressive, not to mention appearing reasonably period accurate. Aleksandr Zatsepin's musical score also impresses, being highly atmospheric and stirring. He makes good use of traditional- and not so traditional- numbers throughout- with the film's version of 'Marusya' being most memorable. Additionally, Klavdiya Aleyeva's editing should be mentioned, as it is effective, keeping the somewhat chaotic proceedings coherent and moving at a steady pace.

All in the cast are fantastic, clearly having a ball with the movie. Yury Yakovlev plays a dual role as the Tsar and the Superintendent, delineating both characters as individuals through the depth of his physicality. He is terrific as both men, and will really make you laugh. Leonid Kuravlyov plays the burglar, and is equal parts charming and deceitful. Kuravlyov brings a lot of good-natured humour to the role, and is immensely likable. Aleksandr Demyanenko has less to do as Shurik, but does it well, and the supporting cast can't be faulted. Of particular note is Natalya Seleznyova, playing Shurik's wife. She has impeccable comic timing, and steals the few scenes she's in completely.

Leonid Gaidai's 'Ivan Vasilievich Changes His Profession' is a wacky comedy with science-fiction elements that has a lot going for it. The story and screenplay is full of witty dialogue and wild scenarios, as well as being satirical, featuring much irony and social commentary, about (what was then) contemporary Russia and its' past. The cast perform admirably, the visual style is distinct- if sometimes orthodox- and the score is rousing. While the film may lose steam near the end, 'Ivan Vasilievich Changes His Profession' is a terrific tale of time travel that is an awful lot of fun.

Ivan Vasilievich Changes Profession is a film capable of appealing to audiences outside the Soviet Union with its universally smart humor. From the onset it is obviously influenced by Western cinema; one cannot tell if Shurik's bedroom is Russian or American until Mussorgsky's Boris Godunov begins playing from the TV. This homogeneous consumer culture is evident all throughout the film, especially in the luxuries of Shpak's apartment, the electronics black market, and the character of Shurik's wife (in the dream plot line). In fact, Shurik's wife in the separate dream world seems almost a caricature of Hollywood with her posters and dreams of falling in love with Yakin and finding fame. Gaidai's camera work utilizes quick photography. This is exemplified in the episode in which Miloslavsky is robbing Shpak's apartment and cannot get out; Gaidai cuts to the many faces of statues and paintings that, in context, are shocked and seem to mock him. This is an amusing riff on the Kuleshov Effect. The sets themselves are also fantastic, and Ivan's (the tsar, not the bureaucrat) palace appears lifted straight out of Eisenstein's 1947 feature. Ivan Vasilievich (both of them), too, is an exact copy of Eisenstein's tsar, pointy beard and all! These visual homages would have been obvious, one assumes, to Russian audiences of the time and surely would have made it all the more comedic. However, Gaidai's humor is not intrinsically Russian, like earlier Soviet comedies, but appeals internationally. The humor lies in the situational: the police/Oprichniki chase, the switching of identities, the mad scientist, even a regal food fight. The only context clues to the time are slight jabs at Soviet rations, the black market, and housing codes. These tropes give the film the ability to transcend the trappings of a fifteen- minute fame, and allow it to be just as funny, if not more, decades later.

Shurik (a character in several other comedy films) is experimenting at home with an invention which goes wrong and puts him, a passing burglar, and the apartment supervisor back into the time of Ivan the Terrible. There are a lot of chases and action, so you can still enjoy the film even if some of the Russian dialogue passes you by. Good views of several historic buildings, and an insight into 1973 Moscow as well as a bit of a history lesson. Not all Russian films are doom and gloom.

This is one of the greatest comedies produced by the Soviet cinema. It continues to be hugely popular among Russian speaking people (who have all seen it). Even if one does not understand any Russian, the movie is quite watchable in subtitled versions.

The plot itself is a rather standard one about ordinary guys thrust into a strange culture with action and adventure. What makes the movie special is superb acting, witty dialog, good pacing, and engaging music.

This movie deserves a place along side other action-adventure comedies such as The Princess Bride.

For those Americans who cannot understand the movie and appreciate it entirely, I suggest that you watch it for its visual value. I myself have moved out of Russia when I was 7 so I did not get to study the history culture and language of Russia that much, so movie like these I use as an educational tool. I've learned a lot about the clothes, speech, and history from this movie than I did anywhere else. My heart is more in this than perhaps yours might be, but educationally this film is worth it, as well as providing humor and fun. It's not a preachy, soapy, cramped kind of comedy. It is fast paced, energetic, and fun.