A Prisioneira do Caucaso

One of the best Russian (Former Soviet Union) comedies. Very light, funny and smart. I have watched it many times and had lots of good laugh. There is virtually no Russian who has not watched this good old classic comedy.

It's one of the best films I've ever seen. A really nice, good, old comedy. It's a real 10. Same good as "Operatziya Y"

We think of Soviet cinema as very serious, but it turns out that there were in fact comedies in there. A hilarious example is Leonid Gayday's "Kavkazskaya plennitsa, ili Novye priklyuchenia Shurika" ("Kidnapping, Caucasian Style" in English). I interpreted it as a look at the challenges of trying to install the Soviet Union's centralized economy when there were these different cultures throughout the USSR, but it's the kind of zany slapstick that you'd think came from Hollywood (think "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World"). It appears that both the Eastern and Western Blocs had a penchant for over-the-top wackiness in the '60s.

I understand that this movie is a sequel to an earlier Gayday movie featuring Aleksandr Demyanenko as Shurik. If this one is any indication, then the original must be a laugh riot. You gotta love the antics of the Coward, Fool and Pro, and Nina is a real hottie. This must have been one fun movie to make, and I'm sure that you'll love it.

Although CCS may not quite measure up to Gaidi's next offering, Diamond Arm, it is still a film that must be seen. Many reviewers have criticized these films as having too many "Russian inside jokes".As a non-Russian, I can't argue with this. But there is something much more universal here. Through the use of extraordinarily crisp dialog, pacing and an absolutely zany musical score, Gaidi has captured the quirky essence of humanity: the way we are fickle, selfish, lovable and blind to our own absurd behavior. These are some of the only movies that I would recommend watching with dubbed voices - it further adds to the wacky quality of the humor.

Finally, it is impossible to watch this movie and not adore Natalya Varley. She has a genuineness that grounds the whole film and makes you care about what's happening.

Ten without any doubts. An excellent example of Russian humour, the movie for all ages! I watched it many times (10 or so), but it never became boring for myself. Natalya Varley (Nina) is excellent in this film. Every film becomes funny if it is starring "the three": Nikulin Vitsin, Morgunov. But even considering this, "Kavkazskaya Plennitsa" is a piece of great play by them. I also like this film for the song: "A Song About Bears". You know, that the unofficial symbol of Russian people is the bear. Hear this song attentively. I think, that it is about Russian people.

The best decision for those, who don't speak Russian, is the movie in Russian with subtitles in your native language. But...Try to turn off the sound, I bet, that you shall easily understand the film even without it!