This has been called a "black comedy," but for all the cynicism that may or may not be read into it, it comes off with an enormous amount of charm. I love the premise -- a man goes around stealing cars so that he can sell them and give the profits to orphanages.
A previous reviewer compares it in this regard to Lermontov's "Hero of Our Time," but the concept puts me in mind theatrically much more of another classic nineteenth- century Russian novel -- Dostoevsky's "The Idiot." Like Prince Myshkin, Detochkin is a completely honest man (and Innokentiy Smoktunovskiy plays him wonderfully, with an in-the-moment innocence that makes it possible to buy the whole thing). And, following completely honest principles, he ends up a car-their on the run from the police.
The possibly-somewhat-bitter subtext being that to exist as a truly honest man is incompatible with modern lawful society -- a conclusion only bolstered when we learn at the end from Detochkin's shaved head -- even though it is accompanied by happy music in celebration of his reunion with Luba -- that he has done time for his right- though-illegal actions.
The court scene is adorned by a speech from the villain Dima, pointing out how Detochkin's unacceptably kindly actions were against the rights to property and money guaranteed by the Soviet constitution, and there lies satire for those who choose to see it.
The narration rarely breaks in, and when it does it seems to perform the rather postmodern function of explicitly contextualizing the film with relation to audience expectations of detective movies, so that it will be clear how those expectations will be deliberately turned on their heads.
It's my second Eldar Ryazanov film and I look forward to more; this was delight, and one that I felt could be enjoyed on a few different levels.
A previous reviewer compares it in this regard to Lermontov's "Hero of Our Time," but the concept puts me in mind theatrically much more of another classic nineteenth- century Russian novel -- Dostoevsky's "The Idiot." Like Prince Myshkin, Detochkin is a completely honest man (and Innokentiy Smoktunovskiy plays him wonderfully, with an in-the-moment innocence that makes it possible to buy the whole thing). And, following completely honest principles, he ends up a car-their on the run from the police.
The possibly-somewhat-bitter subtext being that to exist as a truly honest man is incompatible with modern lawful society -- a conclusion only bolstered when we learn at the end from Detochkin's shaved head -- even though it is accompanied by happy music in celebration of his reunion with Luba -- that he has done time for his right- though-illegal actions.
The court scene is adorned by a speech from the villain Dima, pointing out how Detochkin's unacceptably kindly actions were against the rights to property and money guaranteed by the Soviet constitution, and there lies satire for those who choose to see it.
The narration rarely breaks in, and when it does it seems to perform the rather postmodern function of explicitly contextualizing the film with relation to audience expectations of detective movies, so that it will be clear how those expectations will be deliberately turned on their heads.
It's my second Eldar Ryazanov film and I look forward to more; this was delight, and one that I felt could be enjoyed on a few different levels.