It's strange that I haven't found any comments from Russia or ex-USSR countries. This movie is one of the best Ryazanov's works, although all his films are great and loved very much in Russia. This one has became a traditional part of TV program on the New Year's Eve. Every year on the 31st of December it's on this or that channel. The people would watch it over and over with pleasure and unceasing affection. A lot of phrases and scenes are learned by heart, some of them became aphorisms.
The basis of the plot is rather funny. One guy gets drunk together with his friends and by mistake takes his friend's flight to Leningrad. It turns out then, that in Leningrad there exists the same address as his in Moscow. Moreover, the tenements are identical and even the key fits to the apartment door. Here starts the real fun, then the drama emerges out of the comedy, gradually growing and replacing the fun. Perhaps, it's the perfect and fine balance between comedy and drama, and the accurate development and transformation of one genre into the other which wouldn't make one bored with this movie and would make him wish to watch it again and again.
I would recommend to non-russian spectators other Ryazanov's movies as well and also those of Gaidai made in 60's and 70's.
The basis of the plot is rather funny. One guy gets drunk together with his friends and by mistake takes his friend's flight to Leningrad. It turns out then, that in Leningrad there exists the same address as his in Moscow. Moreover, the tenements are identical and even the key fits to the apartment door. Here starts the real fun, then the drama emerges out of the comedy, gradually growing and replacing the fun. Perhaps, it's the perfect and fine balance between comedy and drama, and the accurate development and transformation of one genre into the other which wouldn't make one bored with this movie and would make him wish to watch it again and again.
I would recommend to non-russian spectators other Ryazanov's movies as well and also those of Gaidai made in 60's and 70's.