Premiere Beware of the Car

Beware of the Car (Russian: Береги́сь автомоби́ля, translit. Beregis Avtomobilya, US titles Uncommon Thief, or Watch out for the Automobile) is a Soviet 1966 crime comedy-drama film directed by Eldar Ryazanov, based on a screenplay by Emil Braginsky and produced by the Mosfilm. The film stars renowned Soviet actors Innokenty Smoktunovsky, Oleg Yefremov, Anatoli Papanov, Andrei Mironov, Georgy Zhzhyonov, among others.

Beregis' Avtomobilya is recognized for its noir genre satire as uncommon part of the Brezhnevist society. It is credited to have given Ryazanov a start in depicting Soviet political structure satire as a class of comedy cult films.

Plot summary

The movie plot evolves around Yuriy Detochkin (Smoktunovsky), a humble Soviet insurance agent suffering from a minor mental disorder.[1] Detochkin applies great resourcefullness and exceptional driving skill to stealing cars from corrupt Soviet officials in a Robin Hood way, disappointed by the Militsiya(Soviet police) being unable to fight them efficiently. One of the Detochkin's un-innocent victims is Dima Semitsvetov (Mironov), a retail embezzler hilariously trolled, but still tolerated by his colourful father-in-law Sokol-Kruzhkin (Papanov), a retired Soviet Army officer.

Detochkin sells the stolen cars and anonymously transfers the money to the accounts of various orphanages. Detective Maxim Podberyozovikov (Yefremov) investigates his crimes and tries to prosecute him, but faces a serious moral problem in doing that, partly because the suspect appears to be his amateur theater mate and friend.

Cast

• Innokenty Smoktunovsky as Yury Detochkin, former taxi driver, now an insurance agent
• Oleg Yefremov as Maxim Podberezovikov, detective, working on Detochkin's Cause
• Lyubov Dobrzhanskaya as Detochkin's Mother
• Olga Aroseva as Lyuba, a trolley-bus driver, Detochkin's fiance
• Andrei Mironov as Dima Semitsvetov
• Anatoli Papanov as Sokol-Kruzhkin, father-in-law of Dima Semitsvetov
• Tatyana Gavrilova as Inga Semitsvetova, wife of Dima Semitsvetov
• Georgy Zhzhyonov as Patrol policeman
• Yevgeniy Yevstigneyev as Acting coach
• Donatas Banionis as Priest, buyer of Detochkin's Volga car
• Lyubov Sokolova as Judge
• Vyacheslav Nevinnyy as Car mechanic
• Gotlib Roninson as Yakov Mihailovich, Senior Insurance Agent, Detochkin's boss
• Galina Volchek as Customer
• Sergey Kulagin as Pub manager
• Yakov Lents as Tobacconist's shop salesman
• Nikolay Parfyonov as Prosecutor
• Victoria Radunskaya as Tanya, criminalist
• Boris Runge as a man with suitcases

• Author's narration read by Yuri Yakovlev

Interesting facts

• In the film, Detochkin and Podberezovikov act together in an amateur theater which rehearses Hamlet. This is a play from Innokenty Smoktunovsky's real-life acting career: he was reputed as the "best Hamlet on the Soviet stage" and starred in a Hamlet film adaptation.
• The waltz[2] performed in the film is a distinguished melody composed by Andrei Petrov. Sergey Nikitin's repertoire includes a song named Glassy Gentleman (lyrics by Evgeny Evtushenko), which used a waltz from the film.
• All cars stolen by Detochkin are "Volga"s - the most prestigious Soviet car model of the time. The fact that "Volga" was the standard personal car for Soviet elite is the intentional satire element of the film which Eldar Ryazanov found very hard to get approved.
• American cars can be spotted in the petrol station scene: a 1955 Buick and a 1955 Oldsmobile. This would have been a extremely rare sighting since the United States had sanctions with the USSR and did not sell cars within the Eastern Bloc.

Famous quotes

• Narrator: Everyone with no car, wants to buy it. And anyone who has a car, wants to sell it. And he doesn't do it just because he will stay without a car.
• Acting coach: Isn't it time, my friends, we aim a blow at our William, if you know, at Shakespeare?
• Narrator: Crime movie without chase, it's like life without love.
• Dima Semitsvetov (to customer): Here is Grundig tape recorder. Four tracks, stereophonic, elegant design. A rare thing, will go out in a minute. (The phrase quoted saying ironically about expensive, prestigious stuff)
• Sokol-Kruzhkin (to Dima): The jail is your home!
• Maxim: Excuse me, but maybe you're insane? — Detochkin: I'm not. I even have a certificate.
• Lyuba (to Detochkin): Look at yourself. You're just... an idiot! (allusion to Dostoyevski's The Idiot)
• Maxim: Of course, he is guilty. But he is... not guilty!
• Sokol-Kruzhkin: Free Yuriy Detochkin!!!

Awards

The film was the leader of Soviet film distribution for 1966 watched by 29 million people (11 place). Innokenty Smoktunovsky recognized as the Best Actor of 1966.

Awards: Edinburgh-66, Sydney-66, Melbourne-67, Cartagena-69.