Feature1973·88m·7.9

Ivan Vasilyevich Changes His Profession

ComedyScience Fiction

A scientist builds a time machine and accidentally sends his apartment complex manager and a petty burglar to 16th century Moscow, while Tsar Ivan the Terrible travels to 1973.

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Cast

Aleksandr Demyanenko

Aleksandr 'Shurik' Timofeyev, inventor

Yuriy Yakovlev

Ivan the Terrible / Ivan Vasilievich Bunsha

Leonid Kuravlyov

Zhorzh Miloslavsky / knyaz Miloslavsky

Savely Kramarov

Feofan the diak

Natalya Seleznyova

Zinaida, Shurik's wife

Natalya Krachkovskaya

Uliana Andreevna Bunsha, superintendent's wife

Natalya Kustinskaya

Yakin's mistress

Vladimir Etush

Anton Semyonovich Shpak, dentist

Mikhail Pugovkin

film director Yakin

Sergei Filippov

swedish ambassador

Eduard Bredun

radio goods speculator

Aleksandr Vigdorov

archer

Valentin Grachyov

archer

Natalya Gurzo

dental nurse

Ivan Zhevago

doctor

Anatoliy Kalabulin

archer

Nina Maslova

Marfa Vasilyevna

Anatoliy Podshivalov

police lieutenant

Viktor Uralsky

police sergeant major

Viktor Shulgin

boyar

Details

Status
Released
Original language
Languages
Budget
Revenue
Age rating
Quality
4K UHD · HDR10 · Dolby Vision
Production
Mosfilm

Crew

Director

Leonid Gaidai

Writers

Mikhail Bulgakov, Vladlen Bakhnov, Leonid Gaidai, Leonid Derbenyov

Vitaly Abramov

Director of Photography

Klavdia Aleeva

Editor

Aleksandr Zatsepin

Original Music Composer

Sergei Poluyanov

Director of Photography

Yevgeniy Kumankov

Production Design

Nadezhda Buzina

Costume Design

Gallery

Reviews

deepkino

9/15/2025

7.0

The film is praised for its manic and fast-paced energy, as well as its unique blend of slapstick and clever humor. It is considered an example of how comedy can thrive and even contain subtle social commentary under a repressive regime. The use of physical comedy, sped-up chase scenes, and goofy music, a trademark of director Gaidai, contributes to the film's comedic appeal. While some of the cultural references and in-jokes may be lost on Western audiences, the film's artistic richness and entertainment value have made it a widely loved comedy. The film features strong performances, particularly from Yuri Yakovlev, who masterfully plays both the timid apartment manager and the demanding Tsar. The elaborate castle settings and colorful cinematography also add to the film's charm.