The Irony of Fate, or Enjoy Your Bath!

1976 3h 12m RU

👍

7.2

SOLID

★7.2TMDB · 278

TV MovieComedyRomance

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

A group of old friends have a tradition of going to a public bathing house on New Year's Eve. Occasionally too much vodka and beer makes two of them unconscious. The problem is that one of them (Sasha) has to go to Leningrad but another one (Zhenya) goes. Zhenya wakes up at Leningrad airport. Believing that he is still in Moscow he takes a taxi and goes home. The street name, building and even apartment number, the way an apartment complex looks the same and the key coincide completely - just typical Soviet-type 'economy' architecture. Imagine the surprise of Nadya when she enters her apartment and finds a man without trousers in her bed. What's more - Nadya's fiancé also finds him there...

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Andrey Myagkov
Zhenya Lukashin
Barbara Brylska
Nadia Sheveleva
Yuriy Yakovlev
Hippolytus Georgievich
Aleksandr Shirvindt
Pavel
Georgi Burkov
Misha
Aleksandr Belyavskiy
Sasha
Liya Akhedzhakova
Tanya, Nadia's friend
Valentina Talyzina
Nadia's friend

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Eldar Ryazanov
Writers: Emil Braginskiy, Eldar Ryazanov
Languages: Russian
Countries: Soviet Union

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

At 192 minutes, this is a three-hour-plus commitment — longer than 95% of films ever made.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

50 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

CINEMA

Did you know

Part of the "The Irony of Fate Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Eldar Ryazanov, shot by Vladimir Nakhabtsev. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Mikael Tariverdiev. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Valeriya Belova shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Andrey Myagkov and Barbara Brylska and Yuriy Yakovlev carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0073179 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Eldar Ryazanov directs. Vladimir Nakhabtsev behind the camera. Mikael Tariverdiev scores. Valeriya Belova cuts. A long sit — settle in. Produced in Soviet Union. Dialogue in Russian.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1At 192 minutes, this is a three-hour-plus commitment — longer than 95% of films ever made.
250 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3Part of the "The Irony of Fate Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
4Directed by Eldar Ryazanov, shot by Vladimir Nakhabtsev. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Mikael Tariverdiev. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Valeriya Belova shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Andrey Myagkov and Barbara Brylska and Yuriy Yakovlev carry the top of the cast.
8IMDB entry: tt0073179 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Classified under 10 themes, including "new year's eve", "friendship", "based on novel or book", "sauna".

The technical file

Cinematography: Vladimir Nakhabtsev
Original score: Mikael Tariverdiev
Editing: Valeriya Belova
Production design: Aleksandr Borisov
Costume design: Olga Kruchinina
Makeup / hair: Olga Struntsova
Runtime: 192 min · 3h 12m
Status: Released
Original language: RU
IMDB: The Irony of Fate, or Enjoy Your Bath! (1976)

Part of

The Irony of Fate Collection

This trilogy of films explores themes of interpersonal relationships, friendship, love, and destiny within the context of Soviet culture. The first film revolves around a coincidence that leads to an unlikely romantic encounter. The sequel continues with the reunion of the main characters' grown-up children, exploring new relationships. The final film highlights unforeseen friendships, unanticipated reunions, and bittersweet partings, reflecting Soviet life. Throughout the trilogy, characters navigate evolving environments, showcasing resilience and adaptability. The films emphasize perseverance amid change, underscoring the importance of compassion, community, and familial bonds. Despite moments of loss and departure, the trilogy conveys optimism for the future, portraying the enduring power of love and friendship amidst societal shifts. Through captivating narratives and richly developed characters, these films offer a poignant and uplifting message.