For the Matches

1980 1h 40m FI

😐

6.3

MID

⭐

6.7

IMDB

★6.3TMDB · 41★6.7IMDB · 1,430

ComedyAdventureHistory

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

In Eastern Finland, in Liperi to be exact, Anna-Liisa Ihalainen asks her husband Antti to get some matches from the Ihalainen household. Unfortunately that trip takes a little longer than expected...

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Evgeni Leonov
Antti Ihalainen
Vyacheslav Nevinnyy
Jussi Vatanen
Rita Polster
Anna-Liisa Ihalainen
Ritva Valkama
Miina Sormunen
Georgiy Vitsin
Tahvo Kenonen
Galina Polskikh
Kaisa Karhutar
Kauko Helovirta
Constable Torvelainen
Leo Lastumäki
Mulon Partanen

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Risto Orko
Writers: Vladlen Bakhnov, Leonid Gaidai, Risto Orko
Languages: Finnish
Countries: Finland, 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

ERA

Did you know

46 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: Finland, Soviet Union.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Risto Orko, shot by Sergei Poluyanov. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Evgeni Leonov and Vyacheslav Nevinnyy and Rita Polster carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0081796 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

Only 41 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Risto Orko directs. Sergei Poluyanov behind the camera. Aleksandr Zatsepin scores. Klavdia Aleeva cuts. Produced in Finland, Soviet Union. Dialogue in Finnish.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

146 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
2International production across 2 countries: Finland, Soviet Union.
3Directed by Risto Orko, shot by Sergei Poluyanov. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Aleksandr Zatsepin. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Klavdia Aleeva shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Evgeni Leonov and Vyacheslav Nevinnyy and Rita Polster carry the top of the cast.
7IMDB entry: tt0081796 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Only 41 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.