Ivan Vasilyevich Changes His Profession
| 1973Directed by: Leonid Gaidai
Main Plot
Ivan Vasilyevich Changes His Profession follows the story of a Soviet-era apartment manager, Ivan Vasilyevich Bunsha, who inadvertently becomes involved in a time-travel experiment. When a scientist's device malfunctions, Ivan is transported back to the time of Tsar Ivan the Terrible. There, he encounters the tsar himself, who is intrigued by Ivan's modern ways and decides to switch places with him. As Ivan navigates the complexities of life in the 16th century, he faces humorous challenges and misunderstandings, while the tsar experiences the quirks of contemporary Soviet life. The film blends comedy and fantasy, highlighting the absurdities of both eras as the characters grapple with their new realities. The plot unfolds with a series of comedic situations, misunderstandings, and cultural clashes, ultimately showcasing the chaos that ensues from their unexpected role reversals.
Characters
- Yuriy Yakovlev plays Ivan the Terrible and Ivan Bunsha, a bureaucrat. The plot revolves around their accidental time swap, leading to comedic chaos in both eras.
- Leonid Kuravlyov played George Miloslavsky, a charming thief who helps Ivan the Terrible navigate modern Moscow after a time-travel mishap, adding humor and chaos to the plot.
- Aleksandr Demyanenko plays Shurik, an engineer who invents a time machine, accidentally swapping Ivan the Terrible with a modern apartment manager, causing comedic chaos.
Ending Explained
In the ending of Ivan Vasilyevich Changes His Profession, the main conflict reaches resolution as the time-traveling mishap is finally addressed. The protagonist, Ivan, a Soviet-era apartment manager, inadvertently swaps places with Ivan the Terrible, the infamous Tsar from the 16th century, due to a malfunction in a time machine created by a scientist. As the story unfolds, chaos ensues in both the modern and historical settings, with the two Ivans struggling to adapt to their new environments. In the climax, the modern Ivan manages to return to his own time, while the historical Ivan is left to navigate the complexities of the 20th century. The resolution comes when the scientist successfully restores the timeline, allowing both characters to return to their respective eras. The comedic elements of the film highlight the absurdity of their situations, and the ending reinforces themes of identity and the clash between past and present. Ultimately, the film concludes with a sense of order restored, as the characters return to their rightful places, leaving the audience with a humorous reflection on the nature of authority and the absurdities of life.