Ivan Vasilyevich Changes His Profession

Main Plot

"Ivan Vasilyevich Changes His Profession," directed by Leonid Gaidai, is a Soviet science fiction comedy that revolves around a time-travel mishap. The story begins when an inventor creates a time machine in his apartment, inadvertently opening a portal to the 16th century. This leads to a chaotic exchange between the present and the past, as Ivan Vasilyevich Bunsha, a Soviet apartment manager, and a petty thief are accidentally transported back to the era of Ivan the Terrible, while the Tsar himself ends up in the 20th century. The film humorously explores the cultural and social contrasts between the two eras. The characters face a series of comedic challenges as they try to adapt to their new environments, leading to a series of misunderstandings and slapstick situations. Themes of identity, authority, and the absurdity of bureaucracy are woven throughout the narrative, highlighting the comedic potential of time travel and historical juxtaposition. As the characters navigate their respective predicaments, the film cleverly critiques Soviet society and historical perceptions, ultimately delivering a lighthearted yet insightful commentary on the nature of power and human behavior across time. The story concludes with a resolution that restores order, leaving audiences entertained by its inventive humor and satirical edge.

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 film's conclusion, the chaos caused by the time-traveling device reaches its peak. The engineer, Shurik, manages to repair the malfunctioning time machine, which had accidentally swapped the identities of Ivan Vasilyevich Bunsha, a Soviet building superintendent, with Ivan the Terrible, the 16th-century Russian Tsar. Throughout the movie, Bunsha and the Tsar have been struggling to adapt to their new environments, leading to comedic situations. As the time machine is fixed, Shurik successfully reverses the swap, returning Bunsha and the Tsar to their respective times. The Tsar, who had been causing havoc in the modern Soviet Union, is relieved to return to his throne, while Bunsha is equally relieved to escape the complexities of the past. The film wraps up with Shurik waking up, suggesting that the entire sequence of events might have been a dream. This ambiguous ending leaves viewers questioning the reality of the events, adding a layer of intrigue to the narrative. The resolution underscores the theme of identity and the absurdity of bureaucratic and historical systems, highlighting the comedic potential of time travel and mistaken identities. The film ends on a light-hearted note, reinforcing its comedic tone while leaving a lasting impression on the audience.