The Brass Bottle 1963 Universal film released on DVD as part of the Vault Series
Tony Randall plays his normal everyday man. He is an architect who becomes engaged to Barbara Eden. Her parents do not like him and they come back from a European lecture series. To welcome them back he purchases an Arabic antique, a 3 foot brass bottle with hieroglyphics around the top . His boss thinks it is a made in China piece, a cheap imitation. When Tony goes to Barbara’s house she has the same bottle except it is a lamp bought on sale. So Tony decides to turn his bottle into a lamp. He is sharing his house with an artist couple recently returned to America from Paris.
He takes the bottle up to his area of the house. The top is difficult to pull off. Once he does get the top off he falls backward and is unconscious or slightly dazed. When he gets up the room is filled with green smoke and a man, Burl Ives dressed in silks and turban tells him that he is a Genie. Tony thinks the man is crazy and calls the police. When the police arrive, Burl disappears. The police search the room but cannot find anyone.
Police officer: “When you left for Paris 6 year ago we threw a big wing ding down at the precinct. We figured au revoir he is a problem for the Gondar now. Why did you have to come back?”
Tony: “I swear to you there was a lunatic in the room.”
Police officer (dryly): “There still is.”
The next day a business man who is building a residential community comes to Tony’s office and hires him to design the houses and gives him a check for retainer. The man seems like his is not really sure why he is there and keeps looking at the business card to say Tony’s name. Burl comes into the office. They talk and Burl states he has been traveling and things are not the same. Tony doesn’t believe it still. So Burl walks through the wall and comes back into the room. Tony thinks he is an illusionist. Burl admits that he placed the thought in the man’s head to hire Tony. The boss comes in, Burl disappears. The boss doesn’t believe the story about the man just coming in and hiring Tony even though the check has been verified and fires Tony. Burl comes back and states the boss will be hurling towards the center of the earth. Tony runs after his former boss and stops him from falling down the elevator shaft.
Tony leaves to have lunch with Barbara in his red convertible. Burl flies into the car. The police follow and Burl has elephants crossing the road and sit/lay down in the street. When Tony goes to parallel park, someone takes his spot first. Tony talks the other man, but no use. Tony asks Burl to move the fire hydrant to the other car. Burl moves the hydrant but not the water line, water shoots up into the air. People come out and Tony meets Barbara and they take her car, he will get his when the water is off. That night he is going to have a dinner party for Barbara and her family. While trying to convince his housemates to go out instead of staying for dinner a group of camels and men in Arab garb come up the street to his house. He has the camels and the men go into the garage, “A four camel garage.“ Several men carried containers into the house.
Burl comes back in modern cloths and through the front door. The containers the men brought in contained gold bars and jewels. When the gold won’t work Burl turns it into paper money with Tony’s picture. Then changes it at Tony’s request to Alexander Hamilton. Tony refuses all the gifts and Burl gets rid of the camels, the men and the containers. Burl has the housemates go to the race track. At Tony’s new office his friends come in stating they are going back to Paris. They kept winning even though the ticket they got were not the horses they actually chose. At home that night the maid is leaving due to the caterers. When he gets in the room it is completely transformed to a dream. It is full of silks, gold, servants and even a small pool in the center of the floor. The family can’t believe what they are seeing. There are female dancers and eye of lamb appetizers.
The family leaves. Tony tries to tell his soon to be father-in-law that it is a Genie. The man does not believe Tony and thinks he is crazy. Burl comes back and states that “your guests were unappreciative”. Burl convinces Tony that another woman would be better, his old love Hezra. She appears and Tony states he only wants Barbara. When Burl tells her they have strange customs only 1 wife to a man, she states “it took us 3000 years but we have prevailed. I shall find this changed world pleasing.” Burl tries to send Hezra back but she refuses to leave. Tony decides to spend the night at a hotel. The next day he comes back with modern clothing for her. Barbara and the family come back, but see Hezra and leave. Barbara states she never wants to see him again. He runs outside after them. The business man takes the family’s space in the street and states that he is fired and to return the deposit. Tony decides he is better off without Burl. Burl and Hezra leave. Tony summons Burl back to turn his apartment back to the way it was originally. Tony then asks Burl’s help with his fiancée and her family. At their house Burl tries to explain but is escorted out of the house. Burl turns him into a mule. When Tony comes to the house. They think that the man is drunk. Tony goes in and finds the mule. He quickly realizes that it is his future father-in-law. Tony walks the mule out to his car. The car with Tony and the mule drives itself. The car takes them to the country. Burl decides to make houses on the land which Tony states no. But Burl states he will only turn the man back as he was if Tony agrees. Which he does.
Six months later a newspaper ad has $4000 a house in their new development. The houses cost $14,000. There is a riot and thousands of people are showing up to purchase the house. The news report that local, state and federal officials are going to investigate. Burl disappears. Tony alone has to appear before a committee. At the committee Tony admits that Burl is a Genie. No one believes him and he is committed. At the sanity hearing Burl is dressed as a Genie. He tries to convince the men of that by flying around the room, disappearing and bringing a gavel that belonged to the council from his office. Still not convinced and angering Burl, he turns the psychologists into tiny people and putting them in the water pitcher. Tony convinces Burl to return them to normal. Back in their chairs they are soaking wet. The men decide to recess to discuss matters and have Tony and Burl step into another room.
In that room, Burl states he can go back in time and take his memory from everyone except Tony. Tony decides his memory should be erased also. Burl disappears the screen fades and changes. The business man is once again back and hires Tony for his development at the request of his business partner. His partner is Burl and Hezra is his wife. As they leave for lunch the bottle is now a lamp in the office.
The one thing that stood out very early in the film is the color. It is bright and clear. It is Eastman color by Pathe. Primary colors shine like a comic book art. Tony’s character is a former artistic painter. There are many abstract paintings in the background.
Tony Randall
Burl Ives
Barbara Eden
Edward Andrews
Kamala Devi
Ann Doran
Richard Erdman
Lulu Porter
Monday, September 12, 2011
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Upperworld
Upperworld from a story by Ben Hecht directed by Roy Del Ruth, 1934. Warner Brothers Archive DVD
Warren William plays Alexander Stream a railroad business man. His wife Mary Astor is a socially ambitious. Dickie Moore plays their son. While out on a boat working, Ginger Rogers cries out for help. She has wondered too far from shore. Warren’s crew rescues her and gives her a set of his clothing to wear. He gives her a ride home. At her apartment house she convinces him to come up so she can give him his cloths back. The chauffer and secretary wait for him at the curb. They wait for over an hour when the secretary comes up to get Warren. Up in the apartment they talk, sing and Ginger fixes eggs for their lunch. On the way back to Stream’s building they are stopped by a police officer played by Sidney Toler. The chauffer at Warren’s orders was speeding and going through stops. The police officer gets demoted and Warren talks to the police commissioner thanking him for taking care of the ticket.
At home that night Mary Astor is throwing a costume party. Warren coming home from work barricades himself in his room since his mother threw him and his railroad out of the ballroom. Warren is upset that the family is never alone. There is always a party or bridge club around. The next day is their anniversary and she has forgotten and already made plans. They make plans for the next night but he has already set up an intimate dinner party. While being driven home at a stop he is outside the Burlesque where Ginger Rogers works. He and the chauffer see the show. Ginger sings Shake Your Powder Puff and coats him with power and gives him her garter. After the show he convinces Ginger to have dinner with him. Shortly after her arrival she realizes it was not set up for her and he tells her that it is his anniversary. Back at home he has a conversation with the chauffer to make sure it was not discussed with anyone.
The next day Dickie goes off to a prestigious summer camp. Mary is going to a boating party for ten days or two weeks. He calls up Ginger to make plans. Ginger is involved with J. Caroll Naish. He wants her to get all she can get out of him. She doesn’t want anything to do with that. Warren takes Ginger out in an airplane and they have an emergency landing about 200 miles north of New York. Warren tells her that she makes him happy and he is a little bit crazy for her. They kiss.
Days later he buys a beautiful diamond bracelet. He tells the clerk “this is strictly confidential”. He calls up Ginger and states that he has a present for her birthday. Mary finds the bracelet and she says “is this for me” to which he states he was going to give it to her after dinner. Mary asks “And I spoiled your little surprise?” Under his breath Warren states “You certainly did.”
Naish tries again to convince Ginger to get money and gift from Warren. Naish wants the letters and pictures. Ginger refuses. She locks herself in her bedroom and tries to hide the letters. Naish breaks down the door. Ginger grabs a gun. Naish hits her across the face knocking her to the floor. He grabs the letters. As he leaves Warren is at the door. Naish tries to blackmail Warren. Warren hits him and he goes across the room. Naish pulls out his gun and threatens Warren. Ginger steps in front of Warren and gets shot. With Ginger in his arms he gets the gun from the table and kills Naish. He puts Ginger on the couch. He gets the guns and mixes up the bullets in the barrels. The police officer seeing the car outside the apartment in front of a fire plug sees the registration is to Warren. He waits outside and sees Warren get into his car and drive away.
Mary is back when he gets home. She was bored and fed up with the social circles and the same people. Warren wants to go abroad but Mary convinces him to wait until after his merger goes through. The janitor finds the bodies the next afternoon. The police office is determined to find Warren guilty. Warren talks with the apartment manager. Warren offers him $1000 to forget about him. The police officer comes in to question the janitor. The police officer sees a hand turn the light bulb. Warren hides. The police officer takes the light bulb to HQ to test for fingerprints. At the commissioners’ office the police officer tries to convince him to press charges. The commissioner breaks the light bulb. The police officer becomes furious and gets thrown into a cell. The police officer convinces the press to go to Warren and get fingerprints. At the Warren house there is a dinner party to celebrate the merger. The police and press come into the house. They ask for his fingerprints. “That puts me in rather an embarrassing position. (chuckle) I can’t very well refuse can I?” He is fingerprinted. As the expert examines the prints he goes back to his dinner party.
The participates toast to the great merger. The police and reporters come in the room and start taking pictures. “The headlines tomorrow will announce Alexander Stream has been charged with murder” he states. There is a montage of newspaper headlines. The last is the Stream case goes to the jury. In the courtroom anticipating the jury’s verdict it is very quiet and calm. Warren and lawyer talked about the case his chances and the self defense. In the judge’s office Mary and Dickie come to see him. They are leaving for Europe that night by boat. “I would have fought to the finish if it hadn’t been for that woman.” Mary stated tearfully “I was lonely. I was fond of her but she never took your place.” he stated. The verdict is being read “We the jury….find Alexander Stream” then a boat whistle. The chauffer and Dickie are at the boat rail. Warren and Mary are sitting on chairs on the boat. They kiss and make plans to go away and celebrate a 2nd honeymoon every year.
Warren William
Mary Astor
Ginger Rogers
Andy Devine
Dickie Moore
J. Carroll Naish
Sidney Toler
Warren William plays Alexander Stream a railroad business man. His wife Mary Astor is a socially ambitious. Dickie Moore plays their son. While out on a boat working, Ginger Rogers cries out for help. She has wondered too far from shore. Warren’s crew rescues her and gives her a set of his clothing to wear. He gives her a ride home. At her apartment house she convinces him to come up so she can give him his cloths back. The chauffer and secretary wait for him at the curb. They wait for over an hour when the secretary comes up to get Warren. Up in the apartment they talk, sing and Ginger fixes eggs for their lunch. On the way back to Stream’s building they are stopped by a police officer played by Sidney Toler. The chauffer at Warren’s orders was speeding and going through stops. The police officer gets demoted and Warren talks to the police commissioner thanking him for taking care of the ticket.
At home that night Mary Astor is throwing a costume party. Warren coming home from work barricades himself in his room since his mother threw him and his railroad out of the ballroom. Warren is upset that the family is never alone. There is always a party or bridge club around. The next day is their anniversary and she has forgotten and already made plans. They make plans for the next night but he has already set up an intimate dinner party. While being driven home at a stop he is outside the Burlesque where Ginger Rogers works. He and the chauffer see the show. Ginger sings Shake Your Powder Puff and coats him with power and gives him her garter. After the show he convinces Ginger to have dinner with him. Shortly after her arrival she realizes it was not set up for her and he tells her that it is his anniversary. Back at home he has a conversation with the chauffer to make sure it was not discussed with anyone.
The next day Dickie goes off to a prestigious summer camp. Mary is going to a boating party for ten days or two weeks. He calls up Ginger to make plans. Ginger is involved with J. Caroll Naish. He wants her to get all she can get out of him. She doesn’t want anything to do with that. Warren takes Ginger out in an airplane and they have an emergency landing about 200 miles north of New York. Warren tells her that she makes him happy and he is a little bit crazy for her. They kiss.
Days later he buys a beautiful diamond bracelet. He tells the clerk “this is strictly confidential”. He calls up Ginger and states that he has a present for her birthday. Mary finds the bracelet and she says “is this for me” to which he states he was going to give it to her after dinner. Mary asks “And I spoiled your little surprise?” Under his breath Warren states “You certainly did.”
Naish tries again to convince Ginger to get money and gift from Warren. Naish wants the letters and pictures. Ginger refuses. She locks herself in her bedroom and tries to hide the letters. Naish breaks down the door. Ginger grabs a gun. Naish hits her across the face knocking her to the floor. He grabs the letters. As he leaves Warren is at the door. Naish tries to blackmail Warren. Warren hits him and he goes across the room. Naish pulls out his gun and threatens Warren. Ginger steps in front of Warren and gets shot. With Ginger in his arms he gets the gun from the table and kills Naish. He puts Ginger on the couch. He gets the guns and mixes up the bullets in the barrels. The police officer seeing the car outside the apartment in front of a fire plug sees the registration is to Warren. He waits outside and sees Warren get into his car and drive away.
Mary is back when he gets home. She was bored and fed up with the social circles and the same people. Warren wants to go abroad but Mary convinces him to wait until after his merger goes through. The janitor finds the bodies the next afternoon. The police office is determined to find Warren guilty. Warren talks with the apartment manager. Warren offers him $1000 to forget about him. The police officer comes in to question the janitor. The police officer sees a hand turn the light bulb. Warren hides. The police officer takes the light bulb to HQ to test for fingerprints. At the commissioners’ office the police officer tries to convince him to press charges. The commissioner breaks the light bulb. The police officer becomes furious and gets thrown into a cell. The police officer convinces the press to go to Warren and get fingerprints. At the Warren house there is a dinner party to celebrate the merger. The police and press come into the house. They ask for his fingerprints. “That puts me in rather an embarrassing position. (chuckle) I can’t very well refuse can I?” He is fingerprinted. As the expert examines the prints he goes back to his dinner party.
The participates toast to the great merger. The police and reporters come in the room and start taking pictures. “The headlines tomorrow will announce Alexander Stream has been charged with murder” he states. There is a montage of newspaper headlines. The last is the Stream case goes to the jury. In the courtroom anticipating the jury’s verdict it is very quiet and calm. Warren and lawyer talked about the case his chances and the self defense. In the judge’s office Mary and Dickie come to see him. They are leaving for Europe that night by boat. “I would have fought to the finish if it hadn’t been for that woman.” Mary stated tearfully “I was lonely. I was fond of her but she never took your place.” he stated. The verdict is being read “We the jury….find Alexander Stream” then a boat whistle. The chauffer and Dickie are at the boat rail. Warren and Mary are sitting on chairs on the boat. They kiss and make plans to go away and celebrate a 2nd honeymoon every year.
Warren William
Mary Astor
Ginger Rogers
Andy Devine
Dickie Moore
J. Carroll Naish
Sidney Toler
The Cigarette Girl of Mosselprom
The Cigarette Girl of Mosselprom
1924 silent Soviet film Directed by Yuri Zhelyabuzhsy released Kino on DVD. The items listed in quotes are titles from the film. Restored by the Cinematheque De Toulouse.
The story start as an American business man Oliver MacBright (M. Tsibulski) flies to Moscow (great aerial shots of the city) to oversee some of his business interests. Then the scene shifts to an office where Maria Ivanovna Rybstova (A. Dmokhovskaia) a secretary who is “hungry for a husband”. She works with an accounting assistant, Nikodim Mityushin (Igor Ilinski) “schooled in Romance languages”. He sits at his desk writing a love letter. The scene then shifts back to Oliver landing at the airport. The scene then shifts to the streets of Moscow. A motion picture cameraman, A. A. Latugin (N. Tsereteli) is working for a director (L. Baratov) “prior to filming was always a bit anxious”. The cigarette girl is Zina Vesenina (J. Solntseva). She has a large box which she sells cigarettes on the street. The American buys the cigarettes with American dollars. After work Maria walks home with Mityushin who ditches her along he way. “Smitten by the charming cigarette girl, Mityushin purchased a pack every day.” The director and crew film in the street. The director has Zina stand in the corner of the shot as an extra. The cameraman looks at Zina and forgets to crank the camera. Back home Mityushin “carefully guarded all the cigarettes he had bought”. He has piles and piles of cigarette boxes. He does not smoke. A man comes to see him and takes a cigarette and lights one and Mityushin lights one for himself. He coughs and when the man leaves he gets rid of the cigarette. Disoriented he and he the hallway sway back and forth and he ends up in Maria’s room on his knees hugging her waist. “I’ve waited so long for this moment” Maria states. Mityushin makes a comment (no title card but it is clearly on his face) and Maria who was washing dishes throws dish soap bubbles in his face and pushes him out of the apartment.
The Latugin sees the footage of Zina and tries to get the director to hire her. He grudgingly agrees. Mityushin goes to the candy store and buys a box of candy and has is love note into the box and then the box is wrapped in brown paper. Latugin goes to Zina on the street and states “Would you like to make a movie?” She agrees and goes with him to the studio. Mityushin looks for her but can’t find her. At the studio Zina has a small role of a cigarette girl in a film and is given a bigger part. She goes home to practice. Latugin comes to her house to help her rehearse. Mityushin goes back to work. He pretends to be ill so he can leave the office to find Zina. While rehearsing Zina decides to become an actress and returns her cigarette box. Mityushin waits around her street waiting for Zina. It starts to rain and Mityushin decides to go back to the office. At the office he gives the sodden package to Maria. Mityushin forgot about the note and tries to find away to say it is a mistake it is not for her when Maria states “congratulate us. We’re engaged!” At the studio Zina is struggling. The next we see her she is standing at a bridge looking down. Mityushin walking with Maria sees her. Zina climbs over the railing and jumps in the water. Mityushin runs down the pathway to the water followed by Maria. He goes into the water and swims to where she is bobbing in the water. It is only a dummy with a wig. Mityushin then struggles in the water and has to be rescued. Maria who had only made it a few inches in the water is very upset. Finally Mityushin is brought to shore where Zina runs to him. Maria pushes Zina aside and then faints once she realizes he is alright. Zina and Latugin take Mityushin home. The director is dragged from the shore by Maria. He then takes her home and he likes how she looks. At Mityushin’s apartment Zina sees the stacks of cigarette boxes and realizes who Mityushin is. She puts the flower from her dress on the boxes.
The director does not like how much time and how close the cameraman and are. Zina is disrupting the set. The director gets Latugin reassigned to a new project, filming everyday life in Moscow. Through an interpreter the American tells Zina “a woman with your face and figure could quite easily earn a fortune” to which she takes as offensive. Back at the office Mityushin is writing a script “The Forgotten Flower” a cinematic tragedy. The next day Latugin goes on his new assignment and Zina is with him. Mityushin goes to the office and walks across the street through a carriage (the driver bounces up and down with the movement but does not wake) and into the office door at 5 minutes after 9. When confronted by the boss he states “it is terribly difficult balancing my efforts as a creative writer with the trifling duties of a desk clerk.” He sits at his desk and works on his cinematic tragedy. When he gets writers block he tries to play out the story with his coworkers. The boss having enough of this fires him. Mityushin finishes his story and takes it to the studio, where they laugh at his story and throw him out. At the studio he sees Zina. She convinces the American to hire him as a writer since he knows English. The American reiterates “a woman with your face and your figure could earn an awful lot of money.” Zina is at the studio to see a preview of the everyday life of Moscow by Latugin. It is a lovely film of Moscow city and parks with Zina as the star. A “living landscape” Latugin calls the story. The backers disagree and fire both Latugin and Zina. Latugin states he did it for her and she walks away.
Mityushin has become secretary to the American. Zina writes the American a letter that “scruples are a luxury a poor young woman cannot afford”. Mityushin sees the letter and gets upset. Mityushin goes to a bar and gets drunk. Latugin goes to see Zina to beg her forgiveness and tells her he loves her. Mityushin drunk, sees the two of them kiss but more upset that she has offered herself to the American. In the apartment Mityushin calls her a hussy and Latugin defends her. Mityushin gives Latugin the letter. Latugin leaves and becomes a street photographer. Zina becomes a kept woman. They all meet at the races but pretend they don’t see each other. Mityushin follows Zina into a dress shop. At the shop he sees a woman in a box and thinks that Zina has been murdered. He runs to the police station. Along the way he sees Latugin and they both go to the police. When they go back they find the box has already been taken to the station, which they follow. At the station the box is opened and it is a mannequin. At the station Zina decides to tell the American “she no longer works for him.” Mityushin goes to Maria and states “my life is in shambles” and gets down on his knees. She rejects him and he leaves. Mityushin back in his apartment starts playing a guitar and signing. Maria can’t stand it and tries to find a way to drown out the sound.
The American can’t sleep and requests Mityushin to come to his house “to carry out an important mission“. Mityushin is to be a “translator to help negotiate a delicate business affair“. The business affair is a dinner with Zina. The American asks Zina to marry him. She says no. Mityushin states “Wonderful. She refused.” and starts drinking from every cup on the table. The American accepting her response states “tell her that the most cherished souvenir I shall carry with me over the ocean is the memory of her face.” To which Mityushin translates “the traveling salesmen says ‘she has seduced me and profited from my money. She doesn’t bother to hid the fact that is a gold digger.’” Zina yells (no need for title cards to know what is said) and slaps the American then leaves. The two men fight and Mityushin falls out the window. The American takes Mityushin home. When they arrive Maria is being brought home by the director. She immediately goes to Mityushin. They kiss. The American leaves. Zina goes back to selling cigarettes. On the street the American, Mityushin and Maria pass Zina and ignore her. Latugin sees her and jumps out the trolley window. He runs to her. The police detain him for exiting out the window. He and Zina and a large group of people go to the police station. They show their papers, explain what happened and the desk sergeant let them go. They go to the marriage bureau with the same crowd following them. They get married. The film The Cigarette Girl of Mosselprom finally comes out and there are throngs of people to see the film. Most caring their own cigarette boxes. Zina and Latugin sit in a special box get a grand welcome. “Latugin had gotten what he wanted, Zina had become an actress, in the film that you just watched…” As Zina’s name and picture comes up, Mityushin reacts and Maria makes Mityushin take her home. The End.
Most Soviet/Russian films, whether silent or sound I don’t usually understand. This film just proves that comedy is universal. It is a charming romantic comedy. The music is good but it seems more fitting for a drama than a comedy. It makes the film a little darker in some places. The visuals of Moscow are stunning. The buildings and parks are views that are seldom seen. The film is fast paced, with a lot going on, yet easy to understand. The film is almost 2 hours long but there is not a slow spot in the film.
1924 silent Soviet film Directed by Yuri Zhelyabuzhsy released Kino on DVD. The items listed in quotes are titles from the film. Restored by the Cinematheque De Toulouse.
The story start as an American business man Oliver MacBright (M. Tsibulski) flies to Moscow (great aerial shots of the city) to oversee some of his business interests. Then the scene shifts to an office where Maria Ivanovna Rybstova (A. Dmokhovskaia) a secretary who is “hungry for a husband”. She works with an accounting assistant, Nikodim Mityushin (Igor Ilinski) “schooled in Romance languages”. He sits at his desk writing a love letter. The scene then shifts back to Oliver landing at the airport. The scene then shifts to the streets of Moscow. A motion picture cameraman, A. A. Latugin (N. Tsereteli) is working for a director (L. Baratov) “prior to filming was always a bit anxious”. The cigarette girl is Zina Vesenina (J. Solntseva). She has a large box which she sells cigarettes on the street. The American buys the cigarettes with American dollars. After work Maria walks home with Mityushin who ditches her along he way. “Smitten by the charming cigarette girl, Mityushin purchased a pack every day.” The director and crew film in the street. The director has Zina stand in the corner of the shot as an extra. The cameraman looks at Zina and forgets to crank the camera. Back home Mityushin “carefully guarded all the cigarettes he had bought”. He has piles and piles of cigarette boxes. He does not smoke. A man comes to see him and takes a cigarette and lights one and Mityushin lights one for himself. He coughs and when the man leaves he gets rid of the cigarette. Disoriented he and he the hallway sway back and forth and he ends up in Maria’s room on his knees hugging her waist. “I’ve waited so long for this moment” Maria states. Mityushin makes a comment (no title card but it is clearly on his face) and Maria who was washing dishes throws dish soap bubbles in his face and pushes him out of the apartment.
The Latugin sees the footage of Zina and tries to get the director to hire her. He grudgingly agrees. Mityushin goes to the candy store and buys a box of candy and has is love note into the box and then the box is wrapped in brown paper. Latugin goes to Zina on the street and states “Would you like to make a movie?” She agrees and goes with him to the studio. Mityushin looks for her but can’t find her. At the studio Zina has a small role of a cigarette girl in a film and is given a bigger part. She goes home to practice. Latugin comes to her house to help her rehearse. Mityushin goes back to work. He pretends to be ill so he can leave the office to find Zina. While rehearsing Zina decides to become an actress and returns her cigarette box. Mityushin waits around her street waiting for Zina. It starts to rain and Mityushin decides to go back to the office. At the office he gives the sodden package to Maria. Mityushin forgot about the note and tries to find away to say it is a mistake it is not for her when Maria states “congratulate us. We’re engaged!” At the studio Zina is struggling. The next we see her she is standing at a bridge looking down. Mityushin walking with Maria sees her. Zina climbs over the railing and jumps in the water. Mityushin runs down the pathway to the water followed by Maria. He goes into the water and swims to where she is bobbing in the water. It is only a dummy with a wig. Mityushin then struggles in the water and has to be rescued. Maria who had only made it a few inches in the water is very upset. Finally Mityushin is brought to shore where Zina runs to him. Maria pushes Zina aside and then faints once she realizes he is alright. Zina and Latugin take Mityushin home. The director is dragged from the shore by Maria. He then takes her home and he likes how she looks. At Mityushin’s apartment Zina sees the stacks of cigarette boxes and realizes who Mityushin is. She puts the flower from her dress on the boxes.
The director does not like how much time and how close the cameraman and are. Zina is disrupting the set. The director gets Latugin reassigned to a new project, filming everyday life in Moscow. Through an interpreter the American tells Zina “a woman with your face and figure could quite easily earn a fortune” to which she takes as offensive. Back at the office Mityushin is writing a script “The Forgotten Flower” a cinematic tragedy. The next day Latugin goes on his new assignment and Zina is with him. Mityushin goes to the office and walks across the street through a carriage (the driver bounces up and down with the movement but does not wake) and into the office door at 5 minutes after 9. When confronted by the boss he states “it is terribly difficult balancing my efforts as a creative writer with the trifling duties of a desk clerk.” He sits at his desk and works on his cinematic tragedy. When he gets writers block he tries to play out the story with his coworkers. The boss having enough of this fires him. Mityushin finishes his story and takes it to the studio, where they laugh at his story and throw him out. At the studio he sees Zina. She convinces the American to hire him as a writer since he knows English. The American reiterates “a woman with your face and your figure could earn an awful lot of money.” Zina is at the studio to see a preview of the everyday life of Moscow by Latugin. It is a lovely film of Moscow city and parks with Zina as the star. A “living landscape” Latugin calls the story. The backers disagree and fire both Latugin and Zina. Latugin states he did it for her and she walks away.
Mityushin has become secretary to the American. Zina writes the American a letter that “scruples are a luxury a poor young woman cannot afford”. Mityushin sees the letter and gets upset. Mityushin goes to a bar and gets drunk. Latugin goes to see Zina to beg her forgiveness and tells her he loves her. Mityushin drunk, sees the two of them kiss but more upset that she has offered herself to the American. In the apartment Mityushin calls her a hussy and Latugin defends her. Mityushin gives Latugin the letter. Latugin leaves and becomes a street photographer. Zina becomes a kept woman. They all meet at the races but pretend they don’t see each other. Mityushin follows Zina into a dress shop. At the shop he sees a woman in a box and thinks that Zina has been murdered. He runs to the police station. Along the way he sees Latugin and they both go to the police. When they go back they find the box has already been taken to the station, which they follow. At the station the box is opened and it is a mannequin. At the station Zina decides to tell the American “she no longer works for him.” Mityushin goes to Maria and states “my life is in shambles” and gets down on his knees. She rejects him and he leaves. Mityushin back in his apartment starts playing a guitar and signing. Maria can’t stand it and tries to find a way to drown out the sound.
The American can’t sleep and requests Mityushin to come to his house “to carry out an important mission“. Mityushin is to be a “translator to help negotiate a delicate business affair“. The business affair is a dinner with Zina. The American asks Zina to marry him. She says no. Mityushin states “Wonderful. She refused.” and starts drinking from every cup on the table. The American accepting her response states “tell her that the most cherished souvenir I shall carry with me over the ocean is the memory of her face.” To which Mityushin translates “the traveling salesmen says ‘she has seduced me and profited from my money. She doesn’t bother to hid the fact that is a gold digger.’” Zina yells (no need for title cards to know what is said) and slaps the American then leaves. The two men fight and Mityushin falls out the window. The American takes Mityushin home. When they arrive Maria is being brought home by the director. She immediately goes to Mityushin. They kiss. The American leaves. Zina goes back to selling cigarettes. On the street the American, Mityushin and Maria pass Zina and ignore her. Latugin sees her and jumps out the trolley window. He runs to her. The police detain him for exiting out the window. He and Zina and a large group of people go to the police station. They show their papers, explain what happened and the desk sergeant let them go. They go to the marriage bureau with the same crowd following them. They get married. The film The Cigarette Girl of Mosselprom finally comes out and there are throngs of people to see the film. Most caring their own cigarette boxes. Zina and Latugin sit in a special box get a grand welcome. “Latugin had gotten what he wanted, Zina had become an actress, in the film that you just watched…” As Zina’s name and picture comes up, Mityushin reacts and Maria makes Mityushin take her home. The End.
Most Soviet/Russian films, whether silent or sound I don’t usually understand. This film just proves that comedy is universal. It is a charming romantic comedy. The music is good but it seems more fitting for a drama than a comedy. It makes the film a little darker in some places. The visuals of Moscow are stunning. The buildings and parks are views that are seldom seen. The film is fast paced, with a lot going on, yet easy to understand. The film is almost 2 hours long but there is not a slow spot in the film.
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