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The Diamond Arm

Original title: Brilliantovaya ruka
  • 1969
  • Not Rated
  • 1h 34m
IMDb RATING
8.2/10
17K
YOUR RATING
The Diamond Arm (1969)
ParodySlapstickAdventureComedyCrime

An ordinary Soviet citizen accidentally intervenes into a huge operation of international criminal group that trades illegally obtained jewelry.An ordinary Soviet citizen accidentally intervenes into a huge operation of international criminal group that trades illegally obtained jewelry.An ordinary Soviet citizen accidentally intervenes into a huge operation of international criminal group that trades illegally obtained jewelry.

  • Director
    • Leonid Gaidai
  • Writers
    • Leonid Gaidai
    • Yakov Kostyukovskiy
    • Moris Slobodskoy
  • Stars
    • Yuriy Nikulin
    • Nina Grebeshkova
    • Andrey Mironov
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    8.2/10
    17K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Leonid Gaidai
    • Writers
      • Leonid Gaidai
      • Yakov Kostyukovskiy
      • Moris Slobodskoy
    • Stars
      • Yuriy Nikulin
      • Nina Grebeshkova
      • Andrey Mironov
    • 30User reviews
    • 6Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos47

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    Top cast45

    Edit
    Yuriy Nikulin
    Yuriy Nikulin
    • Semyon Semyonych Gorbunkov…
    Nina Grebeshkova
    Nina Grebeshkova
    • Nadezhda Gorbunkova
    Andrey Mironov
    Andrey Mironov
    • Gennadiy 'Gesha' Kozodoev
    Anatoliy Papanov
    Anatoliy Papanov
    • Lyolik
    Stanislav Chekan
    Stanislav Chekan
    • Captain Mikhail Ivanovich
    Vladimir Gulyaev
    Vladimir Gulyaev
    • Lieutenant Volodya
    Nonna Mordyukova
    Nonna Mordyukova
    • Varvara Sergeevna Plyushch
    Svetlana Svetlichnaya
    Svetlana Svetlichnaya
    • Anna Sergeevna
    Roman Filippov
    Roman Filippov
    • Evgeniy Ladyzhenskiy - Guest from Kolyma
    Grigoriy Shpigel
    Grigoriy Shpigel
    • Senior Foreign Smuggler
    Leonid Kanevskiy
    Leonid Kanevskiy
    • Assisstant Foreign Smuggler
    Igor Yasulovich
    Igor Yasulovich
    • Viktor Nikolaevich - Neighbor with doggy
    Aleksandra Lisyutina
    • Gorbunkov's Daughter
    • (as Sashenka Lisyutina)
    Aleksandr Khvylya
    Aleksandr Khvylya
    • Boris Savelyevich - Weeping Willow' Maitre dHotel
    Nikolay Romanov
    Nikolay Romanov
    • Chief
    Andrey Fayt
    Andrey Fayt
    • Lottery-tickets Seller
    Leonid Gaidai
    Leonid Gaidai
    • Drunk lying on the pavement
    • (voice)
    German Kachin
    German Kachin
    • Journalist at the port
    • Director
      • Leonid Gaidai
    • Writers
      • Leonid Gaidai
      • Yakov Kostyukovskiy
      • Moris Slobodskoy
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews30

    8.217.3K
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    10

    Featured reviews

    10OlegSinitsin

    The funniest Russian comedy

    A regular guy goes on a cruise abroad, gets mistaken for a mafia courier and receives a load of diamonds in the bandage on his broken arm. Mafia tries to return the goods, KGB tries to catch mafia, and our hero struggles in between. Tons of great humor. Many jokes from this absolutely hilarious comedy have made it into everyday language. I would like to invite visitors to see pictures from the movie and watch a detailed trailer at RussArt.com. Those who read Russian can find more materials useful: reviews, actor biographies, articles, etc.

    Pictures: http://russart.com/?moviepictures&mid=10

    Trailer: http://russart.com/?movietrailer&mid=10
    Vincentiu

    brilliant work

    a comedy with many virtues - the director, the script, the performance of Yuri Nikulin, the dialog and the wise manner to critic the Soviet regime. part from a long and precious Russian comedies, it seduce first for Gayday courage. because the fake crime story is a precise fresco of society. and the dialogs reflects in great measure that "sin". than, it is a deep human comedy, the small incorrect details , the use of innocence and, maybe, the end, does it a form of parable , more than satire. a film for each age, beautiful and fresh, full of emotion and laughter. an old fashion Russian film. who can reminds, in a crazy period, the importance of small real important ingredients of life.
    10ndavydov

    The best Russian comedy ever

    Perfect from the first till the last minute. Not a single word in this movie said in vain - this is absolute masterpiece of comedy. But I do not believe that it is possible to translate it properly into English - so, you have to know Russian language (and you've got to have a good idea of Russian realities of 70th) to be able to fully enjoy it. This movie was, I believe, the first soviet comedy which contained a short "sexual" scene (topless actress shot from behind). Many lines from this film are now living their own lives - you can hear quotations on TV, in people talks, in other movies - while some of those who uses it do not remember the words origin. Must have, must see - anyway!
    10voldemar-1

    Bright and honest snapshot of the socialist society.

    It is a crime film with no cruelty, that presents a bright and very honest snapshot of the everyday life of an average soviet citizen and of his morale. The invasion of the capitalist valuables into the socialist society produces very funny situation. The film is not ideologically inclined: You feel sympathy towards both victims, criminals and police. You laugh both at human greediness, vices of the bureaucracy and the naivety of average Russians of that time. The film itself has influated the Russian language. Many of witty phrases from this film have already become proverbs.
    9optimiced

    One of the best Russian comedies

    I watched this movie as a small boy. I liked it. Then I watched it again, as a bigger boy. I liked it again :) Then I found it nowadays on video... was tempted to watch it again... and liked it again :-)

    This is classics! It's good! It's... yes, it's way too Russian......but because I know Russian language, and Russian culture a bit, too, I could understand almost all of the movie's plot, and jokes, and sometimes (too Russian?;) humour.

    The movie is real good. It has good plot, good acting, it's directed good, it has good music... I've given it 9/10 stars. It's worth watching! But... beware - maybe you wouldn't understand it. Because it's way too Russian? Maybe. Well, you can try, at least...

    I really enjoyed it:)

    One word-summary: recommend! ...for whoever want to try it:)

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    Related interests

    Bill Pullman, John Candy, Joan Rivers, Daphne Zuniga, and Lorene Yarnell Jansson in Spaceballs (1987)
    Parody
    Leslie Nielsen in The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988)
    Slapstick
    Still frame
    Adventure
    Will Ferrell in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
    Comedy
    James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Sharon Angela, Max Casella, Dan Grimaldi, Joe Perrino, Donna Pescow, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Tony Sirico, and Michael Drayer in The Sopranos (1999)
    Crime

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      When Leonid Gaidai presented the film to the censors, he added a nuclear explosion footage into the epilogue, and refused to remove it, and only agreed after an extensive argument. This allowed him to sneak in some controversial (by the USSR's measures) material such as striptease, drunken debauchery and references to prostitution.
    • Goofs
      The first part of the film takes place in what is supposed to be Turkey. But the streets are filled with signs in Arabic script, which Turkey does not use.
    • Quotes

      Mystery man: Hey, buddy, do you have a cigarette?

      [Gorbunkov stutters]

      Mystery man: What are you, deaf-mute?

      Semyon Gorbunkov: [immediately, very clearly and distinctly] Yes!

    • Crazy credits
      The summary of the first part of the movie, written in an extremely small and blurry font, races through the screen in a matter of two seconds.
    • Connections
      Featured in What? Where? When?: 1997 Winter Series. The Final (1997)
    • Soundtracks
      Ostrov Nevezeniya
      ("The Island of Bad Luck")

      Music by Aleksandr Zatsepin

      Lyrics by Leonid Derbenyov

      Performed by Andrey Mironov

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    FAQ14

    • How long is The Diamond Arm?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 1998 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • Soviet Union
    • Language
      • Russian
    • Also known as
      • Pırlanta El
    • Filming locations
      • Sochi Sea Vokzal, Sochi, Krasnodarsky Kray, USSR(on location)
    • Production company
      • Mosfilm
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross worldwide
      • $2,266
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 34m(94 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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