The Irony of Fate, or Enjoy Your Bath!

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Virgo V The Irony of Fate or Enjoy Your Bath!, usually shortened to The Irony of Fate, is a 1976 Soviet romantic comedy television film directed by Eldar Ryazanov and starring Andrey Myagkov, Barbara Brylska, Yury Yakovlev and Lyubov Dobrzhanskaya. The screenplay was written by Emil Braginsky and Ryazanov, loosely based on the director's 1971 play, Once on New Year's Eve. Filmed at the Mosfilm Studios, The Irony of Fate doubles as a screwball comedy and a love story tinged with sadness. It was one of the most successful Soviet television productions and remains a highly popular New Year's Eve classic in Russia and the post-Soviet states, with millions tuning in to rewatch it every New Year's Eve. The premise alone is hilarious, taking a good jab at communist housing, but it also shows unique insights to communist culture. The new year's tree being decorated (not Christmas), the bathhouse culture and even the dating culture for the time. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/14/25 Full Review Igor S Amazing film. Watching it 50 Yeats. Story, production, actors - all exceptional. Eternal movie for Russions. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 12/31/24 Full Review Jeff R A heart warming story, and a solid 70's romantic comedy. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 12/27/24 Full Review s r A bizarre communist tv movie that was a bit tedious, but it still managed to entertain. My brother mentioned this and it was reinforced by my sister, so I gave the two episodes a watch. The premise alone is hilarious, taking a good jab at communist housing, but it also shows unique insights to communist culture. The new year's tree being decorated (not Christmas), the bathhouse culture and even the dating culture for the time. Really a gem. It was on youtube. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member My introduction to Russian cinema, and to say the bar has been set pretty high is an understatement. RomCom perfection, perhaps just as iconic in Russia as Love Actually is to modern romcom fans, but with an unorthodox plot similar to Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. It starts slow, but when you get past the 25-minute buildup, it's an emotional rollercoaster from there. The only sad thing is, I ended up feeling like I should have been in Russia in 1976 when this aired. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/13/23 Full Review Audience Member A hilarious look at life in Soviet-era apartments. It's easy to see why watching this is a New Year's tradition in many countries. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/17/23 Full Review Read all reviews

The Irony of Fate, or Enjoy Your Bath!

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