The Hat

The story is about how a metropolitan writer, concerned about the “fifth point of his questionnaire,” instead of the noble or, at worst, rabbit fur assigned to him by rank, was given a “medium fluffy domestic cat” at the Literary Fund, and how he, previously quiet and inconspicuous, ventured to a “mutiny on a ship” confidently cutting through the waters of “socialist realism.”

Directed by Konstantin Voinov, The Hat leans on a strong ensemble — Vladimir Ilin, Lidiya Fedoseyeva-Shukshina, Evgeniy Evstigneev — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about comedy titles of 1990.