Summer Dreams

Grandfather Sliva, an unthinkable braggart and confounder, has these strange dreams. Then he dreamed of chivalrous times, of musketeer duels between Stepney Kazantz and Serafimushka Seagull against masked opponents. Then the old man saw himself in the form of a mysterious spy, immediately starting a scuffle with cowboys drinking beer and shooting at barrels. Grandfather Sliva should not sleep, but guard the young Masha Chubukova, who was in charge of the local amateur activity, as if the girl had not been stolen by the same Stepan and Seraphim, who had fallen in love at first sight until they were unconscious.

Directed by Vitaly Koltsov, Summer Dreams leans on a strong ensemble — Nikolay Trofimov, Natalya Fateyeva, Lyudmila Gurchenko — 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 1973.