Rent Moscow on the Hudson (1984)
3.3 of 5 from 78 ratings
1h 52min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
- Circus saxophonist Vladimir Ivanoff (Robin Williams) suddenly defects from his touring troupe in that "temple of Western decadence" - Bloomingdale's. Fleeing the K.G.B., Vladimir wins asylum and moves into the crowded Harlem flat of black security guard Lionel Witherspoon (Cleavant Derricks). Soon he has found both a voluptuous Italian lover Lucia Lombardo (Maria Conchita Alonso), and a shrewd Cuban lawyer Orlando Ramirez (Alejandro Rey). Though Vladimir learns that life in America can be cold and even painful, he grows to love this strange and wondrous new land.
- Actors:
- Robin Williams, Maria Conchita Alonso, Cleavant Derricks, Alejandro Rey, Saveliy Kramarov, Elya Baskin, Oleg Rudnik, Aleksandr Benyaminov, Lyudmila Kramarevskaya, Ivo Vrzal-Wiegand, Natalya Ivanova, Tiger Haynes, Eyde Byrde, Robert MacBeth, Donna Ingram-Young, Olga Talyn, Aleksandr Narodetsky, Pierre Orcel, Stephanie Cotsirilos, Frederick Strother
- Directors:
- Paul Mazursky
- Producers:
- Paul Mazursky
- Writers:
- Paul Mazursky, Leon Capetanos
- Studio:
- Columbia Tristar
- Genres:
- Classics, Comedy, Drama, Romance
- Collections:
- Top 10 Films Set in Department Stores, Top Films
- BBFC:
- Release Date:
- 25/05/2020
- Run Time:
- 118 minutes
- Languages:
- English Dolby Digital 5.1, English LPCM Stereo, Russian Dolby Digital 5.1, Russian LPCM Stereo
- Subtitles:
- English Hard of Hearing
- Formats:
- Pal
- Aspect Ratio:
- Widescreen 1.85:1
- Colour:
- Colour
- BLU-RAY Regions:
- B
- Bonus:
- Audio commentary with writerdirector Paul Mazursky (2001)
- The Guardian Interview with Paul Mazur and Robin Williams (1984, 94 mins): archival recording of the celebrated filmmaker and the much-loved actor in conversation with Derek Malcolm at London's National Film Theatre
- Image gallery: publicity and promotional photography
- Original theatrical trailers
- UK Premiere on Blu-ray
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Reviews (1) of Moscow on the Hudson
Overlong and ultimately unsatisfying - Moscow on the Hudson review by FP
I think there was a good film in here somewhere but it was far too long and hasn't dated that well. Robin Williams did an amazing job of *almost* convincing you he might be Russian but ultimately it would have made more sense and been more convincing if an actual Russian had taken the role. I found the strong Hispanic accent of the supposedly Italian love interest played by Maria Conchita Alonso irritating. Why not find an Italian woman, or rewrite the role as a Hispanic woman?
While it's a lovely idea looking at an New York full of immigrants, and I enjoyed the Russian Circus Troop let lose in Bloomingdales, sometimes I found the stereotyping of minor characters a bit much, especially a scene with an Asian doctor with a 70s sitcom Asian accent.
There was also an overlong sex scene which seemed to go on and on with no reason other than giving people an opportunity to look at Maria Conchita Alonso's (admittedly very nice) body. It felt exploitative and out of place.
It's been a while but I would recommend "Good Bye Lenin" if you want a bittersweet comedy poking fun at the absurdities of both the capitalist and communist systems.
1 out of 1 members found this review helpful.