The Man of the Capuchin Boulevard (1987)

Yawn. Poorly Filmed Snooze Fest.

Good story, Not enough for a whole film

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

I like the super-task of the "Сinema man" (The man from Cappuchino boulevard), but I never can understand what made them in 1987 (Chrushev is dead) want to clash the cinema and the Church. This seems to make the movie very very lame. Just answer me, when you hit a God-forsaken American town, how often do you meet an evil, carnal Pastor ? Everyone, absolutely everyone in this town, including the bar owner, the Indian Chief, and the local hit-man Black Joe are good people, at least they have good soul strings. Only Church Pastor stands out as pitch black, as absolute evil. You know, I don't like such plain con gaming. Even the world of cinema men has good and bad representatives like Mr.First who features good manners, good and high feelings, gentleness, kindness, and everything good you know about the cinema, and Mr.Second who disseminates violence, low style, fights, perhaps toilet humor, horrors, nudity and sex, and everything bad you know about the cinema. But when it comes to Church you have only one pitch black Jewish evil carnal Pastor who's dream is to rape a lady singing in the bar. Well, even if you tell me that evil, carnal, raping Pastors are as frequent in the USA as Coca-Cola dispensers, this still can not be a reason to bang a traveling cinema man against the Church. Even local hit-man Black Joe turns better than Pastor. What is this ? What thoughts shall this provoke ? The only clue thrown in is Mr. First's song "without rage and mourning for the benefit of the planet Earth as we dreamed since long but still can not live up to our dream". Well, perhaps's that's it. A spoof of the American dream, a mock of the shining city on the hill ? And the evil lustful Pastor is an American Pastor namely and exclusively? Kh-m, you should have warned me, that this gonna be so, eh, particular. The movie was shot in 1987 when we in Russia were going full speed for universal human values, everything was going to be for us so universal, and an evil Pastor in the US could mean only an equally evil Priest on the other side of the pond. Well, were we really supposed to take seriously that cinema is going to save the world ? And all this garnished with carefully choreographed fist fights in the saloon, fighting Indians, and "Lemonade Joe" style story of how a rotten dangerous hole of American town turned into a descent place thanks to the traveling projector ? Strange movie though, with a message buried more deeper than the eventual plot, otherwise with no message at all. Well, as strange and mesmerizing as Irina Fateeva and Spartak Michulin as Indian Chief couple.

This is one of those good old soviet comedies. The humor in these films is pretty innocent but still very funny. This film contains many Russian stars of that time. The plot is quite original. It's about a town in Wild West who's people are only drinking and fighting every single day and about an intelligent man who arrive to the town to introduce towns people with Cinematography. Soon people of town get fascinated by cinema, they stop drinking and fighting and become more polite to each other. The movie is really funny and interesting. Though this is not a action film, i've noticed some well choreographed fighting scenes. This film is really worth your time.

Really funny, sweet, and moving take on the American western done by a soviet female director. Mr. First comes to a small town in the wild west to introduce the population to the art of cinematography. He brings a projector and an array of silent movies, including romance and comedy. Rowdy cowboys discover a different way of life and try to improve their own existence. Amazing cast, Tabakov is especially endearing as a saloon owner torn between greed and love for the movies. Surprisingly effective fight scenes could probably challenge those of the American counterparts. Karachentsov gives it his best with some of the best fight moves I've seen. Mironov is great, as usual, as an idealist out to change the world and bring enlightenment to the wild wild west. Highly recommended as a comedy, romance, western, and a meditation on the role of art and mass entertainment in our society.

I saw this movie when I was in Russia. I must admit it is a low budget movie, but it has an excellent acting. It is very good comedy. I don't really know if its available in US, but if you have a chance I would recommend it!