''Hello, I'm Your Aunt!'' (russian: Здравствуйте, я ваша тётя!, Zdravstvuyte, ya vasha tyotya!) is a Soviet 1975

comedy Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term o ...

directed by

Viktor Titov The name Victor or Viktor may refer to: * Victor (name), including a list of people with the given name, mononym, or surname Arts and entertainment Film * ''Victor'' (1951 film), a French drama film * ''Victor'' (1993 film), a French shor ...

and is loosely based on the 1892 play ''

Charley's Aunt ''Charley's Aunt'' is a farce in three acts written by Brandon Thomas. The story centres on Lord Fancourt Babberley, an undergraduate whose friends Jack and Charley persuade him to impersonate the latter's aunt. The complications of the plot inc ...

'' by

Brandon Thomas Brandon Thomas may refer to: *Brandon Thomas (playwright) (1848–1914), English actor and playwright who wrote the hit farce, ''Charley's Aunt'' *Brandon Thomas (musician) (born 1980), American rock band singer *Brandon Thomas (American football), ...

. Produced by T/O Ekran. The film was an immense hit; many lines of dialogue (for example "I am an old soldier and don't know words of love") subsequently became catch phrases themselves.

Plot summary

The action takes place at the beginning of 20th century. Unemployed and homeless Babbs Baberley ( Alexander Kalyagin) is being chased by the police who attempt to arrest him for vagrancy. Babbs finds himself in a rich house, where he encounters Charlie and Jackie. Babbs' unsuccessful attempt to disguise himself as a woman gives Charlie and Jackie an idea. By threatening to surrender Babbs to the (successfully bribed) police, they force their unexpected visitor to dress once again as a woman and pass himself for Donna Rosa d'Alvadorez, Charlie's millionaire aunt who is expected to arrive with a visit from Brazil. Charlie and Jackie want Babbs to seduce Judge Criggs (

Armen Dzhigarkhanyan Armen Borisovich Dzhigarkhanyan (russian: Армен Борисович Джигарханян; hy, Արմեն Բորիսի Ջիգարխանյան, Armen Borisi Jigarkhanyan; ; 3 October 1935 – 14 November 2020) was a Soviet, Armenian, and Rus ...

) with the irresistible charms of a millionaire widow and to trick the Judge into giving his nieces, Annie and Betty, a permission to marry Charlie and Jackie. Complications to the scheme ensue. First, Jackie's father Colonel Chesney (

Mikhail Kozakov Mikhail Mikhailovich Kozakov (in Russian: Михаил Михайлович Козаков) (14 October 1934, Leningrad – 22 April 2011, Ramat Gan) was a Soviet, Russian and Israeli film and theatre director and actor. Biography Early life Mik ...

) decides to help his shattered finances by marrying the rich widow and joins Judge Criggs in courting the fake Aunt Rosa. Next, the real Donna Rosa arrives with her ward Ela. Upon encountering the impostor, Donna Rosa decides to remain incognita that gives her a great opportunity to observe and understand all the participants of the scheme. Babbs falls in love with Ela and is tortured by impossibility to reveal himself. In the end, the fake Donna Rosa refuses to marry Colonel Chesney, and acquiesces to the courtings of Judge Criggs. The marriage permission for Annie and Betty is secured, and Babbs reveals himself to the company dressed as a man. Judge Criggs is incensed, but Donna Rosa reveals herself as the real aunt. The Judge and the Colonel rush to court her anew. Everyone exits the stage; Ela, despite being enchanted by the transformed "aunt", reluctantly follows. Babbs tries to follow the crowd only to see the door shut in his face. He starts desperately knocking on the door—only to wake up on a park bench pounded by a constable's club. Interesting facts: Dzhigarhanyan originally auditioned for the part of Colonel Chesney, whom he played in the theater adaptation. However, the film director Viktor Titov saw Dzhigarkhanyan in the role of Judge Criggs.

Cast

* Alexander Kalyagin as Babbs Babberley *

Tamara Nosova Tamara Nosova (russian: Тамара Макаровна Носова; 21 November 1927 – 25 March 2007) was a Soviet and Russian actress, who was awarded the title of People's Artist of Russia in 1992. She appeared in 27 films between 19 ...

as Donna Rosa d'Alvadorez (note - Donna Lucia in the play) * Tatyana Vedeneyeva as Ela Delahay *

Valentin Gaft Valentin Iosifovich Gaft (russian: Валенти́н Ио́сифович Гафт; 2 September 1935 – 12 December 2020) was a Soviet and Russian actor. He was People's Artist of the RSFSR (1984). Biography Early life and education Gaft was ...

as Brasset the footman * Mikhail Lyubeznov as Charley Wykeham * Oleg Shklovsky as Jackie Chesney *

as Colonel Sir Francis Chesney *

as Judge Criggs * Galina Orlova as Bettie *

Tatyana Vasilyeva Tatyana Grigoryevna Vasilyeva (russian: Татья́на Григо́рьевна Васи́льевa; born 28 February 1947) is a Soviet and Russian theater and film actress, and TV presenter. She has appeared in more than seventy films since 1 ...

as Annie * Viktor Gajnov as policeman * Vladimir Korovkin * Nikolai Tagin * Anton Makarov * Anatoli Malashkin * Yuri Prokhorov *

Rogvold Sukhoverko Rogvold Vasilyevich Sukhoverko (russian: Рогволд Васильевич Суховерко; 30 October 1941 – 9 April 2015) was a Soviet and Russian film and voice actor. Biography Rogvold Sukhoverko was born in Leningrad (now St. Petersb ...

External links

* * {{Charley's Aunt 1975 films Soviet films based on plays 1970s Russian-language films 1970s musical comedy films Soviet musical comedy films Russian musical comedy films Cross-dressing in film LGBT-related musical comedy films Studio Ekran films Films set in England Films shot in Moscow Films directed by Viktor Titov 1975 comedy films 1975 LGBT-related films