''Hello, I'm Your Aunt!'' () is a Soviet 1975

comedy Comedy is a genre of dramatic 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. Origins Comedy originated in ancient Greec ...

directed by 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 in ...

'' 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 from the film (e.g., "I am an old soldier and don't know words of love") became catch phrases. The film's title is a Russian

idiom An idiom is a phrase or expression that largely or exclusively carries a Literal and figurative language, figurative or non-literal meaning (linguistic), meaning, rather than making any literal sense. Categorized as formulaic speech, formulaic ...

expressing surprise or displeasure.

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 to arrest him for vagrancy. Babbs finds himself in a rich house, where he encounters two young men 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 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 Borisi Dzhigarkhanyan (3 October 193514 November 2020) was a Soviet Union, Soviet, Armenian, and Russian actor. Born and raised in Yerevan, Dzhigarkhanyan started acting in the academic and Russian theaters of the city, before moving to Mos ...

) 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 (; 14 October 1934, Leningrad – 22 April 2011, Ramat Gan) was a Soviet, Russian and Israeli film and theatre director and actor. Biography Early life Mikhail Kozakov was born on 14 October 1934 in Leningrad, the y ...

) decides to help his shattered finances by marrying the rich widow and competes with 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 rejects 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.

Cast

* Alexander Kalyagin as Babbs Babberley *

Tamara Nosova Tamara Makarovna Nosova (; 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 1948 and 1999. She was married to writer Vita ...

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

Valentin Gaft Valentin Iosifovich Gaft (; 2 September 1935 – 12 December 2020) was a Soviet and Russian actor. He was a People's Artist of the RSFSR (1984). Biography Early life and education Gaft was born in Moscow to Jewish parents, Iosif Ruvimovich Gaft ...

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

as Colonel Sir Francis Chesney *

as Judge Criggs (Stephen Spettigue in the play) * Galina Orlova as Bettie * Tatyana Vasilyeva as Annie * Viktor Gaynov as policeman * Vladimir Korovkin * Nikolai Tagin * Anton Makarov * Anatoli Malashkin * Yuri Prokhorov *

Rogvold Sukhoverko Rogvold Vasilyevich Sukhoverko (; 30 October 1941 – 9 April 2015) was a Soviet and Russian film and voice actor. Biography Rogvold Sukhoverko was born in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) on 30 October 1941, to Vasiliy Vasilevich Suhoverko, a mil ...

Music

The "Brazilian folk song" performed by donna Rosa "Love and Poverty" is the poem "O Poortith Cauld and Restless Love" by

Robert Burns Robert Burns (25 January 1759 – 21 July 1796), also known familiarly as Rabbie Burns, was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the List of national poets, national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. He is the be ...

translated by Samuel Marshak in 1953.Р. Бернс, ''Стихотворения'', "Любовь и бедность"
p. 134
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References

External links

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