''Private Detective, or Operation Cooperation'' or () is a 1990

Soviet The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

comedy film The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dark comedy being an exception to this rule. Comedy is one of the o ...

directed by

Leonid Gaidai Leonid Iovich Gaidai (30 January 192319 November 1993) was a Soviet comedy film director, screenwriter and actor who enjoyed immense popularity and broad public recognition in the former Soviet Union. His films broke theatre attendance records a ...

Plot

In the last years of the USSR, the free market begins to emerge. The economy picks up, but changes in many ways.

Cooperative A cooperative (also known as co-operative, coöperative, co-op, or coop) is "an autonomy, autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned a ...

s—privately-owned businesses—open everywhere as a new age of entrepreneurship dawns. Dmitry Puzyrev, a young man addicted to detective novels, decides to open the city's first private detective agency. Initially, Dmitry has a hard time getting the required license, but gets it with the help of his friend, Victor. Dmitry and his father furnish the agency's office, but can't find any clients. The local police chief, Major Cronin, highly disapproves of their venture. At the same time, Lena Pukhova, a young journalist, is searching for stories for her newspaper and goes undercover, disguising herself as an alcoholic prostitute. Soon, she gets the assignment to profile Dimitry's agency. Lena meets Dmitry, who immediately falls in love with her. The agency gets its first real client, Anna Petrovna, who asks Dmitry to track down her kidnapped husband Ivan Ivanovich, Chairman of the "Joy Cooperative", a leading business. Dmitry launches an investigation, with Lena constantly but unwittingly getting in his way. Dmitry tries looking for the car used by the kidnappers, which can put him on their trail, but to no avail. The kidnappers soon make themselves known by demanding a ransom for Ivan Ivanovich. With the help of his father, Dmitry decides to stage an ambush but then falls into the clutches of the villains, along with Lena, who happens to be Ivan Ivanovich's daughter. In a plot twist, the leader of the crooks turns out to be Victor, Dmitry's friend. Realizing that his plan has been foiled, Victor decides to kill the gang's prisoners: Dmitry, Lena, and her father. Only the courage and resourcefulness of Dmitry make it possible to stop the criminals.

Cast

Dmitry Kharatyan Dmitry Vadimovich Kharatyan (born 21 January 1960) is a Soviet and Russian actor of Armenian descent, People's Artist of Russia. Was born in Olmaliq, Uzbek SSR on 21 January 1960. His debut as an actor came in Vladimir Menshov's ''Practical J ...

– Dmitry Puzyrev, private detective * Irina Feofanova – Lena Pukhova, journalist (voiced by

Nadezhda Rumyantseva Nadezhda Vasilyevna Rumyantseva (, 9 September 1930, Potapovo, Smolensk Oblast — 8 April 2008, Moscow) was a popular Soviet and Russian actress. People’s Artist of the RSFSR (1991). Biography Early years Nadezhda Rumyantseva was born in th ...

) *

Spartak Mishulin Spartak Vasilyevich Mishulin (; 22 October 1926 – 17 July 2005) was a Soviet actor and People's Artist of the RSFSR. He was best known for his roles as Sayid in '' White Sun of the Desert'' (1969) and the title character in the Soviet stage ada ...

– Georgy Mikhailovich Puzyrev, Dmitry's father *

Mikhail Svetin Mikhail Semyonovich Svetin (; born Michail Solomonovitch Goltsman; 11 December 1929 – 30 August 2015) was a Soviet, Russian actor. He appeared in more than fifty films. Svetin's room 2.JPG, Makeup room at the Comedy Theatre The Haro ...

– Ivan Ivanovich Pukhov, Lena's father *

Nina Grebeshkova Nina Pavlovna Grebeshkova (; 29 November 1930 – 10 May 2025) was a Russian actress, who was married to film director Leonid Gaidai. Over the years of her creative activity, she played more than eighty roles in films (mostly supporting). In 19 ...

– Anna Petrovna Pukhova, Lena's mother * Aleksandr Belyavsky – Major Kazimir Afanasyevich Cronin *

Leonid Kuravlyov Leonid Vyacheslavovich Kuravlyov (; 8 October 1936 – 30 January 2022) was a Soviet and Russian film actor. He became a People's Artist of the RSFSR in 1976. Early life Kuravlyov was born in Moscow into a working-class family. His father Vyac ...

– Semyon Semyonovich Sukhov, editor in chief *

Roman Madyanov Roman Sergeevich Madyanov (; 22 July 1962 – 25 September 2024) was a Soviet and Russian actor. Madyanov's career in cinema began as a child actor when he starred as Huckleberry Finn in '' Hopelessly Lost'' (1973). He was best known in the West ...

– Victor, owner of the private public toilet "Comfort" *

Mikhail Kokshenov Mikhail Mikhailovich Kokshenov (16 September 1936, Moscow – 4 June 2020, Krasnogorsky District, Moscow Oblast) was a Soviet and Russian actor, film director and screenwriter. People's Artist of Russia (2002). Biography Mikhail Kokshenov wa ...

– Ambal, employee of the toilet "Comfort" * Mentay Utepbergenov – Mao, employee of the toilet "Comfort" *

Evgeny Zharikov Evgeny Ilyich Zharikov (; 26 February 1941 — 18 January 2012), also spelt Yevgeniy Ilich Zharikov and variants, was a Soviet and Russian film actor. He was awarded the USSR State Prize in 1978, and the title People's Artist of the RSFSR in 1989 ...

– "Professor", bootlegger in episodes *

Leonid Yarmolnik Leonid Isaakovich Yarmolnik (; born 22 January 1954) is a Soviet and Russian actor and film producer. Biography Yarmolnik was born on 22 January 1954 in Grodekovo, Primorsky Krai, where his father, Isaac Yarmolnik, a Soviet Army officer, was s ...

– airliner hijacker *

Semyon Farada Semyon Lvovich Ferdman PAR, better known by his stage name Semyon Farada (, December 31, 1933, Nikolskoye village of Moscow Oblast, USSR – August 20, 2009, in Moscow) was a Soviet and Russian stage and film actor. Early life Ferdman was born ...

– Signore Concini, Italian Mafioso *

Muza Krepkogorskaya Musa Viktorovna Krepkogorskaya (; July 9, 1924, Moscow — June 26, 1999, Moscow) was a Soviet and Russian theater and film actress, Honored Artist of the RSFSR (1989). Wife of actor Georgi Yumatov. They met at VGIK during the 1940s and lived to ...

– gossiping neighbor * Nikolay Parfyonov – N.I. Mogilny, chairman of the executive committee *

Vera Ivleva Vera may refer to: Names *Vera (surname), a surname (including a list of people with the name) *Vera (given name), a given name (including a list of people and fictional characters with the name) **Vera (), archbishop of the archdiocese of Tarra ...

– N.B. Piratova, member of executive committee *

Viktor Filippov 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 ...

– S.P. Zahrebetny, member of executive committee * Viktor Uralskiy – L.A. Atasovich, member of executive committee * Nikolay Malikov – D.P. Pogrebnyuk, member of executive committee * Yuri Vorobyov – G.B. Mertvago patriotic member of executive committee *

Sergey Filippov Sergey Nikolayevich Filippov (, 24 June 1912 — 19 April 1990) was a Soviet and Russian film and stage actor and comedian, best known for his parts in films ''Adventures of Korzinkina'' (1941), ''The Night Patrol'' (1957) and the adaptation of ...

– angry old man *

Nikolai Rybnikov Nikolai Nikolayevich Rybnikov (; 13 December 1930 – 22 October 1990) was a Soviet and Russian film actor. People's Artist of the RSFSR (1981). Biography Early life and education Nikolai Nikolayevich Rybnikov was born on 13 December 1930 in Bor ...

– MP candidate *

Natalya Krachkovskaya Natalia Leonidovna Krachkovskaya (, née Belogortseva; 24 November 1938 – 3 March 2016) was a Soviet and Russian actress, Meritorious Artist (1998). Belogortseva was born in Moscow, Soviet Union. After graduation, she submitted documents to ...

– airliner lady passenger * Emmanuil Geller – airliner passenger No.1 *

Vladimir Druzhnikov Vladimir Vasilievich Druzhnikov (; 30 May 1922 – 20 February 1994) was a Soviet actor. He appeared in more than 40 films between 1945 and 1992. He was a People's Artist of the RSFSR (1974) and the winner of two Stalin Prizes (1948, 1950). ...

– airliner passenger No.2 *

Nina Agapova Nina Fyodorovna Agapova (; 30 May 1926 – 19 November 2021) was a Soviet and Russian actress.Ruskino.ru.Nina Agapova Life and career Agapova was born in Moscow in May 1926. She finished eight grades, but was not able to complete her education, ...

– gypsy woman, chairman of the cooperative "Destiny" * Anna Shatilova – cameo

Production

Filming took place in

Odessa ODESSA is an American codename (from the German language, German: ''Organisation der ehemaligen SS-Angehörigen'', meaning: Organization of Former SS Members) coined in 1946 to cover Ratlines (World War II aftermath), Nazi underground escape-pl ...

from March to September 1989. In the film a group of policemen called "ZnaToKi" operate - a parody of the famous characters of the TV series "

Investigation Held by ZnaToKi ''Investigation Led by ZnaToKi'', or ''Investigation Led by Experts'' (, translit. ''Sledstvie vedut ZnaToKi'') was a popular 1971-1989 Soviet detective TV-series with two Russian series (2002 and 2003) for a total of 24 episodes. Main chara ...

" and "Major Pronin" (Major Cronin).

References

External links

* {{Leonid Gaidai 1990 films 1990s crime comedy-drama films Films directed by Leonid Gaidai Films scored by Aleksandr Zatsepin Films shot in Ukraine Mosfilm films 1990s Russian films 1990s Russian-language films Soviet crime comedy-drama films Soviet romantic comedy-drama films Russian-language crime comedy-drama films Russian-language romantic comedy-drama films