Customer Reviews

Demi-Paradise [VHS]

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Laurence Olivier stars in this soft-edged wartime propaganda film, which sought to promote trust and understanding between the beleagured Brits and the newfound Russian allies. Olivier plays Ivan Kouzeroff, a laconic but slightly uptight Soviet engineer who is sent to Britain before the war to broker a shipmaking deal with a local shipyard. When he arrives, he's both wide-eyed and dismissive, full of preconceptions about the coldness and venality of the English. All this, naturally, goes by the wayside over time: Ivan discovers how playful and warm-hearted the British actually are, and they give him emotional shelter before the gathering storm. Not much going on in dramatic terms, but the nudge-nudge, wink-wink look at British mores, and the "good neighbor" propaganda elements are both kind of interesting from an historical perspective. Even though his accent's a little off, Olivier's character is completely believable and charming, in his own odd way.

A curious production which starts softly as a comedy of manners, then progresses to a love story, then suddenly turns into a full-blown propaganda film. A memorial to the short-lived Soviet-British friendship.

May be interesting: (1) to Olivier fans (he creates a consistent, albeit not very deep, character of a fantastic Russian (being Russian myself, I know); (2) to film historians, etc.; (3) to anyone with a penchant for the weird.

The acting is generally very good, the plot is quite contrived.

However, the film has its moments: the playing of cello in the dark garden with the intermingling sounds of bombs and nightingales, a historic pageant, a few seconds of warmth and affection here and there.

I watched it yesterday (on a DVD), on the last evening of 2008 - a strange choice, I agree.

(From the back cover)

Laurence Olivier delivers a dazzling performance as a Russian nautical engineer in this charming romantic comedy-satire.

When Ivan Kouzetsoff (Olivier) arrives in Britain to sell his revolutionary ship propellor, he experiences a bit of culture shock when he is met with terse airport officials, a stern landlady and overall suspicion from the average British citizen.

But when Germany invades Russia, England and Russia become allies, and Ivan discovers a profound warmth and generosity in the British - especially with the ship builder's daughter (Margaret Rutherford).

Originally released in 1943, this witty, timeless satire is still topical today as it perceptively examines political prejudices and misconceptions about foreigners.