The Extraordinary Adventures of Mr. West in the Land of the Bolsheviks

A halfway entertaining lark. Surprsingly less propagandistic than one would expect. I guess since it's pre-Stalin, they didn't have to really rub it in as much.

A hilarious parody of not only Americans of the 1920s but also American films of the 1920s and the preceding decade. Surely, John West is Harold Lloyd and Jeddie is Douglas Fairbanks? I wonder if they ever saw this film? The physicality of the actors' performances is irresistible as they 'ham it up' to prove a point (Bolsheviks are not monsters, but people of truth and justice etc.), while Kuleshov and Aleksandr Levitsky (cinematographer and editor) generate crisp and dynamic imagery.

Appropriately vulgar and surprisingly negative towards just about everyone, including the native Soviets. Frankly, I'm a little shocked the Soviet people needed Mr. West's groveling, high-minded admiration: this guy spent the whole movie either jerking off on American propaganda or getting swindled by schmucks, and you want him to have a picture of Lenin on his wall?

How to reconcile the Soviet public's love of Harold Lloyd comedies with the Soviet government's love of propaganda? Easy, a tepid action-comedy wherein a third-rate Lloyd knockoff gets played by a déclassé gang of regressive elements intent on enriching themselves off his fears of cartoonishly brutish Bolsheviks of the sort seen in the American press. Sadly, the general concept's funnier than any of the actual material. For authentic Lloyd/Bolshevik action, there's always "A Sammy in Siberia

This is exciting, both from a creative/historical/innovative point of view, as well as it is entertaining. The story-line is both thrilling and funny, and the anti-naturalistic acting is a superb way to make the mimicry highly understandable. One of Soviet Russias great films that are not annoyingly over-montaged!

Teria sido melhor se a cópia que assisti tivesse ao menos trilha sonora. DVD CPC UMES.

The genious that Kuleshov showed as a writer of theory is unfortunately nowhere to be found in this sloppy narrative.

Fazlasıyla eğlenceli ve özellikle Rusların da kötü insan olabileceğini göstermesi dolayısıyla ilginç bir film. Ama bir propaganda filmi için biraz hafif ve naif değil mi?

a pretty fair and even take on russo-american relations. I'm serious. it's still funny today idgaf. the way it mediates "types" of americans in comparison to types of russians is pretty appealing (and funny). relies on some cheesy plot points but I think belies a surprising depth