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Love and Death - 1975
Die letzte Nacht des Boris Gruschenko
Genre: Comedy
Run Time: 85 minutes
Film Synopsis
Woody Allen's slapstick comedy "Love and Death" is a parady of Russian literature. Boris (Woody Allen) spends days discussing philosophy with cousin Sonja (Diane Keaton). After Napoleon invades Russia, he is pushed into the army, and soon must personally save the country.
Main Cast:
- Woody Allen .... Boris Grushenko
- Diane Keaton .... Sonja
- Georges Adet .... Old Nehamkin
- Frank Adu .... Drill sergeant
- Edward Ardisson .... Priest
- Féodor Atkine .... Mikhail Grushenko (as Feodor Atkine)
- Albert Augier .... Waiter
- Yves Barsacq .... Rimsky (as Yves Barsaco)
- Lloyd Battista .... Don Francisco
- Jack Berard .... Gen. Lecoq
- Eva Betrand .... Woman hygiene class
- George Birt .... Doctor
- Yves Brainville .... Andre
- Gérard Buhr .... Servant (as Gerard Buhr)
- Brian Coburn .... Dimitri
Movie Remarks
Writer-director Woody Allen's 1975 comedy finds the familiar Allen persona transposed to 19th-century Russia, as a cowardly serf drafted into the war against Napoleon, when all he'd rather do is write poetry and obsess over his beautiful but pretentious cousin (Diane Keaton). A total disaster as a soldier, Allen's cowardice serves him well when he hides in a cannon and is shot into a tent of French soldiers, suddenly making him a national hero. After his cousin agrees to marry him, thinking he'll be killed in a duel he miraculously survives, the couple must hatch a ludicrous plot to assassinate Napoleon in order to keep the coward Allen out of yet another war.
Allen and Keaton show what a perfect comic team they make in this film, even predating their most celebrated pairing in Annie Hall. Working so well as the most unlikely of comedies, of all things a hilarious parody of Russian literature, Love and Death is a must-see for fans of Woody Allen films. Robert Lane from Amazon.com
Love and Death Movie Trivia
Love and Death is filled with parodies and homages. Here are a few of them.
Budget: $3m (USA)
Release Date: June 10, 1975 (USA), August 28, 1975 (West Germany), January 14, 1976 (Sweeden), April 2, 1976 (Finland)
Soundtrack Information
Song titles and information on music from the film Love and Death
Posters / Collectibles
Posters from different countries. Promotional.
