Moscow on the Hudson (1984)

Written, Produced & Directed by The Late/Great Paul Mazursky, 'Moscow on the Hudson' is a strange & wonderful, where our beloved Robin Williams soars in the title role. This performance only makes his loss all the more worse. What an actor & what a performance! 'Moscow on the Hudson' Synopsis: When a Russian musician defects in Bloomingdale's department store in New York, he finds adjusting to American life more difficult than he imagined.'Moscow on the Hudson' is about a man seeking freedom. We see the protagonist Vladimir Ivanov (Williams, of course) struggle initially in Moscow & later take the leap of faith in the US, to only realize that freedom is the best thing that can happen to anyone. His journey is real, as its sad & happy, real & affecting, as it progresses. And Williams owns the part. He speaks Russian as if it was his first language since birth & portrays a man torn between family & freedom. Williams is extraordinary & this is a performance, that definitely deserves to be watched again. A special mention for the delightful María Conchita Alonso, who enacts Williams' lady-love to perfection.Mazursky's Writing is excellent & his Direction, even better. 'Moscow on the Hudson' is a winner in almost every way. Strongly Recommended!

Directed by Paul Mazursky and starring Robin Williams, MOSCOW ON THE HUDSON is a brilliant and honest look at the immigrant/minority experience in the United States. In what is probably his finest performance, Robin Williams plays Vladimir Ivanoff, a Russian saxophone player for the circus who defects while on tour in New York City (at a Bloomingdale's, no less). Even though there is some necessary character establishment in Russia, the movie is largely concerned with his experience as an immigrant and how he adjusts to life here in the United States. During the course of the movie, he meets a black man named Lionel, who is the first person to take him in, and an Italian immigrant named Lucy (Maria Conchita Alonso).What struck me the most about the film, other than the outstanding message, was the degree to which Robin Williams immersed himself in this role. When he was on screen, it was like I was watching an actual Russian saxophone player instead of him playing a character. As a side note, he actually did learn how to speak Russian and play the saxophone for this film. Beyond that, the movie just felt real in the sense that you could believe that an immigrant would conceivably go through many of the situations portrayed in the film. To many of them, there must be this whimsy and fantastical aura when viewed from afar, but things turn out to be quite different once thrust into it headfirst as Vladimir is. Among the things I really took out of the film is the sense of community that immigrants and minorities have, something which they bring from their own life experiences.There is also the central issue of not taking freedom for granted, as I'm sure many Americans born here would understand. Seeing as this film was made during, and in the context of, the Cold War, life was understandably difficult in countries with dictatorial regimes and the lure of America, a free country, was certainly a strong one and still is to this day. That, I feel, is what should be taken away after watching this film most of all. The United States is a nation of immigrants, and we should all treat each other with respect and appreciate the freedoms we enjoy.Looking at the film from other perspectives, the technical aspects of the film are all excellent, though not flashy. Paul Mazursky allows the drama to take center stage, and it benefits the film considerably. There was also a great score with a jazz tinge, which gave off a whimsical tone at first, but also conveyed a sense of longing. Acting-wise, of course Robin Williams gives an incredibly moving portrayal of a Russian immigrant, but Maria Conchita Alonso also does a great job as his fellow immigrant girlfriend. There are also a couple of small roles played by familiar faces (to me, at least). Overall, this is a remarkably tender and uplifting drama (with some laughs as well) that has a great message and Robin Williams' best performance. This is a film that deserves to be seen, so that we can all be reminded not to take our freedoms for granted.

Robin Williams is excellent as a Russian circus performer in New York City with his troupe for the first time, deciding to defect and become a U.S. citizen. After an appropriately dark, though somewhat heavy-handed opening, this comedy-drama from director Paul Mazursky suddenly finds its niche and seldom wavers. It may appear from the early parts of the picture that Williams is giving yet another of his overly-colorful, cartoonish performances, but he too gets into the groove of this project and fleshes out this charming, confounding, complicated man. Maria Conchita Alonso is wonderful as the working girl who falls for Williams (they have terrific chemistry, and Alonso has never been better). A fuzzy, friendly, thoughtful film, a bit too long but occasionally sublime. *** from ****

I saw this movie when it first came out, and I never want to see it again. >From my recollection, Williams' Russian character never adapts to his new home in NYC. Brief comic moments cannot outweigh this movie's constant oppressive atmosphere of a man who made a really bad life choice. Ever notice when a great comedian tries to play a serious role, it's usually maudlin and depressing? Somehow this movie reminds me of a Three Stooges short which is also very depressing. It's called "Cash And Carry". The stooges, seeking shelter, find a shack in the middle of a junkyard, where they find empty tin cans, which they chuck out onto a huge pile of more empty cans. The shack's original occupant arrives - a young boy on crutches. And now the boy has no money, because his savings were hidden in an empty tin can. What a laugh riot (sarcasm).