Home
search
more | tips
IMDb > The Twelve Chairs (1970)
The Twelve Chairs
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotes
Overview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv schedule
Awards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage board
Plot & Quotes
plot summaryplot synopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotes
Fun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQ
Other Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDesk
Promotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo gallery
External Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clips

The Twelve Chairs (1970) More at IMDbPro »

Photos (see all 12 | slideshow) Videos
The Twelve Chairs (1970) -- Open-ended Trailer from CBS/fox

Overview

User Rating:
6.6/10   1,563 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 9% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Director:
Mel Brooks
Writers:
Ilya Ilf (novel) and
Yevgeni Petrov (novel) ...
more
Contact:
View company contact information for The Twelve Chairs on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
28 October 1970 (USA) more
Genre:
Comedy more
Tagline:
A wild and hilarious chase for a fortune in jewels. more
Plot:
A treasure hunt. An aging ex-nobleman of the Czarist regime has finally adjusted to life under the commisars in Russia... more | add synopsis
Awards:
1 win & 1 nomination more
NewsDesk:
(4 articles)
Dom DeLuise's Funniest Film Roles (Video)
 (From Huffington Post. 5 May 2009, 10:19 PM, PDT)

Actor Dom DeLuise dies aged 75
 (From Monsters and Critics. 5 May 2009, 12:28 PM, PDT)

User Comments:
Expect the worst more

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
Ron Moody ... Ippolit Vorobyaninov

Frank Langella ... Ostap Bender

Dom DeLuise ... Father Fyodor
Andréas Voutsinas ... Nikolai Sestrin
Diana Coupland ... Madame Bruns
David Lander ... Engineer Bruns
Vlada Petric ... Sevitsky
Elaine Garreau ... Claudia Ivanovna
Robert Bernal ... Curator
Will Stampe ... Night Watchman
Bridget Brice ... Young Woman
Nicholas Smith ... Actor in play
Rada Djuricin ... Actress in play
Branka Veselinovic ... Natasha
Miodrag 'Mladja' Veselinovic ... Peasant (as Mladja Veselinovic)
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Also Known As:
The 12 Chairs (USA) (alternative spelling)
more
Runtime:
94 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English | Russian
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono
Certification:
Finland:K-3 (cinema release) (1983) | Iceland:L | Singapore:PG | UK:U | Finland:S | Sweden:11 | USA:GP (original rating) | USA:G
Filming Locations:
Adriatic Sea more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Anne Bancroft encouraged Mel Brooks to write the music as well as the lyrics for "Hope for the best, expect the worst" and subsequently at least one song for all of his movies. She was 'like an angel on his shoulder' when it came to songwriting. more
Goofs:
Continuity: When Ipolit and Bendor are running for the exit after breaking the last chair, the piece Ipolit is holding has a large crack in it. Yet when they run back in, the chair piece is intact. more
Quotes:
Ippolit Vorobyaninov: I am cousin Kiev, from Vorobyaninov. All of the Michaels are dead. more
Movie Connections:
Remake of L'eredità in Corsa (1939) more
Soundtrack:
Hope for the best, expect the worst more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
18 out of 25 people found the following comment useful:-
Expect the worst, 15 July 2003
Author: bigbeat_66 from somewhere in cyberspace

"Hope for the best, expect the worst", as the title song goes, is exactly how I felt when I picked up my copy. Having read the original Russian novel and being a fan of Mel Brooks, I was curious how the two would come together. I was rather apprehensive, knowing how Russian literature usually suffers in translation, but hopeful that Brooks would somehow make something of it anyway. The film disappoints on both counts - there's precious little of the original in it, and Brooks isn't at his best here either. Moody is actually OK as Vorobyaninov, but the casting of Langella as Bender is just plain wrong, as he cannot possibly convey the depth and subtlety of the original character. Langella alone is enough to kill this film for anyone familiar with the book. None of the uproarious humor of the novel is anywhere to be found, while the few semi-funny visual gags are merely typical Brooks slapstick and have nothing to do with the source material. And even those aren't among Brooks' best. However, having expected the worst, I wasn't exactly disappointed. An OK little comedy, if you don't expect too much. If you want more, read the book.

Was the above comment useful to you?
more

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Twelve Chairs (1970)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
An undiscovered trasure. stalzz64
Frank Langella valjeanlover
Hope for the best expect the worst losun
completely forgotten stevfins13
Is this the movie where... harrybon92
One of the best comedies! hari_krhs
more

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
12 stulyev It's in the Bag! Doctor Zhivago The Mummy Gun Play
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
News articles IMDb Comedy section IMDb USA section
Add this title to MyMovies

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.