Incognito from St.Petersburg

Incognito from St.Petersburg

Year: 1978

Runtime: 91 mins

Language: Russian

Director: Leonid Gaidai

Comedy

A comedy based on a classic play ‘Revizor’ by Nikolai Gogol.

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Timeline & Setting – Incognito from St.Petersburg (1978)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Incognito from St.Petersburg (1978). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

19th century

The story unfolds in the 1800s Russian Empire, a period defined by bureaucratic pomp and rigid social hierarchies. Official corruption, bribes, and a culture of appearances dominate daily life as the planned courtly events unfold. The plot highlights how swiftly status and authority are constructed and deconstructed in a single visit.

Location

Small town in the Russian Empire

Set in a small provincial town of the Russian Empire, the film centers on the mayor's office, the post, and a local hotel where an impostor pretends to be a government inspector. The town operates under rigid 19th-century mores, with officials eager to flaunt power, accept bribes, and discuss gossip. The arrival of the supposed inspector turns the town into a stage for satire and social testing.

🏛️ Provincial town 🗺️ 19th-century Russia

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:38

Main Characters – Incognito from St.Petersburg (1978)

Meet the key characters of Incognito from St.Petersburg (1978), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Khlestakov — Sergey Migitsko

A petty official who pretends to be a stern inspector from St. Petersburg. He flatters, extorts, and manipulates the town's officials to extract money and gifts, all while feigning a high status he does not possess. He quickly realizes that the locals' fear of a powerful auditor can be used to his advantage, and he plays along to maximize plunder and escape with a light conscience.

🃏 Impostor 💰 Opportunist

Anna Andreyevna Skvoznik-Dmukhanovskaya — Nonna Mordyukova

The wife of the mayor and a social pillar in the town. She participates in the town's gossip and the pursuit of status, playing her part in the corruption and the political theater around the supposed inspector. Her confidence wavers as the impostor's influence grows, revealing the fragility of appearances.

🏛️ Aristocrat 🗣️ Gossip 💰 Corruption

Osip — Sergei Filippov

A bureaucratic clerk who becomes entangled in the inspector's ruse as he witnesses the officials' fear and vanity. He is cautious, anxious, and calculating, trying to manage the situation as rumors spread. His role underscores how institutional fear can be manipulated by a confident impostor.

🗂️ Bureaucrat 🗣️ Schemer

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:38

Major Themes – Incognito from St.Petersburg (1978)

Explore the central themes of Incognito from St.Petersburg (1978), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🎭 Imposture

A petty official, Khlestakov, passes himself off as a high-ranking auditor from St. Petersburg. His feigned importance triggers a chain reaction where officials bend the truth, bend rules, and compete for favor. The deception exposes how easily power is manufactured and exploited through image. The town's fear of losing face drives increasingly risky games of lie and counter-lie.

💰 Corruption

Bribes, embezzlement, and cash handouts define the town's governance. Officials rush to curry favor with the supposed inspector, offering money and shelter to secure influence. The mock-approval of Khlestakov's status reveals a climate where money buys protection and status. The satire lays bare systemic corruption and opportunism.

🏛️ Power and Folly

When the town discovers the truth, the officials' pomp collapses into panic and embarrassment. The 'incognito' inspector manipulates the power dynamics, proving that authority without substance is fragile. The silent confrontation underscores the emptiness of pretended rank. The farce ends with a revelation that shatters the officials' self-image.

🗣️ Gossip

Town gossip drives the plot as rumors spread about the inspector's purported power. The officials obsess over appearances, trading rumors and favors to maintain their prestige. The gossip ecosystem amplifies every slight, turning a minor clerk into a figure of immense authority. The play uses talk as a weapon that fuels ambition and fear.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:38

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Incognito from St.Petersburg Summary

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Incognito from St.Petersburg Summary

Incognito from St.Petersburg Timeline

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Incognito from St.Petersburg Timeline

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