Comments on: Insurance in the USSR http://kino.reticulator.com/2008/12/21/insurance-in-the-ussr/ Superficial comments about movies (mostly Russian ones) and languages Fri, 16 Sep 2011 04:41:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: The Reticulator » Government as referee and player http://kino.reticulator.com/2008/12/21/insurance-in-the-ussr/comment-page-1/#comment-1249 The Reticulator » Government as referee and player Wed, 19 Aug 2009 06:44:04 +0000 http://kino.reticulator.com/2008/12/21/insurance-in-the-ussr/#comment-1249 [...] It’s not as though such a mixture of roles has never been done, though. Last winter I was surprised to learn that the USSR had such a thing as insurance. The 1966 Eldar Ryazanov movie, Beregis Avtomobilya (Beward of the Car), features an insurance agent who does a little noble larceny on the side. (Kino Reticulator blog article here.) [...] [...] It’s not as though such a mixture of roles has never been done, though. Last winter I was surprised to learn that the USSR had such a thing as insurance. The 1966 Eldar Ryazanov movie, Beregis Avtomobilya (Beward of the Car), features an insurance agent who does a little noble larceny on the side. (Kino Reticulator blog article here.) [...]

]]> By: Reticulator http://kino.reticulator.com/2008/12/21/insurance-in-the-ussr/comment-page-1/#comment-264 Reticulator Wed, 07 Jan 2009 06:51:46 +0000 http://kino.reticulator.com/2008/12/21/insurance-in-the-ussr/#comment-264 Thanks for all the suggestions, Alex. That Leonid Parfyonov series looks very interesting. I'll see if I can find it. I hope to write some posts partly in response to your other comments. -John Thanks for all the suggestions, Alex. That Leonid Parfyonov series looks very interesting. I’ll see if I can find it. I hope to write some posts partly in response to your other comments. -John

]]> By: Alexander Sedov http://kino.reticulator.com/2008/12/21/insurance-in-the-ussr/comment-page-1/#comment-253 Alexander Sedov Sat, 03 Jan 2009 02:26:51 +0000 http://kino.reticulator.com/2008/12/21/insurance-in-the-ussr/#comment-253 By the way, yet here are files with Eng. subs to Russian films: http://subtitry.ru/subs/ENG/ By the way, yet here are files with Eng. subs to Russian films:

http://subtitry.ru/subs/ENG/

]]> By: Alexander Sedov http://kino.reticulator.com/2008/12/21/insurance-in-the-ussr/comment-page-1/#comment-252 Alexander Sedov Sat, 03 Jan 2009 02:17:28 +0000 http://kino.reticulator.com/2008/12/21/insurance-in-the-ussr/#comment-252 John I have found Mark Zakharov's film "Formula of A Love" on YouTube, :) but, seems, there are no English subs :( Here is fragment 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxYnpufhUm0 John
I have found Mark Zakharov’s film “Formula of A Love” on YouTube, :)
but, seems, there are no English subs :(

Here is fragment 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxYnpufhUm0

]]> By: Alexander Sedov http://kino.reticulator.com/2008/12/21/insurance-in-the-ussr/comment-page-1/#comment-232 Alexander Sedov Mon, 22 Dec 2008 13:45:20 +0000 http://kino.reticulator.com/2008/12/21/insurance-in-the-ussr/#comment-232 By the way, here is the beginning of first episode from the "Namedni" series (episode about 1961) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tE1sw5sBMYs In Russian, sorry By the way, here is the beginning of first episode from the “Namedni” series (episode about 1961)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tE1sw5sBMYs

In Russian, sorry

]]> By: Alexander Sedov http://kino.reticulator.com/2008/12/21/insurance-in-the-ussr/comment-page-1/#comment-231 Alexander Sedov Mon, 22 Dec 2008 13:06:08 +0000 http://kino.reticulator.com/2008/12/21/insurance-in-the-ussr/#comment-231 very interesting notes :)

///I presume the insurance agents did not work on a commission. ///

On the contrary, they worked on a commission and on a salary. There was mixed system…
But, perhaps, the commission was not straight percentage share from every contract. I think it was some mathematic formula, with which was calculated a general sum of the commission.

Plus, of course, there were bonuses for insurance agents (instance, in the final of quarter or/and year).
So, this system was quite flexible, I suppose.
I think this flexibility permited to main character (Detochkin) so freely to conduct himself according to his job (holidays, medical certificates etc).

Probably, Soviet insurance system was transforming during the decades – and the system of commission too… Unfortunately, I don’t know the detailes.

///I thought the guy on the left might be Ryazanov himself. But I guess it’s not.///

:) ))
I think in these times Ryazanov was more attractive gentleman ;)
Here is the photo of 1960s:
http://moikompas.ru/img/compas/2008-11-18/eldar_ryazanov/98764898_orig.jpg

I remember that Eldar Ryazanov said how he was angry when he has seen a small bald patch in his head in the shot in The Irony of Fate (where he plays the small role). He shouted at the assistants and the actors… But they were surprised with his wrath, because they saw his bald patch every day. For him it was the break-down… :)

———-
P.S.

As for Soviet insurance…

I remember the one of the earlier Soviet-American TV show (TV bridge) in 1980s, where an American woman confessed that she was surprised with Russian/Soviet women use the cosmetics. ;)
For her it was the break-down too…

By the way, I highly recommend the popular-documentary series “Namedni 1961-2003: Nasha Era” (produced by Russian NTV channel in 2000s) – “Soviet/Russian Cronicles 1961-2003: Our Era” (I’d translate it so way). It is 45-minures episodes in documentary-educational-entertaining form, every year in life of USSR/Russia – one episode. Very interesting and well-done!
Author Leonid Parfyonov is popular and loved journalist in modern Russia.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0764146/

http://russart.com/movie-info-34-Namedni-Nasha-Era-1961-2003

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