i go to see this film out of curiosity and and to settle an argument . the film be now best know from the suite of music sergei prokofiev extract from his incidental music to the film and the troika movement even turn up in pop arrangement . the general outline of the plot be well know from the sleeve note on various recording . a clerk accidentally generate a non existent lieutenant kizhe in a list to be present to the tsar . the tsar be interested in this person and and rather than tell him he doesn not exist and the courtier and officer maintain the pretence that he be real . kizhe be exile to siberia and recall and promote and marry and promote again and dy and be give a state funeral and reveal a an embezzler and posthumously demote to the rank . i have hear conflict story about how the clerk invent kizhe and involve ink blot and sneeze and but i would hear the film be lose and so there be no way to find out what happen . then the film turn up at the barbican in london a part of their prokofiev festival . for the record and it turn out that all that happen be that the clerk confuse two word whilst write an order and turn kuzhe into kizhe . a the tsar be in a hurry to see the order and there no time to correct the mistake . have go expect an historical curiosity and i be pleasantly surprise . the film be very funny and and the audience and myself include and laugh continuously . although most of it be film straight and set mostly in the palace and there be a few trick shot where multiple image appear on the screen . for instance and the tsar army be represent by a small group and repeat across the screen . four identical guard perform perfect drill in perfect unison . two identical servant scrub the floor . one slight drawback be it be very difficult to work out who everyone be . there be two woman who might have be the tsar daughter and or a daughter and a servant or something else . and very few people be name . but all in all and an enjoyable film and i be surprise it not see more often .