Save your money for something good and enjoyable

Purely Joyful Movie!

A bit overrated, but still an amazing film

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

I grew up in USSR, but has been living in the US for nearly 20 years now. I (with my family) watch a lot of Russian movies. Originally it started as a way to get our kids introduced to the language and culture, but now it has become a habit. I remembered this film since childhood: it made an impression on me and my husband, too. I couldn't recall the name and found it by accident a week ago. We are through second episode (of 3), and so far none is disappointed, including my son, born and raised in the US. If you look at the details carefully, of course, you'll notice things like soviet cars camouflaged to look American. But in spirit, it shows US pretty well. Of course, part of it is that we weren't here in the 70s, so the movie reflects our idea of US of that time, which maybe inaccurate. The fact is we are enjoying the movie. The suspense, acting, plot - all is superb. Of course, knowing Russian helps. I'm not sure if there is a subtitled version. I would recommend the movie to those Americans who are adventurous and intellectually curious. In my view, this movie gets at the American culture much better than any American film about Russia gets at Russian culture. Zhivago and balalaika is such an unreal combination, and the whole interpretation is ridiculous, yet the movie is considered a classic. Mirazh represents American reality much better. But this reality is not pretty, and many Americans won't like to face it.

As a "Soviet" film, the idea for it first had to presented to and approved by the USSR Central Authority for film production and then (except for the "big" productions, which were done directly by MosFilm) it was farmed out by them to the regional film studios. So it was made by the Riga Film Studio in the City of Riga in the then "Latvian SSR", (Today the area has regained its freedom and is the independent Republic of Latvia - a NATO & European Union member state). The reason why it was given to them of course was never stated anywhere, but the most probable explanation is that the All-Soviet Union Motor Museum was located in Riga, which meant that it was the one place in the USSR with access to a substantial number of American cars. With about a dozen American cars (ranging in eras from 1960 to 1980) and another dozen Western European cars as backup, and the city of Riga (which at this point had been under Russian military/civilian occupation for 40 years and had largely been transformed into a Soviet Standard city) as backdrop, they set about showing their audience "life in America"! It is based on a novel written by an American and, briefly, it tells the story of an Armored Car robbery that takes place in the United States. (I believe, the same novel was also the basis of the "Hollywood" film: "They Came to Rob Las Vegas", as major parts of the plots of both these films, are identical).Unfortunately, I have no idea how one would go about seeing this, over four hours long, film in the US. But if you ever do, seeing it as an American will have you rolling on the floor with laughter, for its portrayal of life (and the "look") of the USA. For that reason, I highly recommend it (and give it an "8" - it WILL entertain you)! (To be fair, "Hollywood" movie portrayals of Russia, Russians and Moscow in particular, have most real Russians rolling on their floors with laughter, as well.)

Growing up in the former Soviet Union, I first saw this TV movie when I was in third grade and it left an indelible impression. It was made by a team of talented Lithuanian filmmakers -- before Lithuania separated from the USSR along with other Baltic republics. Enough with the history lesson. Mirage is based on James Hadley Chase's novel The World In My Pocket, adapted for the silver screen back in the '60s by German filmmakers in On Friday At Eleven, starring Rod Steiger and Nadja Tiller. SPOILERS AHEAD but since hardly anybody here in the States has seen this film it won't matter.Mirage is a story of four men and a woman who carefully plan and implement a hijacking of an armored vehicle carrying millions of dollars. The band of misfits consists of a ruthless Frank Morgan, Vietnam vet Bleck, ex-boxer Kitson, safecracker Gypo, and down-on-her-luck con artist Ginny. After days of planning, come Friday 11 a.m. everything that can go wrong does. Trigger-happy Bleck shoots the guards. The driver with his dying breath manages to push a few buttons, locking the money inside the vehicle. The gang has no choice but to take the car with them hoping to break the code later.With the police hot on their tracks, they hide out in the Nevada mountains. Soon the men are at each other's throats over their plight and -- yes, you guessed it -- the woman. It's a moving human drama that will keep you on the edge of your seat, make you laugh and cry. This story doesn't have a happy ending. Bleck and Morgan have a fight and shoot each other. Gypo attempts to escape and dies from a snake bite. Surrounded by the police, Kitson and Ginny jump off a cliff. Their brief romance is cut short when they choose death over life in prison, away from each other. In death they will be together forever... Beautiful music, superb acting, suspense, adventure and human drama. Time for a remake. Hollywood, are you listening?