Old Robbers (, lit. "elderly bandits") is a 1972 Soviet comedy-drama by Eldar Ryazanov, filmed on Mosfilm. The movie title resembles the name of a Russian children's traditional yard game Cossacks-Robbers ().
Plot
Old detective Nikolay Myachikov is being retired by his boss Fedyaev. The official version is that Myachikov has solved no crimes for the last two months, but the real reason is that Fedyaev's boss wants Myachikov's position to go to another man, Proskudin. Fedyaev gives Myachikov a month to show he should not lose his job. Myachikov's best friend, engineer Valentin Vorobyov, is also due to retire but wants to stay on. He suggests to Myachikov that they set up the biggest crime ever and then solve it together so they will be allowed to continue working. Their first idea is to steal a Rembrandt painting from a museum. The plan fails when no one notices that the canvas is missing, believing the note the thieves left saying it has been removed for restoration. Without great difficulty, Myachikov and Vorobyov sneak the picture back. Their next plan is to enlist the help of Myachikov's neighbour, Anna Pavlovna, a bank employee. Their plan to stage a robbery and pretend to recover the loot goes away when an actual robber intervenes. The trio struggle to understand what has happened, how to make restitution, and return to their honest lives.
Cast
Yuri Nikulin — Nikolay Sergeevitch Myachikov
Yevgeny Yevstigneyev — Valentin Petrovich Vorobyov
Olga Aroseva — Anna Pavlovna Suzdaleva
Georgi Burkov — Fyodor Fyodorovitch Fedyaev
Andrei Mironov — Yury Yevgenyevitch Proskudin
Valentina Vladimirova — Masha, Vorobyov's wife
Yuri Belov — Petya, militsiaman
Valentina Talyzina — Fedyaev's secretary
Roman Filippov — robber
Nina Agapova — museum keeper
Irina Murzaeva — old museum keeper
Lev Durov — driver of the collector car
Boris Runge — shoes shop director
Gotlib Roninson — doctor
Yuri Smirnov — locksmith
Georgi Kulikov — Vorobyov's colleague
Viktor Bajkov — Vorobyov's colleague
Yevgeni Perov — Vorobyov's colleague
Natalya Sajko — Vorobyov's colleague
— Vorobyov's colleague
Aleksandr Shirvindt — spokesman of the minister
Eldar Ryazanov — Myachikov's colleague
Yuri Yakovlev — narrator (voice)