FILMINK review

Oleg Vidov has been described as Russia’s answer to Robert Redford. With his sculpted good looks, the late Russian-American actor was a fixture on Soviet screens, and his fascinating life is inseparable from Cold War-era politics.

Nadia Tass (Malcolm, The Big Steal) seamlessly weaves history, politics and the development of Russian cinema into a documentary that unfolds like a work of fiction. Turns, twists, romance, defiance, an escape, a messy divorce and political games are all in the mix.

Born in 1943, Vidov saw numerous American movies as a kid, and was transfixed by Stagecoach, The Grapes of Wrath and, especially, Tarzan. He later married into a politically well-connected family – his father-in-law was a friend of the Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev, and his new wife was Brezhnev’s daughter’s best friend. When the marriage broke down, these connections complicated things for Vidov.

Based on his autobiography and narrated by Scottish actor Brian Cox, this is an incredible story told with historical footage and present-day interviews (including Mikhail Baryshnikov). Interviews with Vidov, who died in 2017 at 73, feature alongside monologues, which also include the actor’s second wife, Joan Borsten Vidov.

It can’t be overstated how rich and interesting the archival frames of Russian life and cinema are. There’s an unexpected bonus for animation fans in Vidov’s story – later in life he became involved in restoring Russia’s early animation, and the animated footage here is stunning. Tass’s treatment of Vidov’s later dive into animation isn’t cursory, going into some of the challenges of restoration and the battle with Russian bureaucracy.

Tass has made something that will appeal to history buffs, cinephiles, animation fans and documentary lovers. With masterful editing and storytelling, The Oleg Vidov Story is captivating – whether you’ve heard of him before or not.