General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
The censors of Goskino had decided to prevent the film's release but Leonid Brezhnev, who was sworn in as the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union less than a year before, saw the film and expressed his fondness for Gaidai's work. Due to Brezhnev's appreciation, the censors reconsidered their initial decision and the movie was officially released.