The Government Inspector
by Nikolai Gogolliterary work· published 1836
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The Government Inspector, also known as The Inspector General (Russian: Ревизор, romanized: Revizor, literally: "Inspector" or "Auditor"), is a satirical play by Russian dramatist and novelist Nikolai Gogol. Originally published in 1836, the play was revised for an 1842 edition. Based upon an anecdote allegedly recounted to Gogol by Pushkin, the play is a mistaken identity comedy of errors, satirizing human greed, stupidity, and the political corruption of contemporary Russia. The dream-like scenes of the play, often mirroring each other, whirl in the endless vertigo of self-deception around the main character, Khlestakov (rendered in some English translations as Hlestakov), who personifies irresponsibility, light-mindedness, and absence of measure.
Adaptations (1)
The Government Inspector was adapted into a 1950 film.
The Inspector General1950 · film · 102 min · dir. Henry Koster · IMDb ↗IMDb6.791%An illiterate stooge in a traveling medicine show wanders into a strange town and is picked up on a vagrancy charge. The town's corrupt officials mistake him for the inspector general whom they think is traveling in disguise. Fearing he will discover they've been pocketing tax money, they make several bungled attempts to kill him.
