Khrushchev initiated this film production after he met Margarita Nasarova, who was a tiger-tamer. She played the leading role.
The scene in the bath with tiger was shot deception. Evgeniy Leonov was terribly afraid of the tiger and refused to appear with him. Actor was convinced that he would be separated by glass. But while Leonov was with foam on his face, it was slowly removed. So Evgeniy Leonov's fear on the screen was natural.
This film was perceived as in the West satire on life in the Soviet Union.