The characters, as rendered by the now-familiar Andrei Smirnov, Galina Tiunina, Olga Budina and Yevgeny Mironov, became significant achievements in the artistic careers of their creators. ... Mironov's turn as Leonid Gurov had helped him attain the status of a major cinematic talent.

Yevgeny Mironov is one of the finest Russian actors working today, and it is a pity that some inherent deficiencies of film as an art form prevent it from releasing the full force of his talent (those that have seen Mironov onstage will know what I mean). Yet even such echoes of Yevgeny's phenomenal live presence as are captured on celluloid merit high regard.

Masterly performances by Yevgeny Mironov and Galina Tiunina camouflage the imperfections of their acting partners, and the end result is a harmonious whole.

[The film features] some good performances (Yelena Morozova as the femme fatale), some distinguished ones (Galina Tiunina as Bunin's wife), and even some that are top-notch (Yevgeny Mironov as the freeloading writer).

Yevgeny Mironov plays his minor part with the thorough commitment befitting a major artist. One needs to know nothing of the real Zurov's manias to see in his screen counterpart's eyes that he will end his days in the madhouse. This lucky casting alone qualifies His Wife's Diary as a cinematic event.


[Translated by Vlada Chernomordik for the Yevgeny Mironov Official Website]