Abstract. The 1968 Soviet film “Zigzag of Fortune” is one of the few films that contains a large number of direct and indirect associations with personal budget and financial issues. The characters of the film use special financial instruments and infrastructure in USSR, such as a mutual aid fund, a friendly court, which have a key impact on the development of events within the script. The episodes of the film demonstrate philistine utilitarianism, including those disguised by good intentions. Despite the fact that more than 50 years have passed since the film's release, it is still quite relevant today, as it can serve as illustrative material for studying the peculiarities of Soviet life, financial behavior of citizens, as well as provide illustrative examples from the field of institutional economics and game theory.

Key words: film, Zigzag of Fortune, government loan bond, money, mutual aid box, friendly court, philistine utilitarianism.