Villain(s)  Gill-man

Actor(s):  Vladimir Korenev, Anastasiya Vertinskaya, Mikhail Kozakov, Anatoly Smiranin

Brief Description  Amphibian Man (Chelovek-amfibiya) is a 1961 Soviet sci-fi romance film directed by Vladimir Chebotaryov and Gennadiy Kazanskiy. Based on Alexander Belyaev's 1928 novel, it follows Ichthyander, a young man given shark gills by his scientist father, who falls in love with a local woman amidst greed and local superstition.

Plot:
The story unfolds in a picturesque, fictional coastal town (filmed largely on location in Baku) where rumors circulate about a terrifying "Sea Devil". This creature is reported to destroy fishing nets and leap out of the waters, striking fear into local pearl divers. In reality, the "Sea Devil" is Ichthyander, a gentle, innocent young man. Years prior, his father, the brilliant and eccentric scientist Professor Salvator, saved Ichthyander's life by grafting shark gills into his body to cure a fatal lung disease. As a result, Ichthyander can breathe both on land and underwater, but he must spend a significant amount of time in the sea to survive. Salvator shields his son from the outside world, harboring a dream to build an independent, underwater utopian society free from human greed.

The status quo shatters when Ichthyander spots a beautiful local woman, Guttiere, being attacked by a shark in the open sea. He rushes to her rescue and carries her to safety. However, the villainous, wealthy pearl merchant Pedro Zurita arrives on the scene, takes credit for the rescue, and uses Guttiere's father's debts to pressure her into a forced marriage. Having fallen deeply in love with Guttiere at first sight, Ichthyander ventures into the confusing, corrupt human city to find her. They meet on land, and Guttiere quickly grows fond of the mysterious, pure-hearted stranger. When Zurita discovers Ichthyander's true identity, his greed takes over.

He recognizes the immense financial value of an "amphibian slave" who can dive indefinitely for priceless pearls. Zurita captures Ichthyander, keeping him chained in a water tank to exploit him. The prolonged confinement in a polluted, restricted environment severely damages Ichthyander's physical capacity to breathe normal air. With the help of Guttiere and a sympathetic journalist named Olsen, Ichthyander is finally freed from his captors. However, the rescue is bittersweet: because of the structural damage to his body during captivity, he can no longer survive on land at all. The film ends tragically as Ichthyander is forced to dive into the ocean forever, separated permanently from Guttiere, who is left mourning on the shore.