Many of us have seen this movie many times. It seems that we remember each of his mounts by heart. However, it turns out that there is still a lot behind the scenes of one of the main creations of the recently deceased Vladimir Menchov. On September 17, the master could have been eighty-two years old.
Hit or miss.
When the film was shot and shown to a select circle of members of the censorship committee, critics reservedly praised Vladimir Menchov for his work. But they immediately hinted that his picture may well be shelved due to the presence of scenes that are too candid for Soviet reality.
The next show was to be organized by high authorities under the leadership of the first secretary of the Moscow City Committee, Viktor Grishin. And the director of Mosfilm, friendly, advised the director to cut something from the film. Allegedly more likely to get the coveted signing under the permission to hire.
But Menchov decided it was a hit or a miss. And categorically refused to cut the photo. Let it ride. In general, at this time, the fate of a luxury film literally hangs in the balance.
Delight of rulers.
When, a few days later, the director called Mosfilm and asked him what Grishin had said, he exclaimed in his heart: “What Grishin! Brezhnev himself was present, and he is completely delighted! After that, of course, the film was lit on every level.
By the way, Brezhnev was not the only leader who liked the image “Moscow does not believe in tears.”
Later, US President Ronald Reagan admitted in a meeting with the new leader of the USSR Mikhail Gorbachev that he had watched Vladimir Menchov’s film eight times.
First, to get to know the Soviet mentality better with the Russian colleague before the summit. And then Reagan fell in love with the movie.
The country has lost the diplomat Vavilova.
The role of the daughter of the main character Alexandra was played by Natalia Vavilova. But few people knew that at the time of filming Natalia did not even think about an acting career, deciding to try herself in the diplomatic field. To facilitate access to the prestigious MGIMO, she even enrolled in special courses at the institute.
Parents were delighted with the choice of their daughter, and when she timidly told them about the proposal to star in the director Menshov, they categorically opposed it. Apparently, this will interfere with studies.
But Menshov saw only Vavilova in this role, so actor Alexei Batalov had to go to Natalya and persuade Natalya’s parents. Faced with the charm of this artist, mum and dad could not resist and gave the green light for a single role for their daughter.
However, after the end of filming and after the film became popular, Natalya Vavilova suddenly felt a strong interest in acting. She threw MGIMO out of her head and entered the theater institute. So the world lost a future diplomat, but gained another good actress.
Disgusting role.
Temperamental and mute Lyudmila, played by Irina Muravyova, became one of the main decorations of the film. Many of his phrases then went to the people and became “winged”.
The actress herself was quite pleased with her character during the filming of the film. While she once watched the film as a viewer, she simply burst into resentful tears.
“I didn’t like my character at all. Rough, rude, vulgar in places. Everything I hated in life and in people came out on screen in my performance,” the artist later admitted. What is even more offensive, the role of Lyudmila has become almost the main calling card of Irina Muravyova.
Bed scene, which was not.
After the film was approved, Vladimir Menchov was nevertheless “persuaded” to remove the bed scene from the film, where the main character comes to a married lover played by Oleg Tabakov. And this, in general, is a well-known fact.
Less known is that even before the shooting, many actresses who came to the casting for the role of Catherine, having barely learned that they would have to sleep with a man under the camera, immediately refused the role.
Someone had a family, someone didn’t want to tarnish their career, and someone was just sick of the Soviets thinking of doing this. So, the director’s wife, Vera Alentova, had to sleep with Tabakov.
But considering the fact that there was not even light eroticism in this scene, and besides, it was cut anyway, many of those who refused the role of actress, most likely, were then very jealous of the success of the film and The personal success of Alentova. After all, in its place, in theory, there could be one.
Unrestricted Oscar winner.
The tape was deployed with great success both in the USSR and far beyond its borders. Dozens of countries acquired the right to host Soviet melodramas. In many of them, our actors and film group members were greeted with applause.
But Menchov was never allowed to enter a single country. It’s the United States. Even when an official invitation to participate in the Oscar ceremony came from there. As a result, the cultural attache of the USSR Embassy took the stage to receive the coveted statuette.
On July 5, 2021, the life of the great director Vladimir Menshov also ended. But such masterpieces as “Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears” will never let our memory grow short…
