2024-02-10 08:04:21
For the 100th anniversary of the Mosfilm film concern, a rating of the most popular films shot at the studio has been compiled. The basis was taken from audience statistics and expert opinions.
As Day.Az reports with a link to Trend, a total of 10 films were selected, half of which were Leonid Gaidai’s beloved comedies. The leader of the rating is “Gentlemen of Fortune” by Alexander Sery, in second place is “The Diamond Arm”, in third place is “Operation Y”, followed by “Ivan Vasilyevich Changes Profession”, “Moscow Doesn’t Believe in Tears” by Vladimir Menshov, “Prisoner of the Caucasus, or Shurik’s New Adventures”, “The Cranes Are Flying” by Mikhail Kalatozov, “Battleship Potemkin” by Sergei Eisenstein, “Girls” by Yuri Chulyukin and “Office Romance” by Eldar Ryazanov.
Let’s remember the bright moments of Leonid Gaidai’s film “The Diamond Arm” (1968), part of the filming of which took place in the ancient part of Baku – Icheri Sheher. Remember how Andrei Mironov’s hero Count (Gennady Kozodoev or Gesha) got lost in those streets and tried to get to the ship’s departure as quickly as possible? And remember that street where a modest employee of Giproryba, Semyon Semenovich Gorbunkov (Yuri Nikulin), accidentally slipped and got his arm dislocated. The words he uttered at the same time: “Damn it!” became a password for smugglers. Gorbunkov is given a plaster cast, under which gold and diamonds are hidden… In September 1968, the film crew comes to Baku to film episodes “abroad”…
Icheri Sheher, or how Baku became Istanbul
The creative team of the film was sure that during the entire filming they would bask in a foreign capitalist resort. Imagine the disappointment of the film crew when Gaidai publicly announced: he would film in the USSR. Since the cruise route was along the Mediterranean Sea, it is obvious that the last city is Istanbul. It is clear that in the USSR directors did not go on filming abroad without any extra reason, especially to a “capital country”. And Leonid Gaidai found an excellent solution – he filmed Istanbul in… Baku! So Baku, a city of contrasts, where films by famous Soviet directors had already been shot before, turned into Turkish Istanbul.
Filming of the film “The Diamond Arm” began at the end of April 1968 and continued until mid-November. In mid-September, the group arrives in Baku to film episodes “abroad” and filming lasted about two weeks.
During filming in Icheri Sheher, the footage includes sights of the ancient part of the capital of Azerbaijan – the Fortress Wall, the Maiden Tower, the Juma Mosque, the Palace of the Shirvanshahs, which are shown to tourists from the USSR by the guide (played by Nikulin’s wife). And finally, the street with the Chikanuk pharmacy, which became famous after the film was released, where the famous “Damn it!” was heard. – Malaya Krepostnaya street (Kichik Gala), 8.
And how many tourists happily plopped down here on the hot summer Baku asphalt under the lenses of amateur photo and video cameras, and now with mobile phones, with the sacramental “Damn it!”
“Cheerte pobiere”
Andrei Mironov got the falling scene at the pharmacy in the first take, but Yuri Nikulin just couldn’t fall properly. By the way, it was originally assumed that he would slip on a banana peel. For this purpose, we purchased several kilograms of fruits, which were in short supply at that time, and stored them in the refrigerator. However, Nikulin never managed to slip on a banana peel. And then we bought a watermelon, of which there were plenty in Baku. Nikulin was supposed to fall onto a gray inflatable beach mattress. But if he managed to fall almost immediately, he could not successfully step on the watermelon rind. And then Leonid Kanevsky (the actor who played the smuggler who put Nikulin in a cast) came to the rescue. He was in a hurry to film in Sverdlovsk, so he suggested that the director replace Nikulin. They put Nikulin’s trousers and shoes on him, and he expertly slipped – from the very first take. So it’s his leg in the frame, not Nikulin’s. But during editing there was a problem of “alignment” because the scene was shot in close-up. The substitution remained visible: when they show the watermelon rind, brown shoes are visible, and Nikulin was wearing black shoes.
The “foreign speech” spoken by the heroes of Leonid Kanevsky and Grigory Shpigel is gibberish invented by Kanevsky. The word “mordyuk”, which appears several times in it, was introduced by Gaidai after he had a fight with Mordyukova on the set. And the phrase “Berezina comant” was coined by Kanevsky after the maiden name of his wife Anna Berezina.
This is how Leonid Kanevsky recalls these days: “The famous Mosfilm tailor Zatirko sewed me a luxurious gray suit with a sparkle. I put it on with a white shirt and went out. Gaidai liked it: “Beauty!” But the body is not visible – and in general – then I’m dark enough for the south… Gaidai lit up: “Let’s see!” And I took off this luxurious suit, put on white trousers and went out practically naked. Gaidai was delighted: “This is Zatirko’s best suit!”
In Baku we all lived in the same hotel. After filming, we went for a walk around the city, had dinner together… And the locals literally carried us in their arms, treating us to barbecue and wine. Well-fed and satisfied late at night, we went to our rooms. But it was not always possible to sleep. At three o’clock in the morning there was a knock on the door. Nikulin: “Are you sleeping? I remembered an amazing joke! Listen!” I had to get up and listen… Even then, Yuri Vladimirovich loved jokes and at any second was ready to tell about… Life seemed like a continuous holiday…”
But for Andrey Mironov, filming in Baku was very difficult. The reason for this was a serious illness – nervous eczema, which brought severe suffering to the artist. But no matter how bad he felt, at the word “Motor!” Mironov forgot all his ailments and became a radiant, plastic, sparkling person.”
Tsigel-Tsigel, ai-liu-liu!
After the fateful meeting of Semyon Semyonich (Nikulin) and Gesha Kozodoev (Mironov) on a cruise ship, they go for a walk in an eastern town. Imposingly walking with a tour group around the old city, a red-haired woman tries to invite Semyon Semyonovich to her brothel. At the same time, she speaks in a fictitious language, calling Semyon Semyonich with the words: “Tsigel-Tsigel, ay-lu-lu!” “Russo is a tourist! The face of morality!” states Gesha.
This episodic role of Victoria Ostrovskaya is etched in everyone’s memory… The actress recalls: “I still don’t understand why my heroine sunk into everyone’s soul so much. In fact, no one thought that “tsigel-tsigel” would immediately go into people. They filmed this scene quickly and casually. Leonid Gaidai simply told me then: “You stand and wait.” I stood against the wall and waited. One or two takes. And that’s it!… In Baku, we were all put up in the same hotel. My room was next to Nikulin’s. We often chatted with him. He told jokes. I laughed. And once, I remember, the whole film crew went to visit. We had an artist Valerka Nisanov – a Baku native. And so his relatives gave us a grandiose I had a grand reception on the veranda – with kebabs, vegetables, herbs, wine. It was a lot of fun. Andryusha Mironov – he was just a splash of champagne! What toasts he gave, how he could play on any phrase! These were such stars, among whom I quietly wormed my way in. To me I was lucky, an opportunity came up, and I starred with them. It’s just a pity that filming my episode took so little time, and after three or four days I went home… After the premiere of the film, did you wake up famous? I woke up famous while still filming in Baku. I remember that after the first day of shooting I couldn’t calmly go outside. Azerbaijanis are a temperamental people, so I immediately became the object of close attention. In the dining room, where we were fed, gifts were often sent to me from neighboring tables. I remember being very indignant: “I don’t need anything!” Visitors were constantly banging on the door – one allegedly brought me grapes, another brought me candy, the third even wanted to get into the room through the balcony. In a word, among the local residents I became a real star – after all, in those years I was curvy, and also red-haired… They say that now in Baku they take tourists to the place where the famous episode was filmed: they say, this is where that priestess stood love that lured the heroes Nikulin and Mironov.”
Many confidently say that “tsigel” literally means “time” from German, “move,” when in fact “tsigel” is translated as brick. In fact, “tsigel” is an old phrase, often pronounced in Yiddish and Tagalog, that means “come on, come on” or “get moving.” It was mainly used to call goats in the old Jewish regions.
The story of the miracle traffic controller
Do you remember the exotic policeman who energetically brought order to the circulation of cars, people and camels? It was Sergeant Major Mazanov, a valiant Baku policeman and traffic controller.
He was always “displayed” at the central intersection Kommunisticheskaya – Chkalova. Government patch. All the elite passed there. It was there that police traffic controller Sergeant Mazanov skillfully regulated traffic (at that time traffic lights were not yet preferred).
People stood for hours at “his” intersection, admiring the artistry, dexterity and absolute professionalism of the traffic controller. The rod in his hand rotated like a propeller. He himself turned around clearly, effectively, always clicking his heels and smiling like a Hollywood. Sergeant Major Mazanov became, as it were, a symbol of Baku.
Could Leonid Gaidai not have noticed this miracle traffic controller and not invited Sergeant Major Mazanov to star in this comedy? Exactly in his main role!
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