The Marquis of Angels in the Land of the Soviets: Why Films about Angelica caused a storm of indignation and a wave of adoration in the USSR

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

Nowadays it is difficult to understand for what reasons films that today would not be labeled "16+" for any parameters could cause such a large-scale resonance in society. But for the late 1960s. the sight was shocking and thrilling at the same time. A series of films about Angelica enjoyed incredible success among Soviet viewers - each of them was watched by 40 million people, and newborn girls were massively called Angelica, Angelica and Angelina. While critics were indignant and demanded to ban the showing of these "low-standard" films.

This film was initially simply doomed to success in the USSR. To begin with, Serge Golon, one of the authors of a series of novels about the adventures of Azhelika, was an emigrant and in fact his name was Vsevolod Golubinov. In 1920 he fled from Sevastopol to Constantinople, and then to Marseilles. Simone Changer became his wife, together with her, under the pseudonym Anne and Serge Golon, they created novels that were even more popular in his former homeland than in France. According to Ann Golon, it was her husband who became the prototype for Angelica's husband, Geoffrey de Peyrac.

In 1965, the couple visited the USSR, about which Ann Golon said: "".

True, the first edition of the novel "Angelica - the Marquis of Angels" suffered greatly from censorship and was reduced by one and a half times; readers could get acquainted with the full version only 40 years later. The film also suffered from the "scissors" of the censorship - all the bed walls were cut out of it (about 30 minutes). And although the matter did not go further than kissing on the screen, and Angelica's bare back was the limit of obscenity, the film caused a storm of indignation among the Puritan public. The editorial offices of newspapers were inundated with letters from indignant spectators, indignant at the "debauchery on the screen." Soviet critics also accused the filmmakers of obscenity, aesthetic illiteracy, isolation from the tastes of the broad masses, lack of spirituality and emptiness of the philistine world.

Despite the outraged responses, the film was wildly popular: kilometer-long queues were lined up near cinemas, several times went to the screenings. The film "Angelica and the King" was watched by 43, 3 million viewers, "Angelica - the Marquis of Angels" was seen by 44, 1 million people. Fashionistas did their hair and make-up "like Angelica", fans called their daughters by this name. Films about Angelica have become one of the most significant phenomena of the Soviet film distribution.

In the period from 1964 to 1968. In France, 5 films were shot based on the novels about Angelica, but not all of them were shown in the USSR, moreover, not in chronological order. First, in 1968, the audience saw the third part - "Angelica and the King", then - the first, "Angelica - the Marquis of the Angels". It was only during perestroika that the second part - "Angelica in Anger" (in the original - "Magnificent Angelica") came out, and the fourth and fifth parts were combined into one film called "The Indomitable Marquise" and reduced. The demonstration of all episodes lasted for almost 20 years.

The filmmakers saw only Brigitte Bardot in the lead role, but at that time she had just completed filming in a historical costume film and did not want to walk in a tight corset all day again. She turned down the role, which she later greatly regretted. Catherine Deneuve, Jane Fonda and Marina Vladi also auditioned for the role of Angelica, but they were not approved. As a result, the role went to the brunette Michelle Mercier, for whom several dozen blond wigs were made.

The actor Robert Hossein, who played the role of Geoffrey de Peyrac, was especially fond of Soviet spectators. And none of them suspected that he, too, could be their compatriot, Abraham Huseynov - his father was Azerbaijani, and his mother was Jewish, born in Kiev. On the screen, Robert Hossein and Michel Mercier very convincingly played a couple in love, although in real life they did not feel tender feelings for each other - the performer of the main role was categorically disliked by the actress. And about Geoffrey de Peyrac, Robert Hossein said: "".

Critics who expected historical accuracy from these novels and films were outraged: there were really few real facts and signs of the time in them, but the authors did not claim this. When they were once again asked about the prototype of the main character, Ann Golon explained: “”. Of course, it makes no sense to study French history from these films - historical realities have become only the background against which the adventurous and love lines unfold.

The authors were very unhappy with the adaptation of their novels - no one consulted with them, they were not allowed on the set. Ann Golon was horrified after the scriptwriter of the film told her: "". The authors were not at the premiere of the film, and Anne Golon was very happy when the 2013 remake of Angelica, the Marquis of Angels was released. True, he was very far from the former popularity of the first film adaptation.

The leading actress, despite her incredible popularity, had to pay for her: How was the fate of the legendary Angelica.