Video: Forgotten movie hit of the 1970s: Why the film "Theater" became for Ivars Kalninsh fateful and fatal at the same time
2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55
August 21 marks the 89th anniversary of the birth of one of the most famous Latvian actresses Vija Artmane, whose hallmark is the main role in the film "Theater". For her, this work was a kind of summing up - the film was filmed specifically for her 50th birthday, and for the young actor Ivars Kalninsh “Theater” became a successful start to his film career. However, this role played a cruel joke on him …
The film "Theater" directed by Janis Streich has become one of the most famous projects of the Riga Film Studio. In the late 1970s. by order of the Central Television, several benefit films were released for the anniversaries of famous Soviet artists. For example, Evgeny Ginzburg filmed the musical film “Benefit of Lyudmila Gurchenko”, and at the Riga Film Studio they decided to make a screen version of Somerset Maugham’s novel “Theater” as a benefit for the 50th anniversary of Vija Artmane. At the same time, the director took a certain risk, since the story of the aging actress and her young lover could be banned at any time.
At that time, the film was really too bold, as Ivar Kalninsh told about: "".
Vija Artmane and Ivar Kalnins looked so convincing in the images of lovers that after the release of the film, rumors about their off-screen romance immediately arose. The actors themselves gave reasons for this. Vija Artmane admitted that she has a lot in common with the heroine, and when asked whether she played herself in the Theater, she answered: “”.
Rumors were fueled by publications about the filming process - it was a well-known fact that the actor for the role of the young lover Via Artmane chose herself. Allegedly, the director gave her the right to choose one of the candidates on her own, and she pointed to Ivars Kalnins. However, the actor himself said that it was not quite so: "".
The actors really sympathized with each other - otherwise, according to them, they would not have been able to play so convincingly, but there was no romance between them. Ivar Kalninsh admitted: "".
Film director Ilya Khotinenko said about the legendary actress: "".
Although the film debut of Ivars Kalnins took place back in 1972 and by the time of filming at the Theater there were already more than 10 works in his filmography, it was this film that opened the way to fame for him - after the role of Tom Fennel, he became famous throughout the USSR. However, this popularity played a cruel joke on him: after the Theater, the actor was “stuck” for a long time in the role of a hero-lover and an insidious seducer. Neither the directors nor the audience wanted to notice the other colors of his acting talent.
The status of a hero-lover burdened Kalninsh, he said: "". Although the actor still emphasizes that without this film his acting fate would not have taken place.
If there were no problems with the choice of the main characters, then certain difficulties arose with the rest of the characters. The management proposed its candidacy for the role of a servant, but the director insisted that the unprofessional actress, the requisitor of the Riga film studio Ilgu Vitola, be approved - she was so outwardly in the type that no one else could compete with her.
In many Soviet films, Baltic actors were dubbed by Russian colleagues - in the opinion of the management, the characters had to speak without an accent. So it happened with the film "Theater": the heroine of Wii Armane Julia Lambert was voiced by Antonina Konchakova, the servant of Ilga Vitola - by Rimma Markov, Lord Tammerli - by Igor Yasulovich, the hero of Ivars Kalninsh - by Sergey Malishevsky (in many of the following films he voiced his characters himself, as, for example, in "Winter Cherry", and the corporate accent became its hallmark).
The film's budget was limited, and although the director managed to persuade the management of Central Television to double it, there was still not enough money. And instead of the planned 30 costumes for the main character, only 6 were made. However, the costume designer found a way out: in those scenes where the heroine Vija Artmane was shot only up to her waist, she simply draped her figure in different fabrics.
Part of the film's success was not only great acting, but also the music written by Raymond Pauls. In addition, the director persuaded him to star in the episodic role of a pianist. Janis Streich himself played one of the roles in his film - he appeared in front of the camera as the author.
10 years ago, the legendary actress passed away. Unfortunately, her final years have been bleak. From All-Union Glory to Death in Oblivion: The Tragic Fate of Wii Artmane.
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