Lyudmila Savelyeva - 78: The other side of the glory of one of the most beautiful Soviet actresses

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

January 24 marks the 78th anniversary of the famous actress, People's Artist of the RSFSR Lyudmila Savelyeva, who became known all over the world as the best performer of the role of Natasha Rostova from War and Peace. This work brought her fame and recognition, but did not guarantee her a happy creative destiny. Why one of the most popular and beautiful Soviet actresses acted so little in films and disappeared from the screens so early - further in the review.

There were many trials in her life, she repeatedly faced difficult choices, after which her life changed dramatically. For the role of Natasha Rostova, Lyudmila Savelyeva left ballet, which she studied at the age of 11. This decision was forced - her body simply could not withstand the stress. The actress was born in besieged Leningrad, miraculously survived, but her health was weak since childhood. After one day in the pavilion of "Mosfilm" she fainted from exhaustion, it became clear that further to combine shooting and performances on the stage of the Leningrad Opera and Ballet Theater. Kirov is simply impossible. Although a bright future was predicted for her in ballet, Lyudmila made her choice in favor of cinema.

The very first film role - Natasha Rostova in War and Peace - brought Savelyeva not only all-Union, but also worldwide popularity. After the triumph in the USSR, the film was shown on screens in 117 countries of the world and in 1968 received the highest award of the American Film Academy - "Oscar", in the nomination "Best Foreign Film". The director was absent at the award ceremony - he was busy filming another film, and Lyudmila Savelyeva won the Oscar. Later she recalled: "".

So the debutante at one point became a world-class star. The name Natasha became fashionable not only in the USSR, but also abroad, in Europe and America. And for many years Lyudmila Savelyeva was called the personification of Soviet cinema and the standard of beauty all over the world. With the premiere of the film, she traveled to many countries, speaking in front of the audience and participating in television programs. Savelyeva said: "". But this glory also had a downside.

At the peak of popularity, Lyudmila Savelyeva suddenly discovered that for the last 5 years she had lived only the life of her heroine, forgetting about herself. Something snapped inside her. Filming, which lasted for 5 years, ended, with many members of the crew during this time she became akin. The actress was confused: "". She even began to regret leaving ballet.

Foreign producers and directors were sure: Savelyeva is a real star, she needs to be filmed not only in the USSR. During one of his visits to Moscow, Italian director Vittorio de Sica appeared on television, stating that he had come to the USSR on purpose to invite Lyudmila Savelyeva to the shooting. And she did star in his film Sunflowers, where Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni became her partners on the set. However, the Soviet actress was not allowed to go to Italy for the premiere of the film.

Probably, none of the Soviet actresses before had such a resounding success abroad, she had a chance to become a world-class star. In Japan, 1972 was declared the year of Lyudmila Savelyeva. The film "War and Peace" was shown there annually. "Sunflowers", "Beg" and "The Seagull" were also very popular there. But in the USSR, the general public knew almost nothing about this recognition of Savelyeva abroad.

Soviet directors also bombarded her with new proposals, but most often Savelyeva refused."" - said the actress. Time passed, the pauses in her film career dragged on, but she stood her ground: either she would act in what she liked, or she would not act at all.

Savelyeva considered the main role in the film "Running" based on the novel by Mikhail Bulgakov to be a gift of fate. Finally, her heroine, neither in age, nor in character, nor outwardly, did not resemble Natasha Rostova. The writer's widow, Elena Bulgakova, was so impressed with the work of the actors that she invited Lyudmila Savelyeva and Vladislav Dvorzhetsky to her place. Thanks to "Running" and "Sunflowers" Savelyeva managed to prove that she is not an actress of the same role.

However, the breaks between filming still lasted for years, the audience gradually began to forget about the actress. But Savelyeva was still very scrupulous about the choice of roles. She patiently waited for good scripts, and they were offered less and less. In the mid-1980s. the actress completely stopped acting, deciding that, obviously, nothing good will happen in her creative destiny. This pause dragged on for 11 years, in the 2000s. Savelyeva played in 4 more films, and after 2009 there were no more new works with her participation. "" - said the actress.

Director Sergei Soloviev said about her: "". Lyudmila Savelyeva really leads a very secluded life, does not attend social events, does not go to film festivals.

She does not like to talk about herself and let journalists into her house, explaining it like this: “”. Today she only grieves about one thing: "".

Recently, her name is most often mentioned in connection with the revealed secrets of her marriage with Alexander Zbruev: The joys and sorrows of Lyudmila Savelyeva.