Behind the scenes of the film "Lonely Dorms Are Given": Why did the creators receive angry letters after the film was released

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

In January 1984, the film of Samson Samsonov “Lonely Hostels Are Provided” with Natalia Gundareva in the title role was released on the screens of the Soviet Union. The success of the picture was truly phenomenal, and the story of one single hostel suddenly gave hope for happiness to millions of ordinary women. Naturally, during the work on the tape, many events took place.

Newspaper clippings

At one time, screenwriter Arkady Inin found many newspaper clippings in his mailbox. The most interesting thing is that they were all from the same dating column. Men and women of different ages, physique and financial status dreamed of meeting representatives of the opposite sex, with serious intentions and, under favorable circumstances, with plans for a long and happy life together.

Such a column has always been popular, but it was not accepted to speak openly about loneliness and acquaintances through the media. However, the topic was relevant, and Arkady Inin set about writing the script. True, he did not stop only at acquaintance, but decided to touch on the problem much deeper. “A dormitory is provided for the lonely” - in the title of the picture, many recognized the postscript that accompanied many advertisements for the employment of employees.

Actors and roles

Initially, Arkady Inin, while working on the script, saw the main character as Natalya Gundareva, but according to the film crew, Elena Drapeko was supposed to play the role of the matchmaker. After the tests, the filmmakers had to agree with the scriptwriter's idea, and Natalia Gundareva was approved for the role. And Elena Drapeko played the charming blonde Nina, whose family was under threat due to the inability of the young hostess to cook.

Director Samson Samsonov for the role of the commandant of the hostel approved Alexander Mikhailov. He didn't even need a test to understand: it is this actor who gets into the character one hundred percent. Alexander Mikhailov really was very organic in the image of the sea wolf, who had seen and experienced a lot of life's drama. Moreover, before the beginning of his acting career, the actor actually went to sea, being a ship mechanic, and in the most difficult seas, Okhotsk and Japanese. It was at the suggestion of Alexander Mikhailov that a scar appeared on the cheek of the commandant of the hostel, Viktor Frolov, thanks to which the image of the hero became more voluminous and harsh.

Frunzik Mkrtchyan, who played the husband of the heroine Elena Drapeko, independently invented and embodied many scenes on the screen with the participation of his character Vartan. In general, he approached the filming process very creatively and did not limit himself to simply following the director's instructions. I must say that the participation of Frunzik Mkrtchyan clearly benefited the film.

Actress Tamara Semina, who played the harmful Larisa Evgenievna, surprisingly fit into the image, despite the fact that before this film the actress played extremely positive roles. The role of the "correct heroine" was fixed for Tamara Semina after the filming of "Eternal Call", but she still decided to agree to the proposal of Samson Samsonov. The actress herself was interested in trying to play a negative character. In this role, Tamara Semina's multifaceted talent was revealed, capable of transforming into any image.

Wide resonance

The audience instantly fell in love with the film released on screens. During the year it was watched by more than 23 million viewers, in 1984 he received prizes for the best comedy at the 17th All-Union Film Festival and at the International Film Festival in Chanrus (France), and Natalia Gundareva was recognized as the best actress.

The audience wrote a lot of letters of gratitude to the film crew, the actors began to receive messages from fans in sacks. But rather angry letters and telegrams came to the studio's address, with messages from women predominating in them. These were mainly workers in the light industry, reproaching the creators of being unreliable, or even insulting the honor and dignity of Soviet women.

However, the scriptwriter Arkady Inin had something to fend off the arguments of his opponents. Working on the painting, he traveled to many light industry enterprises, spent a lot of time in workers' hostels, and it was there that he found prototypes of his future heroines. Communication with single women allowed the screenwriter to understand how much they need simple human happiness, which cannot be replaced by either strong friendship, much less work.

The only thing worth regretting, remembering the history of the creation of the film "Lonely Hostels," is that the song "Late Meeting", performed by Natalia Gundareva and Alexander Mikhailov, was not included in its final version. However, the director had his own vision of the picture. This vision turned out to be extremely successful: for over 37 years, viewers have been watching this film, and it does not lose its relevance and its charm.

Natalya Gundareva has played more than 65 film roles, and many films with her participation have become classics of Soviet cinema. One of them - "The lonely is given a hostel", the main character of which turned out to be very close to the actress, because in many ways she reminded her herself …