Why Nonna Mordyukova got into a fight with Nikita Mikhalkov

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

The wonderful actress Nonna Mordyukova has always been known for her cool temper. If she did not agree with something, she could really burn with a word, and with her eyes she simply imprinted. But that with her fists she rushed at someone, this was not the case. But Nikita Mikhalkov, one of her favorite directors, was beaten, and even in front of the entire film crew.

Mutual love between the actress and the director

In 1980 Nikita Mikhalkov filmed "Relatives". The film is complex, combining elements of tragedy and comedy at the same time. Nonna Mordyukova was approved for the main role. She loved the director unconditionally.

Later, they will try to attribute to her unrequited love for Mikhalkov. But this feeling can hardly be called unrequited. It was mutual, because Nonna Viktorovna loved a talented director, not a man. The actress will say in an interview that for some reason it is impossible to explain to the readers the different properties of love. On her part, this is not sensual love, but creative love that elevates the talent of the master. However, on the part of Mikhalkov, the love for the original actress was just as ardent.

That is why he was so happy when he got Mordyukova for the main role. In his view, only she could play Maria Vasilyevna so reliably and brightly. But no one expected that Mordyukov would throw a real scandal on Mikhalkov and even throw himself into a fight.

Unconventional directorial technique

The shooting took place at the railway station in Dnepropetrovsk, and Mikhalkov set out to get the most tragic expression on her face from the actress. Studying the experience of his Western colleagues, he saw how the actors are brought to a state of explosion of emotions. He decided to apply this experience in practice, and during the shooting of the scene where Nonna Viktorovna was looking for her ex-husband, who was accompanying her son to the army, he began to naturally bring her to a state of deep grief, a feeling of loss.

And he gave her an unbearable load, literally stuffed her suitcase with bricks, so that it was too heavy, and even went to direct insults. He sat on the operator's tower and forced to repeat take after take, not satisfied with the result. And from the tower he called her grandmother, saying that it was hard for her to play the role, it was impossible to play.

At some point, such a wave of rage arose in Mordyukova that she could no longer cope with it. She threw her heavy suitcase and ran to the trailer, which served as a dressing room for the artists. But she could not run into it and close herself. The director somehow got down from the tower earlier and didn't let her close the door.

She tried to just push him away, punching her hard on the chest, but failed. Then the actress grabbed Mikhalkov by the breasts so that all the buttons from his imported dandy shirt fell in different directions. I moved my heel on the knee, but he still stands like a rock. Nonna Viktorovna gave up and just threw herself on the bed. And he silently left.

Reconciliation

A few minutes later, the operator, Pavel Lebeshev, came to her. Began to persuade to return to the site. The actress disagreed. She considered such a director's behavior completely unacceptable. He dared to humiliate her, the People's actress, in front of the entire film crew, and even in front of a crowd of spectators who watched the shooting process.

While the doctors of the ambulance on duty on the site gave her an injection, she shouted at the operator, driving him out of sight. Lebeshev patiently began to explain that now the light is correct in the frame, and her face is so tragic that it takes a soul. But Mordyukova shouted that she would not allow herself to be treated like that, she would simply leave for Moscow, according to the law, she had the right to refuse further filming.

The operator left, asking her to indicate her readiness to continue working. And her phrases about the right light and the right expression on her face were spinning in her head.

She returned to the site, but now communicated with Mikhalkov exclusively through the operator. Mikhalkov whispers in Lebeshev's ear what to do, and he already hands over his commands to the actress.

Nonna Viktorovna did everything, but she categorically refused to take a second take. And after filming, when the passions subsided, the actress came to the hotel to console her comrades. While she was laying the table, Mikhalkov came to the room. Friends Mordyukova evaporated, and the director began to ardently ask her for forgiveness. She didn’t lead her ear. And she turned around and looked at him - he was naturally crying. And stretches out his hands to her.

And Nonna Viktorovna surrendered. They embraced and stood for a long time, until Nikita Sergeevich asked her to go out to the film crew and announce her reconciliation. They were greeted with almost applause.

was both a weak and a strong woman. This was her happiness and the tragedy of her whole life.