Life After Glory: How the Fates of Polish Beauties Shining in Soviet Cinema Developed

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

The Soviet audience idolized these actresses with foreign names. Eva Shikulska, Paula Raksa, Barbara Brylska, Beata Tyshkevich gladly accepted offers from Russian directors about filming a movie. These films have invariably been a resounding success. And also these beauties liked Russian men so much! Even today they remember their Russian novels with trembling tenderness and nostalgia. How do Polish stars of Soviet cinema live today?

Beata Tyszkiewicz

For half a century, she has kept a cup, which Andron Konchalovsky once gave her, in memory of their romance. Beata Tyshkevich, the star of the film "A Noble Nest" based on Turgenev, is sure: Russian men are the best. Andron Konchalovsky and Beata Tyshkevich met in the early 1960s during the Moscow Film Festival.

The Polish actress was invited to dinner by Sergei Mikhalkov, and all the men who were visiting the famous family that evening took care of the beauty. Beata Tyshkevich chose Andron Konchalovsky, with whom she began a passionate affair. They were young, in love and incredibly happy. He courted beautifully, gave his beloved expensive gifts, and then, when she left for Poland, he wrote her piercingly touching letters. Later, the actress will say that it was Andron who taught her to love, laugh and cry. Beata responded by teaching him Polish songs and language. Then he was ready to hand her his life to her, but Mrs. Beata did not dare to link her fate with the famous ladies' man.

During the filming of the "Noble Nest", the actress had another affair, with a student of VGIK and future photographer Valery Plotnikov. They wandered around the city until the morning, unable to meet in other places. Their romance lasted 15 long years.

Later, the actress will be married three times, but all three marriages will end in divorce. But she will have two daughters, Karolina from Andrzej Wajda and Victoria from Jacek Padlewski.

In the difficult 1990s, which were felt in Poland no less than in Russia, Beata Tyszkiewicz tried herself as a radio host, and she also began to write books.

Today, Beate Tyszkiewicz is already 80, she lives in her native Warsaw, occasionally acts in films if the script seems interesting to her, and generally leads a life that she likes. In response to a question about the secret of her beauty, the actress smiles slyly and admits: you need to live the way you want and be happy.

Paul Rax

She became the very first Polish film actress popular in the USSR. Filming in the TV series "Four Tankmen and a Dog" immediately made her famous. The perky Marusya Ogonyok literally captivated the viewer. And then the film "Zosia" thundered all over the Soviet Union, where the actress played the main role.

She was amazingly beautiful. And on the set of "Zosia" she met her first love, the Soviet actor Yuri Kamorny. The romance was passionate and, it seemed, they must definitely become husband and wife. However, Paula Raxa was not ready to start a family with an impetuous and highly emotional actor. Many years later, she admits that then, in the late 1960s, she made the right decision, refusing her loved one. In 1981, Yuri Kamorny died tragically.

And Paula Rax, having crossed the half-century line of her life, realized that she was not created for family relationships. She is much more comfortable being alone. For several years she was married to the operator Andrzej Kostenko, in marriage with whom the son Martin was born. Relationship with Martin can hardly be called normal. The son, who, as a child, was jealous of his mother for her work, could not forgive her for his childhood grievances. They fought constantly until they decided to live separately. Now they communicate only by phone, avoiding personal meetings.

After parting with Andrzej, Paula had several more civil marriages, but the actress does not like to discuss her novels, so nothing is known about her chosen ones.

The last time Paula Rax starred in a movie was in 1993. A little later, she bought a house in the city of Kalushin, 80 kilometers from Warsaw. She does not let anyone into her life, preferring to remain in the memory of the audience the very beauty who once shone on the screens.

Eva Sikulska

Bright, emotional, very sensual Eva Shikulska captivated the audience from the first frames of the film "The Star of Captivating Happiness". And at the moment of her appearance on the set, she instantly captured the heart of her partner - Igor Kostolevsky. It was simply impossible to hide the mutual attraction. As soon as they appeared in the pavilion together, everything around them began to sparkle from those sparks that ran between them.

Igor Kostolevsky had the most serious intentions, he even introduced Eva to her mother. However, they were not destined to be together. The novel ended with the filming of the film.

But another meeting awaited her - with the director Ilya Averbakh. They met at the film festival, and Eva fell seriously in love. Her lover was married to Natalia Ryazantseva, but Ilya and Eva could not cope with their feelings. He shot her in his film "Declaration of Love", and after that she rushed between Warsaw and Leningrad for several more years. At some point, he was ready to leave his wife, but it did not work out. He stayed with Natalia and in 1986 he died of oncology.

But today the actress has been living with her second husband for 30 years, actively plays in the theater and feels like a happy and full of love person.

Barbara Brylska

She was sincerely loved by the entire Soviet Union after filming the film "The Irony of Fate, or Enjoy Your Bath". Andrey Myagkov years later admitted that he was also in love with this fragile woman, who seemed completely defenseless in the frame. In life, she was emotional, sometimes harsh and uncompromising.

During the filming, she was already married for the third time, the actress was growing up baby Basya. Her marriage lasted quite a long time, but Barbara never found happiness in the family. The husband constantly tried to compete with her in the profession, and even tried to assert himself, starting countless novels on the side. Despite having two children, the family broke up.

After the tragic death of her 20-year-old daughter in a car accident, the actress practically did not leave the house for three years. She was ashamed to live when her daughter passed away. Time, as you know, heals, but Barbara Brylska, despite her complete well-being, admits: the pain of loss has not subsided over the years, the actress just learned to live with her.

Today Barbara Brylska spends most of her time outside the city, in her modest country house. She herself grows vegetables and fruits, and also enjoys the opportunity to communicate with her son and grandchildren. She considers herself a happy person, because in her life there was a place for vivid emotions, beautiful roles and stormy romances.

In Soviet times, the Baltics were considered almost abroad. There was a completely different culture, special traditions, unique architecture, and rare films were filmed there, unlike everything else. The Baltic actors themselves resembled foreigners whom they often had to play. They were popular, they were recognized on the streets, their careers and lives were followed. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Baltic actors remained abroad. But interest in the life of Soviet foreigners has not faded to this day.