Vera Alentova - 77: What the famous actress prefers not to remember

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

February 21 marks the 77th anniversary of the famous theater and film actress, People's Artist of Russia Vera Alentova. To many colleagues and viewers, she seems to be a real darling of fate, one of those few actresses who managed to build a successful creative career without sacrificing family happiness for her. Husband-director, daughter-actress and TV presenter, more than 40 movie roles, many theatrical works - it would seem that she succeeded in absolutely everything. But there were also periods in her life that now she would like to forget about …

The professional path of Vera Alentova was predetermined from birth - her parents were theater actors. True, she did not remember her father - he died when she was only 4 years old. Her mother disappeared in the theater all day, and Vera, often left to herself, put on performances in the courtyard, gathering crowds around her who wanted to listen to her stories. The mother did not approve of her daughter's desire to become an actress, and at her insistence, Vera applied to the medical institute after graduating from school. But, fortunately for myself and for future viewers, it did not qualify for the competition. Mother categorically stated: either to enter the capital's university and become a professional actress, or to forget about the acting future. And, having worked for a year as a handyman at a melange plant, Alentova went to conquer Moscow.

She applied to all theatrical universities in the capital, and she was admitted to the Moscow Art Theater School. As a student, she began performing on the theater stage. In her second year, Alentova married a classmate Vladimir Menshov, who at that time was still unknown to anyone. Despite the lack of money and life in a hostel, a wedding without a wedding dress and a celebration for 30 rubles, she always recalls those times with pleasure. Their neighbor in the theater hostel was Yuri Nikolaev, who recalled: "".

Surprisingly, but real difficulties began only when material well-being and the first success came to them. They got a two-room apartment, finally there was work, life improved. But the accumulated tension, the inability of two strong-willed people to yield to each other, mutual claims and grievances affected - and the couple decided to leave. Later Alentova called this 4-year pause "a reaction to the difficulties endured." Both spouses later did not like to remember this difficult period for both.

The role in the film "Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears", which became Alentova's calling card, was not easy for her. Menshov not only did not make any concessions to her, but also made increased demands. Later, the director said: "".

But the result exceeded all expectations: in 1981, Vera Alentova was recognized as the best actress of the year in the USSR, and the film received an Oscar. But even after the all-Union recognition of her success Alentova did not receive compliments from her husband - only years later did he recognize her talent, and even then he was very stingy in praise, saying only that she "plays this role well."

True, there was no triumph then - Menshov was considered unreliable, was not allowed to travel abroad and could not personally receive the prize, no one in the Union knew about the Oscar at that time, and critics gave the film low marks. The actress admitted: "". Both spouses did not like to remember this period. Menshov said: "".

Alentova did not manage to get pleasure from filming in another film of her husband - "The Envy of the Gods". At one time, this film provoked a scandal - after all, the 58-year-old actress played in it in explicit erotic scenes. It was very difficult for her to decide at this age to be naked in front of the cameras, and later she admitted that she had never experienced such shame and fear on the set, and could not stop the trembling in her knees. She feared that these scenes might cause disgust in the audience, but the fears were in vain - although some critics called the actress "a fallen woman", this film was a success among the audience.

Vera Alentova often quotes one of the founders of the Moscow Art Theater: "". Perhaps she has every reason to consider herself an accomplished actress!

40 years have passed since the creation of this film masterpiece, and many of its heroes are now unrecognizable: How the actors of the film "Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears" have changed.