Soviet actresses who could have made a career in the West, but did not break through the Iron Curtain

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

The Soviet actresses recognized at home were admired abroad as well. They shone at festivals in Cannes and Venice, received rave reviews from foreign critics and ordinary audiences. European and American filmmakers offered them roles and worldwide fame, but representatives of the Soviet government in every possible way hindered the development of the Western career of talented Russian actresses. Soviet cinema is beyond competition - they believed that there are all opportunities for creative realization, and Russian actresses had to be "protected" from the pernicious influence of the West.

Alla Larionova and her success at the Venice Film Festival

Alla Larionova was called the most beautiful Soviet actress of the 1950s. She gained worldwide fame thanks to the fairy-tale film "Sadko", in which she played the wife of the protagonist Lyubava. In 1953, the film was presented at the Venice Film Festival, where it received the "Silver Lion". The truly Russian beauty of the 22-year-old actress did not go unnoticed. After the festival in Venice, numerous offers from Hollywood directors, producers and agents were poured in, who offered Larionova contracts for shooting in foreign films. Soviet officials wrote replies instead of the actress and reported that in her homeland her schedule had already been scheduled for 5 years in advance, and there was no time for work in Hollywood. Nothing depended on the actress herself, and she did not have to choose.

Alla's real fame was brought by the main role in the film "Anna on the Neck", which became the leader of the film distribution in the mid-50s. After its release, the picture was watched by more than 32 million people, and in 1957 it was awarded the "Golden Olive Branch" at a festival in Italy.

During this period, Larionova was a frequent guest of international film festivals, traveled all over South America, received numerous offers from foreign directors. Charlie Chaplin himself was ready to shoot Larionova in the title role of his own movie without trial, but even he could not open the “iron curtain” for her and break through the bones of Soviet officials. Representatives of the authorities from culture again answered that the shooting of the actress in the USSR was scheduled until 2000!

Alla Larionova never became a Hollywood star, but she was in demand in the profession and happy in her personal life in her homeland.

2. Worldwide fame of Tatiana Samoilova

The cinema by Mikhail Kalatozov "The Cranes Are Flying" was a huge success not only in the USSR, but also abroad, becoming the only Soviet film awarded the "Golden Palm". In France, to this day, according to polls, this tape is included in the hundred best films in the history of cinema. At the Cannes Film Festival in 1958, the film was single-handedly presented by the leading actress Tatyana Samoilova, who at that time was just over 20 years old. In Cannes, the young actress made a splash. Even Pablo Picasso did not remain indifferent to the talent and unique beauty of the girl: "I am sure that after showing your picture you will become a star."

After the festival, a huge number of letters came to Goskino, where Western directors literally begged to let Samoilov go to shoot in Hollywood. One of these proposals was the role of Anna Karenina in the film of the same name with Gerard Philip. Compatriots were proud of the tremendous success of the Russian actress, but officials did not like such an interest in Samoilova. The head of the Department of External Relations of the State Film Agency wrote a letter to Hollywood producers, in which he noted that Tatiana did not even have a completed acting education, so it was unlikely to cope with such a serious job. The authorities also considered the content of the film itself dubious. Khrushchev compared the main character Veronica, who cheated on a front-line boy, to a corrupt woman.

After the film "The Cranes Are Flying" Samoilova played several more roles, and then completely disappeared from the screens. In 1967, she still got the role of Karenina from the director Alexander Zarkhi, after which oblivion fell again. In the early 90s, she was invited to the 43rd Cannes Film Festival as a guest of honor.

Nonna Terentyeva - Russian Marilyn Monroe

The daughter of the theatrical actress Nonna Terentyeva got into the cinema at a young age. at the age of 24 she played the role of Ekaterina Ivanovna Turkina in the film "In the city of S.", based on Chekhov's story "Ionych". In 1967, the film was sent to the Cannes Film Festival for an out-of-competition screening. Young Terentyeva was also included in the delegation for the presentation of the cinema.

The gracefully refined appearance of the Soviet actress amazed foreign filmmakers. Yesterday's graduate of the Shchukin School was called the Russian Marilyn Monroe and was invited to all the social events of the festival. Photos of the Soviet beauty appeared in popular glossy magazines in Europe, famous world directors and actors wanted to get to know her. Even the brilliant French actress Simone Signoret complimented her: "If your film was in the competition, you would definitely take the prize for Best Actress, for Beauty."

After the Terentyeva festival, they began to offer contracts in Hollywood and European cinema. Just as in the case of Samoilova and Larionova, officials from the State Committee for Cinematography rejected offers without even asking the actress, and explained this to her busy schedule at home.

In fact, there was no talk of any high workload. For 10 years after the successful start of her career, Nonna starred in just a few episodes. The only serious work during this time was the role of Zoya in the film "The Collapse of Engineer Garin". This work returned Terentyeva to her former glory, but for the rest of her life made her a hostage of one role - an insidious and cynical adventurer.

The period of the late 80s - early 90s turned out to be the most difficult for all filmmakers. Despite unemployment and an unsettled personal life, Nonna Terentyeva never became discouraged, did not complain and happily agreed to any creative proposals.

Why Nadezhda Rumyantseva's Hollywood career didn't work out

The film "Girls" became the leader of the Soviet film distribution in 1962. The painting has received numerous awards at festivals in Edinburgh, Cannes and Mar del Plata. Thanks to the role of Tosya Kislitsyna, Nadezhda Rumyantseva became a truly popular and beloved actress. The actress's comic appearance and brilliant play was appreciated even in Hollywood, where she was nicknamed "Chaplin in a skirt" and "Russian Juliet Mazina".

Nadezhda Rumyantseva was repeatedly written about in Western newspapers and invited to Hollywood, offering mostly comedic roles. But the officials feared that everyone's favorite Tosya would take a one-way ticket, and did not even inform her about the offers received. On all letters with a request to let the actress go to the shooting, the staff of the State Film Agency gave standard comments - she is loaded with work in the USSR and does not have free time. Rumyantseva herself found out about this only a few years later.

But there were those who managed to break through the Iron Curtain and start a new life in the West. Who are they Soviet "defectors" and why successful and famous fled from the USSR, and how they lived abroad read in one of our previous reviews.