Sergei Petrovich Kotov is the main character in Nikita Mikhalkov’s drama Burnt by the Sun, which was released in 1995. She became one of the most successful works of the director, for which he received the Grand Prix of the Cannes Film Festival, the Oscar for the best film in a foreign language. In this article, we will talk about the main character of this picture, as well as its prototype.
The plot of the picture
Sergei Petrovich Kotov, whom Mikhalkov himself plays in his film, appears before the audience in the guise of a true communist, division commander, who was awarded for participation in the Civil War and the October Revolution. He is the favorite of Generalissimo Stalin.
The film begins in the summer of 1936, on the eve of political repression in the country. Sergei Petrovich Kotov lives in his summer house in the Moscow Region with his wife Marusya, played by Ingeborg Dapkunaite, and his daughter Nadia, performed by the director’s daughter. In addition, there are always many relatives of Marousi, representatives of the classical Soviet intelligentsia, who almost completely preserved the pre-revolutionary way of life in their homes.
The main roles are played by Vladimir Ilyin, Nina Arkhipova, Evgeny Mironov, Inna Ulyanova, Svetlana Kryuchkova, Avangard Leontiev.
Mitya's story
The family idyll in the 1994 film Burnt by the Sun is violated by the arrival of Mitya Arsentyev (character of Oleg Menshikov). This is a pupil and beloved student of the late father Marusi, who became a musician, but suddenly disappeared eight years ago. It turns out that Mitya was in love with Marusya many years ago, to which she reciprocated. A few months after his mysterious disappearance, she meets Kotov, who is seeking her hand, despite a significant difference in age and origin.
Soon he tells Nadia that it was precisely on the orders of her father, Sergei Petrovich Kotov, that he was forced to leave Marusya many years ago and go abroad. He obeyed so as not to create problems for the family of his beloved.
Between the commander Kotov and Mitya, a verbal dialogue duel soon took place. Sergei Petrovich reminds his opponent that he did not tell how he was recruited by Soviet intelligence back in 1922, since then he has been an agent of the NKVD. It happened long before they met. The legendary division commander from Nikita Mikhalkov’s film “Burnt by the Sun” Sergei Kotov claims that most of the tasks Mitya had to carry out were frankly dirty. These are executions and abductions of the leaders of the White Guard movement in which they introduced him.
In addition, Kotov lets him know that he understands the true purpose of his visit. Mitya came now to arrest the divisional commander. He agrees, noting that he hopes for a full confession of guilt by the officer, his confirmation of his espionage activities and the preparation of an attempt on Stalin.
Trip out of town
At that time, Kotov was absolutely sure that his friendship with Stalin should save him from criminal prosecution. Arsentiev is convinced of the opposite, so they try not to spoil the last hours before the arrest. They decided to disguise him as a trip out of town. They go on a mini-journey with their colleagues Mitya, who are called "philharmonists", although in reality they are agents of the NKVD.
The main protagonist in this tape is Nadia, who is delighted with everything that happens on this day. This courage and heroism of her father, a new acquaintance with Uncle Mitya, who plays the piano great, knows a lot of amazing things. In addition, in the evening they promise to "give the taxi."
Denouement
When the girl is dropped out of the car, Kotov, under the leadership of Mitya, is brutally beaten in the same car. Then the NKVD agents brutally crack down on a truck driver who becomes an accidental witness. After that, the division commander realizes that he will never return to his dacha near Moscow.
From the epilogue, the viewer learns that Kotov was found guilty of espionage and shot already in August 1936. A few days after the incident, his wife Maria was arrested, four years later she died in the camp. Together with her, Nadya was also imprisoned, who went through the GULAG and lived to see the "Khrushchev thaw," when she and her parents were completely rehabilitated.
In the last scenes of the film, Mitya opens her veins while lying in a bathtub overlooking the Kremlin.
Burnt by the Sun 2
Once again played by Sergei Kotov Nikita Mikhalkov in the film "Burnt by the Sun 2". In 2010 and 2011, she came out in two parts with the subtitles "Anticipation" and "Citadel".
It turns out that the division commander convicted under the "political" article still managed to avoid being shot. His accusation was reclassified to the article "Theft". After the Germans bombed the camp, which contained the main character, he falls into the penalty battalion.
The grown daughter Nadezhda by this time serves in the medical unit. Mitya Arsentiev survived after a suicide attempt, married Marusa.
Beria and Stalin learn about Kotov, who miraculously escaped death, instruct the NKVD to find him.
Real prototype
The protagonist of the painting Burnt by the Sun is a completely fictional character. This was repeatedly stated by Mikhalkov himself. It was all the more surprising to discover that a real prototype of Kotov’s divisional commander still existed.
This is the former head of the Lipetsk Higher Flight and Tactical School. He was also the division commander; in 1937 he was arrested on political charges. Only, unlike the movie character, he could not escape death.
It should be noted that the real and the fictional Kotov only has the same last name. The name is the real commander Nikolai Yakovlevich. At the same time, much coincides in their biography. The wife's name is Maria, both commanders have daughters.
Both were participants in the Civil War, fought under the command of Tukhachevsky. In particular, they helped to suppress the anti-communist uprising in the Tambov region.
Screen Kotov, having escaped execution, participated in the Great Patriotic War. The same fate awaited the son of Nikolai Yakovlevich Kotov, who was arrested with his mother and sister as a member of the "enemy of the people" family.
The difference from the screen image
Despite some similarities, the real Kotov is very different from the character played by Nikita Mikhalkov. Nikolai Yakovlevich was born in 1893 in Pavlograd on the territory of the modern Dnepropetrovsk region in Ukraine. He grew up in a family of landowner nobles.
Having studied at the gymnasium, he entered the Novorossiysk University in Odessa, then transferred to the cadet infantry school, graduated from it shortly before the First World War. He built a successful career at the front, quickly becoming a lieutenant colonel.
Nikolai Kotov joined the Red Army in 1918. Two years later he became a member of the Communist Party, although before that he was one of the Social Revolutionaries. He fought on the Southern Front, contributing to the defeat of the White movement in the Crimea. For some time he served as chairman of the revolutionary committee of the Pavlograd district, led the military garrison in Odessa, was the military commissar in Kharkov, and the chief of defense of the Dnieper and Black Sea coasts. Under his command, a brigade, a rifle regiment, and even a whole division went into battle.
After the civil war
In the USSR, Nikolai Kotov graduated from higher courses, post-graduate studies, became the chief of staff of the Frunze Military Academy. After that, he unexpectedly finds himself in Lipetsk, the head of the flight tactical school. This can be regarded as a significant demotion.
Apparently, the division commander was already in disgrace then, which a few years later ended in arrest and execution.
Call to Moscow
Biography of Nikolai Kotov ends tragically. In the summer of 1936 he was summoned to Moscow, hinting that he was considering his transfer to the Leningrad Military District and appointment to a more prestigious post. On the road he is being arrested.
Today, thanks to the efforts of his descendants, the circumstances of this case have become known. Kotov was accused of spying for Germany, of participating in a fascist conspiracy whose goal was to restore capitalism and overthrow the socialist system. Nikolai Yakovlevich was suspected of sabotage and subversive activity, which he allegedly conducted in the Red Army.
From the interrogation materials it follows that Kotov did not hide his critical attitude about the state of affairs in the Soviet troops. He ends his testimony with the conclusion that aviation is not ready for war.
The commander was shot at the very beginning of 1938. The trial lasted only one day. Following almost immediately, his wife Maria, daughter Irina and son Vladimir were arrested. All were sentenced to long sentences.
Irina and Maria were released in 1946, after which they were able to return to Lipetsk. Vladimir in 1942 was transferred to the penal battalion, after receiving a wound, his criminal record was withdrawn.