For the sixth decade of the audience in our country and far beyond its borders, three characters have been laughing - Trus, Dunce and Experienced. They were invented by director Leonid Gaidai in the late fifties after his film “Groom from the Other World” did not endure ideological censorship. The plot of the new short film was based on a humorous short story by Stepan Oleinik about unlucky poachers.
“Dog Watchdog and Unusual Cross” became the first part of an entire epic, but at the time the script was approved, on the very eve of the new 1961, the director himself still did not know how many films about Coward, Dunce and Experienced he would have to film.
Silent Comedies
In the first two short films-short stories that fit into the framework of movie anecdotes, the characters did not talk. In the best traditions of silent cinema, all sound accompaniment was limited to fun or comically-tragic music. The exception was a song about the moonshine still, composed by actors Morgunov and Vitsin, which their heroes praised the illegal and low-esteem business, that is, in modern terms, counterfeit alcohol production, and indicated their awareness of the possible legal consequences of their own actions. All the humor of “Unusual Cross” and “Moonshiners” consisted of funny episodes that arose during chases (first from the dog, then after her) and other gags. Counting the amount of sugar on a slide rule looks ridiculous , the unexpected result of unraveling a Coward wrapped in a curtain, two-way detour of a tree with its skis, and many other episodes. But the heroes certainly had to speak, all the more so since full-length feature films replaced the short format.
Operation Y and Shurik
In 1962, Leonid Gaidai filmed several stories of O. Henry. In the film “Business People”, Vitsin and Nikulin played, they showed themselves to be wonderful actors outside the format set by “Unusual Cross-Country” and “Moonshiners”, but the director decided to use them in the next comedy, the main character of which was student Shurik. Three characters, previously almost dumb, spoke up during Operation Y. Their role has not changed; Coward, Dunce and Experienced sought to earn money in a not very honest way, but without committing serious crimes. Their criminal aspirations so far are limited to offenses punishable by administrative procedure or a short time.
Coward's Legal Issues
The character of Vitsin demonstrates his acquaintance with the RSFSR Criminal Code, he holds this book in his hands, and, unlike the other two heroes, he obviously only studies it theoretically. "What does it mean to neutralize?" - that’s what Coward asked Balbes and received a gesture in response, indicating a certain physical effect on the watchman. "The second paragraph of Article 193" (light bodily harm, beatings, etc. in relation to officials), - he immediately qualifies the impending punishment (up to 3 years), but the customer reassures him: an elderly "grandmother will be guarded by the base dandelion".
"Burglary or not?" “That's what Coward asked.” Dunce did not have this question; he is an experienced person.
According to the plan, the coward had to ask the guard an unexpected question in order to distract his attention from the task of guarding the base. At first, he tries to find out the location of the library at 2 o’clock in the morning, but the manager criticizes him for this (but in vain, this would be unexpected). Ultimately, the "converter" stops at the phrase "How many degrees are now below zero?" - that’s what Coward asked Dunce during the training “break-in” of the raid.
Psychological portraits
Unlike previous films by Gaidai, filmed with the participation of Nikulin, Morgunov and Vitsin, “Prisoner of the Caucasus” is a full-length film with a single plot from beginning to end. Swindlers - "guest performers" who came to one of the Caucasian republics of the USSR in search of easy money, suddenly receive a large order. Instead of teaching local youth to twist and sessions of playing dominoes at the same time, they have to steal a bride for the great head of the district level, Comrade Saakhov. In this film, the crime, with all its comic background, is quite serious. This is a kidnapping.
More clearly than in previous comedies, psychological portraits of characters are indicated. Experienced laconic, Dunce loves to joke and even sing, and Coward is cunning. He may well, taking the opportunity, appropriate a part of the total production, as in the case of ten ruble, adhered to his sole. This "feint with ears" was a success for him. “Whose shoe?” - all that Coward asked Dunce and Experienced after they threw a shoe at him.
Gaidaevsky comedies with a "trinity"
There were four comedies in total: “Dog Watchdog and Unusual Cross” and “Moonshiners” appeared on the wide screen in 1961, then with a four-year break “Operation Y” and Shurik’s other adventures, and then the last picture with the participation of the famous and beloved trinity "The Caucasian Captive, or the New Adventures of Shurik" (1966). All the films turned out to be extremely successful, the ensemble of three actors, composed by Yuri Nikulin, Evgeni Morgunov and Georgy Vitsin, exuded lively folk humor, setting the general atmosphere on the set, which affected the result. The whole country repeated aphorisms - “pearls”, which comrades Saakhov, the head of the base Petukhov and other heroes of that time spoken from the screen, including Trus, Dunce and Experienced. Discussion of production and personal issues in smoking rooms and in the kitchens did not do without the phrases “everything has been stolen before us,” “you argue politically,” “but it’s even better to live well.” Attendance at cinemas in which comedies featuring the fun three were shown broke all records. The charm of anti-heroes often outweighed the educational meaning inherent in the script.