In the courtyard of 1977, the stagnation period in the USSR will soon end, and director Jan Fried will finally take up his main business - filming a musical film. It will be based on the play “Dog in the Hay”, written by one of the most industrious playwrights and short stories of Spain - Lope de Vega. Consider the story of the creation, the actors who played the main roles, and the wonderful location of the film "The Dog in the Hay."
Crimean peninsula
For many years, the Crimean peninsula served as a filming location for filmmakers. Some of the paintings gained love and fame among Soviet viewers. The film “The Dog in the Hay” by Jan Fried was no exception.
Spectators, who first saw the picture, are surely wondering: where was the film “Dog in the Hay” made? Since filmmakers needed to recreate Spain, they chose Livadia Palace and its park for in-kind filming. Internal scenes were filmed in the pavilion. The film crew worked daily from eight in the morning until eight in the evening, and the excursions were by no means canceled. Witnesses of this titanic work are locals and travelers.
Livadia Palace
Two kilometers from Yalta, in the Yalta region in the village of Livadia is the Livadia Palace. The architect of the building is Nikolai Petrovich Krasnov.
The place where they shot "The Dog in the Hay" (a two-part film directed by Jan Fried) is striking in its graceful beauty. Built in a light Italian style, the snow-white palace once served as a resting place for Russian emperors. The Holy Cross Exaltation Church, owned by the Romanov dynasty, was erected nearby.
The Crimean peninsula itself, where they shot "The Dog in the Hay" - the legendary musical comedy, as well as some other films, is one of the regions where people are involved in the culture of Ancient Greece and Rome. Apparently, therefore, this place has always attracted artists who wish to film adaptation of classical authors.
Palace History
In 1835, a small Crimean Tatar village changed its name to Livadia. The name, according to ancient Greek mythology, means "entrance to paradise." Then a landscape park was laid and a palace began to be built. Since 1861, the complex has become the site of the summer residence of Emperor Alexander II and his family. It is known that Emperor Alexander the Second, whom the people dubbed the Merciful, died in the palace in 1894.
Another historical fact that cannot be ignored is the meeting of the leaders of the three great powers: Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin in February 1945.
Director Jan Fried
Director Jan Fried had an amazing ability to discover new talents. He began making music films at the age when many are already ending their careers - at 69 years old. This wonderful director and screenwriter has lived 95 years. In the mid-twentieth century, he only shot documentaries, while dreaming of staging art paintings. Finally, he managed to film the play of William Shakespeare "Twelfth Night" with a wonderful cast. These are Clara Luchko, Mikhail Yanshin, George Vitsin, Alla Larionova and other outstanding personalities.
The director invited only famous actors to his films, but showed them in a completely new, unusual perspective. So, in “Bat”, the famous Solomins brothers discovered themselves as operetta heroes, and in “Silva” the director introduced Pavel Kadochnikov and Ivar Kalnins in a new way .
Approximately the same story happened with wonderful actors in the movie "Dog in the Hay." And although professional singers sang for them (except for Mikhail Boyarsky and Nikolai Karachentsov), this film not only did not suffer, but also won, as professional actors skillfully staged themselves as vocalists.
The place where they shot "The Dog in the Hay" is the Soviet musical comedy
Film lovers just have to walk around the park and around the palace, as they can easily find the place where the Marquis (Nikolai Karachentsov) performed the serenade “The crown of creation is wondrous Diana” under the countess’s balcony. Local actors of the amateur opera sang along with him.
Next to the wrought-iron grille of the courtyard of the palace is a bench on which Diana cried, and the place where Marquis and Cousin (Dmitriev) watched her slaps in the face. Unfortunately, the favorite Theodoro bench disappeared, which the museum employees nicknamed Boyarsky's bench, and the fountain, from which Diana and Theodoro sorted out the relationship.
The plot of the picture
Answering the question “Where was the film“ Dog in the Hay ”filmed?”, We consider the plot of the film. Theodoro (Mikhail Boyarsky) - Secretary of Countess Diana de Bellefleur (Margarita Terekhova) - fell out of boredom in love with the maid of Countess Marcela (Elena Proklova). Noticing his hobby, the countess suddenly begins to be jealous of the secretary, but to declare her love to the proud and high-handed Diana, who mocked her rich and noble suitors (Nikolai Karachentsev, Igor Dmitriev), more than strength. Moreover, Theodoro, as they say, "without clan and tribe."
Feeling the love of his mistress, Theodoro forgets about Marseille and enjoys Diana, but according to the rules, they are not destined to be together, as the countess’s prejudices take up. She finds herself in the position of a dog in the hay. He doesn’t want to confess his love, but he cannot let him be on the other. Suddenly, the crafty servant and friend of Theodoro - Tristan (Armen Dzhigarkhanyan) comes to the rescue. He offers the main character of the film to become a noble nobleman.
Films shot in the USSR
Where was the film “Dog in the Hay” and many other comedies of the Soviet era? The answer to this question is of interest to many viewers. It is not known why, but the Livadia Palace of His Imperial Majesty served as the filming location for many films. The peninsula is loved by ordinary citizens and rulers of the country, so many directors used pictures against the backdrop of the Crimean landscape. So, in 1954, the Mosfilm film studio held several scenes in the palace. It was the film "We met somewhere." And in 1955-1967, in the Italian courtyard, the film "Othello", "Twelfth Night", "Gadfly" and "Anna Karenina" were shot.
In 1982, the courtyard of the Livadia Palace was used in the filming of such a serious picture as “The Return of the Resident”.
What was the fate of the actors of the film “Dog in the Hay”
The year 1977 is in the yard. They are making the film “Dog in the Hay”, where in one scene Countess Diana de Bellefleur must hit Teodoro so that blood gushes out of his nose. The young actor Mikhail Boyarsky shortly before this accidentally stepped on the hem of Terekhova’s dress. The skirt came off, which attracted the attention of all members of the crew and sightseers. Apparently, in revenge Terekhova so hit Boyarsky that blood really came from his nose.
This was the only case of a “fight”; throughout the entire working process, the entire film group behaved very correctly. Margarita Terekhova after the role of the capricious Countess Diana greatly increased the number of fans on duty at night at her door.
For Boyarsky, the film became a kind of ticket to life. After seeing the picture, the director Jungwald-Khilkevich invited the actor to his musical about musketeers, giving him the main role of a smart Gascon. And the place where they shot "The Dog in the Hay" - the Livadia Palace - became a favorite not only for believing pilgrims, but also for all fans of the film.