Many worthy historical films presented Soviet cinema to the world. One of these films is The Prisoner of If Castle. The actors who starred in the film based on the novel by A. Dumas “The Count of Monte Cristo”, once again thundered throughout the country thanks to their skill and talent. After all, playing historical characters is quite difficult, and foreign - even more so. Which of the Soviet artists decided on such an experiment?
"Prisoner of If Castle": Viktor Vasilievich Avilov
The film consists of three parts. The script for each was written by Mark Zakharov and George Yungvald-Khilkevich based on the novel by Alexander Dumas about the famous Count of Monte Cristo. Victor Vasilievich Avilov embodied on the screens the image of that very legendary count.
The history of Monte Cristo is not easy: at first he was slandered by his close associates, then he was imprisoned for 14 years, but he managed to escape and find treasures on the island of Monte Cristo. After this, the count returns to his native places and discovers that all his enemies live a rich and well-fed life. He brutally deals with them, but after the revenge took place, he understands that she did not bring him relief.
Jungwald-Khilkevich, who directed the film, entrusted this difficult role to an actor with a rich biography. Victor Avilov did not immediately become an artist: at first the young man turned out to be a graduate of the Moscow Industrial College, then he served in the army, and then worked as a driver. In a word, I managed to see life. Maybe that’s why the artist managed to cope with such a difficult role and earn all-Union fame in an instant.
Avilov can also be seen in the film “Maskard” as Arbenin, in the film “The Art of Living in Odessa” as Vladislav Simen, as well as in the project “The Musketeers Twenty Years Later”.
"Prisoner of If Castle": actors. Dvorzhetsky
If Avilov played Monte Cristo at a more mature age, then Dvorzhetsky is the very prisoner of If castle. The actors divided among themselves the various stages of the protagonist's life: Dvorzhetsky got a period when Monte Cristo still bore the name of Edmond Dantes and languished in the fortress on a false charge, and Avilov entered the game when Dantes already escaped from prison and became so rich that he bought a new title and surname. Also Eugene Dvorzhetsky played the role of Albert de Morser in the film.
Evgeny Vatslavovich played in many good Soviet films: in 1984 he appears in the drama “Two Hussars”, in 1986 he plays Putter in the biographical film “Mikhailo Lomonosov”, in 1988 he gets the main role in the psychological drama “Dissident”.
In the post-Soviet period, Eugene Dvorzhetsky does not lose popularity: he plays Heinrich Anjou in Queen Margot, King Henry III in Countess de Monsoro, a terrorist in the Siberian Barber. He would continue to act in films, if not for the tragic accident, which cut short the life of the artist at 39 years old.
Alexey Petrenko as Abbot Faria
Alexei Petrenko got the role of Abbot Faria in the film "Prisoner of If Castle". Actors Petrenko and Dvorzhetsky, or rather their characters - the abbot and prisoner Dantes - meet in If Castle. Faria not only contributes to the spiritual formation of the hero, but also tells him before his own death a secret telling about the location of the treasures.
Alexey Petrenko during his long career as an artist served in many Russian theaters: them. Lensoviet, MDT on Malaya Bronnaya, Moscow Art Theater and many others.
Petrenko has been acting in films since 1967, and for the first time he appeared in the melodrama "Day of the Sun and Rain" by Viktor Sokolov. Then there were the paintings King Lear, Twenty Days Without War, Leo Tolstoy, and The Cruel Romance. Alexei Petrenko appears on the set until now: his last role is the Soviet writer in the film "The Departing Nature" (2014).
Anna Samokhina as Mercedes
Beauty Anna Samokhina took part in the filming of the film when she was already 24 years old. By that time, she had graduated from the Yaroslavl Theater School and managed to work for some time in the Youth Theater of Rostov-on-Don.
"Prisoner of If Castle" has almost become a film debut for a young actress. Immediately after this picture, Samokhin was invited to the sensational crime film "Thieves in Law", where she played with Valentin Gaft and Boris Shcherbakov. Heroine got an excessively depraved and shocking. Anna Vladlenovna herself later wondered how she could have agreed to shoot, because she is a believer and has nothing to do with her heroine. However, it was this role that made the actress very popular.
Subsequently, Samokhina starred in such famous films as “Imperial Hunt”, “Racket”, “Don Cesar de Bazan”, “Tartuffe”, “The Black Raven”, “Gangster Petersburg”. Unfortunately, the actress, having lived a very stormy life, died at 48 of stomach cancer.
Other actors
The painting "Prisoner of If Castle" was simply replete with famous names. The role of the main villain - Fernand de Morser - was played by Mikhail Boyarsky (Three Musketeers). His accomplice - Danglara - played by Alexei Zharkov ("Ten Little Indians").
The role of Danglar's wife went to Yana Poplavskaya (the fairy tale "Little Red Riding Hood"). In addition, Arnis Licitis, Igor Sklyar, Vladimir Steklov, Vsevolod Shilovsky and even the director of the film, Jungvald-Khilkevich, appeared in the frame.