Her roles aroused the desire to imitate millions of Soviet women. The images embodied by her on the screen made the hearts of many men beat faster, but her love was given only to Sergei Gerasimov. She was next to him in life, in thoughts, and in creativity.
The first lady of Soviet cinema Tamara Makarova
Soviet Greta Garbo was called by Tamara Makarova contemporaries. Her image inspired new creative achievements of the brilliant director S. Gerasimov. After filming in the paintings "Stone Flower" and "Masquerade", she was invited to Hollywood for the role of the main character in the film "War and Peace", but refused to shoot. Actresses of the USSR should not be filmed in the West, and even to nothing, because she - an actress, wife and associate - very often got the main roles in the films of the brilliant director S. Gerasimov.
Tamara Makarova. Biography
The future star of Soviet cinema was born in St. Petersburg in 1907 in the family of a Russian military doctor. From childhood, the girl developed creative inclinations, and already in her teens Tamara Makarova was seriously interested in ballet art and theater. In 1924, after graduation, he entered the creative Foregger Workshop, later called the GITIS Workshop No. 2. It is here that she meets Sergey Gerasimov, with whom her whole future life will be connected.
The film debut took place in 1927, Makarova gets the role of typist Dudkina in the film "Alien Jacket." She got to the set literally from the street thanks to her acquaintance with the assistant director. But, apparently, this was a happy accident, and it was here that for the second time in her life she crossed with Sergei Gerasimov, who also starred in this picture. Young people fell in love, so the marriage and creative union of two great people - T. Makarova and S. Gerasimov was formed. All subsequent life of the young actress was devoted to her husband.
By the time Tamara Makarova appeared in the paintings of Gerasimov, the actress was already a man who had already taken part in the profession. She managed to work with outstanding directors of that time I.A. Pyryev and V.I. Pudovkin, very often acted in films with her husband. Their first joint work as a director and actress appeared on the screens of the country in 1934. It was the film "Do I Love You?", Unfortunately, has not survived to this day. The real sensation was made by the tape “Seven Brave” in 1936. During the war years, Tamara Makarova worked as a nurse, a Sandruzhina and instructor of the Political Administration, remaining until 1943 in Leningrad.
Tamara Makarova. Personal life of a star
In 1943, the family of Makarova and Gerasimov was evacuated to Tashkent. Here they have an adopted son Arthur, who later receives from his adoptive parents the name of his mother, and his middle name from his father. Arthur was the nephew of the actress, his parents were repressed. The spouses did not have native children.
Outwardly, the family looked like a completely prosperous and happy couple. A magnificent actress and talented director, both teachers of VGIK, laureates of many awards, outstanding public figures, People's artists of the USSR. But friends and acquaintances of the couple argue that behind the screen mask of a restrained socialite often resentment, disappointment and tears were skillfully hidden. An enthusiastic Gerasimov with an unbridled disposition often gave rise to jealousy. Neither his students nor the actresses starring in his films could resist him. But Tamara Makarova was a wise woman and never brought emotions to the public. All this remained at the level of gossip and gossip. They always held shoulder to shoulder. Later, after the death of her husband, Tamara Makarova wrote in her book “Afterword”: “Everything that I lived through is interesting. If the miracle were possible, I would repeat everything again and marry Gerasimov ... "
Educational activities
Since 1944, Makarova has been working at VGIK, and in 1968 she became a professor. Many prominent actors of our time recall Tamara Makarova as an outstanding teacher with inexhaustible personal charm and a sense of tact. Ten issues of VGIK, where Makarova was a professor, consider her and Sergei Gerasimov their second parents. Among their students were Inna Makarova, Natalya Belokhvostikova, Lyudmila Gurchenko, Evgeny Zharikov, Lidiya Fedoseeva-Shukshina, Sergey Nikonenko, Zhanna Bolotova, Sergey Bondarchuk, Natalya Fateeva, Nikolai Eremenko Jr. All of them later became famous actors and always remember their mentors with warmth and love.
Graduate of the course Makarova, People's Artist of Russia L. Luzhina, says that Tamara Fedorovna was taking care of her students not only within the walls of the institute, but also beyond. The leaders of the creative workshop always took care that their students had work, and very often the care was shown not only in creative matters, but also in everyday ones. Tamara Fyodorovna spent her time shopping with college students, helping to make choices in clothes or shoes, and she often paid for purchases herself.
Memory on film
In the filmography of the great actress, about thirty roles. The last joint work of the creative couple was the film “Leo Tolstoy” (1994), where the role of Tolstoy was played by S. Gerasimov, and Tamara Makarova embodied the image of the wife of the great writer and thinker. At the international film festival in Karlovy Vary, the ribbon was awarded the Crystal Globe prize.
Gerasimov died in 1985, and Tamara Makarova was not filmed anywhere else. She preferred to be less in public and led an almost reclusive lifestyle. The great actress died on January 20, 1997.