The brilliant movie "Watch Out for the Car" was released in 1966. The film has already become a cult for domestic viewers. And not only. Filming began a year before the premiere and took place mainly in the capital of the Soviet Union. Several episodes were filmed in Odessa. But all in order.
The idea
In the first half of the 60s, the director Eldar Ryazanov, already famous for his film entitled "Carnival Night", was in a painful search for a plot for a new film. Then he met the screenwriter Emil Braginsky. This meeting as a result has turned into a long-term cooperation.
It was they who accidentally learned about a certain Soviet "Robin Hood." This man stole cars of people who lived on unearned income. After that, he sold cars, and transferred all funds to some orphanages. Of this money, he basically never took anything.
Many claimed that all these events took place in Odessa. Others are in St. Petersburg or in Moscow. Still others believed that all this was in Rostov. And, finally, the fourth were sure that the crimes of this noble hijacker were committed in Kuibyshev. Not for nothing that several years ago a monument to Detochkin was even erected in this city.
Be that as it may, Ryazanov and Braginsky were seriously interested in this story. After some time, they wrote a script and filming began.
Cast
Yuri Nikulin, Leonid Kuravlev and Oleg Efremov auditioned for the role of the main character. The latter, as a result, was offered to play the investigator Podberezovikov. He, of course, agreed, but noticed that it was much more interesting for him to play the role of Detochkin after all.
As a result, Ryazanov persuaded to play this character I. Smoktunovsky. He vowed that in extreme cases he was ready to transfer the effect of the painting from the Soviet capital to St. Petersburg. He said that he would create truly royal conditions for him to continue his work.
The duet of Anatoly Papanov and Andrei Mironov first appeared in this tape. Ryazanov has just met with the latter. And this acquaintance was very fruitful. Over the next two decades, they sincerely sympathized with each other. Although some roughness happened between them.
As for Papanov, when the film was already formed, Ryazanov admitted that the actor played very brightly. Those sayings that were created by Papanov became the leitmotif of the whole picture.
First frames
Where did the Beware of the Car shoot take place? It is curious, but at the beginning of the tape, an off-screen voice claimed that in which city this story actually happened, it is difficult to say. Although the main character mentioned that when he sold the last stolen car, he returned to the Soviet capital. In a word, the events “Beware of the car” took place nevertheless in Moscow.
At the very beginning of the film, the protagonist awaits a trolley bus, which is driven by his beloved woman - Lyuba. Detochkin stood on Razin Street, which is currently called Varvarka.
Meanwhile, the lover of the car thief could not talk to him, and her trolley began to descend to Nogin Square. Now it is called "Barbarian Gate".
Incidentally, there was a pedestrian crossing at this point of the filming of "Watch Out for the Car". Currently functioning and underground.
By the way, this episode was shot in two stages. On this territory, the film crew worked in August and September 1965.
Metro bridge
The following frames are related to the direct professional activities of Detochkin. He worked as an insurance agent and in this particular case insured the property of another hero of the tape - Dima. This role was entrusted to perform by Andrei Mironov.
Where was "Watch Out for the Car" (1967 film) filmed? Specifically, this episode was shot in the Moscow pavilion at the very end of December 1965. But after this, new shots appear with views of the capital. So, the main character walked along the street and for the first time saw the Volga of a Mironovsky character. Behind - one of the Moscow metro bridges on which a passing train was captured.
This location of the film "Watch Out for the Car" is located between the Borodino and Novoarbatsky bridges. In the background the building is also shot. Note that now it looks the same as fifty years ago.
But in general, if desired, such an angle is no longer possible to remove. The fact is that there was also a superstructure tunnel that closes the desired view. However, we will return to this area.
Volga
On the next scene, the hero of Andrei Mironov reappears. Filming took place on August 6 of the same year. Mironov, reincarnated as the image of Dima, moved his Volga car along the street. Then the car made a left turn and stopped. After that, the car continued its movement and crossed the street. If you take a closer look at the buildings, you can immediately see that Mironov was driving along Sretenka. Curiously, tram rails are also visible there. The fact is that in those days this public transport actually walked along this street.
In addition, one can notice not only the corner building in which the Thrift Store was located, but also the church. True, this temple was then closed. It has ceased to function since the events of October 1917. At the very beginning of 1960, this building housed an exhibition called "The Soviet Navy." By the way, in this episode the last two words of this sign can be fleetingly noticed.
From the church, the hero of Mironov turned left and got out of the car. In those days there was a tobacco kiosk nearby. These episodes were filmed in the period from August 17 to August 20, 1965. But the cigarette seller was removed on the sixth of August.
"Commission"
When the character of Mironov parked the car, he headed to the “commission room”, about which we spoke above. Note that this store is working now. Only now it is called "Flowers on Sretenka."
So, the hero, moving towards the store, crossed Rozhdestvensky Boulevard. And Detochkin did his best to follow his movements. He hid around the corner of the church, and then decided to cross the road. This episode was shot at the very beginning of the fall of 1965.
The next scene in the film “Watch Out for the Car” (1966) is Mironov’s trade in a thrift store. The hero of Mironov is trying to persuade a customer to purchase a Grundig tape recorder from him. Galina Volchek starred in the role of a woman. This version was ready on March 15, 1966. The crew worked on the scene until late in the evening. By the way, there was its first option. Moreover, this role was played by a completely different actress.
Dima's party
Another episode of the film is the apartment of the hero Mironov. Within these walls, the party was in full swing. At the same time, Detochkin managed to open the hood of Dima’s car and turn off the alarm. As you can see, the place of theft is the same metro bridge area. The outlines of rather large buildings are clearly visible, which rise on the opposite coast of the Moscow River. On the left you can see the corner of a residential building. At the same time, two windows shine in it.
After a noisy feast, the owner of the apartment with the guests left with an uncertain walk from the entrance, in front of the porch of which the sewer hatch is clearly visible. Incidentally, it has survived to this day.
The entire drunken campaign went around the corner on the left. In front of them is Dima’s favorite Volga car. And behind it is the same metro bridge.
As you know, guests of the character of Mironov were asked to drive him in a car. And he could not refuse. This scene was shot on October 15, 1965. If you pay attention, the camera captures a number of garages and buildings on the other side of the Moscow River.
After a fun car ride, the pacified guests headed home. Dima, like them, went to sleep. This episode was filmed on September 9 of the same year.
Further on the plot, the main character fell into the trap. He managed to free himself from the trap and, limping, he went along the same metro bridge. The construction is on the left. Curiously, on the right you can see a lot of houses. These buildings no longer exist.
As mentioned above, a tunnel was later built. And if the train descends from the bridge, it will not be visible. But in the frame, the composition can be clearly considered.
By the way, part of the turret can be seen above the 2nd lantern. It is clearly visible, and this structure is perfectly preserved.
The scene with the trap was filmed at the very end of September of that year.
According to the storyline, Mironov and Papanov went to a suburban summer cottage. These characters were engaged in building a house. The episode was filmed in Nakhabino. In fact, this area has not changed.
Hijacking
The plot with raising the garage and direct hijacking, which was filmed at night, will not be considered. Since we will return to this again when it becomes known that the Volga was stolen.
So, in the morning the hero of Mironov and his wife were near the garage. They asked their neighbor, who was brilliantly played by Vyacheslav Innocent, to see their car. Note that in the frame you can see that in the background stands a large building on which the sign of the Tourist shop flaunts. Also, when the whole trinity approached the garage door, there were two subway trains. In this case, one train moved uphill, from left to right, and the second, respectively, descended. This means that in the frame the Moscow River was on the right. That is, the hero’s garage of Mironov was located on the opposite side of the metro bridge, opposite their house. And you can see it when just two trains were moving.
This episode was filmed for three days - October 23, 25 and 26, 1965.
"Watch out for the car": where was the scene of the chase taken?
The next scene was the meeting of Detochkin with a representative of the law. He was played by G. Zhzhenov. As you remember, it was he who stopped the main character. His police motorcycle stalled, and Detochkin helped start it. The episode was filmed on September 7, 1965 on the Kiev highway (35th km).
After that, the character of Zhzhenov deigned to lead the main character to the post office, which was located in the hotel building. Note, in the frame it was written "291 post office".
Then the servant of the law checked the cars. These shootings lasted two days - September 30. – October 1 of the same year.
The next episode is truly the most famous. This is a famous pursuit. Where did you shoot the chase in the movie "Watch Out For The Car"? As for stunts, these scenes were shot on the Mashkinsky highway and at the intersection of the Moscow Ring Road and Vnukovo Highway on August 5th. In addition, the crew had to shoot certain moments of this race. It was at the end of October, on the Kurkinskaya highway.
Then at night Detochkin ended up in a trolleybus depot. This plot was filmed in a trolleybus park in Fili. Filming took place on the ninth of November.
Further, Detochkin decided not to engage in theft completely. He threw a hat, gloves and, of course, documents into the Moscow River. After the chase, where did they shoot "Watch Out For The Car"? This place is easy to identify. The main character was under the Bolshoi Ustinsky bridge. A high-rise building is visible behind. It housed the cinema "Illusion".
On the other side of the bridge, near the water, Detochkin was catching his things from the river. Alas, the exact angle is not possible. Otherwise, I would have to go into the water ...
By the way ...
When Detochkin is trying to hide from the chase (where you shot “Watch out for the car”, you already know), the Smoktunovsky understudy was driving the Volga. He was a professional stuntman, and his name was Alexander Mikulin.
The master was able to do absolutely all the tricks. There were no combined shootings at all. He, in fact, was able to jump at full speed under the truck, turn around 180 degrees and hide the car on the slope of the track, so that the law enforcement officers did not find him. Then he raced along the potholes and bumps.
When the "attraction" was removed, Mikulin suggested Ryazanov repeat the trick. And then the director sat down with him in the salon to experience his feelings. Honestly, there wasn’t much need for repetitions at all. The stuntman simply arranged for him some verification. By and large, the director literally worshiped Mikulin.
By the way, in tricks, he used the only machine that was received from the factory conveyor. At the same time, the stuntman did not even have the right to scratch the car. Most importantly, he coped with this difficult task just fine.
Directions Detochkina
Where else did you watch the movie "Watch Out for the Car"? A rather interesting scene is the protagonist's drive on the Volga along the Garden Ring. Detochkin travels to the place where two years later an overpass will appear at the Tsvetnoy Boulevard metro station. His car was moving towards Mayakovskaya metro station.
Lyuba, as the driver of a trolleybus, saw Detochkin’s car at the prohibition signal of a traffic light. She stopped right at the place where a new modern overpass would begin in forty meters.
Then the chase began. Her finale was shot in the opposite direction on this ring. Beloved woman Detochkina moved beyond the Volga. She turned right and drove along the street. Ermolova. At the moment, it is Bolshoi Karetny Lane.
Further, Detochkin decided to call his friend in an amateur theater. He worked as an investigator. The booth where the protagonist called by phone was located on Arbat Square. In addition, from the window you can see the restaurant "Prague".
Then Detochkin went to the prosecutor’s office. He had already approached the porch. This episode was filmed on Lermontovskaya Square. Now it is called the Red Gate.
The final
The recreation center of the Kauchuk enterprise turned into an amateur theater, where the heroes of Smoktunovsky and Efremov played in their free time. True, the main entrance of the institution decided to shoot in Odessa.
For the scenes of the trial, the film crew went to the Mosfilm pavilion. This happened on February 15, 1966. Two days later, an episode was shot with Papanov, when he threw the catch phrase "Freedom to Yuri Detochkin!" A day later they shot the speech of the chief of the main character and the last word of the character Smoktunovsky.
The final scenes were filmed at the very beginning of March of that year. The camera grabbed Taganskaya Square, Nikoloyamskaya Street and the familiar Illusion.
Then Luba's trolleybus was shown. He rode along the overpass, in the Taganskaya area. After that, the camera shot Lyuba in the cockpit. Behind it you can see the Park Kultury metro station. And this means that beloved Detochkina was already driving along the overpass over the Garden Ring. Well, ahead of her was her lover, who was already at large ...
Triumph
The film was released in late spring 1966. At the box office, he took a well-deserved eleventh place. Its audience was twenty-nine million people.
A little later, a number of international film festivals decided to award the film with corresponding diplomas. Then, but in Spain, Smoktunovsky was recognized as the best actor. The next year, the tape was again awarded another diploma. It's about the festival in Melbourne.
In the 80s, the picture was released on video cassettes under the brand name "Goskino USSR Video Program", and a little later - "Close-up".
In the "zero" film appeared on DVD. Moreover, there were not only Russian subtitles, but also a kind of addition, which was called "History of the creation of the picture."
In 2013, a Blu-Ray version of the picture was released. By the way, it was then that it was restored.
In the summer of next year, a color version of the film was released. By the way, the great Ryazanov managed to take part in this process. He died in 2015. And work on the colorization of the picture continued. The premiere of this work took place recently and was timed to the 90th anniversary of the master.