In 1956, the newspaper Pravda published Sholokhov's story, "The Fate of Man." The work caused a wide resonance. The stormy reaction was caused not only by a touching plot, but also by the image of the hero. Former prisoner of war in the postwar years, automatically ranked as "enemies of the people." In just three years, the situation in the country has changed. During the life of Stalin, Sholokhov would not have printed the story. And, of course, the film "The Fate of Man" would not have been released.
Actor Sergei Bondarchuk in 1956 was already quite famous. The popularity came to him thanks to the paintings "Young Guard", "Taras Shevchenko." But after taking off in his career, there was a lull. Then the actor decided to do the directing. The sensational story about a man who knew all the horrors of war became successful material for his debut work.
The film "The Fate of Man" (1959)
Actor Sergei Bondarchuk at first did not inspire confidence in the Soviet classic. Sholokhov doubted that this polished, urban man would be able to embody the image of Andrei Sokolov, a simple village resident, on the screen. But when the lead actor in the film "The Fate of Man" - actor Bondarchuk - once during the filming, dressed in the clothes of his hero, knocked on the writer's door (the film was created in the native land of a prose writer), he did not recognize him immediately when he opened the door. Then he smiled and did not show any more distrust.
The script for the film was written by Yuri Lukin. His co-author was Fedor Shakhmagonov. Two years before the premiere of the film "The Fate of Man", actor and director Sergei Bondarchuk presented the script to the artistic council. And almost immediately he got the go-ahead to shoot.
"The Fate of Man": actors and roles
The director initially decided to play the main character in the film adaptation of Sholokhov himself, without even considering other candidates. The desire to fulfill this role became for him for some time the main purpose of life. Andrei Sokolovâs wife was played by Zinaida Kiriyenko. A year before the release of "The Fate of Man", the actress played in another adaptation of Sholokhov - "Quiet Don".
The role of the LagerfĂŒhrer Mueller, it was decided to entrust Yuri Averin. Sokolovâs neighbor is Pavel Volkov. For the role in the film "The Fate of Man", the actors were mostly picked up quickly. Problems arose in the search for a young artist who could play the adopted son of the protagonist.
Pavlik Boriskin
Bondarchuk revised a large number of candidates, but not a single boy was suitable for the role of Vanya. Once the director went to the Cinema House during a demonstration of a children's film. There he hoped to see a boy who could create a touching image of an orphan on the screen. Sergey Fedorovich was not mistaken. Even before the start of the film, he drew attention to Pavlik Polunin, who came to the House of Cinema, accompanied by his father. On the same day, the director spoke with the boy's parents and received their consent.
Pavel Boriskin was born in 1953. Parents divorced in 1958, during the filming of "The Fate of Man." The actor was brought up by Eugene Polunin, who a few years later married the boyâs mother and gave him his last name. The performer of the role of Vanya played in several more films: âAnnushkaâ, âFirst Dateâ, âTowards Dawnâ. Several times I tried to enter VGIK. However, unsuccessfully. Pavel Polunin changed several professions, today lives in Zheleznodorozhny, works as a taxi driver.
Sokolov and Muller
The culmination scene in the plot, according to critics, is not Sokolovâs meeting with Vanyushka, but his moral duel with MĂŒller. The commandant of the camp calls the Soviet prisoner and offers him a drink for the victory of the German army. Sokolov, before the war, as the audience knows, who abused alcohol, replies: "Thank you, but I'm not a drinker." And then, when the LagerfĂŒhrer offers him to âmarkâ his own death, without hesitation, he drinks a glass of vodka.
This scene, like no other, characterizes the hero of Bondarchuk. But itâs worth a few words to say about the actor who played the negative hero.
Yuri Averin
The actor played a few roles in the movie. In this case, until the beginning of the 60s, the Germans primarily played. The actor made his film debut in the Immortal Garrison. Then he played in the films "History Lesson", "Daughter of Stration." In each of these paintings embodied the image of a German officer. Later played on the screen, as a rule, images of negative characters.
Other actors
Pavel Vinnik and Evgeny Teterin played in the film about a simple Soviet man who grabbed âa grizzly on his nostrilsâ. The first embodied on the screen the image of a Soviet officer. The second played a writer. Pavel Vinnik made his debut in the film "Brave People", performed in the movie more than a hundred roles. Eugene Teterin during his forty-year career has played a wide variety of characters: Soviet soldiers, Germans, and Shakespearean heroes.
Lev Borisov played the role of a platoon in the film "The Fate of Man." Soviet prisoners were played by Victor Markin, Evgeny Ivanov, Vladimir Kudryashev, Andrey Puntus, Nikolai Pechentsov, Nikolai Oparin.
The film caused great delight among the audience. He entered the golden fund of domestic cinema. A few decades after the release of the film about the veracity of Sholokhovâs book, and therefore the reliability of the film shot on it, they began to argue. But such doubts did not extinguish spectator love. "The fate of man" was and remains one of the most insightful stories about perseverance, heroism and mercy.