One of the masterpieces of Soviet cinema is considered a film by Evgeny Tashkov "Adjutant of His Excellency." For the first time, viewers saw the picture 48 years ago. Now she is called a Soviet action movie and series at the same time. Although there were five episodes, they looked in one breath. The actors of the film “Adjutant of His Excellency” became popular in an instant, especially the leading actor Yuri Solomin.
They decided to release the film on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of Soviet intelligence. The screenwriters Georgy Seversky, who once served in the Cheka (emergency commission) together with his colleague Igor Bulgaria, the party decided: to write a story about real events that happened with the Soviet intelligence Pavel Vasilyevich Makarov.
White Guards
For the first time on white television screens they showed without grotesque how completely normal people, and the actors of the film “Adjutant of His Excellency” were dressed in real, not fake, uniform of officers of the tsarist army. Prior to this, Soviet cinema did not dare to truthfully reflect the entire diversity of the civil war, all the blows of fate that affected both ordinary people and war commanders. This was surprising, as the whole country was preparing next year to celebrate the centenary of the birth of the leader of the revolution V.I. Lenin.
Almost half a century has passed since the creation of the picture, but still not everyone knows how many intrigues, secrets and dramas the creators and actors of the film “Adjutant of His Excellency” had to overcome.
Director Evgeny Tashkov
The search for the director lasted a long time. Yevgeny Tashkov, who had previously shot the successful film "Major Whirlwind", became the eighth director, who was almost forced to shoot a picture about the Soviet Chekist. Tashkov agreed only by setting his conditions: the script needs to be rewritten.
The plot, the actors of the film “The Adjutant of His Excellency” and the roles that they got are a separate story requiring close attention.
The film was built on real events, but the theme lacked a theme and decided to add several historical events that took place then in Kiev: the defeat of the nationalist center, the exposure of Agent Basov, and so on. The surname of Makarov was changed to Koltsov and the director began to look for suitable actors for his film.
Actors and roles of the series “Adjutant of His Excellency”
The task was not easy. For the role of the protagonist, the director was offered by Mikhail Nozhkin, who had already established himself as the intelligence officer of Bekas in the film "Resident's Error". Yuri Solomin was supposed to star in the small role of counterintelligence Osipov. Unexpectedly for all, the director decided to give the main role to the short and even feeble Yuri Solomin.
The Art Council did not approve of the choice of Evgeny Tashkov. Only thanks to the persistence of the director after the sixth test, Yuri Solomin was approved for the role of Koltsov. For the actor himself, this decision was unexpected.
In the theater, he played characteristic roles, and now he had to focus on the image of a serious man, focused on his mission.
The rest of the cast
Other actors in the film “Adjutant of His Excellency” - Tatyana Ivanitskaya, Viktor Pavlov, Vladislav Strzhelchik, Anatoly Papanov, Evgeny Shutov, Alexander Milokosty, Igor Starygin - also received star roles. So, Igor Starygin, who was very fit for the White Guard form, was remembered in the role of Mickey - the charming junior adjutant of His Excellency.
Victor Pavlov was originally approved for the role of Osipov - the Red Army, and the role of Miron Osadchy unexpectedly. The actor portraying Miron did not come to the shooting, and Victor Pavlov, replacing him, so eloquently declared his love for Ksenia (Lyudmila Chursina) and told about his life that the entire cinema group was sobbing. After this scene, the role of Osadchy passed to Viktor Pavlov.
Tatyana Schukina - love of Pavel Koltsov
Tatyana Ivanitskaya, who played the beloved girl of Pavel Koltsov, was twenty-one years old at the time of filming. She was, according to her own statement, not yet a kissed, chaste girl. Apparently therefore, the scenes with kisses were painfully difficult for her. It became known that Yevgeny Tashkov shot the only “bed” scene, which was very innocent compared to what is being shot now, but it was she who was cut out.
Tatyana Ivanitskaya was not a professional actress, before the film she danced in the ballet of the Russian Folk Choir, so the director’s proposal was completely unexpected for her. For the role of Tatyana Shchukina, the daughter of the white counterintelligence Schukin, several fairly recognizable actresses were tried. However, the director liked Ivanitskaya for her chastity and purity.
For the actors who played in the film “Adjutant of His Excellency”, Tatyana Ivanitskaya and Alexander Milokostoy, this picture became almost the only one in the cinema career. Ivanitskaya returned to ballet, at the same time she graduated from the faculty of economics and the organization of theatrical affairs. She was an assistant to the president of the International Association of Musical Figures.
Other actors and roles of the film “Adjutant of His Excellency”
At the age of thirteen, Alexander Milokosty played Yura Lvov - a boy who suddenly lost everything - with such a strain that he was no different from professional actors. The actor still successfully starred in the popular action movie "Headless Horseman", and the rest of his roles in the films "Iron Island", "Granite Islands" went unnoticed.
All the actors in the film “Adjutant of His Excellency” played in such a way that it was impossible to imagine someone else in their place. Anatoly Papanov in the role of the angel who has seen the views of the father, the Ukrainian chieftain who led the rebel movement, with such humor persuades the red and white to join his bandit group that it is impossible to imagine a young man in his place, like the leader of the gang, Evgeny Petrovich Angel.
Vladislav Strzhelchik in the role of Kovalevsky, even purely outwardly, resembles the true commander of the Volunteer Army, General Vladimir Zenonovich Mai-Mayevsky. The images of the counterintelligence colonel Schukin and his daughter Tatyana are also not fictitious.
Plot of the film
In the story, the Red Scout miraculously falls into the headquarters of General Kovalevsky and becomes his adjutant. They trust him, especially Colonel Lvov (father of Jura), who, together with others, avoids the humiliating death in captivity of the gang of the father of the Angel.
Pavel Koltsov, putting himself in jeopardy, risking his life, circling the finger of the White Guard counterintelligence. He actively conducts diversionary work and only the attentive Yura Lvov understands that Koltsov serves as red. To the boy’s direct question whether he is a spy, Pavel Andreevich also directly gives him the answer and justifies it.
At the end of the fifth series, Captain Koltsov commits a heroic act, knowing that he would be shot for this - he derailed a train with English tanks that were intended to capture Moscow. Koltsov is exposed and the White Guard tribunal renders a verdict: to shoot.
According to the picture, Koltsov dies the death of the brave. In reality, the prototype of captain Pavel Vasilievich Makarov lived to the seventies of the last century, saw the film and, apparently, he liked it.
Conclusion
The film “Adjutant of His Excellency”, photos of the actors and the roles that they embodied, can be found in this article. This film has become a kind of hymn to the White Guards. The cinema authorities did not want to show it on the wide screen and already put it on the shelf. Director Evgeni Tashkov, who put so much effort into making the film, went to see Semyon Tsvigun, deputy chairman of the State Security Committee, who was distinguished by liberal views.
The film was liked by the KGB governing bodies and a document came from them stating that they have no complaints about the film. After a while, the whole country watched with bated breath for captain Koltsov and other heroes of the tape.