The fact that Jean Baptiste Poclean, popularly known as Moliere, is a classic not only of French, but of all world literature, no one doubts. But it is surprising that cinema devoted much less time to this prolific playwright than to others, sometimes much less well-known and deserved. So, from the summer you can recall, perhaps, only the French film adaptation of “Mean” with the great Louis de Funes in the title role and the Soviet “Tartuffe” Jan Fried with Mikhail Boyarsky.
Among the bypassed turned out to be the latest work of the great playwright - "Imaginary Sick." It would seem that interest should be spurred on by the most tragic fate of Moliere. He wrote the play, being at the last stage of tuberculosis, terminally ill, played the main role in it - the suspicious rich Argan. And at the fourth performance of “The Imaginary Patient,” he began a severe coughing fit. That same evening, the beloved playwright and actor of France died without repenting of his theatrical affairs. Yes, in the 17th century, acting was not honored by the church, and actors were forbidden to bury in the consecrated cemetery without repentance. Moliere did not repent, and only the intercession of the
king of France allowed him to be buried, but outside the cemetery, where there were graves of suicides and unbaptized babies.
The play "Imaginary Sick" has become a kind of sad monument to him and his time. Sad, and at the same time very cheerful. After all, Moliere himself “Imaginary Sick” defined as a comedy with music and ballet. The satirical comedy caustically and merrily ridicules the family foundations of society and the medicinal profession (really, someone, and Moliere had a very low opinion of the healers, as well as of other scientific professions of that time - lawyers, judges, teachers).
So, "Imaginary Sick." Moliere. Movie. It would seem that cinema and television love costume films. But in the end, there were not so many attempts to film the light, fun play by Moliere as it might seem. Perhaps we can only recall the Hungarian short film and the German film, which came out, not surprisingly, in the same 1952. The next massive surge of interest in "Imaginary Sick" - 1979, when the film adaptation came out in Italy and the Soviet Union.
At home, in France, Moliere’s last play was embodied on the movie screen only two times - a bit for national classics, you must admit. The first time was in 1971, the main role was played by Michelle Bouquet, the second time “The Imaginary Sick” in France was shot already in the new millennium - in 2008. This time the role went to one of the best French comedians Christian Clavier.
But for us, the Soviet production is of most interest, because its director was a wonderful movie storyteller, known for his children's films - Leonid Nechaev. It is surprising that many people forget about this television movie, recalling the work of Nechaev. But the “Imaginary Sick” in his production is a group of brilliant actors, among them Oleg Efremov, Natalya Gundareva, Tatyana Vasilyeva, Alexander Shirvindt, Rolan Bykov, this is great music by Alexei Rybnikov, stylized in a subtle irony in the spirit of the era.
Unlike the original source, the “Imaginary Sick” of the “Soviet bottling” turned out not to be an evil satire, but rather a good irony over what was happening. Probably, this reflected the personality of Leonid Nechaev, inclined not to criticize, but to make fun, not to mock, but to kindly smile at his heroes and their family circumstances.
So everyone who wants to enjoy a fun costume game, easy mental fun - welcome to Mr. Argan's house, where cleaners and pills, funny pranks and love affairs are waiting for their time, all that the French theater and comedies of Mr. Moliere are famous for.