It is unlikely that there will be someone who did not watch or at least did not hear about this film. A classic of the Soviet screen, the comedy of 1968 was recognized as one of the best in the history of Russian cinema. The creators and the actors themselves will tell about the history of the film. “Diamond Hand” is the topic of our article.
The hard life of smugglers
For those who have forgotten, we briefly recall the plot. The respectable family man Semyon Gorbunkov goes on a cruise on the ship. At the same time, according to the plan of the operating gang of “currency traders”, the Count should leave the liner and meet with foreign accomplices in the appointed place, who will put plaster with jewelry inside. By mistake, instead of a smuggler, a bandage is imposed on a randomly hesitant Semyon Semenych ...
It was with such an easy, laid-back and understandable story that the audience saw the film “The Diamond Arm”. Actors and roles instantly acquired the status of screen favorites, and the director of the film Leonid Gaidai once again proved that in the Soviet Union they know how to make comedies.
Production difficulties
This was not the first tape of Gaidai. Before “Hands ...” he shot “Operation“ Y ”and“ Prisoner of the Caucasus ”. No one doubted that the picture would not yield to them in anything. Other indicators spoke of recognition: the film gathered an audience of more than 76 million viewers. Isn't that enough?
But few knew how painstakingly the filming process was conducted. The main actors, “Diamond Arm” for which was not just a “tick” in the track record, recalled many interesting facts. So, Yuri Nikulin was one of the first to agree to participate in the film, when the script was not yet fully approved. Moreover, the image of the domestic man Semyon Semenych was written specifically for him. Gaidai did not see any other candidates. The main comedian of that time, Nikulin flawlessly coped with the role. His family starred in the film: his wife as a guide, his son in the image of a boy walking on water.
Candidates fight
Many personalities involved in the tape spoke about their personal success. The “Diamond Hand” for some of them has literally become a real gift. At the time of filming, 27-year-old Andrei Mironov was only gaining stellar popularity. He was attributed to the representatives of the "golden youth." After the brilliantly played role of Genes Kozodoev, critics noted that fate extended its hand to the actor. But Mironov might not get into the picture, since the candidacy of George Vitsin was initially considered for his role.
Little-known artists starred in the film, who were also given a chance by the “Diamond Arm”. Actors, such as Svetlana Svetlichnaya, fought to the last to get around their rivals while watching. Clara Luchko was almost approved for the image of the temptress Anna Sergeyevna. Photos sent by her convinced the artistic advice of the painting. But later, the actress referred to employment in another project, because we can say that Svetlana Svetlichnaya was lucky. Today it is impossible to imagine anyone else in her place.
The bandit Lelik could be played by Leonid Satanovsky or Mikhail Pugovkin. But the leadership chose Anatoly Papanov. With his accent, facial expressions and incredible charisma, the main smuggler turned out to be very memorable.
Location
According to the plot, the action takes place in a foreign town, where the cruise ship approaches. In fact, the film crew, like the actors of the film “Diamond Arm”, did not leave the borders of our country. This is the amazing ability of domestic cinema - to look for an alternative to complex technical and production issues without causing “suspicion” among the audience. The pharmacy, near which the hero of Yuri Nikulin falls, is located in the old residential quarter of Baku. To create “overseas” visibility on buildings that appear in the frame in the background, signs with foreign logos were hung. So, in one of the scenes you can see the inscription of the company “Phillips”. In addition to Baku, part of the filming took place in Sochi. Already in modern times, the city street was decorated with a monument in honor of the Gorbunkov family.
The Diamond Arm: actors and roles
The picture involves many stars who embodied the main images. Like many of her peers, Nina Grebeshkova began her career with the roles of schoolgirls, pioneers, young girls. Her first iconic film work was the drama Test of Fidelity. Nina Pavlovna spent more than forty years in marriage with Leonid Gaidai. It has already become a tradition that in every new film, the director gives the wife a secondary, but undoubtedly characteristic role. In “Diamond Hand”, the actress played the wife of the protagonist, Nadezhda Ivanovna Gorbunkova.
The discoverer of Soviet erotica
Svetlana Svetlichnaya, which was mentioned above, moved from her native Armenia to Moscow, where she immediately entered VGIK. In the first years after its graduation, she embodied insignificant images on the screen. The comedy of Gaidai became an important milestone in his career. With her help, Svetlana Afanasyevna experienced real recognition, like other little-known actors. “Diamond Hand” opened the audience a new type of modern woman - stylish, liberated, sexy. Soviet cinema did not remember such heroines. In addition, the famous episode with erotic content was also a kind of discovery. Despite the fact that Svetlana Svetlichnaya has a rich filmography, many consider Anna Sergeyevna her main role.
Guest stars - decoration of the picture
A nice addition to the track record for some of the stars that have already taken place is the Diamond Arm. Actors, whose photos were then on the front pages of magazines, such as Nonna Mordyukova, performed episodic, but vivid images. Remember the house manager, a neighbor of Gorbunkov with the funny surname Ivy? Varvara Sergeevna became the decoration of comedy, and the actress herself has long been listed in the “favorites” of the audience. She played her first role in the film “Young Guard”. Behind her are versatile images of women with a complex character. The most famous works of Nonna Viktorovna are the tapes “Chairperson”, “War and Peace”, “They Fought for the Motherland”.
Voiceover Heroes
Little-known actors of the film “Diamond Arm” did not always appear on the screen, like Nikolai Romanov, who played the role of the main smuggler nicknamed Chef. For most of the film, this hero remains invisible. The selection of the artist did not provide for special requirements regarding appearance, because they took Nikolai Yakovlevich right away. The audience practically did not know him. Not having behind the rich baggage of the main roles, the actor often agreed to secondary images. At the same time, his experience and professionalism give odds to any other artist - for his creative work, Romanov worked in fifteen theaters, having traveled half the country. After he settled in Moscow with his family, Nikolai Romanov was admitted to the Gorky film studio.
The best parody of Soviet reality
After the premiere in Soviet cinemas, “Diamond Arm” was presented in several foreign countries. According to statistics, the vast majority of viewers surveyed liked the picture. She took a leading position in the 1969 rental list, and later entered the top five best domestic films ever made.
The reviews of the artistic council on the film “Diamond Arm” turned out to be neutral and drier. The actors, in their opinion, played mediocre. First of all, this applied to Nonna Mordyukova, who is “a lot, but she’s not funny”, and Yuri Nikulin, who has a chance to play “more sharply”. Such comments did not affect the warm welcome given by the audience. On the whole, comedy was distinguished by a balanced eccentricity, with which it was impossible not to disagree.
What legacy did the film leave behind? A whole set of subtle, witty phrases that have become winged. Many of them entered folklore. The main musical compositions (“Help me”, “Song about the Hares”) are not only periodically sung, but also often performed at banquet events.
Undoubtedly, the Diamond Arm remains a true role model. Actors and roles will be remembered for a long time by viewers of not only past but also modern generations, making the picture a classic of Soviet cinema.