Gleb Zheglov is a well-known character in the Weiner brothers ' detective novel "Era of Mercy" and its adaptation of "The Meeting Place Cannot Be Changed," which was shot by Stanislav Govorukhin. The action of this film takes place in the second half of 1945. On the screen, the image of Zheglov was brought to life by Vladimir Vysotsky.
Character Biography
Gleb Zheglov heads the department for combating banditry in the Moscow Criminal Investigation Department; in fact, he is an operational employee. Interestingly, Zheglov in the book and film is different in age. If in the book he is about 25 years old, then in the film - from 35 to 40.
The title of Gleb Zheglov is the captain of the police. The character of Vysotsky was born in about 1905-1910, and the hero of the novel in 1919-1920.
Hero of the novel
Based on the novel by the Weiner brothers, Gleb Zheglov is only a few years older than his partner Sharapova. He is described as a nimble, tall, agile man with brown bulging eyes.
Gleb Zheglov constantly wears parabellum, he does not part with a gun even at night when he sleeps. Keeps under the pillow. An important feature of the hero is narcissism. In everything he wants to be better than others, for this he even constantly polishes his boots, which greatly annoys Sharapov.
Moreover, he lives an ascetic, is not married, he has a room in a hostel on Bashilovka. Over time, Zheglov moved to Sharapova on Sretenka. According to some indirect signs, it can be assumed that he is very successful in women. For example, Sharapov pays attention several times that Zheglov preens and does not sleep at home.
He admits that in childhood he grew up without a father, except for him there were four children in the family. Apparently, he does not have a higher education, his quote on this subject is well known in response to a question by Sharapov, where and when he studied.
Nine classes and three corridors. When you do not finish courses at the institute, but live criminal cases, then she - study - moves faster. But we will rake this trash with you, the human scum, then we’ll go to college, we will be qualified lawyers.
Moreover, he is distinguished by the fact that he has a calligraphy and is competent. He has been working as the head of the department for combating banditry for more than five years, that is, he began this work in 1939 or 1940. It is known that Gleb Egorovich Zheglov has awards - badges of an excellent student of the police, the Order of the Red Star.
Prototype
The character of Zheglov had a prototype, which the Weiner brothers were guided by. This was stated by Peter Weil, to whom Georgy Weiner himself told this.
It is noteworthy that the real person had the same surname, only his name was Stanislav. He worked in the criminal investigation department in the 60s.
But it is worth noting that these facts are not confirmed by any other sources, all other people familiar with Weiners claimed that it was a collective image.
Zheglov's rules
Many people know and love Zheglov, thanks to his famous expressions that have gone to the people. In particular, six of his rules are well known.
When talking to people, smile more often. The first condition is to please people.
Be able to listen carefully to the person and try to move him to a conversation about himself.
As soon as possible, find a topic in the conversation that is close and interesting to him.
From the first moment, show sincere interest in a person - you understand, do not show him interest, but try your best to penetrate into him, understand him, find out what he lives, what he is.
Even “hello” can be said to mortally offend a person.
Even the “bastard” can be said so that a person will melt with pleasure.
Also in the picture there are many famous quotes by Gleb Zheglov, which became real winged expressions.
And where did you get such amazing sugar, Petyunya?
So, we’ll write it down - you are not a crook. You killed a man!
Do not swear, Manya, you will spoil the young man for me.
Do not teach a scientist, citizen Smoked!
I don’t serve on Fridays.
A thief should sit in jail!
You are not consciousness, you have lost conscience.
Now Humpbacked! I said: "Hunchback!"
Samples for the role
The actor Vladimir Vysotsky was approved almost immediately for the role of Gleb Zheglov. Director Govorukhin even claims that it was Vysotsky who brought him to the picture, and not vice versa. They used to work together on the movie Vertical. Prior to this, it was assumed that the tape would be removed by Alexei Batalov, who himself had planned to play Zheglov.
According to legend, Vysotsky persuaded the Weiner brothers to recycle his novel into a scenario in which he himself really wanted to play the main character. According to Arkady Weiner, he just fell in love with the book itself and the image of Zheglov.
Filming
After the release of the film, Gleb Zheglov and Volodya Sharapov became real idols of their era. At the same time, Vysotsky responsibly approached the work, he carefully ascertained from professional investigators the features of their profession.
Interestingly, the appearance of Zheglov was created in detail by costumers who meticulously selected his costumes. His appearance was markedly different by civilian clothes, in which the main role is played by boots, breeches and a cap. In contrast to the main character, Sharapov always goes in military uniform in the film.
Vysotsky added a lot to the plot of the picture from himself. For example, it was he who invented to hang a photograph of Varya on the wall of the pantry, even replaced Govorukhin in the director’s chair, when he had to leave for the GDR for a while.
The image of the protagonist
Georgy Weiner praised the way Gleb Zheglov Vysotsky played. He emphasized an extremely important circumstance: the actor perfectly understood the social role of his character. This is a strong and bright person who, in certain historical conditions, obeys his own instincts and legal consciousness, turning into a brush against decent people.
Critics noted that in the character of Zheglov there is a lot of reliable, open, he is always ready to help. That is why he was so fond of numerous viewers and still remains one of the most famous heroes of Soviet cinema. He has a lot of spiritual rudeness, while lacking conceit, which is impossible to put up with, and others perceive this as a dangerous force. Vysotsky himself in one of the few interviews devoted to the film "The meeting place cannot be changed," agreed with this statement.
It is interesting that some considered Zheglov to be an exclusively negative character, and evaluating this as a real breakthrough in Soviet literature. Indeed, at that time in art there were a large number of restrictions. For example, detectives and investigators who became heroes of literary works were forbidden to divorce their wives, drink, and even have a mistress. For the supervision of writers, a whole state system existed. Each piece went through several hands to prevent any sedition.
Gleb Zheglov and Volodya Sharapov are the heroes of their generation. This role was especially loved and remembered by many, because it became one of the last for Vladimir Vysotsky. In 1979, when this film was released, Vysotsky starred in the Soviet three-part drama Mikhail Schweitzer "Little Tragedies" based on the eponymous work by Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin.
The actor died the next year, not playing anywhere else. In 1987, he received a posthumous State Prize of the USSR for creating the image of Zheglov, as well as the author's performance of songs.
The fate of Zheglov
Already in the XXI century, George Weiner repeatedly spoke about the personality of his character, outlining the contours of his development, noting that the film interpretation somewhat simplifies his image.
The writer emphasized that in the minds of many people this is a joker and a jovial guy who is sympathetic to others. At the same time, Weiner told how his fate could have developed. According to the author, in a fairly short time he should have turned into an employee of the MGB, who would have to knock out his teeth and twist his arms to the suspect, being confident that he was right.
Weiner emphasizes that real post-war MGB officers did this work without malevolence and the desire to torment people.
At the same time, Zheglov, unlike Sharapov, whose career can be traced quite definitely up to the general, and then the head of the MUR, is no longer mentioned in any other book. Zheglov participates only in the novel "Era of Mercy".
According to Weiner, Vysotsky, during the filming of this film, insisted that writers begin to create a continuation of the story under the working title "The meeting place cannot be changed 2". The actor himself found the basis of the plot, digging out a story in the bowels of the Ministry of Internal Affairs that fascinated him greatly. However, after his early and sudden death, the Weiners seemed blasphemous to revert to this idea. Apparently, the disappearance of Zheglov from all their subsequent novels is also connected with this.
They returned to this idea only in the late 2000s, when they began to relate to it, as in a certain monument to Vysotsky. According to Arkady Weiner, there is such an amount of unused material that could be enough to start a full-fledged series. Only had to radically change its plot, because at the very beginning Zheglov dies, becoming a victim of the betrayal of one of the employees. All subsequent series are devoted to the disclosure of this betrayal and the search for those responsible. As a result, this idea remained unrealized.