When the writers Ilya Ilf and Evgeny Petrov published their adventure novel âThe Twelve Chairsâ, it was clear to everyone that the film adaptation of this masterpiece was a matter of time. To date, 10 projects have been filmed based on this story. And also 5 more adaptations of the novel âThe Golden Calfâ, which is a continuation of âThe Twelve Chairsâ. Various artists played the main character named Ostap Bender. Actors tried to create their own unique image of the Great Combinator. Who did it better?
Who is Ostap Suleiman Bert Maria Bender Bey
First of all, it is worth recalling a little about Ostap Ibrahimovic Bender himself.
He is the protagonist of two novels: Twelve Chairs and Golden Calf. Little is known about his childhood and youth. The hero himself only spoke of his past that his father was a Turkish citizen. Contemporaries of Ilf and Petrov argued that this circumstance testified to the fact that the Great Combinator was originally from Odessa. In addition, his parents were probably Jewish merchants who at that time accepted Turkish citizenship so that their children would not be forced to fight in the Russian-Turkish wars.
In the Twelve Chairs, Ostap is 27 years old, and in the Golden Calf it is 33. It turns out that Bender was born either in 1897 or in 1900.
The outfit in which the Great Combinator first appears on the pages of the novel indicates that he recently got out of prison: that is why he is dressed out of season and has no housing (at that time the state took away living space from the convicts).
At the beginning of the Twelve Chairs, Bender wants to become a polygamist, but he does not have enough money for decent clothes to start this âenterpriseâ. Having made friends with the janitor, he witnesses the return to the city of Ippolit Matveevich Vorobyaninov, who is looking for the treasures of his mother-in-law, hidden in one of the confiscated chairs. Having agreed to search for the treasure together, the heroes actively begin to search for treasures throughout the USSR.
Throughout the book, Ostap and Ippolit Matveyevich by hook or by crook get 11 chairs, which turn out to be empty. In anticipation of the find of the last Vorobyaninov kills Bender, so as not to share. But it turns out that the treasures have long been found - a new club has been built on them.
In the "Golden Calf" it turns out that Ostap manages to survive after the assassination attempt. The authors of the novel do not tell how exactly this happened. Most likely, the owner of the apartment where the treasure seekers lived earlier returned home and managed to save the wounded.
In any case, in the Golden Calf, Ostap Ibrahimovic appears before the readers alive and ready to earn more. This time he has a whole team of assistants. Together they are trying to collect incriminating evidence on the underground Soviet millionaire Alexander Koreiko.
The first film adaptations of novels about Ostap Bender
Shortly after publication, the novel The Twelve Chairs was translated into foreign languages, gaining popularity outside the USSR. The Poles were the first to film it in 1933. Despite the fact that they retained the original name, the plot was greatly changed, in addition, the characters had Polish names in the picture. Ostap Bender in it is Camille Klepki performed by Adolf Dymsha.
The Cubans were the second to film the work of Ilf and Petrov in 1962. Like the Poles, they adapted the plot, in connection with which Ippolit Matveyevich turned into Hipolito Garrigo, and Ostap Bender was hiding under the name of Oskar's clever servant. The actor who performed this role is Reynaldo Miravalles.
The first Soviet film adaptation of the Twelve Chairs
In 1963, the Cuban Twelve Chairs were shown at the World Festival in Moscow. Probably, this tape prompted Soviet artists to the idea that it was time to film the famous work themselves. And in 1966 a two-part television play âTwelve Chairsâ was released.
The main character in it was played by Igor Gorbachev. This actor became the first performer of the role of Ostap Bender in the history of Soviet cinema. It is noteworthy that Alloka the cannibal was played by Alice Freindlich. Despite the rather meager scenery, the picture turned out to be very worthy for its time, and the Great Combinator Gorbachev was quite funny, but he lacked the ease and intelligence that the subsequent performers brought.
The film "The Golden Calf" 1968
Oddly enough, the first novel about the Great Combinator, on the basis of which a full-length film was shot, was Golden Calf. Chronologically, he is the second.
In this black-and-white film, the audience appeared cheerful and resourceful Ostap Bender (actor Sergei Jurassic), which simply could not help but fall in love. Jurassic at that time was already known for his role in the "Republic of SKID". Despite the fact that in certain scenes he clearly replayed, the role was a success. Bender Jurassic managed to maintain his optimism to the last frames of the tape, which clearly contrasted with the book in which Ostap burned out from the inside, disappointed in himself and his life.
By the way, it was Sergei Jurassic who turned out to be the brightest Bender, even Archil Gomiashvili could not achieve such ease in his game. Jurassic at the time of filming was 33 years old, as was Ostap. By the way, at first the actor refused to participate in the project, and Vladimir Vysotsky claimed the role of a descendant of the Janissary. But later the actor was persuaded to "command the parade."
Frank Langella in the 1970 American film adaptation of The Twelve Chairs
In the USA, the novels of Ilf and Petrov were also very popular. Therefore, in the early seventies, the young director Mel Brooks, today known for comedies of category âBâ (âCosmic Eggsâ, âDracula: Dead and Satisfiedâ), shot a film of the same name based on it. It is worth noting that the Americans clearly did not save on the scenery, while many funny moments from the novel did not fall into the tape, while others were greatly perverted.
A nice feature of Brooks' Twelve Chairs was the relatively happy ending. In it, Vorobyaninov does not kill Ostap, but rather persuades him to continue traveling together.
The main role in the project was played by Frank Langella ("Dracula" 1979, "Junior"). It is worth noting that he perfectly got used to the image of a resourceful scammer and did not replay. However, Bender Langella turned out to be too American, and therefore he was not accepted by domestic viewers, as was the film adaptation itself.
The film "12 Chairs" by Leonid Gaidai 1971
A year later, the movie "12 Chairs" was released in the USSR. Its director was Leonid Gaidai. This ingenious comedy creator managed to make a masterpiece that matches the spirit of the book.
Many eminent artists, including Andrei Mironov and Anatoly Papanov, auditioned for the role of tandem of treasure seekers . However, the picky Gaidai rejected them. Instead, he entrusted the role of the hamish Kisa Vorobyaninov to Sergey Filippov, who starred in the film, despite the cancer. And a descendant of the Janissaries was invited to play by a Georgian actor named Archil Gomiashvili. At first, he refused, although before that he had toured Georgia with a musical based on the Golden Calf. Moreover, the shooting of â12 Chairsâ began with another actor (Alexander Belyavsky). However, he not only looked unfunny, but was lost in the background of Filippov. In the end, Leonid Gaidai persuaded Gomiashvili to play Bender.
According to the majority, Archil is one of the best performers of this role. The actor managed to create the image of a resourceful and unprincipled, but charming crook. However, Yuri Sarantsev spoke in the picture instead of the performer , since Gomiashvili himself had a noticeable accent.
Ivan Darvash as Ostap Bender in the Hungarian film adaptation of The Golden Calf
4 years after the two-part tape, Gaidai appeared on Hungarian TV screens of the rogue Ostap Bender. The actor who performed this role is Ivan Darvash. He is very famous in his homeland, but in the USSR and the CIS he is practically not known. In the case of Darwash, the situation with Frank Langella was repeated, when the actor played his role with dignity, however, not understanding the national specifics of the work, he could not truly reveal the inner world of his hero.
"12 chairs" by Mark Zakharov with Andrei Mironov in the title role
5 years after Gaidai, another famous Soviet director - Mark Zakharov - decided to withdraw his version of the novel by Ilf and Petrov.
So there was a four-part picture â12 Chairsâ (1976). Subsequently, Leonid Gaidai often poked fun at the film adaptation of Zakharov, calling it a "crime." But in vain, because most moviegoers still argue with foam at the mouth which of the films is better, because the genius Andrei Mironov played the main role in the new picture.
Ostap Bender in his performance turned out to be completely different from all previous ones. He was no longer as young and optimistic as Jurassic and Langella; as resourceful and charming as Gomiashviliâs. But the Great Combinator gained intelligence, which harmoniously combined with impassable arrogance. In addition, the main feature of Mironovsky Ostap was his singing. The song "My sail is whitening" became a real hit and helped the actor to reveal the inner world of his character, which Gaiiashvili was deprived of by Gaidai.
Interestingly, in the film "12 Chairs" in 1976, some artists who previously played in the tape of Gaidai were shot. Among them are Savely Kramarov and George Vitsin.
Summing up the many years of debate about whose picture is better, it is safe to say that although both tapes were shot on the basis of one novel, each of them is unique in its own way. The same thing with the leading actors, Mironov and Gomiashvili created two beautiful, but completely different images of the Great Combinator, each of which has its own flavor.
Ostap Bender performed by Sergei Krylov in the film "Dreams of an Idiot" 1993
After the film by Mark Zakharov, for 17 years no one tried to film the works of Ilf and Petrov. However, after the collapse of the USSR, film production became commercial, and many directors got the opportunity to film their bold projects. Among the attempts to take a fresh look at classical works was the film âDreams of an Idiotâ (1993), filmed based on the âGolden Calfâ.
In this picture, the main plot elements of the original are preserved. However, all of them are adapted to the present, and the peppy charming Ostap turned into a forty-year-old balding philosopher, trying to get money in the first half of the tape, and then not knowing how to dispose of it correctly. It is noteworthy that the finale has been changed - Bender finds Zosia and declares her love. The girl answers his feelings, and, taking with them a suitcase with money, they go together into the distance.
The protagonist was played by the famous singer Sergei Krylov in the nineties . Despite much criticism, it is worth noting that Bender in his performance is not so bad. Yes, it does not correspond to the book prototype and is much inferior to the previous performers of the role, but it is worth remembering that âIdiot's Dreamsâ is a free adaptation of the âGolden Calfâ.
Bender Krylova turned faded and inexpressive, but in his own way kind and sincere. This departure from the canon is also an option for reading the novel. Despite the mass of flaws in the film adaptation, the most questions were raised about how Sergey Krylov was able to get this role, because he is more than a weak actor.
Georgy Deliev as Ostap Bender in The Twelve Chairs by Ulrike Oettinger
11 years after the film âDreams of an Idiotâ, the director from Germany, Ulrike Oettinger, shot the film âTwelve Chairsâ. In it, the main role was received by the famous comedian from Odessa Georgy Deliev.
Ottingerâs painting was very modernized, and Ostapâs costume, and he himself, were too jesky.
It should be noted that Deliev played very well. Of course, he lacked the lightness and charm of most of his predecessors, but he clearly outdid not only Krylov, but also an actor named Nikolai Fomenko, who became the next performer of the role of the Great Combinator.
The musical "Twelve Chairs" in 2005 with Nikolai Fomenko in the title role
Speaking about this film adaptation, the majority of viewers wondered: âWhy was it to be removed at all?â Despite the constellation of pretty good actors (Ilya Oleinikov, Lyudmila Gurchenko, Dmitry Shevchenko and Nina Usatova), the tape turned out to be very weak.
Actors replayed, in particular Nikolai Fomenko, who had previously established himself as a very good artist. Although he quite accurately conveyed Ostapâs boorish character, his character completely lacked charm, and he was more like a racketeer than a deft fraud.
Oleg Menshikov as Ostap Bender in the television series Golden Calf
To date, the last picture dedicated to the Great Combinator is the eight-episode television series Golden Calf (2006). A talented actor Oleg Menshikov played in it.
Ostap Bender in his performance is considered one of the worst (those who think so are probably not familiar with the works of Deliev, Fomenko and Krylov). However, this opinion is somewhat biased due to the poor quality of the picture as a whole.
Of course, Menshikov is inferior to Jurassic, but the version of Ostap Ibragimovich depicted by him is also very interesting and seems closer to the book original. Many reproach the actor for the excessive softness of his character, but if you recall the novel itself, then the Great Combinator in him is no longer that carefree optimist that is in The Twelve Chairs. Throughout the book, he begins to show his weaknesses and gradually becomes more and more disappointed in the surrounding reality and people. However, he constantly tries to keep the brand and continues to joke. It was this Bender who Menshikov tried to portray.
Ostap Bender is a hero who has long become a cult, and most of his phrases are winged. In cinema and on television, different people played it. Disputes about who is better at it have not subsided to this day. According to the general opinion, three leaders can be distinguished: Jurassic, Gomiashvili and Mironov. However, each viewer chooses for himself whose performance is more to his liking. I would like to believe that in the next years the next mediocre film adaptation of these famous novels will not be removed, since it is unlikely that there is someone who can play the Great Combinator better than this has already been done.