Many times in Russian cinema the theme of the victims of Stalinism has been exaggerated. But nevertheless, this story - the series "It All Started in Harbin", whose actors carefully recreated the atmosphere of that time thanks to their talent - stands apart, deserving the close attention of viewers. Firstly, the film covers a rather interesting period of history that is almost not covered in the cinema - the 20-30s of the 20th century in Harbin. Secondly, in the film the atmosphere of those years is very neatly and correctly recreated, it was shot with high quality. Thirdly, the wonderful acting of both the main characters and supporting characters is noted. The film “It All Started in Harbin” (director Leonid Zisman, screenwriter Eduard Volodarsky) accurately conveyed the tragedy of this difficult time. Then absolutely no one was safe from execution and prison.
Storyline
The film "It All Started in Harbin", the actors of which during the filming got used to their roles with great enthusiasm, the team shot based on real events that took place in the period from 1928 to 1953. At that time, Soviet employees lived and worked on the Sino-Eastern Railway in Manchuria, including the family of railway worker dispatcher Nikolai Petrovich Eibozhenko: his wife and two sons (Boris and Vladimir). The head of the family is confident that, since he is an ordinary employee on the railway, he is very far from politics. But the situation was such that after some events, he lost not only his job, but also the trusting relations of his compatriots. He, his wife and children become outcasts ...
Home or abroad?
After the Soviet government sold the railway, Nikolai Petrovich faced a choice: emigration to the UK or the USA or return to the USSR. The family is returning to their homeland, but instead of the promised happy years of life, the former Harbins were “given” dates in the camps.
In parallel with the narration of historical events, viewers can watch a touching love story between Borey Eibozhenko and Luda Yerzhanova (daughter of the former head of the railway), which is full of pain and drama. The actors of the film “It All Started in Harbin” - Danila Kozlovsky and Anna Chipovskaya - showed that young people (their characters) were able to endure all sorrows, difficulties, many years of separation, but they still remained together.
Boris and Lyudmila
Danila Kozlovsky, who played Boria, was remarkably able to convey the internal transformation of his character. In the first series, viewers see him as a young man who sincerely believes in every ideal of socialism. He loves his homeland, believes in the imminent advance of a brighter future and hates the former White Guards who live in Harbin. For him, there are only two colors: white and black. It was in Harbin that Boris met in Luda Yerzhanova, and their love would warm them all her life.
Actress Anna Chipovskaya speaks of her heroine Luda with a share of admiration, because her character is a complex person who does not have one-sidedness. At the beginning of the series, Lyudmila can be seen as a kind of windy girl who likes to spin young people. But the events taking place further show that she is capable of great love and self-sacrifice.
Volodya and Matrena Ivanovna
In the series “It All Started in Harbin,” the actors and roles they played perfectly reflected the reality of that time period. One of them is Philip Ershov, who played Volodya Eibozhenko, Boris's younger brother, and Dean Korzun, who played the boys' mother, Matrena Ivanovna.
Volodya is the most distant from politics. He is only interested in music, serves it faithfully. Music for him overshadows everything else. Unfortunately, at that time it was impossible to be out of politics, therefore this young guy shared the sad fate of the rest of the “Harbintsy”. And since he is a weak and incapable person, his eldest brother is his only salvation and support.
Matrena Ivanovna devoted her whole life to her family - children and her husband. This is a typical Russian woman - a very calm, quiet, loving and caring mother, faithful wife.
Nikolay Eibozhenko and Valentin Krakhmalnikov
In the series “It All Started in Harbin”, the actors showed the hopelessness of the whole situation, because no matter what path they choose in life, the result would still be sad or even tragic.
Senior Eibozhenko (actor Igor Ivanov) worked for many years as a railway dispatcher. He loves his job, he is a real hard worker. After the arrest of Chinese railway officials, he agrees to continue his work. He does not consider this a betrayal of his homeland, because the road should function. But the Soviet authorities decided differently. But even if he had refused to work at that moment, his fate would hardly have been so terrible.
Valentin Vitalievich Krakhmalnikov, played by Vladimir Epifantsev, according to the plot of the film was a surgeon in the past. But by chance, he comes to work at the OGPU. He is a tough, even cruel person. Krakhmalnikov is able to act by methods that were used by security officers of that time. Then he himself was ground with millstones of the Stalinist machine ...
Shooting a picture
The entire filming process took place in St. Petersburg and its environs. The series "It All Started in Harbin", actors who made a lot of efforts in order to play truthfully, was "born" here. At first, the idea was to shoot in Harbin, but over the years the city has undergone enormous changes, has become quite modern, unlike the one that was in the 20-30s of the last century. And in the Northern capital of Russia they found the necessary nature, because it was thanks to the Russian engineers that Harbin was what he was then. In the process of filming, the streets of Harbin were carefully recreated from old photographs. The shots included Peterhof, Zelenogorsk, Kronstadt. Shooting took place in the Gulf of Finland.
The actors and roles of the series “It All Started in Harbin” perfectly reflected the whole atmosphere of that time and human relationships.
Retro cars for filming were provided by Lenfilm and private collectors. Real Chinese were filmed in extras - students of Sliver.