In 1939, Agatha Christie published a novel, which she later called her best work. Many readers agree with her. The proof is the general circulation of the book. About one hundred million copies have been sold in the world.
Stanislav Govorukhin has never been a fan of the work of the Queen of the detective. This novel was the exception, and therefore the Soviet director filmed it in 1987. This is a book and the film "10 Indigents". Where did you make this movie? How did the filmmakers manage to recreate on the screen the mysterious atmosphere inherent in the books of an English writer?
Negro island
The plot of the work of Christie is terrifying and keeps in suspense. The writer pondered for a long time, and in the end she liked what happened. However, later she had to make significant adjustments. As a result of improvements, the ending has become less tragic, and the name is more politically correct. “And there is no one” is the name of the edited version of the novel.
Govorukhin used the original version of the work of Christie. Perhaps that is why his film is one of the best adaptations of the writer.
Recall the plot. Ten people with nothing to do with each other arrive on Negro Island. They are housed in a mansion. In the room of each of their guests there is a sign on the wall with a funny counting room, the contents of which later terrify the inhabitants of the castle. Each of them dies strictly according to the script at first glance of a harmless poem.
Negro island - the fruit of the imagination of Agatha Christie. Her novel was repeatedly filmed. The British directors did not have a serious problem as to where to shoot "10 Indigents." England is rich in medieval castles that can serve as a wonderful backdrop to the gloomy history invented by Agatha Christie. It was not so easy to solve the question of where to shoot "10 Indigents" to domestic filmmakers.
Govorukhin was not difficult to choose actors. When writing the script, he tried to deviate as little as possible from the original. The director created two films based on the works of classics of world literature, not counting "10 Little Indians." "Where to make an adventure movie?" - a question that this director could hardly baffle. Filming "Robinson Crusoe" was held on the island of Shikotan. "In Search of Captain Grant" paintings - in Bulgaria and Crimea. But where is the film "10 Little Indians" made? In Crimea? In Bulgaria? Or, perhaps, in the Mosfilm pavilions?
Landscape
The viewer is in constant tension when watching a film of Stanislav Govorukhin. The noise of the waves, the cloudy sky, the rocky landscape of the island - all this gives the already gloomy plot of mystery. At the same time, props and artificiality are not felt. Where did Govorukhin shoot "10 Little Indians"? What kind of rocky landscape can be seen in one of the worst films of Soviet cinema? An attentive viewer who has visited Crimea at least once will easily answer the question of where the film “10 Little Indians” was shot. A film adaptation of the famous novel by Agatha Christie was created in The Swallow's Nest.
Mr. Owen's mansion was an architectural and historical monument, which is located on the forty-meter high cliff of Aurora Rock. It is worth devoting a few words to the history of this attraction, attracting many tourists every year.
bird home
After the Russo-Turkish war, a wooden structure was erected on the site of this historical monument. You can find out how it looked thanks to the canvases of such painters as Aivazovsky, Bogolyubov, Lagorio. The structure was erected for the Russian general. The second owner was a doctor, about whom little information has been preserved.
“Swallow's Nest” acquired its current form thanks to Steingel, a Russian oil industrialist who fell in love with romantic Crimean landscapes. On Aurora rock, he acquired a summer cottage, and then built a castle in the spirit of the Middle Ages. The old building was demolished in 1912.
Not only the Govorukhin film was created in these picturesque places. Filming "Myo, My Myo", "Hamlet. XXI Century", "Blue Bird", "Journey of Pan Blots", "First Blow" took place here. But back in the picture of Govorukhin.
Filming
The workflow was not easy. For filming, part of the structure was closed with scenery. But shields of plywood constantly disrupted gusts of wind. As a result, they had to be reinforced several times.
Filming of many episodes took place in the Vorontsov Palace. Some in Yalta. The director and performer of the role of Vera Kleitorn managed to combine this work with filming in the movie "Assa". This film was released in the same 1987.
Some episodes of “10 Little Indians” were filmed against the backdrop of a masterfully crafted model of Negro Island.
Actors
Alexander Kaydanovsky, who played Lombard, initially did not want to star in this film. But he agreed only because of the money. It is noteworthy that in one of the scenes his hero admits that he came to the island for the sake of profit. The film was played by outstanding Soviet actors: T. Drubich, A. Abdulov, A. Zharkov, L. Maksakova and others. The role of a judge who restored justice by such cruel methods, as you know, was played by Vladimir Zeldin.