This film became the legend of Soviet cinema. Both adults and children love him, and quotes from the film have become incredibly popular and are used to this day.
In this article, we will talk about the wonderful movie "Ivan Vasilyevich Changes the Profession".
How it all began
The film "Ivan Vasilievich Changes the Profession" was shot by the great director of that era, Leonid Gaidai, at the Mosfilm film studio. He was inspired by the satirical play by Mikhail Bulgakov "Ivan Vasilievich". The director with reverent reverence for Bulgakov’s work, tried to put a picture on his work entitled “Running,” but Goskino's strict censorship did not approve of this idea. And after some time, and more precisely in 1973, Gaidai realized his dream - and the movie “Ivan Vasilyevich Changes the Profession” was released on television, which forever won the hearts of viewers of all ages.
Rewritten plot
A director would not be a director if he had not made a single correction to the original script. In the case of Gaidai, the amendments almost completely changed Bulgakov’s play, thereby adapting it to the viewer of the Soviet era. Rumor has it that the widow of the writer Bulgakov, Elena Sergeyevna, was burning with righteous anger because of this. She was so worried about the fact that her husband’s brilliant work was remade by some Gaidai together with Vladlen Bakhnov, that she fell ill from the disorder and died without having seen the final version of the film.
Between two eras
The film takes place in two time intervals - in the 20th and 16th centuries. Fully immersed in the idea of ​​traveling into the past and the future, the inventor Aleksadr Timofeev (aka Shurik) constructed a time machine through long research. The next time the experimental apparatus was launched, a short circuit occurred , which provoked an explosion, and the scientist himself lost consciousness.
The lawful wife of the inventor, the actress Zina, eccentric and spoiled with fame, discovers a very smoky apartment and her husband in an unconscious state upon returning home from the shoot. Apparently, the relationship of the spouses has cooled because of a lack of mutual understanding. In addition, Zina has a new lover - director Yakin, from whom she is removed. Having brought her husband to life, Zina tells him unpleasant news: she leaves him and leaves with Yakin to the resort, to Gagra. Alexander, of course, is in utter confusion and does not try to dissuade his spouse from such a reckless act. Zina collects things and leaves the apartment, leaving the scientist in the company of only a black cat.
The experiments of the inventor were tired of the neighbors: Ivan Vasilyevich Bunsh and his wife Ulyana Andreevna. Ivan Vasilievich comes to a scientist with the intention of creating a scandal over traffic jams that have flown out.
Meanwhile, in the adjacent apartment of the renowned dentist Shpak, the recidivist thief with the original name Georges Miloslavsky is operating . With the help of experience, dexterous hands and a set of master keys, he climbed into a richly furnished apartment with the firm intention to save its owner from the acquired good.
Further events unfold as follows. The scientist is trying to prove the safety of the device to Ivan Vasilievich and starts the time machine at minimum power. A strange and unexpected thing happens - the wall between the apartments of the scientist and the dentist simply dissolves! A stunned thief caught red-handed enters the inventor’s apartment and begins to show remarkable interest in an apparatus that can clean walls. Shurik proudly demonstrates his invention and slightly increases power. As a result of this, the unexpected happens: in the place of Shpak’s dentist’s apartment are ... the royal chambers! It is important that Tsar Ivan the Terrible himself sits on a massive throne, famous for his cruelty, and beside him stands the faithful clerk Theophanes.
The tsar and Theophanes, seeing a strange room, mistake him for hell, and people dressed in strange clothes are instantly considered demons. The clerk in a panic rushes after the guards, and the fearless king fears the ordinary black cat and runs away to the scientist’s apartment.
In tsarist chambers, a confusion begins: the guards throw spears at the aliens, Georges Miloslavsky dodges and answers them the same. As a result of the battle, no one was hurt, but one of the copies fell into the time machine. Naturally, the device is jammed, a sheaf of sparks falls, and the missing wall returns to its rightful place. As a result, the scientist’s neighbor, Ivan Bunsha, together with the thief Miloslavsky remain in the tsar’s chambers, and Tsar Ivan the Terrible, shocked by what is happening, remains in the apartment of Alexander Timofeev.
Lost in the wards
The scientist’s neighbor and thief remaining in the 16th century hide in panic from an angry guard. Supervisory Miloslavsky suddenly notices that Ivan Bunsh is very similar to John the Terrible. A cunning recidivist persuades Bunshu to dress in royal robes and pretend to be a king. And in order to hide the liquid beard of the newly appeared king, Georges bandages Bunshi's face with a handkerchief, as if his tooth hurts. The thief himself dresses in princely clothes and pretends to be a prince and a close friend of the king. The guard does not notice the substitution, and the danger bypasses the settlers.
And the real John the Terrible meanwhile is huddled in the scientist’s apartment. He examines with interest a refrigerator, a chandelier, and other household items of a strednestaticheskiy soviet person. The king is begging the inventor to bring him back to the chambers. However, the time machine is broken, and the part needed to repair it must be bought at the store. Shurik leaves to look for the part, and John is left alone in the apartment, where various absurdities occur with him, for example, a meeting with Bunsha's extravagant wife and police officers.
Meanwhile, in the 16th century, a feast was in full swing in the royal chambers. An ambassador from the Swedish king came to Bunsch and asked to give Kemsky parish. The self-proclaimed tsar almost went over alcohol, but the self-proclaimed prince Miloslavsky persuades him not to be scattered by other people's goods, especially on such a scale. The king’s wife, the beautiful Marfa Vasilievna, conquered the heart of Bunshi, he completely lost his head and lost his vigilance. His reckless actions prompt the tsarist guards to the idea that they have replaced their formidable king. Sagittarius are going to capture the impostors, and at that very moment, a scientist from the 20th century finally repaired the unit. The time machine worked, the wall disappeared, and the breathless Bunsh and Miloslavsky returned in due time.
Split personality
Unfortunately, the real John the Terrible did not return to the 16th century, as he got into the police. Valiant law enforcement officers during the interrogation of the arrested person come to the conclusion that he was set off by the mind. But Miloslavsky and Bunsha come to the police to release the unfortunate prisoner. Bunsha tells human rights defenders that he was acting king in the 16th century, and they decide to call the orderlies to send two nuts to the insane asylum. The orderlies arrived just at the moment when Bunshi's wife appeared in the police. She was asked to indicate which of them is her husband. Poor Ulyana Andreevna, in utter confusion, asserts that both of them are her husbands. She concludes that the craziness has affected her too, and decides to go with both Ivans to a mental hospital.
Miloslavsky understands that his scam with a robbery of a dentist’s apartment is disclosed, and decides to hide. However, police officers saw through his plan and organized a pursuit of a thief. John the Terrible takes the moment and, taking advantage of the general confusion, runs to the scientist’s apartment. The inventor turns on the time machine, and the king is in his chambers ...
... After a while, the scientist comes to his senses on the floor of his own apartment and realizes that both the king and the movement in time - all this turned out to be just a dream. Zina’s never-leaving wife returns from work. Shurik asks her a lot of questions about Yakin and Gagra, and it turns out that they don’t have a director with that name at the movie studio at all! The scientist gradually realizes that he just dreamed of everything. He had almost calmed down, but he suddenly noticed a royal cap dropped by John the Terrible in a hurry, which mysteriously turns into a cat. The cat pronounces the word “ciao!” In a human voice, and the adventures of all the heroes of the film end there.
Starred in the film
Director Gaidai took the choice of role performers very seriously. A lot of film screenings were conducted, and as a result, the best actors took part in the filming. "Ivan Vasilievich is changing his profession" is simply an inflorescence of talented people! Each of them coped with its role perfectly! It is hard to imagine anyone else in their place.
By the way, initially in this movie completely different actors were supposed to be shot. “Ivan Vasilievich is changing his profession” after reading the script by eminent professionals of the cinematography seemed to them empty and unviable.
For example, Yuri Nikulin refused to star in the role of the king, citing the fact that the film would be uninteresting and would not interest viewers. Gaidai was upset, but did not give up. They tried on the role of Ivan the Terrible, but for one reason or another, George Vitsin and Evgeny Evstigneev were wonderful and beloved actors. “Ivan Vasilievich is changing his profession” went down in history with the very cast that became established only after colossal work was done to select performers. To this day, this movie pleases with every show, and the acting does not cease to amaze even the current generation.
In the film "Ivan Vasilievich Changes the Profession", the roles were played by:
- Alexander Demyanenko (Shurik, beloved by everyone) - Alexander Ivanovich Timofeev, obsessed with his work, inventor.
- Yuri Yakovlev - the great Tsar John the Terrible and cowardly henpecked Ivan Vasilyevich Bunsha.
- Leonid Kuravlyov is a house-thief with a bright appearance of a womanizer and an extravagant name Georges Miloslavsky.
- Savely Kramarov - the rustic and loyal czar Theophanes.
- Vladimir Etush is a famous dentist with a sonorous surname Shpak.
- Natalya Krachkovskaya is a lover of wigs and the scandalous wife of Bunshi.
- Mikhail Pugovkin is a loving filmmaker Yakin.
- Natalia Selezneva is the charming wife of the inventor Timofeev.
- Nina Maslova - the modest and flirtatious tsarina Marfa Vasilievna.
- Sergey Fillipov is the persistent ambassador of the Swedish king.
Location cannot be changed
Gaidai began work in May 1972. The film "Ivan Vasilyevich Changes the Profession" was shot for almost a year. The shooting took place in different places: on the embankment of Yalta, in the Rostov Kremlin and on Novokuznetskaya street.
Only one episode of the film "Ivan Vasilyevich Changes the Profession" was shot in Yalta: Yakin sits in a deck chair on the embankment and watches the filming of the video for the song "January Blizzard Rings", and his protege Zinochka walks along the shore and pretends to sing. By the way, the real song is performed not by Natalia Selezneva, but by Nina Brodskaya.
Actions in the tsar’s chambers were filmed in the Rostov Kremlin, the former residence of the Metropolitan of the Rostov diocese, which is located almost in the heart of Rostov on the shores of Lake Nero.
The apartments of the inventor, the dentist and their neighbors, as well as the radio goods store are located on Novokuznetskaya. Repair in them was specially made so as to show the difference between a renowned dentist and a simple engineer.
The dentistry profession is very interestingly presented in the film "Ivan Vasilyevich Changes the Profession": Shpak has many imported items, and his apartment is renovated more elegantly than the apartments of its neighbors. Thus, the viewer was once again convinced that everywhere needed "blat", and things can be "pulled out from under the floor."
Team of professionals
To get a good movie, one ingenious game of actors, even the most famous, is not enough. For a really wonderful film, you need lighteners, make-up artists, production designer, choreographer, composer, sound engineer, conductor, assistants. When shooting, a huge number of professionals are always involved, who ultimately remain behind the scenes, in the shade. But they try no less than the actors! “Ivan Vasilievich is changing his profession” is a film in which the genius of Gaidai and Bakhnov, the skill of the cast and the professionalism of the film crew are most successfully combined.
Nowhere without kinolapov
Naturally, as with any shooting, this movie has its own shortcomings and historical inconsistencies. Those who did not notice them will probably be interested to know about them:
- For example, in the film Bunsha picks up the royal power and scepter, but in fact, these symbols of power appeared not in the 16th century, but in the 17th.
- In the police, Ivan the Terrible claims that he was born in 1533, and in fact in 1530. In addition, the reckoning in those days was carried out from the creation of the world, and not from the Nativity of Christ, that is, in fact, the tsar had to name a completely different the figure is 7041.
- The Swedish ambassador speaks German, not Swedish.
Nevertheless, after the first viewing, people fell in love with the film "Ivan Vasilyevich Changes the Profession". The phrases that sound in it, forever remained the talk of the town.
Heal everyone
Even now, when only a memory is left of the Soviet Union, the immortal cinema of Leonid Gaidai still attracts its fans to TV screens not only with an interesting plot. What, besides a beautiful picture, does the audience love in the film "Ivan Vasilyevich Changes the Profession"? Quotes! Sparkling, capacious, funny ... Each of them is an unforgettable pearl. When redrawing Bulgakov’s play, Gaidai and Bakhnov achieved the fact that after the show “Ivan Vasilievich Changes the Profession”, quotes from the film began to be used always and everywhere, and they remain relevant to this day. Here are the most popular ones:
- "And you will be treated."
- "Everybody is dancing!"
- "Keep money at the savings bank!"
- "Very nice, king!"
- "Have you been released from the insane asylum?"
- "Vague doubts torment me ..."
- "Marfusha, shall we be sad?"
- "Hey man! Kidneys once to the king!"
- "I demand the continuation of the banquet!"
- "Hang up!"
- "That I successfully entered!"
- "Walled up the demons ..."
- "Whose will you be?"
- "Leave me alone, old woman - I am in sorrow ..."
- "Wait for me and I will come back"
- "Velmi nezhe ... thank you very much ..."
Financial report
Compared to Hollywood, Soviet cinema was not such a lucrative business. But still, at that time, the salary of the director, and the actors, as well as the entire crew was decent.
For example, Gaidai received 7948 rubles, the fees of actors were different amounts. The largest salaries were for Yuri Yakovlev (4350 rubles), Leonid Kuravlev (2312 rubles), Alexander Demyanenko (1663 rubles) and Savely Kramarov (1129 rubles). Mikhail Pugovkin and Vladimir Etush received about 700 rubles each, and both Natalia - Krachkovskaya and Selezneva - earned almost 400 rubles each.
Time does not stand still. Hollywood blockbusters flooded movie theaters, televisions and Internet space. Nevertheless, the chic film “Ivan Vasilyevich Change Profession” will forever remain the immortal classic of Soviet cinema. And I want to believe that the younger generation will love this film in the same way as those who were born in the 20th century love it.