Because the Oscar-winning Soviet film almost cost Tikhonov his career

November 7, 2022 8:30 pm

The actor was very worried about what had happened.

Sergei Bondarchuk’s film “War and Peace” was a huge success. Despite this, the image almost put an end to the future of the acting of Vyacheslav Tikhonov, who played the role of Andrei Bolkonsky.

Initially, the director wanted this character to be embodied by Innokenty Smoktunovsky. However, the artist had in mind another no less tempting role – he was offered to play Hamlet. The solution to the problem was found by the Minister of Culture Ekaterina Furtseva: she literally ordered Bondarchuk to take Tikhonov.

As a result, the director and the actor were dissatisfied with their joint work. Bondarchuk said that Vyacheslav Vasilyevich was not at all suitable for the role of Bolkonsky, and critics noted the same thing. The artist was so disappointed in himself that he decided to put an end to cinema. The fact that the film won an Oscar also didn’t affect the celebrity’s decision.

Tikhonov changed his mind thanks to Stanislav Rostotsky. The director insisted that the actor play the lead role in his film We Will Live Until Monday, which has become legendary.