Natalia Romanova
39 minutes ago
Pyotr Todorovsky and Lyudmila Gurchenko By the start of filming “The Beloved Woman of Mechanic Gavrilov,” Pyotr Todorovsky was already a fairly experienced director. Behind him are seven paintings. However, being in the atmosphere that Lyudmila Gurchenko created on the site was extremely difficult for him.
The director himself invited Lyudmila Markovna to play the main role in his film. Pyotr Efimovich saw the future film as a light comedy. Gurchenko began to insist on drama. At first she asked, and then she completely demanded.
Without reaching an agreement “on the shore,” the actress began “military operations” on the set. It was as if she neither saw nor heard the director, and arbitrarily changed the text in the frame. The conflict grew like a snowball.
Lyudmila Gurchenko in the film “The Beloved Woman of Mechanic Gavrilov”
Another famous actor, Vsevolod Shilovsky, even stood up for Todorovsky. He later recalled:
“Gurchenko spoke very poorly. I couldn’t stand it. He took her out into the corridor and said a few words.”
Pyotr Efimovich understood that he would have to finish the picture, no matter what. And that Gurchenko, in any case, is her undoubted adornment. However, alone with his wife, Todorovsky admitted:
“I’ll probably take a frying pan, hit Gurchenko on the head and go to prison for this.”
The ending of the picture turned out to be completely “ploughed up”. The director saw it in the best traditions of Gaidai. Sergei Shakurov’s hero was finally supposed to appear before his beloved in a wheelchair, with his head bandaged and his leg in a cast.
Gurchenko was indignant. Throughout the entire film, her heroine waits for her Gavrilov and speaks about him with aspiration, no matter what. “And who am I waiting for? Scarecrow? — the artist exploded.
Shakurov sided with Gurchenko. He threw his jacket on the ground and began to trample and tear it. Demand a police “funnel” for the set.
Sergei Shakurov in the film “The Beloved Woman of Mechanic Gavrilov”
Gavrilov did not come to his own wedding because he got into “history” – he stood up for an unfamiliar woman. Todorovsky gave up. The scene was filmed in one take. It’s one of those that can be re-watched endlessly.
The film was an extraordinary success. However, Pyotr Efimovich and Lyudmila Markovna were at odds for many years. They finally reconciled when Todorovsky turned 80.
Gurchenko came to the anniversary evening. The director and actress hugged right on stage. She left for a better world six years after that, he almost eight years later.
Photo source: still from the film, Collage: Express newspaper and Larisa Kudryavtseva
