The Soviet film “The Meeting Place Cannot Be Changed” left an indelible mark on the history of Russian cinema. However, few people know that this masterpiece was originally conceived as a 7-episode epic, but underwent significant changes at the request of the Chairman of the State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company Sergei Lapin.
It was decided to reduce screen time from 508 to 390 minutes. Director Stanislav Govorukhin cut out not only editing elements, but also episodes that contradict censorship standards. One of these moments was the bed scene between the characters Sharapov and Sinichkina.
Members of the artistic council paid special attention to the scene of the intimate relationships of the main characters. And although it was well disguised in the novel and script, the director was advised to remove all tactile contacts between the characters.
In the film, the viewer will not see hugs in the park and the first kiss near Varya’s entrance. Unfortunately, it was not customary in Soviet cinema to release director’s cuts, and many valuable shots were recycled.
What did the same sex scene that was abandoned in the USSR look like? The presenter of the project, Andrei Kudryashov, spoke about this in an interview for Komsomolskaya Pravda in 2010:
“According to these days, nothing special, especially frank. […] Bubbles burst in a glass of champagne. Sharapov and Varya in bed. He hugs her bare shoulders. In general, everything is within the bounds of decency.”
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