Favorite movie of many.
They say that the story of the film “Hello, I your aunt!” begins with a dinner party in the Politburo. There were talking about captured post-war film “Charley’s Aunt” and the wife of a foreign Ministry official lamented that the youth are not familiar with such a fun plot. And it was then that the film Director Viktor Titov received a proposal to make a Comedy based on the play by Brandon Thomas.
The play was written by Thomas specifically for comedian William Sydney Penley, who has put the British Prime Minister and played the role of “aunt”. The premiere of the play “Aunt Charlie” was held on 9 February 1892 in London, at the Royal Opera, and was a resounding success. The show has been so successful that 10 months after the premiere, the show moved from the theatre Royal, the larger the Royalty theatre, a month later, at the globe theatre. Penley made on the performance of the state, which has invested in its own theatre on Queen street.
In Russia, the Comedy was first staged by the Korsh theatre in 1894. The role of “aunt” in the premiere played P. N. Orlenev, then S. L. Kuznetsov.
And then it’s time adaptations. The first known film version of the eponymous silent films made in Italy in 1911 and in the United States in 1915. After that, the play repeatedly portrayed, including in the UK, USA, Germany, Austria, Denmark, Spain, France, Italy and even in Egypt.
“Aunt Charlie” (1941).
Well, 1975 came and our shiny version.
The painting had a few working titles, one of which is “who is Who” in this case, a unique solution was not. Agonizing about choosing the name in conversation with the poet Nahum Olevam shared by Mikhail Kozakov. According to Kazakov, Nahum uttered a variant of “Hello, I your aunt!”, which he gave Titov. Liked the name and was immediately accepted. It is believed that this borrowing from Faina Ranevskaya, who uttered this phrase in the film “Easy life”.
After the solution of the name issue before the Director was the style of the film. He opted for silent films which allow the actors to improvise and thus to avoid the possible cliches of the production. Ensemble cast of the film — people with a great sense of humor caught parodic-grotesque style of play and literally bathed in what is happening.
For the chosen style seamlessly laid down, and a few deliberate-looking elements of costumes and makeup such as brush painted eyelashes from the Nose, too large painted freckle Vasilyeva, glued upside down mustache Dzhigarkhanyan or dress Kalyagin, trimmed with fringe from the usual curtains.
Despite the fact that the budget of the film “Hello, I your aunt!” was very small, and take off due to the employment of actors in the theaters had in the halls of the Ostankino TV Studio at night, third shift, all the participants in the film group worked on the tape with great pleasure. The mood and enthusiasm allowed to shoot a picture in record time — in just three months.
About what was the atmosphere on the set, in one interview, Armen Dzhigarkhanyan, who kept on working on the painting “Hello, I your aunt!” the fondest memories: “a Good movie. There stars came — not-star cast, and stars a favorable situation. It is often in the art determines a lot. Excuse my naive recollection of “Aunt”, but the people involved in the acting business, will understand me: we loved each other. Looked at each other, happy, it makes me laugh. For example, I still love Kalyagin. Meet somewhere it feel native feeling. And Gaft, and Misha Kozakov has not come alienation”.
Originally Armen Borisovich claimed the role of Colonel Chesney, because he already played this old soldier who does not know the words of love, in the theater. In the queue for the lame role of the Colonel stood and Zinovy Gerdt. But then the actor served in the theatre of Sergey Obraztsova, and the entire cast had to go on tour in Europe. Gerdt literally dreamed about the uniform Chesney, he prayed that the authorities denied them exit. But, unfortunately, officials released abroad all.
There were two candidates — Dzhigarkhanyan and the Cossacks. Director Victor Titov for the sake of experiment decided to test the charisma Armen Borisovich in a different way and asked him to make a brace as judge Krigs. Needless to say, after that first take of the famous striped suit greedy officials just stuck to the Dzhigarkhanyan.
But the main success was waiting for Alexander Kalyagin. The role of Babs — Donna Rose brought him immense popularity and made a real star of the screen. For Kalyagin film became a success and salvation. He, then still unknown actor, “won” the casting of Oleg Tabakov, Yevgeny Leonov, Vladimir Etush and Evgeniya Matveeva, which was indescribably happy.
While the actor’s wife died, and he was left alone with a small daughter on hands. This difficult time helped him to survive the shooting. He came to the site from his home, which was dominated by mourning and of a sad, grieving man was literally transformed into a quirky and ironic of Babs. Then Kalyagin, was considered a struggling actor, but after the release of the Comedy Charley’s aunt, the star — sentences with new roles poured from the cornucopia.
Here’s how he Kalyagin recalled shooting in his book “Alexander Kalyagin”: “My Charley’s aunt was born from the memories of the guy who raised me the women — mothers, aunts. It includes the traits of girls and women that I was in love, which just glimpsed on the street or in transport. With the film Director Viktor Titov, we never discussed: what women need to play? God forbid. Never had in mind. The memory has issued “on-mountain” sort of pose, gesture, manner of holding the fan, to shoot eyes, to flirt, to raise leg, clap eyelashes… we just cast that is not necessary.
Another important work was the memory of the experience of Charlie Chaplin, once starred in a short film “Woman”. I also wanted to test: what is it? What you feel and experience these creatures in skirts, stockings and other details of the toilet? Women’s costume I inhabit carefully, almost without lifting even at lunchtime. The fact that these breaks were short, and in the canteen queue. If you completely change: remove the stockings, cloak, skirt and so on — you can stay hungry. This I did not allow myself ever! So I was filming… only a wig. Looking at the aunt with a bald head, to put it mildly, surprised…”
All the costumes for the film were made in a single copy. But not because they are unique. Just from the crew was so limited budget that the film had to be rearranged at the “Mosfilm”, and in the small pavilion “Ostankino”. And for tricks to save called not professional stuntmen, and circus performers. Fabrics for costumes is also purchased to a minimum. Costume designer on the set was the younger sister of Nonna Mordyukova Natalia Kataeva. It is in the truest sense of the word cried when filming the scene with the pie fight.
The actors then asked to do one take because on extra cakes and washing powder for their outfits there was no money. Kalyagin, Kozakov Dzhigarkhanyan and promised. But the promises are not kept. “And now throw the cake in Dzhigarkhanyan — Alexander Kalyagin, and I can see his face in the cream… and I can’t help it, I’m crying from laughter. Understand that it is impossible, but to stay no way…”
Comedy about a Brazilian aunt loved by all the people, but canonicalise it disliked. Especially not like officials Tatiana Vedeneeva. They thought the beautiful “Tanya” is totally unconvincing and strongly advised to make a copy of the doubles with another actress. And Armen Dzhigarkhanyan, then accusingly asked, “How do you be a famous actor, and starred in such vulgarity?”
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