Winner in life and in cinema: in memory of Vladimir Menshov
Oscar for best film
That week we all (and the TV with us) celebrated the 85th birthday of Vladimir Menshov. Unfortunately, he passed away quite recently.
Only five films, but what kind. The best of all time, of course, is “Moscow Doesn’t Believe in Tears.” He said: “Katerina is me.” He did just that for himself and his love. And there were so many envious directors who spat, looked down on it, and tried to stop it from going ahead. But the Oscar is an impeccable argument for you, a wild card. And people's love.
“Love and Doves”, it was the same with this film. They didn’t accept it, they said it was a mockery of the Russian people. Oh, you highbrows, always rewarded by the state. There is such love... Don't you understand? Or didn't you want to understand? Such knowledge of people, they are unusually interesting to him.
...After the collapse of the USSR, the dream came true: censorship ordered us to live for a long time. She’s no more, do, film whatever you want, if only you had the money. And so he, with all his hard-earned freedom, ran into “Shirley-Myrli” as if against a wall. I looked and thought: no, it would be better if there were censorship and masterpieces were published than this. And I never understood his enthusiasm. And he said: “This is my favorite film.” I tried to look through his eyes, it didn’t work, I immediately switched.
And now for the first time it happened. I finally understood what it was. You just have to connect to his chosen style of absolute absurdity. But this absurdity is not accidental; it fits so neatly into the 90s. And then this film will become great too.
And the artist Menshov... He studied to be an artist, although he became a great director. But then, when he no longer withdrew and no one gave money (and it’s so humiliating to ask those who during “Moscow doesn’t believe in tears” still walked under the table, to the nursery, to the kindergarten), he returned to that one of his professions, and how! Just remember Stalin, and you get goosebumps... In “Liquidation” he plays Marshal Zhukov. He comes to Odessa (to lead, of course) and remains alone in the room in front of the leader’s portrait. This is the year 1946, post-war, victorious, Stalin is alive. Suddenly the marshal begins to dance in front of the portrait, and so on... In this dance of Vladimir Menshov all the resentment, suffering, misunderstanding, admiration for Stalin. In one dance.
There are no words, Master.
Newspaper headline:
Winner
