Vladimir Basov as Duremar. Photo: Frame from the film “The Adventures of Pinocchio”
On the one hand, Vladimir Basov was lucky in life. He was one of the most famous Soviet character artists, he was adored by the whole country. Besides, he was far from the last director. Still, he was married to the three most beautiful women in the USSR. But behind all of this, there were dramas that the audience had no idea about. And that it somehow did not fit well with the wonderful images created by Basov on the screen.
He died early, he was only 64 years old. And, perhaps, you can use the hackneyed word “exhausted at work.” He made movies in large numbers, and this could not but bring his body down. A stormy personal life with Mexican passions did not improve his state of health either. The first blow broke him, his eyesight deteriorated, it was incredibly difficult for him to walk. The second was fatal…
THE WAR MADE HIM AN ALCOHOLIC
He was half Finnish by nationality: his father’s name was Pavel Basultaynen. Basov was his father’s party nickname, which he eventually took on as a new Russian surname. He was a philosopher by education and a red commissar by vocation: he was a firm believer in the ideas of revolution and communism. And he died in Central Asia, he fought there with the Basmachi. Volodya was eight years old at that time. Biographers believe that he later, becoming a director, filmed episodes from his father’s life; at least he could easily be a character in the “School of Courage” (about how Arkady Gaidar went to civil war) and “The Collapse of the Emirate” (about the construction of Turksib and the battle with the Basmachi).
“School of Courage” is one of the first films directed by Basov. He played a role in it.
Photo: frame of the film.
Vladimir Pavlovich belonged to a generation of people who graduated from school in June 1941 and volunteered for the front. He fought bravely, was awarded the Order of the Red Banner, but … They say that Basov began to drink seriously at the front – the war made him an alcoholic. He received a concussion and suffered severe headaches, and of the painkillers, only alcohol was on hand. But drunkenness (and Basov drank a lot even by the standards of cinematic bohemia) did not prevent him from entering VGIK on a course with Sergei Yutkevich and Mikhail Romm. And then build a fantastic career.
It is also said that drunkenness saved his life. Somehow they had a strong drink with their best friend and colleague Mstislav Korchagin before boarding the plane. They put Korchagin on the plane, but not Basov. The plane crashed. Korchagin’s death was a terrible blow for Vladimir Pavlovich, and he treated the pain of this tragedy in a proven way …
Vladimir Basov was the director of the film “Shield and Sword” and played a role in it.
Photo: frame of the film.
Obese and Failed Polisher Karenin
As a student, he wrote in his diary: “Anna Karenina” is a conducting textbook worth all conducting research combined. I think that playing Tolstoy is acting with happiness, I dream of the role of Karenin. But fate did not give her the opportunity to play the wife of Anna Arkadyevna.
But there were many other roles – comedy. The first truly striking job was the floor polisher in the film “I am walking around Moscow.” This role arose in the script quite by accident: Georgy Danelia understood that he was shooting a trouble-free picture of youth and happiness, foresaw criticism and deliberately introduced an apprehensive character who demanded “truthfulness” from literature, that is, pessimism. And it was by chance that Basov played him: the actor approved for the role suddenly fell ill, and then Danelia literally grabbed Vladimir Pavlovich, who was passing through the Mosfilm corridor, and dragged him into the filming pavilion …
Vladimir Basov in the film “I am walking around Moscow”
He worked incredibly hard and very quickly – there are a lot of pictures in his directorial filmography. He finished filming the hour-long epic “Shield and Sword” in a year. Priestley’s “Dangerous Turn” was shot in two months. He himself was proud of this seething energy of his, ironically opposed Andrei Tarkovsky, who he shot very slowly.
Actress Roza Makagonova in the film “School of Valor”
His professional destiny was firmly connected with his personal life: he was married three times to actresses, whom he photographed in his paintings. The first was Rosa Makagonova, whom he met at VGIK. She starred in his “School of Courage”, the marriage lasted several years and ended for several reasons at once. Makagonova could not give birth to Basov’s son, and besides, she met another beauty, Natalya Fateeva. This marriage lasted even less – he was overshadowed by jealousy, scandals and a stormy separation from Basov (at some point, they say, Vladimir Pavlovich seriously set out to break the career of his former lover and almost succeeded). And after filing for divorce from Fateeva, he tried to return to his first wife, begged her to take him back, but nothing happened…
Maybe because her character was extremely complex.
Natalya Fateeva in the detective story “The Motley Case”
“I WOULD BREAK A CHAIR ON YOUR HEAD NOW”
With his third wife, actress Valentina Titova, he fell in love without memory. Having obtained the support of the Deputy Minister of Culture Ekaterina Furtseva, she literally forced her to star in her tape “Blizzard” (despite the fact that she considered herself a theater actress and played in the BDT). Filming began with a scandal. Titova recalled: “I stood in the frame, and Vladimir Pavlovich spoke rather rudely about how I cry. A tear rolled down my cheek and she apparently wanted me to sob like a peasant girl. And he insulted me in front of the whole troupe. I got up and said: “It’s a pity that I don’t see where you are sitting (I was standing in the light), otherwise now I would have crushed a chair on your head. This time you are still alive, but I am leaving the site to always “. However, the platform was returned to him, but with great difficulty. Basov apologized and finally went with the actress to the registry office, despite the fact that she was 18 years younger than him. They say that when Titova’s mother saw her “young husband” from her, she said: “Divorce, now!” But, the actress recalled, “the cunning and wise Basov always kept the situation in his hands. In general, I must say that he was a victorious person. So, as soon as we approached the car, Basov threw up his hands and enthusiastically said: “Maria Ivanovna! If I had met you before Valya, I would have married you! “And from that moment on, my mother became the best friend of Vladimir Pavlovich, no matter what he said, she was always right.
Valentina Titova in the film “Snowstorm”
But even here there was jealousy, in particular, towards other directors – Basov wanted his wife to perform only with him. And then there were scandals, slaps, alcoholism … And after 12 years, Titova fell in love with the cameraman Georgy Rerberg. And she said to her husband: “If you lift a finger at me, I’ll kill you.” Basov, in response, took the children from Titova, hoping that she would return for them …
Vladimir Basov in the film “Days of the Turbins”
But today, on the day of his centenary, I want to remember not scandals, but chic films and film roles. The way the audience had a smile on their faces at the mere appearance of Vladimir Pavlovich. He has been with us since childhood: we first remember him from The Adventures of Pinocchio, from The Adventures of Electronics, from The Magical Voice of Gelsomino, from Little Red Riding Hood. Then there were “Mimino”, “A dog walked along the piano”, “Running”, “Days of Turbines”, “The Adventures of Prince Florizel”, “The Tale of Wanderers”. And we will always remember his roles as long as we ourselves are alive.
