90 million people watched Pirates of the 20th Century in its first year
Photo: still from the film.
This picture became the absolute leader (in terms of the number of viewers) in the entire history of Soviet cinema. In the late 70s and early 80s, there were almost no such action films, especially domestic ones. In the first year, “Pirates of the 20th Century” was watched by 90 million people, and in 10 years of distribution – by 120 million.
OPIUM FOR THE PEOPLE
Filming took place in the spring and summer of 1979. The script was written by Stanislav Govorukhin. At that time Stanislav Sergeevich was filming “The meeting place cannot be changed.” And he couldn’t distract me filming “Pirates.” He entrusted them to his co-author and friend, director Boris Durov.
The film took place in some southern seas. According to the plot: in a foreign port, the Soviet cargo ship Nezhin was loaded with opium, necessary for the pharmaceutical industry. The cargo was headed to Vladivostok. On the way, the ship is attacked by pirates… And then the “ballet” begins: hand-to-hand combat, martial arts, karate and the incredible adventures of fearless Soviet sailors, who, of course, defeat the cruel pirates in the end. In this film, for the first time in Soviet cinema, karate techniques were shown in all their glory. And this also contributed to the success of the film.
The plot of the film was based on real events. According to one version, in the late 1970s, pirates attacked an Italian ship carrying uranium ore. The criminals stole the cargo and killed the entire crew. The world and Soviet press wrote about this. According to another version, the attack was not on an Italian, but on a Soviet ship somewhere in the waters of Southeast Asia. The ship was carrying a large cargo of opium for pharmaceutical purposes. The pirates shot part of the crew and blew up the ship. Well, the surviving sailors, led by the captain, entered into a dangerous battle with the bandits and won. Probably both stories made a strong impression on Stanislav Govorukhin, who co-wrote the script with Boris Durov. In the original version, Soviet sailors were transporting uranium. But party censors reduced the strategic cargo. Then they came up with the opium story. And there was also a noise: drugs on a Soviet ship! Is that possible? “Uranium is not allowed, opium is not allowed! What should we then bring from abroad by sea? Blank entry forms?” director Boris Durov fumed. And opium survived.
Eremenko really wanted to star in this film. But the directors did not see him as a modern social hero.
Photo: still from the film.
EREMENKO FOUGHT FOR THE ROLE
Filming took place in the spring and summer of 1979. Not in the Pacific Ocean or Southeast Asia, but in the waters of the Azov and Black Seas. Sudak, Yalta, Tarkhankut, Zhdanov (now Mariupol)…
For details of the filming, we ask to recall actress Natalya Khorokhorina, who played the ship’s waitress Masha in “Pirates of the 20th Century.”
– All the actors passed the auditions. Everything went very well for me,” recalls Natalya Khorokhorina. – Kolya Eremenko really wanted to star in this film. But the directors did not see him as a modern social hero. After playing Julien Sorel in The Red and the Black, he was seen only as a lyrical and romantic hero. He really wanted to change his role. To prove that his acting potential is much broader. He competed for the role of the main character – senior mechanic Sergei. He was approved. And even on the set he tried to prove himself. I did all the stunts myself…
In this film, for the first time in Soviet cinema, karate techniques were shown in all their splendor.
…In any case, they fought with Talgat Nigmatulin (he played the treacherous and bloodthirsty pirate Saleh) for real. Although Talgat was very athletic and had been practicing karate since childhood, it was not easy to resist him in hand-to-hand combat. By the way, in real life Nikolai and Talgat were friends and classmates at VGIK. On the set of “Pirates” both refused to use stunt doubles. The resulting injuries would haunt Nikolai Eremenko for the rest of his life. The director of the fights was martial arts master Tadeush Kasyanov, who played the boatswain in the film.
BREZHNEV HELPED THE RENTAL INDUSTRY
“There were many different incidents on the set,” Natalya Khorokhorina continues. – Kolya Eremenko almost died. In one scene, he jumps onto a boat from a cliff. He fell into the water and was almost swept away by the propeller.
– Is it true that Pirates of the 20th Century was released on the big screen thanks to the intercession of Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev?
– The film authorities did not want to release the film. There were too many scenes of cruelty and violence. The film was put on the shelf. But after Brezhnev saw it at his dacha and liked the picture, “Pirates” was taken off the shelf. The premiere took place in the summer of 1980.
Natalya Khorokhorina played Masha, the ship’s waitress, in “Pirates.”
Photo: still from the film.
We traveled with the Pirates throughout the country. They presented the image on stage before the sessions. One day we visited 5 or 7 Moscow cinemas in one day. And the son of our composer, Evgeny Gevorgyan, traveled with us everywhere. They went up on stage, presented the film and went to celebrate the premiere at the cinema management, while the boy stayed in the auditorium to watch the film. As a result, he watched the movie 5 or 7 times during the day. And nothing… I was happy. One day, Kolya Eremenko received a letter from an enthusiastic viewer who admitted that he had seen “Pirates” 38 times.
We had charismatic actors who played both positive and negative characters. Filming took place in Crimea and Zhdanov (Mariupol). In the Sea of Azov they filmed a scene of pirates boarding a ship. The “pirates” were also recruited from local residents.
The film featured all the nationalities living in the USSR at that time: Russians, Balts, Ossetians, Armenians, Turkmens, Kyrgyz… Our entire large multinational homeland is represented in this film. We became very good friends on the set. This is a photo of one man. What do you think the men were talking about? They had two topics: martial arts and food. Since the film crew was multinational, everyone talked about their favorite dish and shared the recipe.
I just arrived in Zhdanov. May, it’s hot. I walk along the embankment and meet our “pirates”. They lived in the private sector. They invited me to visit them and fed me delicious smoke. It’s meat in a pot with vegetables. Then, in Moscow, this became my signature dish.
The film featured all nationalities living in the USSR at the time.
Photo: still from the film.
The longest film expedition took place in Sudak. The whole month. Filming took place in the New World (Robber Bay, Blue Bay, Tsarsky Beach), in Koktebel and on Cape Tarkhankut.
The film was well received by the public. Entire classes attended film screenings. And very good: film critics. They said this “wasn’t our movie.” They called it “western,” which back then had a negative connotation.
I think this is a movie about real Russian men. “Pirates of the 20th Century” is an educational film. An entire generation of children grew up there who, once they matured, went to study at nautical schools. And they became ship captains, true sailors…
