More than 30 years have passed since the comedy detective Alla Surikova "Look for a Woman" was released on television. However, like many other great Soviet films, he still enjoys immense love among viewers. Now it may seem strange, but the film does not have any location filming or special effects, there is only a hilariously funny script, excellent directorial work and an amazing ensemble of actors.
Plot history
The film "Look for a Woman" was based on the play "La Perruche et le Poulet" by the famous French playwright Robert Thom. There are different versions of the Russian translation of the title of the play - "The Parrot and the Chicken", "The Chatterbox and the Policeman" or "The Story of a Murder". True, the director Alla Surikova assures that Toma almost entirely borrowed the plot of the play "Mrs. Piper Investigates", created by the Englishman Jack Popluell.
Where and how the shooting took place
The action of the film takes place in the only place - the office of the Parisian notary of Maitre Rocher, whose role was played by Sergei Yursky. That is why all the episodes were filmed in one of the Mosfilm pavilions. The shooting took place in complete silence, since all the dialogues and remarks of the characters were recorded directly during the takes, without additional re-sounding. The only shot with a view of Paris was shot for Surikova by Georgy Danelia, who at that time really worked in France on a completely different picture. Interestingly, the shooting was carried out by an amateur camera from a car window.
Failed photo tests
The main role of the overly talkative telephone operator Alisa Postik, who unexpectedly for everyone uncovered a mysterious murder, was brilliantly played by the beautiful Georgian actress Sofiko Chiaureli. Since in those years, without screen tests, it was impossible to approve even the performers chosen by the stage director for roles, the film crew went to Tbilisi. There they were received with true Georgian hospitality by Sofiko's husband, the famous sports commentator Kote Makharadze. They were lucky to talk to the mother of the actress - the legendary Veriko Anjaparidze. When the members of the film crew were already returning to Moscow, full of impressions, they remembered that they had forgotten to make photo tests. I had to reshoot a photo of Chiaureli from the old calendar.
In addition to Sofiko Chiaureli and Sergei Yursky, such wonderful actors as Leonid Kuravlev, Elena Solovey, Alexander Abdulov, Leonid Yarmolnik starred in the film. Even tiny episodes were played by real masters of the Soviet screen - Vladimir Basov and Nina Ter-Osipyan.
Many witty phrases from the movie "Look for a Woman" have long become catchphrases. From the day of the premiere, which took place on January 1, 1983, and to this day, viewers of different generations are happy to quote them.
At the jubilee evening dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the film and the memory of the outstanding actress Sofiko Chiaureli, the performer of the role of the policeman Maximian Leonid Yarmolnik bitterly regretted that such films had long ceased to be filmed. Indeed, it is a pity that there is no room left on the modern Russian screen for such sincere, kind and cheerful pictures.
