The film Big Change was filmed at the Mosfilm studio in the early 1970s and has become one of the most beloved Soviet comedies. Although more than forty years have passed since then, and the few evening schools that remain in Russia have long ceased to be schools for working youth, viewers of different generations continue to watch this film with pleasure. Apparently, the secret of his popularity lies in the good humor and endless charm of young performers, most of whom "Big Change" helped to gain stellar status.
Instructions
Step 1
Back in the 60s, history teacher Georgy Sadovnikov wrote a book "I am going to the people", in which he spoke about the everyday life of students and teachers of the school for working youth. I must say that the book was not at all funny and even a little sad, although quite optimistic. After it fell into the hands of one of the leaders of "Mosfilm", they decided to film it. The film was directed by Alexei Korenev (the father of the future famous actress Elena Koreneva), who decided that it was necessary to shoot a comedy. The author did not like this idea at all, but the director managed to insist on his own.
Step 2
The script for the film was very different from the original. The images of the main characters have undergone the greatest changes. For example, the character of Yevgeny Leonov in the book was a woman, and Nelly Ledneva went to school with her mother, not with her dad. One of the most charming characters in the film, Grigory Ganzha, appeared in one single episode and was just a puny teenager. In addition, Timokhin and his girlfriend Lyuska and the love triangle Nestor Severov - Polina - Fedoskin were not in the book. However, all the changes and additions made to the script served only to benefit the film.
Step 3
At the beginning of 1972 Korenev started screen tests. The “great old men” of the Art Theater Anastasia Georgievskaya (geography teacher) and Mikhail Yanshin (Professor Volosyuk) were invited without samples. For the role of the main character, in which it is now difficult to imagine another actor besides Mikhail Kononov, Andrei Myagkov auditioned very successfully. Moreover, the production director was inclined towards this particular candidacy. However, Myagkov unexpectedly set a condition: his wife Anastasia Voznesenskaya should appear in the film with him. Korenev did not accept the conditions, and Myagkov refused the role.
Step 4
Stanislav Sadalsky, Alexander Filippenko and the future famous cameraman Yuri Veksler auditioned for the role of Ganja, which was brilliantly played by Alexander Zbruev. Veksler refused to star in the film and asked his wife Svetlana Kryuchkova to return the script to the film studio. There, director Alexei Korenev drew attention to her, as a result, she played the role of Nelly Ledneva, which became for her a star.
Step 5
The film was originally supposed to be called The Adventures of a School Teacher. However, after information about the filming was leaked to the press, letters from indignant teachers flew to the Ministry of Education, who found this name almost offensive. The new name for the future film was invented by the operator Anatoly Mukasey.
Step 6
Filming of "Big Change" began at the end of March and was conducted not only in the pavilions of "Mosfilm", but also in the shops of the Yaroslavl Tire Plant. On April 6, 1973, filming was completed, and from April 29 to May 2, the four-part film was first shown on television. The success of "Big Change" turned out to be grandiose and exceeded all possible expectations.
