The Same Munchausen is a two-part Soviet drama directed by Mark Zakharov in 1979, based on the works of the German writer Rudolf Erich Raspe, the author of the classic stories about Baron Münghausen. This cult film is considered the best work of the famous actor Oleg Yankovsky, who played the main role in it.
The Same Munghausen is an interesting Soviet film, a philosophical drama with elements of comedy, the script for which was written by the Russian honored playwright and satirist Grigory Gorin, and directed by the legendary theater and cinema figure Mark Zakharov. The picture, released in 1980, confidently holds a rating above eight on Kinopoisk and IMDb, and among its features are great humor, wonderful dialogues, disassembled into quotes "to the people", amazing acting, a stellar cast and crew.
Plot of the film
Events unfold in the German town of Hanover on May 30, 1779. Baron Münghausen lives in the ancestral castle with his beloved Martha. To get engaged to a girl, he needs to get permission to divorce Jacobina von Dutten, the woman Karl Münghausen was married to in his youth for practical reasons. The couple, who openly do not love each other, even had a son, Theophilus, who, under the influence of his mother, grew up infantile and hating his own father.
Divorce can only be allowed by the local duke, but Jacobina and her lover Heinrich Ramkopf, despite Karl's best efforts, prevent this in every possible way. Jacobina wants to declare her husband insane and take possession of all the property of Münghausen, at the same time retaining the baronial title.
The plans of the insidious Jacobina have every chance of being realized. The fact is that the baron is a desperate dreamer, known throughout the district for his tales. Freedom-loving, living with dreams and love for the world, he talks about his meetings with Newton and Shakespeare, about a cherry bone that grew on the head of an animal into a real tree, about how he dragged himself out of the swamp by his hair. Karl claims that he never lies, and often, to the surprise of others, his stories come true.
And then one day the duke, having quarreled with his wife, signs all the petitions for divorce that have accumulated in his office, shouting "All free!" Jacobina is terrified trying to rectify the situation, and Martha is afraid that her beloved Karl may ruin everything with another fantasy.
And so it happens - in court, Münghausen claims that today is May 32, according to his astronomical observations. A real scandal erupts, the court refuses to approve the divorce, unless the baron renounces all his fantasies in writing and in public. For him it is like death. But the worst thing awaits him a little later, when Martha, gentle, understanding and forgiving Martha, demands the same, putting Carl in front of a choice - either his fantasy, or she.
After his abdication, Karl fakes a suicide and becomes a sullen recluse, changing his name and personality, losing everything that was the meaning of his life. Martha achieved what she wanted, but this new Münghausen, more precisely, the flower-grower Müller, she is unable to love.
Meanwhile, the inspired Jacobina, who inherited all her husband's property, makes him a national hero, remembering his tales and bathing in the rays of his glory, preparing to publish memoirs about their love and his travels. Gradually, Münghausen becomes a dead hero, a symbol of the city, its legend, songs and paintings are dedicated to him, they call him the genius of his time, and no one needs him alive. And then one day the Baron decides to resurrect …
Starring
Jankowski, who played Münghausen, flawlessly embodied the image of his hero on the screen. But Zakharov had to persuade the studio's artistic council for a long time that this particular actor is suitable for the role of Münghausen, a man filled with inner freedom and good irony, faith in miracles and in people.
Yankovsky was born in Kazakhstan in 1944, into a family with Polish and Belarusian roots. Parents loved art, possessed a huge library and were able to pass on to their three sons a passion for classical theater, literature, and painting. Oleg graduated from the Saratov Theater School and began performing at the local drama theater. I got to the cinema by chance - the director of the famous film novel "The Shield and the Sword" was looking for actors for his film and accidentally noticed Oleg, a young theater-goer with a "typically Aryan appearance" in a restaurant in Lvov, where the Saratov theater troupe, who had come on tour, had dinner.
This was followed by a rich and vibrant career of Yankovsky, a famous figure of Russian culture. In 2008, the actor fell seriously ill and died a year later. He was buried in Moscow on May 20, 2009. Thousands of people came to say goodbye to their favorite actor.
For the role of Martha, they could not find a suitable actress for a long time. Real stars auditioned for the role: Irina Mazurkevich, Tatyana Dogileva, but all of them categorically did not suit Zakharov. Koreneva ended up in the film crew almost by accident and after quite a long search.
Elena was born in Moscow in 1953 to her parents who had worked for Mosfilm for many years. Of course, she connected her future exclusively with the magical world of cinema. She graduated from the Higher Theater School, worked in the theater, made her screen debut at the age of 16, in her father's comedy film. On account of Koreneva more than 60 works in cinema, several books and a huge contribution to Russian art.
Elena is actively involved in social activities, charity, supports the opposition, including Navalny, condemns the "annexation of Crimea", speaks at anti-war and political rallies. She has a lot of theatrical and literary awards, film awards, but she was not awarded state awards.
Churikova is an honored actress, folk and famous, full holder of the Order For Merit to the Fatherland. She was amazingly successful in the role of Jacobina Münghausen, a domineering, greedy, cynical and capricious woman who skillfully manipulates others.
Churikova was born in Bashkiria in the fall of 1943 in a family of "scientists". His father taught at the agricultural university, and his mother was a doctor of agricultural sciences. The daughter did not follow in the footsteps of her parents, choosing for herself a creative career. After school, Inna graduated from the Higher Theater School with honors and worked in Moscow theaters. She made her film debut as a student, starring in the 1960 anti-religious film "Clouds over Borsk".
The actress still works today. Recently, she has appeared in modern comedies and serial projects, at the same time performing on the stage. She has a lot of state and theatrical awards.
Secondary male roles
Alexander Abdulov played the role of Jacobina's lover, the swaggering henpecked Heinrich Ramkopf. Abdulov was born in the Tyumen region in 1953 into a family of theater-goers. But he was not going to tie his life to the theater, he was engaged in fencing, received several sports awards and categories. And then, at the insistence of his parents, he entered GITIS. He worked a lot in films and starred in the theater, became one of the most famous and titled actors of the Soviet Union, and then Russia. He died in January 2008.
Leonid Bronevoy played the role of the duke in the film. This is one of the most honored and many awarded actors, a legend of Russian cinema, a full holder of the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, like Churikova. Born in Kiev in 1928, died in Moscow in 2017.
The burgomaster on the screen was embodied by Igor Kvasha, the son of a scientist, a famous Russian actor, the son of a chemical scientist, born in Moscow in 1933. He became interested in theater in the small Siberian town of Lenins-Kuznetsky, where his family was evacuated with the outbreak of the war. In recent years, he has been active in public affairs, criticizing the government and dishonest elections. He died in 2012.
Vladimir Dolinsky, the actor who played the pastor, became famous for this work. He was born in 1944 in Moscow, graduated from the Shchukin School, played in the theater of miniatures. He appeared in films since 1965, performing mainly in episodic roles. After "Münghausen" became famous and in total on his account for his entire career more than a hundred roles in films. The actor is still filming.
Yuri Katin-Yartsev became Thomas in the film, a loyal servant of the baron. It was he who recognized the owner in the downcast sullen flower-grower, when everyone was convinced that Münghausen had died. Yuri is a representative of an ancient Russian noble family from Ryazan. Born in the summer of 1921 in Moscow, graduated from the theater school. Shchukin, worked all his life in the theater on Malaya Bronnaya and was considered one of the best acting teachers in Russia. He made his film debut in 1954 and quickly became a popular favorite for his roles. He died in 1994.
The son of the Baron and Jacobina Theophilus was played by the famous Leonid Yarmolnik, who was born in a village in the Primorsky Territory in 1954 and became one of the audience's favorite movie actors. He spent all his childhood in Lviv, actively playing sports, graduated from the Shchukin School, worked in the theater. Leonid made his film debut in 1974 and made a brilliant career. After the collapse of the USSR, he refused state awards, not considering them significant in the current situation. He is actively involved in the protection of animals, criticizes the authorities, but at the same time considers Crimea to be the primordially Russian land. In recent years, he has often found himself in the spotlight of the media due to scandalous behavior.
Secondary female roles
Lyubov Polishchuk is a singer, actress, teacher and theatrical figure. She played the role of Little Bertha. The actress was born in the spring of 1949 in Omsk, from childhood she dreamed of doing art. She was not taken to the ballet school because of her tall stature and she went to sing in the school choir. She graduated from VTMEI at Rosconcert, worked in Omsk as an artist of the spoken genre, then moved to Moscow. She became famous for her role as a dancer in "The Twelve Chairs", played a total of 92 movie roles. She died in 2006.
Nina Palladina, who embodied the image of the Duke's counselor on the screen, is basically a theater actress little known to the moviegoer. She was born in 1933 in the capital's maternity hospital, studied at the Moscow Art Theater School, made her film debut in an episode of the 1957 film "Duel", based on the novel of the same name by Kuprin. On the set of the cinema, she worked in only 14 films, and her name was constantly distorted in the credits. She died in 1996.
In episodes
In a small episode of the film, the role of one of the courtiers in the duke's retinue was played by Grigory Gorin himself. Since the picture was filmed mostly in Germany, the indigenous people of those places, dressed in appropriate costumes, participate in the extras. A more complete list of actors and their roles with corresponding photos can be seen on Wikipedia.
“The Same Münghausen” is a film that has entered the classics of Russian cinema, a masterpiece of humor, imagery and dramatic play of actors, harmony of scenery, costumes and movements, an ideal combination of meticulously worked out details, deep emotionality and professionally honed artistry. The film, built as a historical reconstruction, does not bother with anachronisms and will definitely delight even the modern spoiled viewer.
