Girl of the siege of Leningrad

A few days ago the Soviet actress Lyudmila Savelyev, brilliantly played the role of Natasha Rostova in the famous film "War and Peace" celebrates '72. Who would have thought that a simple girl from the ballet school suddenly able to conquer the world.




Smoktunovskij cried
Americans then still managed to overtake the Soviet Union - they withdrew their adaptation of "War and Peace" by Leo Tolstoy in 1956, and even more with our script was not ready. Party leaders set a target: "Remove the better!" Movie: "revenge" on Sergei Bondarchuk.
To collect the best film the cast. But one of the main sticking points has become ... Natasha Rostova. Bondarchuk could not find the right actress. Tried recognized beauties - and Vertinskaya and Kustinskaya and Fateev. It's not that! And then the assistant director invited to see "a ballerina." And Bondarchuk about ballet was a strong prejudice actresses of them useless, and the art of ballet he once complained. However, utterly desperate Bondarchuk agreed and dancer. But seeing Savelyev near the shooting pavilion "Mosfilm", he immediately regretted it. Before him stood a little fragile blonde, which by no means associated with the image of Natasha. "And who brought you ?!" - said the master.



But on trial Savelyev Bondarchuk still missed. Again, sorry. Natasha dialogue with the young cadet, in which she, the girl, trying to appear fatal seductress, a ballerina did not come out. She was not very happy to look for opportunities like polite to say goodbye - and back to Leningrad. Especially that initially did not build any illusions, knowing that not even look like a heroine: a small, belobrysenkaya, eyes black as Natasha in the novel, and blue ... But still stubborn assistant director persuaded to give young talent a chance. This opportunity is not missed Lucy. The next day, she was given a "Dress Natasha", put on the head of a wig. Seeing myself in the mirror, Saveliev and internally transformed. "I really felt Natasha!" - Says the actress. And Bondarchuk saw this transformation. Her last test was the most responsible. Savelevoj had to play a farewell scene Natasha and Prince Andrew, who was ... Innocent Smoktunovskij. By the time Smoktunovskij already turned down the role of Prince Bolkonsky for the role of Hamlet, but sometimes ran to the set to Bondarchuk. And he asked him to help out - to play along in the episode ... Savelyev recalled, when she looked into the eyes of Bolkonsky-Smoktunovsky, said: "The year really a whole year?" - The actor's cheek a tear rolled down. And she began to cry after him. The scene was played at one hundred percent.



After sampling Lucy went to his native Leningrad to wait for the filmmakers. A few days later a telegram: "Congratulations to Natasha!»
"War and Peace" was shot 5 years. At first, Ludmila was torn between the two cities: with ballets raced the train to Moscow from the station without going to the hotel - on the shooting. This schedule has not passed in vain - the actress repeatedly fainted right on the site. Possibly affected and hungry childhood - because Luda was born in besieged Leningrad. To the little girl did not die from exhaustion, she had to feed ... the carpenter's glue. Chocolate for the first time in my life Luda tried in 3 years. And went to the hospital with severe food poisoning: her body simply could not digest such delicacies ... When fainting steel case and in the rehearsal hall of the Mariinsky Theatre, Lyudmila had to make a choice. Ballet was in the past.



Bondarchuk often at eye called a despot, an implacable, but Lyudmila learned to negotiate with him. She explained Maitre, that is not going to engage in rehearsals, because after several repetitions of the same with her, unprofessional actress lost naturalness. And the master did not even argue. And in one of the display suddenly said: "And you, Lyusenka, play better than me! You go to Italy with the footage ».
Foreign Lyudmila Savelyev met with open arms. Legendary Federico Fellini and Giulietta Masina expressed his admiration for her. It Savelevoj entrusted get major world film awards - "Oscar". Newspapers and magazines came out with a portrait of the fragile Russian ballerina on the cover. In Europe, there was a real boom - many mothers named their newborn daughters Natasha. Italian director Vittorio De Sica told reporters that he would like to see Saveliev in his painting "Sunflowers". So Russian Lyudmila got one shooting area with Marcello Mastroianni and Sophia Loren. And then with the whole film crew went overseas to represent the painting in Japan.



Family forever
"War and Peace" played a decisive role in his personal life Lyudmila Savelevoj. During the filming of the first ball of Natasha she began an affair with, Vadim. "I was in love with Sasha more since the movie came out," My younger brother "- recognized actress. Zbruev also lost his head when he saw Lyudmila on "Mosfilm" in the makeup of Natasha. "In Sasha has always been such things boyish mischief than me and he won, - says Lyudmila Savelyev. - I'm in those days was quite romantic lady, who believed in the fairy-tale love »



Source: www.aif.ru