The screenplay based on Kondratiyev's story was at "Mosfilm" for a long time until Stanislav
Govorukhin who moved to Moscow from Odessa came to the studios. He made his debut with "Splashes of
Champagne" in the capital.
Govorukhin, who likes straight and open conflicts, sharp and condensed colors - preferably black
against white - took close Kondratiyev's prose. Its mood, its open-hearted and honest Lieutenant
Volodya is the author's alter ego. The Lieutenant was performed by a young actor, graduate of the
Art Theatre School, round-faced, big-eyed Alexey Burykin who really looked like the Great Patriotic
War soldiers. Having met Alexey Burykin, Menshikov will invite him in a few years as an author of
the play about the genius dancer Vatslav Nizhinsky.
Menshikov himself unexpectedly appeared in the supporting role, though by that time he always was
the central figure of his other films. For Sergey he chose the intonation of calm confidence in his
own rightfulness. Sergey knows that the war is quite near, that tens of thousands of people are
dying and nobody knows what tomorrow will bring. That's why you must have time to live a NORMAL
life! In other words, to eat and sleep well, to provide for his family, to amuse himself. And of
course to do his own business that is of use to somebody. From the 80s Menshikov brought the air of
an absolute absorption in his own life which perfectly helps people to keep their ground even in
total shifts of the whole society. Sergey knows very well that the pathos of love to the motherland,
sentiments, and proper slackness are for the others, the people, strange for him. Menshikov
performed a striking streamlining, an ability to slip away everywhere and always, to swim out
cunningly and head to a quite harbor. Even his appearance is different - calm and firm. He is clear
and predictable - and frightening in his own way…
(from the book by Elga Lyndina "Oleg Menshikov", Moscow - Panorama, 1999)
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