"Five Evenings" - the best Russian melodrama of the Soviet 70's

Melodrama is a genre that exists in drama, in fiction and, of course, in movies. For example, the tragedy with wide strokes creates a large canvas in which the outstanding fate of the heroes is associated with important public historical missions. And the Russian melodrama delicates, in precise but precise strokes, the circumstances of the life of an ordinary person. He arranges his own happiness, which, in fact, is the goal of everyone.

The best Russian melodrama of the late seventies, on the subjective view of the author, "Five Evenings" - a film filmed by N. Mikhalkov in 1978. The basis of the script was the play of the same name by A. Volodin in 1959.

The best Russian melodrama begins with the fact that the main character, Alexander Ilyin, accidentally finds out the house and comes to the place where, before the war, 18 years ago, he was renting a room while still a student. It turned out that Tamara, the landlady of the apartment, still lives in her apartment and even works in the same place. Alexander, embarrassed by the fact that she did not live up to her hopes and works as a simple chauffeur in Vorkuta, posing as the chief specialist of the largest chemical plant.

It would seem that he just crossed the road, but in fact, Ilyin for five evenings was transferred to the past, in the era of his pre-war youth. The best Russian melodrama is shot in black and white, in Soviet interiors of the late 50's, in music, radio and television accompaniment of the same times.

The first evening

Ilyin was presented to Slavik, a nephew living with Tamara, a declaration of intent. He said that he will not tolerate rudeness of the student, because he is going to provide this woman for the time of his stay here a happy life.

The second evening

It is noticeable that it is very difficult for Tamara to return to the long-past time and to those former relations with Ilyin. Therefore, she officially talks with him about her production and social achievements, as if she does not remember anything. But the evening still ended with warmth: Ilyin performed for Tamara their favorite song, with which, apparently, many good things were connected. Involuntarily, she rejoices that she did not marry in the post-war period.

The third evening

Everything goes according to plan. Ilyin and Tamara together. At the entrance he reminds her where they kissed, trying to hug, says compliments. It seems that she is about to freeze, this ice, ... Both of them have already realized that those youthful feelings have not died out, they are alive.

I should have told him that he wanted to leave his post, to leave his job (he had to somehow get out of his lies), go to the North to chauffeur and want to call her with him! Tamara regarded the desire to leave the post as an irresponsible act of an empty worthless person and said that for such a person would not run to the end of the world. Disappointed in it, Ilyin leaves.

The fourth evening

Feelings transform Tamara, now the viewer sees not the old maid in the papyolok, but the feminine charming person. The conversation with Timofeev (a friend of Ilyin, the real chief engineer) and a meeting with Zoya, Sasha's acquaintance, helped her to fully understand what he did not say, how to live his past life. Ilyin seems that there is no return to the previous one.

The fifth evening

Ilin and Tamara can not leave, because they already live the same life. Simultaneously, Sasha in the restaurant, and Tom Slava at home, they tell about the wires to the front. When Sasha returns, having got off the train and not leaving for Vorkuta, both clearly see the situation, they feel the main thing that unites them. The best Russian melodrama can not, simply has no right to end sadly. Between the heroes, at last, all the barriers erected by the warlike illness and time are collapsing. The last words of Tamara - a prayer that there should be no war ...

Good films are Russian melodramas, if you like, you can watch them many times. Each scan reveals new nuances, allows you to appreciate the charm and charm of the detail, the picturesque frame and the depth of the director's plan.