Soviet comedy "Head of Chukotka": actor Mikhail Kononov and his first major role in the cinema

In the USSR, many ideological pictures have been filmed, and they can be attributed to Vitaly Melnikov's film "The Head of Chukotka". Actor Mikhail Kononov plays in the comedy of the main protagonist of the Red Army soldier Alexei Bychkov, who arrived in Chukotka as a commissioner. In the role of an antagonist, the imperialist official Timothy Khramov stands. What kind of conflict arises between the characters? And what adventures are waiting for Bychkov before he establishes the legitimate Soviet power in Chukotka?

The creators of the picture

Films glorifying the Communist Party and ideologically savvy Red Army soldiers were not uncommon in the USSR. Adherents of imperialism and the white movement were mercilessly ridiculed or exhibited by low people, and the party's adherents, on the contrary, are highly moral heroes. A similar situation in the film "The Chief of Chukotka".

Actor Mikhail Kononov played "correct" in all senses Commissioner Aleksey Bychkov, who came to Chukotka to fight the remnants of imperialism. And his opponent was a royal official of the Temples, mercilessly plundering the local population.

The picture was directed by Vitaly Melnikov in 1966. Melnikov is also the director of the popular Soviet comedy "The Seven Brides of Lance-corporal Zbruev" and the film adaptation of the work of N. Gogol "Marriage".

The script for the film "The Head of Chukotka" was written by Vladimir Valutsky. Subsequently, he also became the author of the screensaver for the Soviet hit "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson." Behind the camera stood Eduard Rozovsky, who shot "Amphibian Man" and "White Sun of the Desert".

"Head of Chukotka": actors and roles. Short story

The main character of the film is the scribe of the revolutionary committee Alexey Bychkov. He goes to Chukotka on his own business, and the company is made up by Commissioner Aleksey Glazkov, who is ordered to establish Soviet power in the said region. However, on the way Glazkov dies of typhoid fever. Then Alexey Bychkov, considering it his duty to continue the work of like-minded people, takes his mandate and himself appoints himself the governor of Chukotka.

In a new place, Bychkov begins to establish his own order: food is distributed to the Chukchi for free, and from foreign traders takes a large toll. To give 40% of sales to the treasury of the local "governor" foreign entrepreneurs do not want. Therefore, they incite the counter-revolutionary Cossacks to raise a riot and drive the Soviet government from the Chukchi lands.

The uprising passes successfully. Bychkov has to flee from Chukotka. But he also has to take with him all the coffers of the region, so that it will not be wasted. Thus, the protagonist is in Alaska with a million in his hands.

While Bytchkov is looking for a way to return from the US to the USSR, he is found in the United States by the former tsarist customs officer of the Temples, who previously managed affairs in Chukotka. Timofei Khramov tries to take money from Bychkov, but he does not get anything. In the final, the former chief of Chukotka and the faithful servant of the revolution returns to their native Soviet Union, and the coveted million goes to the treasury of the state.

The film "The Head of Chukotka": actors and roles. Mikhail Kononov as Alexei Bychkov

Mikhail Kononov began acting in movies in 1963. First, he was trusted only in the role of the second plan, but everything changed the picture "The head of Chukotka." The actor received his first major role for the first time. And she was so successful that Kononov subsequently became a popular and recognizable artist.

Mikhail played Alyosha Semyonov in the movie "There is no ford in the fire." This film won the main prize at the Swiss International Film Festival. In 1968, Kononov embodied on the screens the image of the commander of the SAU Alexander Maleshkin in the military drama "In war as at war." And in 1972 he played a history teacher in the melodramatic comedy "The Big Change".

Since the 80's Kononov appeared in the movies less and less. The last role of the artist was associated with the television series Gleb Panfilov "In the First Circle" (a screen version of the same name by Solzhenitsyn).

Alexei Gribov as a collegiate recorder Khramov

Alexei Gribov played the role of a negative character in the film "The Head of Chukotka". The actor appeared in the image of the collegiate registrar Khramov, who was in charge of customs in Chukotka during the reign of the tsar.

When Alexey Bychkov came to the region as governor, Hramov in every possible way prevented the establishment of new orders. Bychkov even had to arrest a tsarist official, but then he released him to freedom and took him as a consultant on economic matters.

When Bychkov was forced to flee, Khramov went after him to take back part of the Chukchi treasury. But Bychkov rounded Khramov around his finger and returned to the USSR with the full amount of money.

Alexei Gribov can also be seen in the films "The collapse of the empire", "Love Yarovaya" and "Zigzag luck".

Other performers of roles

The famous Soviet actor Nikolai Volkov ("Scarlet Sails") also honored with his presence the film "The Head of Chukotka". Actors N. Volkov and M. Ivanov played Americans - the characters of the opposing side. In addition, in the frame you can see Iosif Konopatsky, Oscar Lind and Arkady Trusov.