Mikhail Kalatozov: biography, filmography, photo

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

This man showed his remarkable talent in several roles at once. He became famous as a screenwriter, and as a director, and as an operator. Mikhail Kalatozov has been awarded prestigious awards, and is also the owner of "high-profile" regalia. Many articles and essays have been written about him, two documentaries have been shot about the ups and downs of his life. What was the creative path of the maestro? Let's take a closer look at this issue.

Biography

Kalatozov Mikhail Konstantinovich was born in the capital of Georgia on December 28, 1903. His ancestors were representatives of the ancient princely family of Amirejebi. The uncle of the future director served as a general with the king himself. It should be noted that the Kalatozov estate was often visited by representatives of the local intelligentsia, who liked to talk about the fate of the country. But then the October Revolution broke out, which made adjustments to the future fate of the boy.

Start in employment

Already in 1917, Mikhail Kalatozov, whose biography certainly deserves separate consideration, began to earn his living. He worked both as an assistant andworker and driver.

In 1923, a young man goes to work at a film studio in the capital, first as a driver, and then as a projectionist. The young men's diligence and responsible attitude to business were soon noticed, and now Mikhail Kalatozov is assisting on the set. After some time, he was approved for the position of editor and cameraman. During his work at the Tbilisi Film Studio, the young man began to understand several professions at once, which were directly or indirectly involved in cinematography.

Kalatozov's trial balloon as a screenwriter was the film "The Case of Tariel Mklavadze", filmed by Ivan Perestiani in 1925. After some time, Mikhail Kalatozov was already involved both as a screenwriter and as an operator in the films "Gyulli" and "Gypsy Blood". In fairness, it should be noted that the creator of the famous film "The Cranes Are Flying" did not gain huge popularity as an actor, despite his imposing appearance, but his directorial work was filigree and masterful. Mikhail Kalatozov, whose films undoubtedly entered the treasury of the domestic cinematography, first experienced himself in a new quality at the end of the 20s.

Career director

The debut work of the maestro was the film "Their Kingdom", which he shot in collaboration with Nutsa Gogobiridze. Already in this picture, Mikhail Kalatozov began to show directorial individualism, creating unique effects and lighting angles, seeking maximum realism in characters from the actors. In the 1930s, a young man was already filming silenta movie called "S alt of Svaneti", which tells about the specific life of the community.

When filming, Mikhail Konstantinovich used ethnographic material of the documentary genre, he was able to withstand some expression in the change of plans, which is why this work was rated "excellent" by film critics.

Temporary vector change

The era of silent films was gradually fading away, and the maestro was far from immediately able to catch new trends in art. In 1932, Mikhail Kalatozov creates the film "A Nail in a Boot", but this work goes unnoticed by the viewer. The failure of the film was very painful for the Georgian director. He decides to leave work on the set for a while. The maestro enters the State Academy of Art Studies and subsequently becomes the head of the Tbilisi Central Film Studio. While in this position, Mikhail Kalatozov (real name - Kalatozishvili) is carrying out reforms in the filming process, modernizing equipment and working premises for screenings.

However, not all government officials liked such innovations, and after some time the maestro was accused of "implanting bourgeois modernism." Kalatozov goes to the city on the Neva.

Return to directing

In the late 1930s, the maestro found a job at Lenfilm, where he began filming the film Courage. In 1941, another film by the director, Valery Chkalov, was released. Both of these films tell about the exploits of the pilots of the USSR, therefore they are a resounding success with the viewer. Plot aboutFilm critics will like Chkalov, and the image of the main character performed by Vladimir Belokurov will become a role model.

Mikhail Kalatozov, whose photo after the release of "Valery Chkalov" will be published by all the national newspapers, invited eminent actors to work in films about pilots - Serafim Birman, Arkady Raikin, Mark Bernes. No less popular maestro provided the film "The Invincibles", which he shot together with the famous director Sergei Gerasimov in 1942.

Work abroad

In 1943 director Mikhail Kalatozov will be transferred to an administrative position and temporarily sent to the bourgeois USA. Here he will serve as an authorized representative of the Film Committee of Soviet Cinema. It was abroad that fate would push him against eminent actors of the 20th century - Charlie Chaplin, Jean Gabin, Henri Matisse.

From the USA, the maestro will bring modern equipment for filming and will work at the Mosfilm studio. Subsequently, he will take the post of head of the Glavka for feature cinematography, and then the responsible post of deputy minister of cinematography of the Soviet Union. However, Mikhail Konstantinovich will also pay great attention to directing.

Continue to work as director

In the 1950s, another film by Kalatozov called "The Conspiracy of the Doomed" based on N. Virta's play was shown on Soviet screens. For this work, the maestro was awarded the Stalin Prize. Then he made the film "Hostile Whirlwinds", which is filled withserious political implications. In 1954, the director completed work on the satirical comedy "True Friends", which is still loved by the older domestic audience. And, of course, it is worth noting the Soviet film masterpiece The Cranes Are Flying, which Mikhail Konstantinovich worked on in 1957.

This humanistic story about the struggle for peace has become a classic of Soviet cinema. In 1964, the viewer saw the film "I am Cuba", the script for which Kalatozov wrote together with the poet Yevgeny Yevtushenko. The maestro's last film was The Red Tent (1969). In the center of the plot is the story of the rescue of the polar expedition by Umberto Nobile.

Private life

The famous director, who received the title of People's Artist of Georgia in 1965, and in 1969 - the title of People's Artist of the USSR, was married to the daughter of the Consul of Italy, Jeanne Valatsi. Their acquaintance took place during a vacation in Batumi. In the late 1920s, the maestro had a son, George, who later continued his father's dynasty. The wife soon after giving birth received citizenship of the Georgian ASSR. However, the marriage of Mikhail Konstantinovich with a foreigner broke up after some time: the director left Georgia, and Zhanna and her son stayed in Tiflis.

According to the recollections of his grandson, Kalatozov, despite a difficult break with his family, was a happy man, because he was able to achieve everything he wanted from life. Being in the Northern capital, the director fell passionately in love with actress ElenaJunger, but they were not destined to be together. Mikhail Konstantinovich died on March 26, 1973, and he was buried at the Novodevichy cemetery of the capital.