Farsighted for Two Diopters
Encyclopedia
Farsighted for Two Diopters ( / Dva Dioptara Dalekogledstvo) is a 1976 Bulgarian comedy film directed by Petar B. Vasilev and written by Mormarevi Brothers
. The film stars Georgi Partsalev
, Dimitar Panov
, Sashka Bratanova, Ivan Obretenov and Valentin Gadzhokov.
The film represents the clash between the generations in the person of the conservative father Dimo Manchev (Partsalev) and his daughter (Bratanova). The accurate examining of real problems are presented spiced with a lot of humour in the typical of Mormarevi plain language and a touch of nostalgia. It is known that the character of Dimo Manchev was specially written and designed for Partsalev.
Dimo Manchev (Partsalev), a 50 years old head of family, has a conservative notion of upbringing and morality. Being familiar with his disposition the Manchev's daughter Lili (Bratanova) married his sweetheart Plamen (Gadzhokov) in secret. The young couple cast about how to announce the marriage all the more that they are both still non-graduated students. The hesitation grows when the father shows strictness even though they present their relation as some university friendship. Lili and Plamen find a cordial welcome by the Lili's grandfather and Manchev's father - Old Pano (Panov). The culmination advances when they are caught in the Old Pano's house by the accidentally passing through the village Manchev. Gradually, Dimo Manchev starts accepting their relationship and even become the main (and the only) organizer of the wedding day ceremony. The young couple are horrified at the prospect of some old-fashioned wedding banquet with a great number of guests. They own to having signed and that actually they are already husband and wife. Manchev is smashed but he doesn't give up especially when was informed that the Plamen's parents were also initially against this marriage. Being respected dentists in some other town they look down on a Manchev's working class background. He cannot swallow the insult and declares
willingness to take charge of the newly-married couple. Finally there is a happy end the more so as a baby is born and the Old Pano' words remain: "...Dimo, Dimo, they can manage without you but you can't without them..."
After With Children at the Seaside (1972) Mormarevi and Partsalev got to know each other so the "Brothers" designed the character of Dimo Manchev specially for him. Since they gathered together with the well-known master of the comedy Petar B. Vasilev (Whale
(1970); The Past-Master
(1970)) the prospects for the film were extremely positive. Furthermore, Mormarevi had one more acquaintance here. The cinematographer of Polish origin Yatsek Todorov. They worked together on Exams at Any Odd Time (1974).
The title was taken from a Parcalev's character cue: "...And you should listen to me! Why do you think the elderly people become farsighted? Because they start seeing far away. I got directly two diopters..."
As usual of Vasilev, the director's wife Valentina Borisova was involved in the film. We can see her as a Manchev's wife Mila. One of the sub-stories in the film is about buying the old car model Moskvitch 402
from Manchev' neighbour and colleague Spiro (Obretenov). The scenes when they test the car, while going to Old Pano's village, are filmed on the road from Sofia
to the villages of Bistritsa
and Zheleznitsa in Pancharevo
suburban district. Curiously, the actor Ivan Obretenov had no driving license and couldn't drive at all. So the car was hooked through a draw-bar to the camera-truck.
.
The film was subsumed among the 50 golden Bulgarian films in the book by the journalist Pencho Kovachev. The book was published in 2008 by "Zahariy Stoyanov" publishing house.
Mormarevi Brothers
Mormarevi Brothers is the joint pen name of Moritz Yomtov and Marko Stoychev - two Bulgarian authors of humorous prose and screenplays. They worked from the 1960s until the end of 1980s. The two were longtime friends but not actually brothers....
. The film stars Georgi Partsalev
Georgi Partsalev
Georgi Ivanov Partsalev was a Bulgarian theatre and film actor mainly known for his roles in comedies.Born in Levski, Pleven Province in 1925, Partsalev finished high school in Pleven and studied medicine from Sofia University. In 1956, he was employed by the Satirical Theatre in Sofia. His first...
, Dimitar Panov
Dimitar Panov
-Biography and Career:Panov was born on July 18, 1902 in the town of Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria. He made his debut in 1955 on the stage of the Plovdiv Theater in the Chehov's play Five Small Comedies...
, Sashka Bratanova, Ivan Obretenov and Valentin Gadzhokov.
The film represents the clash between the generations in the person of the conservative father Dimo Manchev (Partsalev) and his daughter (Bratanova). The accurate examining of real problems are presented spiced with a lot of humour in the typical of Mormarevi plain language and a touch of nostalgia. It is known that the character of Dimo Manchev was specially written and designed for Partsalev.
Plot
Dimo Manchev (Partsalev), a 50 years old head of family, has a conservative notion of upbringing and morality. Being familiar with his disposition the Manchev's daughter Lili (Bratanova) married his sweetheart Plamen (Gadzhokov) in secret. The young couple cast about how to announce the marriage all the more that they are both still non-graduated students. The hesitation grows when the father shows strictness even though they present their relation as some university friendship. Lili and Plamen find a cordial welcome by the Lili's grandfather and Manchev's father - Old Pano (Panov). The culmination advances when they are caught in the Old Pano's house by the accidentally passing through the village Manchev. Gradually, Dimo Manchev starts accepting their relationship and even become the main (and the only) organizer of the wedding day ceremony. The young couple are horrified at the prospect of some old-fashioned wedding banquet with a great number of guests. They own to having signed and that actually they are already husband and wife. Manchev is smashed but he doesn't give up especially when was informed that the Plamen's parents were also initially against this marriage. Being respected dentists in some other town they look down on a Manchev's working class background. He cannot swallow the insult and declares
willingness to take charge of the newly-married couple. Finally there is a happy end the more so as a baby is born and the Old Pano' words remain: "...Dimo, Dimo, they can manage without you but you can't without them..."
Production
After With Children at the Seaside (1972) Mormarevi and Partsalev got to know each other so the "Brothers" designed the character of Dimo Manchev specially for him. Since they gathered together with the well-known master of the comedy Petar B. Vasilev (Whale
Whale (film)
Whale is a 1970 Bulgarian satirical comedy film directed by Petar B. Vasilev and written by Cheremuhin. The film stars Georgi Kaloyanchev, Dimitar Panov, Georgi Partsalev, Grigor Vachkov and Tsvyatko Nikolov....
(1970); The Past-Master
The Past-Master (film)
The Past-Master is a Bulgarian satirical TV comedy film released in 1970. It turned, the actor Kiril Gospodinov and his character Rangel Lelin - the past-master, into one of the Trade Marks of the Bulgarian film art...
(1970)) the prospects for the film were extremely positive. Furthermore, Mormarevi had one more acquaintance here. The cinematographer of Polish origin Yatsek Todorov. They worked together on Exams at Any Odd Time (1974).
The title was taken from a Parcalev's character cue: "...And you should listen to me! Why do you think the elderly people become farsighted? Because they start seeing far away. I got directly two diopters..."
Moskvitch 402
The Moskvitch 402 is a small family car manufactured by the former Soviet maker MZMA, first time introduced in 1956 as a second generation of the Moskvitch#Generations series...
from Manchev' neighbour and colleague Spiro (Obretenov). The scenes when they test the car, while going to Old Pano's village, are filmed on the road from Sofia
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
to the villages of Bistritsa
Bistritsa, Sofia
Bistritsa or Bistrica is a large village in the Pancharevo municipality, located at 15 km to the south of the capital Sofia. it has 4,004 inhabitants....
and Zheleznitsa in Pancharevo
Pancharevo
Pancharevo is a suburban district located in the south-eastern parts of the Capital Municipality. it has 26,000 inhabitants. It is the largest region in Sofia with total area of 364,7 km²...
suburban district. Curiously, the actor Ivan Obretenov had no driving license and couldn't drive at all. So the car was hooked through a draw-bar to the camera-truck.
Cast
| Character | Actor | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Dimo Manchev | Georgi Partsalev Georgi Partsalev Georgi Ivanov Partsalev was a Bulgarian theatre and film actor mainly known for his roles in comedies.Born in Levski, Pleven Province in 1925, Partsalev finished high school in Pleven and studied medicine from Sofia University. In 1956, he was employed by the Satirical Theatre in Sofia. His first... |
the conservative father |
| Old Pano | Dimitar Panov Dimitar Panov -Biography and Career:Panov was born on July 18, 1902 in the town of Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria. He made his debut in 1955 on the stage of the Plovdiv Theater in the Chehov's play Five Small Comedies... |
the grand-father |
| Lili | Sashka Bratanova | the Manchev's daughter |
| Plamen | Valentin Gadzhokov | the Lili's sweetheart |
| Spiro | Ivan Obretenov | Manchev's neighbour and colleague |
| Mila | Valentina Borisova | Manchev's wife |
| Zhorko | Misho Milchev | Manchev's little son (Lili's brother) |
| Violeta | Irina Rosich | |
| Mariana Alamancheva | the official | |
| Yuri Yakovlev | the lawyer | |
| Kiril Gospodinov Kiril Gospodinov Kiril Ivanov Gospodinov was a Bulgarian theater and film actor. His acting created one of the eminent characters in the Bulgarian film art.-Biography and Career:Gospodinov was born on 24 May 1934 in Grozdyovo village, Varna Province... |
the taxi driver | |
| Violeta Bahchevanova |
Response
A reported 1,725,810 admissions were recorded for the film in cinemas throughout BulgariaBulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
.
The film was subsumed among the 50 golden Bulgarian films in the book by the journalist Pencho Kovachev. The book was published in 2008 by "Zahariy Stoyanov" publishing house.