Pokrovsky Gates
Encyclopedia
The Pokrovsky Gate is a 1982 Soviet comedy film
produced for television by Mosfilm
. It was directed by Mikhail Kozakov
and stars Oleg Menshikov
, Leonid Bronevoy
, and Inna Ulyanova. The screenplay
is based on a 1974 stage play
by Leonid Zorin.
Featured in the film are three songs written and performed by renowned "bard
" Bulat Okudzhava
: "Chasovye Lyubvi" ("Sentries of Love"), "Zhivopistsy" ("Painters"), and "Pesenka ob Arbate" ("Ditty about Arbat
").
The title refers to a square
on Moscow
's Boulevard Ring
near which the film's main characters reside.
) has come to Moscow to study history
and is staying with kindly aunt Alisa (Sofya Pilyavskaya), who runs a communal apartment
building there. His life soon becomes intertwined with those of the other residents. Among them are Margarita Pavlovna (Inna Ulyanova) and both her former husband Lev Khobotov (Anatoly Ravikovich), a publisher of foreign poetry, and her new beau, engraver-turned-teacher Savva Ignatevich (Viktor Bortsov
).
The main plot revolves around the congenial Khobotov’s attempts to find happiness with newfound love Lyudochka (Yelena Koreneva
), while constantly being thwart
ed by the controlling Margarita. Another tenant is musical comedian Arkady Velyurov (Leonid Bronevoy
), who is trying to revive his faltering career and escape from his own loneliness. He has become enamored of a young competitive swimmer, Svetlana (Tatyana Dogileva
), who rebuffs his advances but takes a fancy to the opportunistic Kostik.
Kostik finds his own love interest, Rita (Valentina Voilkova), for whom he decides to forsake his playboy
lifestyle. In the end he becomes the catalyst for both Khobotov and Velyurov to find some measure of happiness: the former elopes with Lyudochka with the help of Kostik's pal Savransky, and the latter is elated that Svetlana attends one of his concerts in response to a telegram Kostik had urged him to send.
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
produced for television by Mosfilm
Mosfilm
Mosfilm is a film studio, which is often described as the largest and oldest in Russia and in Europe. Its output includes most of the more widely-acclaimed Soviet films, ranging from works by Tarkovsky and Eisenstein , to Red Westerns, to the Akira Kurosawa co-production and the epic Война и Мир...
. It was directed by Mikhail Kozakov
Mikhail Kozakov
Mikhail Mikhailovich Kozakov was a Russian-Israeli film and theatre director and actor.- References :...
and stars Oleg Menshikov
Oleg Menshikov
Oleg Evgenyevich Menshikov ; is a Russian entertainer. He is a film and theatre actor, singer and director. He started his film career in the early 1980s playing in the comedy Pokrovskie vorota and in Nikita Mikhalkov's Rodnya....
, Leonid Bronevoy
Leonid Bronevoy
Leonid Sergeyevich Bronevoy is a Nika Award-winning Soviet and Russian actor. Though primarily a stage actor, known for his work in the Lenkom Theatre, Bronevoy also makes occasional appearances in movies...
, and Inna Ulyanova. The screenplay
Screenplay
A screenplay or script is a written work that is made especially for a film or television program. Screenplays can be original works or adaptations from existing pieces of writing. In them, the movement, actions, expression, and dialogues of the characters are also narrated...
is based on a 1974 stage play
Play (theatre)
A play is a form of literature written by a playwright, usually consisting of scripted dialogue between characters, intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. There are rare dramatists, notably George Bernard Shaw, who have had little preference whether their plays were performed...
by Leonid Zorin.
Featured in the film are three songs written and performed by renowned "bard
Bard (Soviet Union)
The term bard came to be used in the Soviet Union in the early 1960s, and continues to be used in Russia today, to refer to singer-songwriters who wrote songs outside the Soviet establishment, similarly to beatnik folk singers of the United States...
" Bulat Okudzhava
Bulat Okudzhava
Bulat Shalvovich Okudzhava was a Soviet and Russian poet, writer, musician, novelist, and singer-songwriter. He was one of the founders of the Russian genre called "author song"...
: "Chasovye Lyubvi" ("Sentries of Love"), "Zhivopistsy" ("Painters"), and "Pesenka ob Arbate" ("Ditty about Arbat
Arbat Street
The Arbat is an approximately one-kilometer long pedestrian street in the historical centre of Moscow. The Arbat has existed at least since the 15th century, thus laying claim to being one of the oldest surviving streets of the Russian capital. It forms the heart of the Arbat District of Moscow...
").
The title refers to a square
Town square
A town square is an open public space commonly found in the heart of a traditional town used for community gatherings. Other names for town square are civic center, city square, urban square, market square, public square, and town green.Most town squares are hardscapes suitable for open markets,...
on Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
's Boulevard Ring
Boulevard Ring
The Boulevard Ring is Moscow's second centremost ring road . Boulevards form a semicircular chain along the western, northern and eastern sides of the historical White City of Moscow; in the south the incomplete ring is terminated by the embankments of Moskva River...
near which the film's main characters reside.
Plot summary
The story takes place in the 1950s. Konstantin “Kostik” Romin (Oleg MenshikovOleg Menshikov
Oleg Evgenyevich Menshikov ; is a Russian entertainer. He is a film and theatre actor, singer and director. He started his film career in the early 1980s playing in the comedy Pokrovskie vorota and in Nikita Mikhalkov's Rodnya....
) has come to Moscow to study history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
and is staying with kindly aunt Alisa (Sofya Pilyavskaya), who runs a communal apartment
Apartment
An apartment or flat is a self-contained housing unit that occupies only part of a building...
building there. His life soon becomes intertwined with those of the other residents. Among them are Margarita Pavlovna (Inna Ulyanova) and both her former husband Lev Khobotov (Anatoly Ravikovich), a publisher of foreign poetry, and her new beau, engraver-turned-teacher Savva Ignatevich (Viktor Bortsov
Viktor Bortsov
Viktor Andreyevich Bortsov was a Soviet/Russian theatrical and cinema actor. He was a People's Artist of Russia.Viktor Bortsov was best known as Savva Ignatevich in the 1982 film Pokrov Gates ....
).
The main plot revolves around the congenial Khobotov’s attempts to find happiness with newfound love Lyudochka (Yelena Koreneva
Yelena Koreneva
-Career:She has appeared in over 60 films and TV and made her debut in Vas vyzyvaet Taymyr , in 1970.-Filmography:*Landysh serebristyj TV Series*Shpionskie igry: Nelegal...
), while constantly being thwart
Thwart
A thwart is a strut placed crosswise in a ship or boat, to brace it crosswise.In rowboats it can also serve as a seat for a rower....
ed by the controlling Margarita. Another tenant is musical comedian Arkady Velyurov (Leonid Bronevoy
Leonid Bronevoy
Leonid Sergeyevich Bronevoy is a Nika Award-winning Soviet and Russian actor. Though primarily a stage actor, known for his work in the Lenkom Theatre, Bronevoy also makes occasional appearances in movies...
), who is trying to revive his faltering career and escape from his own loneliness. He has become enamored of a young competitive swimmer, Svetlana (Tatyana Dogileva
Tatyana Dogileva
Tatiana Dogileva is a famous Soviet-Russian film actress, Meritorious Artist of Russia , People's Artist of Russia .Tatiana Dogileva was born on February 27, 1957 in Moscow...
), who rebuffs his advances but takes a fancy to the opportunistic Kostik.
Kostik finds his own love interest, Rita (Valentina Voilkova), for whom he decides to forsake his playboy
Playboy (disambiguation)
Playboy is a men's magazine.Playboy may also refer to:* Playboy * The Playboys, 1992 film starring Robin Wright* Jeremy Klein, nicknamed Playboy, American professional skateboarder...
lifestyle. In the end he becomes the catalyst for both Khobotov and Velyurov to find some measure of happiness: the former elopes with Lyudochka with the help of Kostik's pal Savransky, and the latter is elated that Svetlana attends one of his concerts in response to a telegram Kostik had urged him to send.
Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| 1 Yelena Koreneva Yelena Koreneva -Career:She has appeared in over 60 films and TV and made her debut in Vas vyzyvaet Taymyr , in 1970.-Filmography:*Landysh serebristyj TV Series*Shpionskie igry: Nelegal... |
Lyudochka |
| 2 Oleg Menshikov Oleg Menshikov Oleg Evgenyevich Menshikov ; is a Russian entertainer. He is a film and theatre actor, singer and director. He started his film career in the early 1980s playing in the comedy Pokrovskie vorota and in Nikita Mikhalkov's Rodnya.... |
Konstantin “Kostik” Romin |
| 3 Inna Ulyanova (Инна Ульянова) | Margarita Pavlovna |
| 4 Viktor Bortsov Viktor Bortsov Viktor Andreyevich Bortsov was a Soviet/Russian theatrical and cinema actor. He was a People's Artist of Russia.Viktor Bortsov was best known as Savva Ignatevich in the 1982 film Pokrov Gates .... |
Savva Ignatevich |
| 5 Yevgeny Morgunov Yevgeny Morgunov Yevgeny Alexandrovich Morgunov was a Soviet and Russian actor, film director, and script writer, Meritorious Artist of Russian SFSR .-Early life:... |
Soyev (Velyurov's friend and collaborator) |
| 6 Leonid Bronevoy Leonid Bronevoy Leonid Sergeyevich Bronevoy is a Nika Award-winning Soviet and Russian actor. Though primarily a stage actor, known for his work in the Lenkom Theatre, Bronevoy also makes occasional appearances in movies... |
Arkadi Velyurov |
| 7 Tatyana Dogileva Tatyana Dogileva Tatiana Dogileva is a famous Soviet-Russian film actress, Meritorious Artist of Russia , People's Artist of Russia .Tatiana Dogileva was born on February 27, 1957 in Moscow... (Татьяна Догилева) |
Svetlana Popova |
| 8 Valentina Voilkova (Валентина Воилкова) | Rita |
| 9 Anatoly Ravikovich (Анатолий Равикович) | Lev Yevgenevich Khobotov |