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The Mirror (1975 film)
Encyclopedia
The Mirror is a 1975 Russian film directed by Andrei Tarkovsky
. It is loosely autobiographical, blending childhood memories, newsreel footage and poems by his father Arseny Tarkovsky
. The film features Margarita Terekhova
, Ignat Daniltsev, Tarkovsky's wife Larisa Tarkovskaya
, Alla Demidova
and Anatoli Solonitsyn, with a soundtrack by Eduard Artemyev
.
The Mirror has no apparent plot — instead, it rhythmically combines contemporary scenes with childhood memories and newsreel footage. At various points in the film, poems by Tarkovsky's father are recited. The loose flow of visually oneiric images
has been compared to stream of consciousness technique in literature. Its complex yet simultaneously simple structure makes The Mirror one of Tarkovsky's most difficult films, as well as his most personal.
The concept of The Mirror dates as far back as 1964. Over the years Tarkovsky wrote several screenplay variants, at times working with Aleksandr Misharin. Their mutually-developed script initially was not approved by the film committee of Goskino
, and it was only after several years of waiting that Tarkovsky would be allowed to realize The Mirror. At various times the script was known under different names, most notably Confession and A White, White Day. The completed film was initially rejected by Goskino, and after some delay was given only limited release in the Soviet Union.
The film opens with Alexei's son Ignat (also played by Ignat Daniltsev) switching on a television set and watching the examination of a stammerer by a physician. In the next scene, set in the countryside during the prewar time sequence, Alexei's mother Maria (Margarita Terekhova
) talks with a doctor who chances to be passing by (Anatoli Solonitsyn). The exterior and the interior of the house are shown, as well as a barn on fire. In a dream sequence Maria is washing her hair. Set in the postwar time frame, in the 1960s, Alexei is talking with his mother Maria on the phone while the interior of a house is shown. Switching to the prewar time frame, the mother, Maria, is shown at her work as a proofreader at a printing press. She is worrying about a mistake she may have overlooked, but is comforted by her colleague Lisa (Alla Demidova
), who then reduces her to tears with withering criticism.
Back in postwar time, Alexei quarrels with his wife, Natalia (also played by Margarita Terekhova
), who has divorced him and is living with his son Ignat. This is followed by scenes from the Spanish Civil War
and the ascent of a balloon in the USSR. In the next scene the same apartment is shown, with a strange woman (Tamara Ogorodnikova) sitting in one room. Ignat reads a letter by Alexander Pushkin and receives a telephone call from his father Alexei. Switching to the wartime, Alexei is shown during rifle training, inter cut by newsreel footage of the Sino-Soviet border conflict
and World War II
. In the next scene, the reunion of the children with the father (Oleg Yankovsky
) after the end of the war is shown. The film then returns to the quarrel between Alexei and his wife Natalia in the postwar 1960s. Switching to the prewar time, the house and the surrounding countryside are again shown, inter cut by a dreamlike sequence showing a levitating mother. The film then moves to the postwar time, showing Alexei on his deathbed. The final scene plays in the prewar time frame, showing a pregnant mother, Maria, inter cut by scenes showing Maria young and old (the old Maria is played by Tarkovsky's mother Maria Vishnyakova).
The Mirror draws heavily on Tarkovsky's own childhood. Childhood memories such as the evacuation from Moscow to the countryside during the war, a withdrawn father and his own mother, who actually worked as a proofreader at a printing press, feature prominently in the film.
and Swedish actress Bibi Andersson
for the role of the mother. In the end Margarita Terekhova
was chosen.
. These episodes were published as a short story under the title A White Day in 1970. The title was taken from a 1942 poem by his father, Arseny Tarkovsky
. In 1968, after having finished Andrei Rublev, Tarkovsky went to the cinematographer's resort in Repino
intending to write the script for The Mirror together with Aleksandr Misharin. This script was titled Confession and was proposed to the film committee at Goskino
. Although it contained popular themes, for example, a heroic mother, the war and patriotism, the proposal was turned down. The main reason was most likely the complex and unconventional nature of the script. Moreover, Tarkovsky and Misharin clearly stated that they did not know what the final form of the film would be – this was to be determined in the process of filming.
With the script being turned down by the film committee, Tarkovsky went on to make the film Solaris
. But his diary entries show that he was still eager to make the film. Finally, the script was approved by the new head of Goskino, Filipp Ermash in the summer of 1973. Tarkovsky was given a budget of 622,000 Soviet ruble
and 7500 meters (24,606 feet) of Kodak film, corresponding to 110 minutes, or roughly three takes assuming a film length of 3000 meters (10,000 feet).
Several versions of the script for The Mirror exist, as Tarkovsky constantly rewrote parts of the script, with the latest variant of the script written in 1984 while he was in Italy. One scene that was in the script but that was removed during shooting, was an interview with his mother. Tarkovsky wanted to use a hidden camera to interview her on the pretext that it was research for the film. This scene was one of the main reasons why Vadim Yusov
, who was the cameraman for all of Tarkovsky's previous films refused to work with him together on this film.
At various times, the script and the film was known under the titles Confession, Redemption, Martyrology, Why are you standing so far away?, The Raging Stream and A White, White Day (sometimes also translated as A Bright, Bright Day.). Only while filming Tarkovsky decided to finally title the film The Mirror.
The completed film was initially rejected by Filipp Ermash, the head of Goskino in July 1974. One reason given was that the film is incomprehensible. Tarkovsky was infuriated about this rejection and even toyed with the idea of going abroad and making a film outside the Soviet Union. The Mirror was ultimately approved by Goskino without any changes in fall 1974.
did not allow The Mirror to be shown at the Cannes Film Festival
. The managing director of the festival, Maurice Bessy, was symphathetic to Tarkovsky. Upon hearing that The Mirror would not be allowed to be shown in Cannes, he unsuccessfully threatened to not take any other Soviet film.
Andrei Tarkovsky
Andrei Arsenyevich Tarkovsky was a Soviet and Russian filmmaker, writer, film editor, film theorist, theatre and opera director, widely regarded as one of the finest filmmakers of the 20th century....
. It is loosely autobiographical, blending childhood memories, newsreel footage and poems by his father Arseny Tarkovsky
Arseny Tarkovsky
Arseny Alexandrovich Tarkovsky was a prominent Soviet and Russian poet and translator. He is considered one of the great 20th century Russian poets. He was also the father of influential film director Andrei Tarkovsky.-Origin:...
. The film features Margarita Terekhova
Margarita Terekhova
-Selected filmography:* D'Artagnan and Three Musketeers * Mama, I'm Alive * Dog in the Manger * The Blue Bird * The Mirror * Monologue * Hello, That's Me! -External links:...
, Ignat Daniltsev, Tarkovsky's wife Larisa Tarkovskaya
Larisa Tarkovskaya
Larisa Tarkovskaya , born Larisa Pavlovna Egorkina, and Larisa Kizilova during her first marriage, was a Russian actress and second wife of the film director Andrei Tarkovsky. She is best known for her role as Nadezhda in The Mirror...
, Alla Demidova
Alla Demidova
Alla Sergeyevna Demidova is a Russian actress internationally acclaimed for the tragic parts in innovative plays staged by Yuri Lyubimov in the Taganka Theatre. She was awarded the USSR State Prize in 1977.- Biography :...
and Anatoli Solonitsyn, with a soundtrack by Eduard Artemyev
Eduard Artemyev
Eduard Nikolaevich Artemyev is a Russian composer of electronic music and film scores. Outside of Russia he is mostly known for his film scores from films such as Solaris, Siberiade, Stalker or Burnt by the Sun.-Biography:...
.
The Mirror has no apparent plot — instead, it rhythmically combines contemporary scenes with childhood memories and newsreel footage. At various points in the film, poems by Tarkovsky's father are recited. The loose flow of visually oneiric images
Oneiric (film theory)
In a film theory context, the term oneiric refers to the depiction of dream-like states in films, or to the use of the metaphor of a dream or the dream-state to analyze a film. The connection between dreams and films has been long established; "The dream factory" “...has become a household...
has been compared to stream of consciousness technique in literature. Its complex yet simultaneously simple structure makes The Mirror one of Tarkovsky's most difficult films, as well as his most personal.
The concept of The Mirror dates as far back as 1964. Over the years Tarkovsky wrote several screenplay variants, at times working with Aleksandr Misharin. Their mutually-developed script initially was not approved by the film committee of Goskino
Goskino
Goskino USSR is the abbreviated name for the USSR State Committee for Cinematography in the Soviet Union...
, and it was only after several years of waiting that Tarkovsky would be allowed to realize The Mirror. At various times the script was known under different names, most notably Confession and A White, White Day. The completed film was initially rejected by Goskino, and after some delay was given only limited release in the Soviet Union.
Plot
In a larger context, The Mirror depicts the thoughts and emotions of Alexei (Ignat Daniltsev) and the world surrounding him. The structure of the film is discontinuous and non-chronological, without a conventional plot, and combines childhood memories with newsreel footage. The film switches between three different time frames: prewar, wartime and the postwar 1960s.The film opens with Alexei's son Ignat (also played by Ignat Daniltsev) switching on a television set and watching the examination of a stammerer by a physician. In the next scene, set in the countryside during the prewar time sequence, Alexei's mother Maria (Margarita Terekhova
Margarita Terekhova
-Selected filmography:* D'Artagnan and Three Musketeers * Mama, I'm Alive * Dog in the Manger * The Blue Bird * The Mirror * Monologue * Hello, That's Me! -External links:...
) talks with a doctor who chances to be passing by (Anatoli Solonitsyn). The exterior and the interior of the house are shown, as well as a barn on fire. In a dream sequence Maria is washing her hair. Set in the postwar time frame, in the 1960s, Alexei is talking with his mother Maria on the phone while the interior of a house is shown. Switching to the prewar time frame, the mother, Maria, is shown at her work as a proofreader at a printing press. She is worrying about a mistake she may have overlooked, but is comforted by her colleague Lisa (Alla Demidova
Alla Demidova
Alla Sergeyevna Demidova is a Russian actress internationally acclaimed for the tragic parts in innovative plays staged by Yuri Lyubimov in the Taganka Theatre. She was awarded the USSR State Prize in 1977.- Biography :...
), who then reduces her to tears with withering criticism.
Back in postwar time, Alexei quarrels with his wife, Natalia (also played by Margarita Terekhova
Margarita Terekhova
-Selected filmography:* D'Artagnan and Three Musketeers * Mama, I'm Alive * Dog in the Manger * The Blue Bird * The Mirror * Monologue * Hello, That's Me! -External links:...
), who has divorced him and is living with his son Ignat. This is followed by scenes from the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
and the ascent of a balloon in the USSR. In the next scene the same apartment is shown, with a strange woman (Tamara Ogorodnikova) sitting in one room. Ignat reads a letter by Alexander Pushkin and receives a telephone call from his father Alexei. Switching to the wartime, Alexei is shown during rifle training, inter cut by newsreel footage of the Sino-Soviet border conflict
Sino-Soviet border conflict
The Sino–Soviet border conflict was a seven-month military conflict between the Soviet Union and China at the height of the Sino–Soviet split in 1969. The most serious of these border clashes occurred in March 1969 in the vicinity of Zhenbao Island on the Ussuri River, also known as Damanskii...
and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. In the next scene, the reunion of the children with the father (Oleg Yankovsky
Oleg Yankovsky
Oleg Ivanovich Yankovsky was a Soviet/Russian actor who has excelled in psychologically sophisticated roles of modern intellectuals...
) after the end of the war is shown. The film then returns to the quarrel between Alexei and his wife Natalia in the postwar 1960s. Switching to the prewar time, the house and the surrounding countryside are again shown, inter cut by a dreamlike sequence showing a levitating mother. The film then moves to the postwar time, showing Alexei on his deathbed. The final scene plays in the prewar time frame, showing a pregnant mother, Maria, inter cut by scenes showing Maria young and old (the old Maria is played by Tarkovsky's mother Maria Vishnyakova).
The Mirror draws heavily on Tarkovsky's own childhood. Childhood memories such as the evacuation from Moscow to the countryside during the war, a withdrawn father and his own mother, who actually worked as a proofreader at a printing press, feature prominently in the film.
Cast
- Margarita TerekhovaMargarita Terekhova-Selected filmography:* D'Artagnan and Three Musketeers * Mama, I'm Alive * Dog in the Manger * The Blue Bird * The Mirror * Monologue * Hello, That's Me! -External links:...
as Mother/Natalia - Ignat Daniltsev as Alexei/Ignat
- Larisa TarkovskayaLarisa TarkovskayaLarisa Tarkovskaya , born Larisa Pavlovna Egorkina, and Larisa Kizilova during her first marriage, was a Russian actress and second wife of the film director Andrei Tarkovsky. She is best known for her role as Nadezhda in The Mirror...
as Nadezhda - Alla DemidovaAlla DemidovaAlla Sergeyevna Demidova is a Russian actress internationally acclaimed for the tragic parts in innovative plays staged by Yuri Lyubimov in the Taganka Theatre. She was awarded the USSR State Prize in 1977.- Biography :...
as Lisa, mother's friend at printing house - Anatoli Solonitsyn as Forensic doctor & pedestrian
- Tamara Ogorodnikova as Strange woman at the tea table
- Maria Vishnyakova as Mother, as an old woman
- Innokenty SmoktunovskyInnokenty SmoktunovskyInnokentiy Mikhailovich Smoktunovsky was a Soviet actor acclaimed as the "king of Soviet actors". He was named People's Artist of the USSR in 1974 and the Hero of Socialist Labour in 1990....
as Narrator (text) - Arseny TarkovskyArseny TarkovskyArseny Alexandrovich Tarkovsky was a prominent Soviet and Russian poet and translator. He is considered one of the great 20th century Russian poets. He was also the father of influential film director Andrei Tarkovsky.-Origin:...
as Narrator (poems)
Casting
Initially Tarkovsky considered Alla DemidovaAlla Demidova
Alla Sergeyevna Demidova is a Russian actress internationally acclaimed for the tragic parts in innovative plays staged by Yuri Lyubimov in the Taganka Theatre. She was awarded the USSR State Prize in 1977.- Biography :...
and Swedish actress Bibi Andersson
Bibi Andersson
Bibi Andersson is a Swedish actress.-Early life:Bibi Andersson was born as Berit Elisabeth Andersson in Kungsholmen, Stockholm, the daughter of Karin , a social worker, and Josef Andersson, a businessman...
for the role of the mother. In the end Margarita Terekhova
Margarita Terekhova
-Selected filmography:* D'Artagnan and Three Musketeers * Mama, I'm Alive * Dog in the Manger * The Blue Bird * The Mirror * Monologue * Hello, That's Me! -External links:...
was chosen.
Writing
The concept of The Mirror dates as far back as 1964, when Tarkovsky wrote down his idea for a film about the dreams, thoughts and memories of a man, without the man appearing on screen as he would in a conventional film. The first episodes of The Mirror were written while Tarkovsky was working on Andrei RublevAndrei Rublev (film)
Andrei Rublev , also known as The Passion According to Andrei, is a 1966 Russian film directed by Andrei Tarkovsky from a screenplay written by Andrei Konchalovsky and Andrei Tarkovsky. The film is loosely based on the life of Andrei Rublev, the great 15th century Russian icon painter...
. These episodes were published as a short story under the title A White Day in 1970. The title was taken from a 1942 poem by his father, Arseny Tarkovsky
Arseny Tarkovsky
Arseny Alexandrovich Tarkovsky was a prominent Soviet and Russian poet and translator. He is considered one of the great 20th century Russian poets. He was also the father of influential film director Andrei Tarkovsky.-Origin:...
. In 1968, after having finished Andrei Rublev, Tarkovsky went to the cinematographer's resort in Repino
Repino
Repino is a municipal settlement in Kurortny District of the federal city of St. Petersburg, Russia, and a station of the Saint Petersburg-Vyborg railroad. It was known by its Finnish name Kuokkala until 1948, when it was renamed after its most famous inhabitant, Ilya Repin...
intending to write the script for The Mirror together with Aleksandr Misharin. This script was titled Confession and was proposed to the film committee at Goskino
Goskino
Goskino USSR is the abbreviated name for the USSR State Committee for Cinematography in the Soviet Union...
. Although it contained popular themes, for example, a heroic mother, the war and patriotism, the proposal was turned down. The main reason was most likely the complex and unconventional nature of the script. Moreover, Tarkovsky and Misharin clearly stated that they did not know what the final form of the film would be – this was to be determined in the process of filming.
With the script being turned down by the film committee, Tarkovsky went on to make the film Solaris
Solaris (1972 film)
Solaris is a 1972 film adaptation of the novel Solaris , directed by Andrei Tarkovsky. The film is a meditative psychological drama occurring mostly aboard a space station orbiting the fictional planet Solaris. The scientific mission has stalled, because the scientist crew have fallen to...
. But his diary entries show that he was still eager to make the film. Finally, the script was approved by the new head of Goskino, Filipp Ermash in the summer of 1973. Tarkovsky was given a budget of 622,000 Soviet ruble
Soviet ruble
The Soviet ruble or rouble was the currency of the Soviet Union. One ruble is divided into 100 kopeks, ....
and 7500 meters (24,606 feet) of Kodak film, corresponding to 110 minutes, or roughly three takes assuming a film length of 3000 meters (10,000 feet).
Several versions of the script for The Mirror exist, as Tarkovsky constantly rewrote parts of the script, with the latest variant of the script written in 1984 while he was in Italy. One scene that was in the script but that was removed during shooting, was an interview with his mother. Tarkovsky wanted to use a hidden camera to interview her on the pretext that it was research for the film. This scene was one of the main reasons why Vadim Yusov
Vadim Yusov
Vadim Ivanovich Yusov is a Soviet and Russian cinematographer and a professor of the Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography, who worked with Andrey Tarkovsky on The Steamroller and the Violin, Ivan's Childhood, Andrei Rublev and Solaris, and with Georgi Daneliya on I Step Through Moscow...
, who was the cameraman for all of Tarkovsky's previous films refused to work with him together on this film.
At various times, the script and the film was known under the titles Confession, Redemption, Martyrology, Why are you standing so far away?, The Raging Stream and A White, White Day (sometimes also translated as A Bright, Bright Day.). Only while filming Tarkovsky decided to finally title the film The Mirror.
Filming
Filming began in September 1973 and ended in March 1974. The outdoor scenes were shot in Tutshkovo near Moscow. The indoor scenes were shot at the Mosfilm studio.The completed film was initially rejected by Filipp Ermash, the head of Goskino in July 1974. One reason given was that the film is incomprehensible. Tarkovsky was infuriated about this rejection and even toyed with the idea of going abroad and making a film outside the Soviet Union. The Mirror was ultimately approved by Goskino without any changes in fall 1974.
Distribution and responses
The Mirror never had an official premiere and had only a limited, second category release with only 73 copies. Although it was officially announced for September 1975, it was shown as early as March 1975. Nevertheless it was well received by the audiences. GoskinoGoskino
Goskino USSR is the abbreviated name for the USSR State Committee for Cinematography in the Soviet Union...
did not allow The Mirror to be shown at the Cannes Film Festival
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
. The managing director of the festival, Maurice Bessy, was symphathetic to Tarkovsky. Upon hearing that The Mirror would not be allowed to be shown in Cannes, he unsuccessfully threatened to not take any other Soviet film.
Trivia
- Wintertime scenes in the Mirror echo BruegelPieter Brueghel the ElderPieter Bruegel the Elder was a Flemish renaissance painter and printmaker known for his landscapes and peasant scenes . He is sometimes referred to as the "Peasant Bruegel" to distinguish him from other members of the Brueghel dynasty, but he is also the one generally meant when the context does...
's paintings Winter Landscape with a Bird Trap and The Hunters in the Snow. - A recitativeRecitativeRecitative , also known by its Italian name "recitativo" , is a style of delivery in which a singer is allowed to adopt the rhythms of ordinary speech...
from Johan Sebastian Bach's Matthaeus-Passion, ("Und siehe da! Der Vorhang im Tempel...") features in the score, as does the opening chorus from the Johannes-Passion ("Herr, unser Herrscher, dessen Ruhm in allen Landen herrlich ist!") accompanying the film's memorable closing scene. - Another of BachBạchBạch is a Vietnamese surname. The name is transliterated as Bai in Chinese and Baek, in Korean.Bach is the anglicized variation of the surname Bạch.-Notable people with the surname Bạch:* Bạch Liêu...
's works Das alte Jahr vergangen ist Chorale (BWV 614) from OrgelbüchleinOrgelbüchleinThe Orgelbüchlein was written by Johann Sebastian Bach during the period of 1708–1714, while he was court organist at the ducal court in Weimar...
is heard during the opening credits.