Victor Merezhko: “Mikhalkov won Mordjukova mustaches, Cologne, and “Mercedes”

The Director recalls unknown details about famous stars.

Svetlana Kryuchkova, Nikita Mikhalkov, Nonna Mordyukova in the film “Relatives” based on a script by Victor Merezhko. 1981

Photo: Mosfilm-info

“On the set of “Rodney” in Nonna fell in love with Mikhalkov: “the car goes such a bastard creeping. Oh, Vic, I can’t, those whiskers are! And what Cologne smells like, Oh, Vic…” And here she cried, then tried to leave. And every time I was caught at the station and persuaded to return. And there too because of the angle you were heading machine, and from there came Nikita: “Ku-ku, Ninochka!” says writer and Director Victor Merezhko.

I was very arrogant. When I was in my first year of University, she leaked to the cinema House to celebrate the New year. For the student, it was unreal, but I was attached to some kind of actor, and he just wasn’t able to brush me off. And here are all sitting at the tables, and I ran out of the room. Look — in the center of the room are great: Gerasimov, not Shpalikov, someone else. Something laugh, have fun. And here it comes, watch closely. Wins and asked: “What do you want?” I say, rather, “hovory” — I was specific southern accent: “Guys… You’re the most famous, our hardest, the henya movie. But remember! My name is Victor Merezhko. It will not be many years, and I’d be famous like you”. They are silent. And I continue: “No, you remember what I said?” Then Sergei Gerasimov Gerasimov took me firmly by the shoulder, he was strong, took him aside and in my ear said, “Go on…”

Twelve years have passed, the phone rang: “Victor, Hello, this is Grigori Chukhrai. I want to write for me a script about the war. Come home with me, we’ll talk.” By this time my scripts have already been delivered and “Hello and goodbye”, and “odinozhdy one” and “Trin-Trava”. And now great wins and wanted me to write for him. He gave to read the article in the newspaper about how a mother for many years hiding in the attic of the son is a deserter. Say: “to whom to write?” — “For Mordyukova”. I immediately began to ask: “Grigory Naumovich, I’d Mordyukova to meet you. From her slang, her manners, the nature of much depends”. And so we met in the Union of cinematographers. The screen says: “have a look, Nona, this is Victor Merezhko, a young author who will write the script”. — “Oh, Merezhko! Where are you from?” — “Rostov”. — “That we’re brothers! And beautiful you, healthy. A Cossack?” — “Cossack”. That was a funny conversation.