''King Lear'' (russian: Король Лир, Korol Lir) is a 1971

Soviet The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super- ...

directed by

Grigori Kozintsev Grigori Mikhailovich Kozintsev (russian: link=no, Григорий Михайлович Козинцев; 11 May 1973) was a Soviet theatre and film director, screenwriter and pedagogue. He was named People's Artist of the USSR in 1964. In 196 ...

, based on

William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

's play ''

King Lear ''King Lear'' is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare. It is based on the mythological Leir of Britain. King Lear, in preparation for his old age, divides his power and land between two of his daughters. He becomes destitute and insane a ...

''. The film uses

Boris Pasternak Boris Leonidovich Pasternak (; rus, Бори́с Леони́дович Пастерна́к, p=bɐˈrʲis lʲɪɐˈnʲidəvʲɪtɕ pəstɛrˈnak; 30 May 1960) was a Russian poet, novelist, composer and literary translator. Composed in 1917, Pa ...

's translation of the play, while the Fool's songs are translated by

Samuil Marshak Samuil Yakovlevich Marshak (alternative spelling: Marchak) (russian: link=no, Самуил Яковлевич Маршак; 4 July 1964) was a Russian and Soviet writer of Jewish origin, translator and poet who wrote for both children and adults. ...

. This was the last of

's films.

Production

considered many actors for the role of Lear. The casting director first suggested

Jüri Järvet Jüri Järvet (18 June 1919 – 5 July 1995) was an Estonian actor. His name sometimes appears as Yuri Yevgenyevich Yarvet, an incorrect back-transliteration from the Russian transliteration Юри Евгеньевич Ярвет. His birthna ...

for the small part of a tramp, but Kozintsev offered him the title role. He later explained: "The internal world of this actor seemed attractive to me. This is an actor of deep thought. He is able to play the role with philosophical depth. Järvet is equally strong in humour, in that particular sort of humour that sometimes touches upon grotesque". Järvet was only 50 years old by the time of filming. The role of Goneril is portrayed by Latvian actress

Elza Radziņa Elza Radziņa (1917, Kharkiv, Russian Empire — 2005, Riga, Latvia) was a Soviet Latvian theater and cinema actress, and a master of the spoken word (reader). She received People's Artist of the USSR award in 1976 and the Order of the Three Sta ...

, who also appeared in Kozintsev's

Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...

as Gertrude. Radzina was one of the co-founders of the

Sovremennik Theatre Moscow Sovremennik Theatre (russian: Московский театр «Современник») is a theatre company in Moscow founded in 1956. "Sovremennik" means "Contemporary".

. The role of Regan went to Galina Volchek, whose casting was first met with some skepticism but went on to be a success. The relatively unknown Valentina Shendrikova of the

Mayakovsky Theatre Mayakovsky Theater (russian: Театр Маяковского; Московский академический театр имени Вл. Маяковского) is a theater in Moscow, Russia, founded in 1920, first as ''Terevsat'' (Theater of R ...

plays Cordelia.

Oleg Dahl Oleg Ivanovich Dal (russian: Олег Иванович Даль; 25 May 1941 – 3 March 1981) was a Soviet and Russian stage and film actor. He acted in films, from classics of drama to fairy tales and adventures. His most popular works inclu ...

, one of the stars of the

, was chosen to play the Fool without an audition, after a short conversation with the director. His performance received wide critical acclaim. Kozintsev also incorporated a number of experienced theatre actors from Latvia and Lithuania:

Donatas Banionis Donatas Banionis (28 April 1924 – 4 September 2014) was a Soviet and Lithuanian stage and film actor and theatre director. He has more than 80 credited roles in cinema and is best known for his performance in the lead role of Tarkovsky's '' So ...

as Albany, Kārlis Sebris as Gloucester, Leonhard Merzin as Edgar, and Regimantas Adomaitis as Edmund. The role of Oswald went to then-unknown

Aleksei Petrenko Aleksei Vasilyevich Petrenko (russian: Алексей Васильевич Петренко; 26 March 1938 – 22 February 2017) was a Soviet and Russian film and stage actor. He played Grigori Rasputin in Elem Klimov's historical drama ''Agony'' ...

. The film was shot primarily in

Narva Narva, russian: Нарва is a municipality and city in Estonia. It is located in Ida-Viru county, at the eastern extreme point of Estonia, on the west bank of the Narva river which forms the Estonia–Russia international border. With 5 ...

and

Ivangorod Ivangorod ( rus, Иванго́род, p=ɪvɐnˈɡorət; et, Jaanilinn; vot, Jaanilidna) is a town in Kingiseppsky District of Leningrad Oblast, Russia, located on the east bank of the Narva river which flows along the Estonia–Russia int ...

. Its extensive set of houses and streets was built inside the

Ivangorod Fortress Ivangorod Fortress (russian: Ивангородская крепость, et, Jaanilinna linnus, vot, Jaanilidna) is a 15th century castle in Ivangorod, Leningrad Oblast, Russia. It is located on the east bank of the Narva river which curren ...

, which was under reconstruction at the time of filming. The film's scenic designers were Evgeny Eney and Vsevolod Ulitko; its costumes were created by the chief designer of the

Bolshoi Theatre The Bolshoi Theatre ( rus, Большо́й теа́тр, r=Bol'shoy teatr, literally "Big Theater", p=bɐlʲˈʂoj tʲɪˈatər) is a historic theatre in Moscow, Russia, originally designed by architect Joseph Bové, which holds ballet and ope ...

Simon Virsaladze Simon (Soliko) Virsaladze ( ka, სოლომონ(სოლიკო) ვირსალაძე) (13 January 1909 – 7 February 1989) was a Georgian and one of the Soviet Union's leading designers of ballet, film and opera. He also worke ...

Dmitri Shostakovich Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich, , group=n (9 August 1975) was a Soviet-era Russian composer and pianist who became internationally known after the premiere of his First Symphony in 1926 and was regarded throughout his life as a major compo ...

composed the score.

Cast

as King Lear (voiced by

Zinovy Gerdt Zinovy Yefimovich Gerdt (russian: Зино́вий Ефи́мович Гердт, which is a pseudonym, his real name being Zalman Afroimovich Khrapinovich (За́лман Афро́имович Храпино́вич); 21 September 1916 in Sebez ...

) *

as Goneril (voiced by Nina Nikitina) * Galina Volchek as Regan * Valentina Shendrikova as Cordelia *

as Fool * Kārlis Sebris as Gloucester (voiced by Grigori Gay) * Leonhard Merzin as Edgar (voiced by

Emmanuil Vitorgan Emmanuil Gedeonovich Vitorgan (russian: Эммануи́л Гедео́нович Виторга́н; born 27 December 1939) is a Soviet, Russian film and theater actor, Honored Artist of the RSFSR (1990). People's Artist of Russia (1998). He acte ...

) * Regimantas Adomaitis as Edmund * Vladimir Yemelyanov as Kent * Aleksandr Vokach as Cornwall *

as Albany (voiced by

Aleksandr Demyanenko Aleksandr Sergeyevich Demyanenko (russian: Алекса́ндр Серге́евич Демья́ненко; May 30, 1937 – August 22, 1999) was a Soviet and Russian actor. He was given the honorary distinction of People's Artist of the RSFSR. H ...

) *

as Oswald *

Juozas Budraitis Juozas Budraitis (born 6 October 1940) is a Lithuanian actor. He has appeared in more than 60 films and television shows since 1966. He starred in the Soviet film ''Wounded Game'', which was entered into the 1977 Cannes Film Festival. Budraitis ...

as King of France

Accolades

* Tehran International Film Festival (1972): Grand Prix (

) and Best Actor Award (

) *

Chicago International Film Festival The Chicago International Film Festival is an annual film festival held every fall. Founded in 1964 by Michael Kutza, it is the longest-running competitive film festival in North America. Its logo is a stark, black and white close up of the comp ...

(1972): Silver Hugo for Best Director (

) * Milan International Film Festival (1973): Golden Medal (

)

References

External links

* 1971 films 1971 drama films Soviet drama films Russian drama films Lenfilm films Soviet black-and-white films Films directed by Grigori Kozintsev Films based on King Lear Films scored by Dmitri Shostakovich Russian black-and-white films {{1970s-USSR-film-stub

Production

Cast

Accolades

See also

References

External links