Siberian barber

I don't even know how many times I've seen a movie. I highly recommend it to anyone who hasn’t watched it. A completely different film from Nikita Mikhalkov, from the ones we watched earlier. The masterful acting of Oleg Menjsikov and Julia Ormond, the script, did not immediately come across the beautiful words of the critics. Here is something more about this film that is very dear to me.

The protagonist of the Russian film "Siberian Barber", a young officer Andrei Tolstoy, has disappointed people since his birth by answering that he is not related to the famous writer. He gained sympathy because of his youthful charm and passion for life. Jane Callahan is a pragmatic, seemingly superficial American woman who comes to tsarist Russia with the intention of helping her friend, an eccentric scientist, get approval to cut down Siberian forests. If Andrei and Jane had not crossed paths, he would probably have become a respectable Russian citizen. Andrej had a different fate. Accused of a political crime he committed because of Jane, he was exiled to Siberia

British actress Julia Ormond and the most famous Russian actor Oleg Menshikov were enchanting in the roles of Jane and Andrei Nikita Mikhalkov, the famous Russian director shot "Siberian Barber" with the intention of being completely different from his previous, art films such as " Urga ”and“ Deceptive Sun ”. Recorded in a high production and visually captivating with elements of melodrama and the blinds of the comedy "Siberian Barber" is the Russian response to "Gone with the Wind". While the heart of the story in "Gone with the Wind" was the faith in Scarlett O'Hare's new tomorrow, the heart of the story "The Siberian Barber" is the faith in the ideals of Andrei Tolstoy. Whether one can live from ideals or lead to self-destruction is the question that Mikhalkov asks in "Siberian Barber". Of course, like no real artist, he does not give an answer to that question. In 1998. when it was shot, the film was received negatively by critics. Another "serious" film was expected from Mikhalkov, and not a "soap opera" set in tsarist Russia. As determined, the monarchists also reproached him for glorifying the Russian people and the myth of the incomprehensible Russian soul.

On the other hand, most of the European audience welcomed the "Siberian barber" with enthusiasm. When it comes to America, the few cinemas in which the film was shown were almost empty, although it was shot mostly in English. The reason for that may be the insufficient promotion of the film due to the portrayal of the Americans as a superficial people for whom the Slavic soul is incomprehensible. Perhaps the American audience simply has no ear for the story of the "just a little crazy and in love" Russian officer. "Siberian Barber" is a film in which a good part of the audience still recognized the director's sincere intention to entertain and at the same time touch the viewer by saying that life is not ideal, but that does not mean that it should not be. It is much more important than any political context of the film and emphasizing the differences between East and West. This film is primarily a love story with a sad ending and beautiful music that creates a wonderful feeling. It is one of those films that reminds us that both reality and films have become boringly realistic when it comes to love. To watch "Siberian Barber", it is necessary to put cynicism aside and indulge in the love that Andrei Tolstoy feels. That love is the one that Leo Tolstoy writes about. She does not accept compromises, she can seriously endanger your health, but it is not worth living without her.

In 2000, the authors of the film were awarded the State Prize of the Russian Federation in the field of literature and art. The way in which the customs of one nation are presented (Maslenica holiday), the mentality, as well as the principles they adhere to, make this achievement so high quality and popular among all generations. Perhaps even unfairly underestimated, ‘Siberian Barber’ is truly a classic that makes it worth neglecting everything else and enjoying it to the fullest.

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