Old masters (1983)

Faces of the actors participating in the film.

Actors of the Moscow Art Theatre Prudkin M.I. and Stepanova A.I. walk down the street to a rehearsal.

Actors walk to a rehearsal, among them - Kalyagin A.A. Artistic Director of the Moscow Art Theatre Oleg Efremov talks about ways of preserving theatrical traditions, about veteran actors as keepers and builders of traditions, about the creative atmosphere and creative search they create during their work (synchronously).

Prudkin, Kalyagin, Stepanova during a rehearsal.

Stepanova's face.

Fragment of the feature film "The Dead House" with Stepanova.

Fragment of the 1927 feature film with Prudkin.

Prudkin's face.

Director A.V. Efros supervises a rehearsal of the play "The Living Corpse", Stepanova and Prudkin during a rehearsal, the actors' faces.

Efros's face, Stepanova discusses the character of her heroine.

Efros talks about Stepanova and Prudkin as veterans of the Moscow Art Theatre, as artists of a special culture established by Stanislavsky, about working with them (synchronously and behind the scenes).

Prudkin and Stepanova during a rehearsal.

Prudkin and Stepanova's faces.

Prudkin, Stepanova and the actors of the Moscow Art Theatre talk at tables in the buffet during a break.

Prudkin and Stepanova talk with colleagues about current professional issues, about the rules of the acting profession (synchronously).

View of the stage before performance, raising the lighting fixtures.

Stepanova in her dressing room before the performance.

Prudkin backstage before the performance.

Fragments of the performance "The Living Corpse" with Prudkin, Stepanova and A.A. Vertinskaya.

The actors' faces.

The sconce on the wall of the theater foyer goes out.

Prudkin gives an interview to theater scholar N. Krymova at his home, talks about working with Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko, about his development as an actor, about the embodiment of Stanislavsky's principles on stage based on his acting experience (synchronously).

A fragment of the feature film "The Brothers Karamazov" starring M.I. Prudkin as Fyodor Karamazov and actors Kirill Lavrov and Andrey Myagkov.

Prudkin, at home, answers a question from theater critic Krymova about the incentive to work in the theater based on acquired experience, about the uniqueness of the profession, about creative "greed" (synchronously).

View of a part of the set of the feature film "Look for a Woman" (above).

Actress Sofiko Chiaureli rehearses a scene from their film.

Chiaureli speaks about her mother, Veriko Andzhaparidze, as an ideal in all respects, about common and different professional traits (synchronously).

Panorama of Tbilisi (above).

Views of old streets and houses of Tbilisi.

Andzhaparidze V.I. speaks about the influence of theatrical art on a person, his character (synchronously).

Fragments of the feature film "Otarova Vdova" starring Andzhaparidze.

Andzhaparidze talks about playing the role of a widow on the stage, about the changes she makes to the role (synchronously).

Views of the building of the Orthodox Cathedral in Tbilisi, fragments of the cathedral's architecture.

Newsreel from 1955: the execution scene from the play "Mary Stuart" with Veriko Andzhaparidze in the title role.

Andzhaparidze talks about complete dedication to the profession, about the inability to take care of herself during work (synchronously).

Artistic Director of the Georgian Academic Theater named after Marjanishvili Chkheidze T.N. talks about working together with Andzhaparidze, about the actress's attitude to work (synchronously).

A fragment of a rehearsal of one of the plays with the participation of Veriko Andzhaparidze, Andzhaparidze delivers a monologue in Georgian (synchronously).

Andzhaparidze backstage during a break.

Andzhaparidze's face.

Faces of women selling vegetables at a market in Tbilisi.

Sellers serving customers.

Actress Cecilia Takaishvili buying vegetables at the market, greeting sellers.

Fragments of the feature film "Me, Grandmother, Iliko and Illarion" with Takaishvili in the role of a grandmother.

Takaishvili at home tells theater critic Krymova about working on the role of a grandmother in the feature film "Me, Grandmother, Iliko and Illarion" (synchronously).

Fragment of a TV play with Takaishvili in the role of an old woman informer (in Georgian).

Takaishvili talks about her teachers - K. Marjanishvili, S. Akhmeteli, about learning stagecraft from great actors, about the role of truth and reality in the acting profession (synchronously).

Children play in the street.

Takaishvili looks out of the window.

Takayshvili, leaning on the windowsill, talks to director M. Tumanishvili, speaks about her reluctance to move to his theater (synchronously).

Tumanishvili talks about Takayshvili's search for her heroes, about the authenticity in her acting work (synchronously).

Fragments of the feature film "The Tree of Desire" with Takayshvili in the role of Maradiya.

Takayshvili talks about the presence of meaning in a particular acting life, about her love for her profession (synchronously).

View of one of the old quarters of Tallinn.

The face of the actor Eskola A.V. View of part of one of the old buildings.

Preparing the scenery for the next performance at the Estonian Drama Theater.

Eskola sits on a chair on the stage during a rehearsal.

Eskola's face.

Photos of Eskola in the roles of Hamlet, Gaev.

Eskola sits on a chair on the stage, reflecting on the role.

Director, actor and head of the Estonian Drama Theatre Mikk Mikkiver answers a question from theatre scholar Krymova, talks about Ants Eskola's acting work in the theatre, talks about his perception of Eskola in the theatre, about the favourable atmosphere created by the actor, about working with Eskola in the play "The Living Corpse" (synchronously).

Eskola is sitting on a chair on stage.

Panorama of part of the wings.

Eskola is putting on her hat.

A scene from the play "The Living Corpse" in Estonian, with Eskola and Mikkiver.

The faces of Eskola and Mikkiver.

Panorama of part of the wooden house in the village where Eskola lives, Krymova and Eskola are talking, sitting on a bench near the house.

The faces of Eskola and Krymova talking, a view of the wooden art workshop next to the house.

Eskola, at home, during a conversation with Krymova, talks about writers dear to him, talks about playing the role of Gaev in Chekhov's play "The Cherry Orchard", reads Gaev's monologue in Estonian (synchronously).

Fragments of the feature film "The Feast of St.

Jorgen" with Igor Ilyinsky, the "healing" scene. I.V. Ilyinsky's face.

Fragments of the feature film "The Trial of Three Million" in the role of the thief Tapioca.

Ilyinsky preparing for a rehearsal of the play "The Cherry Orchard".

Ilyinsky discusses ways to surprise the audience (synchronously).

A scene from the Maly Theater's play "The Cherry Orchard" with Ilyinsky, delivering the monologue of the footman Firs.

Ilyinsky discusses the essence of Firs's role, his place in the play (synchronously).

A scene from the Maly Theater's production of "The Cherry Orchard" with Ilyinsky as Firs, Ilyinsky delivers a monologue.

Ilyinsky talks about how his idea of the acting profession has changed over the years of working in the theater, about how his attitude toward the theater has changed over the years, about his evolution as an actor, and about his latest roles (synchronously and behind the scenes).

Fragments of the feature film "The Tailor from Torzhok" with Ilyinsky.

Photos of Ilyinsky in the roles of L.N. Tolstoy, Firs.

Ilyinsky talks about the role of Firs, about the qualities of his character (synchronously).

Summer countryside landscape.

Faina Ranevskaya is at home, talking on the phone, sitting at the table.

Fragments of the feature film "The Foundling" with Ranevskaya.

Ranevskaya talks to theater scholar N. Krymova, gives an interview, talks about the beginning of her career, about her character traits, about shyness and impudence (synchronously).

Fragments of the feature film "The Wedding" based on Chekhov's play, with Ranevskaya's participation.

Ranevskaya shows her photographs from different years, talks about her creative work in various theaters, about working with director Tairov, his character traits, about the roles she played, about her audition for the role of Ivan the Terrible's sister in Eisenstein's film of the same name (synchronously).

A fragment of the feature film "Alexander Parkhomenko" with F.G. Ranevskaya as a pianist.

Ranevskaya talks about her work on this role and the film itself, speaks about the audience's love (synchronously and off-screen).

Fragments of the feature film "Dream" with Ranevskaya as Roza Skhorokhod, off-screen Ranevskaya talks about her joint work with film director M.I. Romm.

Ranevskaya discusses the audience's reaction to the acting, the theme of the play (synchronously).

Ranevskaya on stage.

Ranevskaya talks about life on stage, criticizes her acting (synchronously).

Ranevskaya's face.

Ilyinsky's face giving an interview.

The faces of Takayshvili, Eskola, Stepanova, Prudkin, Andzhaparidze.