Kidnapped Bride's Disappearance Traced to Mzymty Beach and Ahtsu Gorge
In the heart of the Krasnodar region, back in 1966, the comedy masterpiece "Kavkazskaya Plennitsa" (Kidnapping, Caucasian Style) was brought to life. Directed by Leonid Gaidai and penned by Yakov Kostyukovsky and Morris Slobodsky, this film became a beloved part of Soviet cinema.
Contrary to its title, most of the scenes for this film were not shot in the Caucasus mountains as one might expect. Instead, the suburban and countryside landscapes around Moscow and nearby areas served as the backdrop, a common practice in Soviet cinema where locations stood in for more geographically distant settings. Scenes near Sochi, in the Akhsu gorge, on the way to Krasnaya Polyana, were among the locations used to create the film's characteristic mountain village atmosphere.
Natalia Varley, an acrobat from the circus with little film experience, was cast as the main character, Nиna. Her scene where she undresses to a swimsuit was a key factor in her casting. Vladimir Etush from the Vakhtangov Theater was cast as the big boss in the film, while Frunzik Mkrtchyan from Yerevan played the role of Uncle Dzhambrail.
The film's famous trio - Truff, Balbes, and Brygali - were played by Georgy Vitsin, Yuri Nikulin, and Yevgeny Morgunov respectively. Alexander Demyanenko portrayed the unlucky but likable student Shurik.
One memorable scene from the film shows Shurik falling into a mountain stream in a sleeping bag. This was no stunt; during the shooting of the final take, Shurik actually fell into the water, causing Leonid Gaiday to exclaim joyfully. The scene was filmed in the Mzymta River valley, with Demyanenko only rolling down a slope and being caught by assistants.
The release of "Kavkazskaya Plennitsa" was initially delayed due to a name conflict with a party official. However, Ekaterina Furtseva, the Minister of Culture of the USSR, resolved the issue with a phone call to Mosfilm, paving the way for the film's successful release.
The film's popularity extended to the highest echelons of power, with Leonid Brezhnev, the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, reportedly watching and enjoying the film.
After the success of "Kavkazskaya Plennitsa", Natalia Varley did not return to the circus and went on to act in other films. The film, despite its title, was primarily filmed in Crimea, near Alushta, rather than on the Caucasian coast as its title suggests. Today, Varley continues to write books about cinema.
In the realm of Soviet cinema, 'Kavkazskaya Plennitsa' (Kidnapping, Caucasian Style) was not only an entertaining addition to 'movies-and-tv' but also a significant influence on the 'lifestyle' of its time. The suburban and countryside landscapes around Moscow and nearby areas were used to portray the mountain village atmosphere, demonstrating how 'home-and-garden' environments were often utilized to stand in for more distant settings in Soviet cinema.
