How to measure the merits of a filmmaker? By the number of Oscars received or the profitability of the films he shot? Merits of Roger Vadim - in the discovery of new bright stars in the sky of cinema. Moreover, Vadim gave a ticket to life for real world stars.
The most amazing thing in his life story was that these stars were alternately his wives - civil or legal. And after his "blessing" became real celebrities.
It was said about Roger that he possessed some kind of magic that attracted women to him. He laughed and replied that he was simply trying to love and understand everyone who fell into his circle of acquaintances. And he tried to shoot everyone in his films so that they could gain experience and become real actresses.
He married four times, and with Catherine Deneuve lived in a civil marriage. However, they have a common son, Christian, who, following the example of his parents, became an actor. In addition to Christian, the director had three more children from different marriages.
Biography
Roger Vadim is Russian by descent, although even the name of Genghis Khan can be found in his pedigree. Family history says that the Mongol khan gave his nephew land on the territory of Russia, and since then the family of the Plemyannikovs has gone - this is the real name of the director.
During the 1917 revolution, Vadim's father left Russia and settled in France. Igor Plemyannikov made a good career: he became consul and often traveled to Turkey and Egypt. However, he died early, and the family was left without a breadwinner. The son changed his name: instead of Vadim Plemyannikov, he became Vadim Roger.
When he already became a famous director, journalists asked him about his nationality. He replied that he was a real Frenchman by training, but his soul was still Russian.
He could consider himself a real Frenchman, because he was born in Paris in 1928. He spent his childhood alternately in Egypt and then in Turkey, where his father went on business. Vadim's mother was an actress, but also went with her husband, son and daughter Helen to eastern countries.
After the death of the head of the family, the Plemyannikovs returned to Paris, and Vadim wanted to study stage art. He received an acting education and began to play in the theater, however, these were small roles. At the same time, he tried himself as a writer, but his manuscript was criticized. Fortunately, he managed to get acquainted with the director Mark Allegre, who took him as an assistant.
Vadim was then very active and tried different types of activities: he helped Allegra edit the scripts, assisted him and at the same time worked as a journalist in the newspaper Paris Match.
Having mastered the basics of directorial art, Roger decided that he himself can also make films.
It was then that on his way a novice actress Brigitte Bardot met. She came to the casting home to Allegra with her parents, and Vadim immediately drew attention to her.
They married in 1952 and lived together for five years. In 1956, the young director Roger made the film “And God Created a Woman, ” which made him and Brigitte famous. However, during the filming, he had to watch a not very pleasant process: he saw a romance begin between his wife and actor Jean-Louis Trentignan. A year later, Brigitte and Vadim divorced, but remained friends.
All his life he took care of her as a frightened child, although she became a sex symbol of an era. And she called him "old Russian" and often called - she asked for advice in love affairs.
Director's career
The next famous film by Roger is the film "Dangerous Communications". By that time, Vadim was already married to Annette Stroyberg, they had a daughter, and the young wife did not think about the career of the actress. She came to the set just to visit her husband. And he suddenly saw her in one of the roles, and she agreed to fulfill it. Everything turned out perfectly, Annette liked the filming process. In addition, the film received high marks, and now Shtruiberg starred in her husband’s next film. And then she felt like a celebrity and flew out of the family nest, leaving her daughter Natalie in the care of her father.
Vadim was thirty-two years old when he met Catherine Deneuve, visiting friends. They had a significant age difference - almost fifteen years, but this did not stop them. Catherine became a good mother for Natalie, and then gave birth to Vadim a son, who was named Christian. She starred in the film "Cherbourg Umbrellas", became famous and very soon left Roger.
Oddly enough, but he shot almost every new film the director managed with a new lover. So, in the film "Three Steps in Delirium" (1968) by Edgar Allan Poe, he invited Jane Fonda, who was already a famous actress, and later became his wife. The film was received very well, and they wrote that Roger was "in his own spirit." Although this is a joint creation of Fellini, Roger and Mal.
