Ekaterina Savinova is one of the most striking actresses in Soviet cinema. Her role in the film "Come Tomorrow" was so memorable that the audience involuntarily associated with the main character. But the fate of the actress was very tragic.
Childhood and career of Ekaterina Savinova
Ekaterina Savinova is a famous Soviet actress who performed the cult starring role in the film "Come Tomorrow." Many viewers called her after her heroine Frosi Burlakova. Perhaps one of the components of resounding success was the fact that the image of Frosi was understandable and close to Catherine. She herself came from the province to conquer Moscow.
Ekaterina Savinova was born on December 26, 1926 in the village of Yeltsovka in the Altai Territory. During the Stolypin reform, the Ekaterina family moved to Altai from the Penza province. The Burlakov family lived next door to them. The future actress borrowed this surname to create a beloved image for everyone. Savinova's parents were simple peasants. The family had four children. In 1944, Catherine graduated from high school and firmly decided to go to Moscow to conquer the capital.
The first time she did not enter VGIK. She studied for some time at the Land Management Institute, but her desire to enroll as an actress did not disappear from her. On the second attempt, she managed to become a student of one of the most prestigious educational institutions.
A bright and charismatic girl was noticed immediately and already during her studies she was invited to study at the Moscow Art Theater, but Catherine refused, since she saw herself only in the role of a cinema actress. Already at 22, a talented student was approved for one of the roles in the film "Kuban Cossacks." This was a huge success, but Ekaterina Savinova did not know then that participation in the filming would be fatal for her. The film was shot by the head of Mosfilm, Ivan Pyryev, who was known for his weakness for beautiful young actresses. The director tried to give attention to Savinova, and after receiving the refusal, she put her on the unspoken "black list".
Due to falling out of favor with the director, she was almost not removed from 1950 to 1963. At this time, Savinova had to be content with only passing episodic roles. In 1951, Catherine found female happiness - she married classmate Yevgeny Tashkov. Son Andrei was born only in 1957.
In 1959, the actress entered the evening department of vocals at the Institute. Gnesins. She was tired of being unrealized in the cinema and graduated with honors. Many have appreciated her unique voice. Catherine was invited to the troupe of the Bolshoi Theater, but she refused, dreaming of a movie.
"Come back tomorrow"
By the age of 33, Savinova never managed to get a single bright role. Her husband Evgeny Tashkov at that time became a well-known director and decided to write a script for the film, the main character of which was to be Catherine. The script was written just for her, so the fate of Frosi Burlakova so much resonates with the fate of the actress.
The film was shot in Odessa in order to circumvent Pyryev’s ban, but the director had to face a number of difficulties. Auditors from the capital wanted to ban the film for screening, declaring Savinov mediocrity. The director had to go for a trick. He wrote an appeal to high bosses and reported that the picture had already been taken and a ban on showing it would mean that all the money that was allocated for the shooting was wasted. This move turned out to be true and Tashkov managed to convince everyone that it was necessary to show the film to the audience. In 1963, the picture appeared on the big screen and received the Grand Prix of the All-Union Film Festival, and Ekaterina Savinova was recognized as the best film actress of the year.
Devastating disease
After the screening of the film “Come Tomorrow”, Ekaterina Savinova finally became recognizable, the long-awaited fame came to her. The actress has many opportunities. Now she was no longer considered mediocrity, as Pyryev had previously tried to imagine her. But grandiose plans for a further brilliant career were not destined to come true.
Even during the filming of "Come Tomorrow, " Catherine began to feel bad. She tried not to show her appearance and hid her condition even from her husband. But after some time, the husband noticed some oddities in the actress's behavior and she ended up in the hospital. For a very long time, doctors could not give her the correct diagnosis. Psychiatrists agreed that there were deviations in Savinova’s behavior, but stated that she was not their patient.
Only after some time, experts suggested that mental abnormalities could be the result of infection with the infection and the actress was diagnosed with brucellosis. Shortly before filming in the most important film of her life, Catherine starred in the episodes of "Country Doctor". To do this, she had to go to the Crimea, where she often drank raw milk. Most likely, there she contracted a terrible disease.
Filming "Come Tomorrow" had to be suspended, but the film was still shot to the end. After that, Catherine starred in several more films:
- “The Marriage of Balzaminov” - 1964;
- "To me, Mukhtar" - 1964;
- "The road to the sea" - 1965;
- Zigzag of Fortune - 1968
Ekaterina Savinova underwent treatment several times, but time was lost. The infection led to brain damage, so the actress sometimes did not recognize her relatives, she behaved strangely. At the same time, she starred in episodic roles. Even in 1970, shortly before her death, she took part in the filming, although her role in the film "Reckoning" was very insignificant.
Savinova was awarded several awards:
- Honored Artist of the RSFSR - 1965;
- Laureate of the All-Union Film Festival. The award was given in the nomination "Prizes to actors" in 1964;
- Laureate of the Cannes Film Festival. The award was given in the nomination "Best Acting Ensemble" for his role in the film "Big Family" in 1955.
The death of Ekaterina Savinova
In the last months of her life, Savinova became worse. She said that some voices tormented her and “demons came” for her. The actress often forgot where she was, sometimes did not recognize loved ones and spoke to strangers. Her husband at that time was a very sought-after director and was forced to go to the shooting. He could not be constantly with his wife and son.
Detractors began to talk about what the actress drinks, but that was a lie. The blame for this behavior was the disease and developed against the background of infection of schizophrenia.
Savinova was treated at the clinic shortly before her death, but she was released and a nurse kept an eye on her. On April 25, 1970, the actress tricked the nurse and went to her sister in Novosibirsk. Catherine thought it over carefully. Recently, she realized that she became a burden to others.
In the sister’s house, she tidied up, washed the floors and wrote a suicide note. And then she went to the station and rushed under the train. It is symbolic that in the entrance exams Catherine read the monologue of Anna Karenina and her life ended just like the life of this heroine. In a note, she asked for forgiveness from all loved ones and especially from her son. The boy at that time was only 13 years old. The reason for the death of Savinova called fatigue and unwillingness to be a burden for her relatives. The actress decided that it would be better, but it is not clear how adequate she was at that moment.
Relatives Savinova recalled that in the last years of her life, the actress was very sorry that she refused theatrical roles and career of the singer. She said that "cinema took her soul like a devil." Perhaps if she had not shown perseverance and had not resisted fate at such moments, her life would have been happier.
Related article
Ekaterina Fedorovna Savinova: biography, career and personal life
