Rosja jako Hiszpania, czyli Grigorija Kozincewa opowieść o Don Kichocie

Abstract

Grigorij Kozincev is one of the most important Soviet directors. Among his works there were eccentric, socialist realist (those created together with Leonid Trauberg) films, but also sophisticated screenings ofworld literature classics by Cervantes and Shakespeare, which he created throughout the last fifteen years of his life. In my analysis, I try to trace up those elements ofthe created world in his screening ofDon Quixote (1957) which present the ideology characteristic for the post-Stalin period in the Soviet Union. This characteristic tenor settlesthe narration in various contexts: the organization ofthe Soviet cinematography, the competences of audience, who could create many different strategies ofreception ofthe film, depending on actors playing main characters or the organization offilm sets and sequences. Don Quixote should also be read together with other films by Kozincev, especially with Hamlet, because in Russian culture both characters are treated as two opposite but complementary features ofhuman nature. Kozincev knew Ivan Turgieniev’s essay from 1860 about them and he undoubtedly mounted his celluloid discourse on this model. In my opinion, the last Kozincev’s films create a very expressive personal discourse and the characters of Don Quixote, of Hamlet and of King Lear should be treated as parts of his strategy of almost autobiographical curriculum vitae telling a story about the artist himself and about his world -that is about Russia. Kozincev’s memories published in Polish as Głębia ekranu had a great impact on my essay.