Georgiy Daneliya is one of the most prominent Soviet directors. I can’t say I love all his films, but his works like Walking the Streets of Moscow, Mimino, Kin-dza-dza!, Don’t Grieve!, Afonya, and Autumn Marathon are iconic, along with Gentlemen of Fortune, for which he wrote the script. And that’s not a complete list.
I once stumbled upon excerpts from his memoirs, but I didn’t pay them much attention until I saw a book called A Passenger Without a Ticket at a friend’s—a memoir by the director about his life. I got interested, started reading, and quickly got hooked.
I finished the book in a few days, and at the end, there was a note: “To be continued.” I thought that couldn’t be a coincidence, so I searched online and found that Georgiy Daneliya had actually written three memoirs, later combined into a single cycle, initially called Chito-Grito (when it was a two-part series) and later released as a single book titled Nightmare on Tiptoes.
It’s evident that as Daneliya began working on the book, he wanted to describe both his work on nearly every one of his films and his personal memories of family and life. And while he managed to tell the story of his films chronologically, the mentions of family are scattered here and there, which actually makes the book even more interesting.
The trilogy consists of three books:
- A Passenger Without a Ticket. Written in 2003, it originally came out with the subtitle Director’s Anecdotes. It covers the start of his creative journey and his work on films like Seryozha, Path to the Pier, Walking the Streets of Moscow, Thirty-Three, and Don’t Grieve!.
- Toasting to the Bottom. Released in 2005, this book, together with the first, was initially considered a two-part series under the name Chito-Grito. Here, Daneliya describes his work on films such as Hopelessly Lost, Afonya, Mimino, Autumn Marathon, Tears Were Falling, and Kin-dza-dza!.
- The Cat is Gone, but the Smile Remains. Released much later, in 2014, this book covers the 1990s and beyond, including the difficult work on films like Passport, Nastya, Heads and Tails, and Fortune.
The books are written in an easy, conversational tone. They are both memoirs and anecdotes, but primarily memories of his life and the people fate brought into it. There are quite a few photos throughout, which help immerse the reader in the time period and the atmosphere of working on films. Without these, the book wouldn’t be what it is.
However, the volumes differ significantly in their tone. It feels as if, in the process of writing each one, Daneliya was once again immersing himself in that time, which greatly influenced both what he writes and how.
The first book is light and kind-hearted; his career is just beginning, there’s room for fun and revelry. Fame arrived suddenly and almost from his first film.
The second book is the work of a recognized master, celebrated both at home and abroad. It’s still light, but with a touch of pomp and elitism.
The last one is very sad. The late 80s and 90s. No money, harsh reality, gangsters. And attempts to keep filming. This isn’t about a fun and lively life anymore.
It’s also evident that Daneliya didn’t live the simple life of a Soviet citizen. At times, there’s a hint of self-admiration, even a belief in his own genius. It’s never stated directly, but a certain elitism comes through.
His life was very different from that of ordinary citizens. His aunt was a famous actress, his uncle a famous director. His father was a general of metro construction, and his mother worked as an assistant director. And he himself traveled extensively abroad, not to mention his trips across the USSR. Three hundred rubles written off for a crane? Well, so be it (never mind that this was several months’ salary for many people back then).
The book also reveals that famous actors and directors led lives vastly different from those of millions of their compatriots. I don’t judge them—they earned it with their work. It’s just an interesting detail.
Overall, the trilogy is good and interesting. Definitely worth reading.
My rating: 5 for the first book, 4 for the other two
