''Heads and Tails'' (russian: Орёл и решка, Oryol i reshka) is a 1995 Russian comedy-drama film directed by

Georgiy Daneliya Georgiy Nikolayevich Daneliya ( ka, გიორგი ნიკოლოზის ძე დანელია; russian: Георгий Николаевич Данелия; 25 August 1930 – 4 April 2019), also known as Giya Daneliya ( ka, გ� ...

, based on the short story ''On the First Breath'' by

Vladimir Makanin Vladimir Semyonovich Makanin (russian: Владимир Семёнович Маканин; 13 March 1937 in Orsk, Orenburg Oblast, RSFSR, Soviet Union – 1 November 2017 in , Aksaysky District, Rostov Oblast, Russia) was a Russian writer of ...

Plot

The main character Oleg Chagin (

Kirill Pirogov Kirill Alfredovich Pirogov (russian: Кирилл Альфредович Пирогов; born 4 September 1973) is a Russian film and theatre actor and composer. He has appeared in more than twenty films since 1995. In 2005 he was made an Honour ...

), a gas engineer, arrives from the North where he was earning money for his wedding in Moscow. He has received news that his fiancée Elena has already married another man – Vadim Klimov. Oleg wishes to get Elena back but is unsuccessful in his attempts. His acquaintance Georgiy (

Leonid Yarmolnik Leonid Isaakovich Yarmolnik (russian: Леони́д Исаа́кович Ярмо́льник; born January 22, 1954) is a Soviet and Russian actor and film producer. Biography Was born on January 22, 1954, in Grodekovo, Primorsky Krai, where ...

) lets Oleg stay in his apartment, as he leaves for business in Hong Kong. Oleg becomes fond of another girl – Zinaida Prishchepkina (

Polina Kutepova Polina Pavlovna Kutepova (russian: Поли́на Па́вловна Куте́пова; born August 1, 1971, Moscow) is a Soviet and Russian actress. Biography Along with twin sister Kseniya preparing for an artistic career since childhood. ...

). Zinaida has an ex-husband – a prisoner, to whom the girl is flying to Sochi for a visit. Subsequently, Elena gets into a car crash and is in a hospital in a serious condition. Oleg quickly returns to Moscow, secretly enters the hospital and finds out that the patient Klimova can only be helped by a very expensive medicine which no one is able to obtain. Oleg buys this medicine and passes it to the doctor, who is treating the sick Klimova. After this, his jacket is stolen in which he kept all his money, which means that he has to make a living doing difficult and demanding work. Additionally, Oleg rents out Georgiy's apartment to dishonest gypsies who later fail to pay. He has nowhere to live and ends up getting

pneumonia Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of productive or dry cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. The severity ...

. By chance, he meets Zinaida again, who accompanies Oleg to his home and takes care of him. The illness lasts a long time, and when it recedes, Oleg finds out that Elena has already been discharged from the hospital, her condition was not so severe, and ironically Oleg was getting money for a medicine for someone else with the same last name. Encouraged, he goes to Elena's home, but gets straight to the engagement of Elena and the surgeon from the hospital in which she was staying; with Vadim, her romantic relationship is finished for good. Oleg returns to the North with his friend Zinaida, where she immediately marries him. Oleg names a drilling rig "Prishchepkina" in honor of Zina.

Cast

– Oleg Chagin *

– Zina Prishchepkina *

Oleg Basilashvili Oleg Valerianovich Basilashvili (russian: Оле́г Валериа́нович Басилашви́ли; ka, ოლეგ ბასილაშვილი, ; born 26 September 1934) is a Soviet and Russian stage and film actor. People's Artist ...

– Professor Savitsky *

Stanislav Govorukhin Stanislav Sergeyevich Govorukhin (russian: Станислав Сергеевич Говорухин; 29 March 1936 – 14 June 2018) was a Soviet Union, Soviet and Russians, Russian film director, actor, screenwriter, producer and politician. He w ...

– Zosima Petrovich *

– Gosha *

Ivan Ryzhov Ivan Petrovich Ryzhov (russian: Ива́н Петро́вич Рыжо́в; 25 January 1913, Ramensky District, Zelyonaya Sloboda, Bronnitsky Uyezd, Moscow Governorate — 15 March 2004, Moscow) was a Soviet and Russian film and theater actor. Peop ...

– Timofeich

Awards

State Prize of the Russian Federation The State Prize of the Russian Federation, officially translated in Russia as Russian Federation National Award, is a state honorary prize established in 1992 following the breakup of the Soviet Union. In 2004 the rules for selection of laureates ...

in the field of motion picture arts of 1996 (May 29, 1997) – Georgiy Daneliya for feature films ''

Passport A passport is an official travel document issued by a government that contains a person's identity. A person with a passport can travel to and from foreign countries more easily and access consular assistance. A passport certifies the personal ...

'', ''Nastya'', ''Eagle and tails''. *1996 – Special jury prize at

Kinotavr Kinotavr (russian: Кинотавр), also known as the Sochi Open Russian Film Festival is an open film festival held in the resort city of Sochi, Russia annually in June since 1991, until it was cancelled in the wake of the 2022 Russian invasio ...

References

External links

* 1995 films 1995 comedy-drama films Russian comedy-drama films Mosfilm films Films directed by Georgiy Daneliya 1990s Russian-language films {{Russia-film-stub