I was 15 years old when I hung around the movie set when they shot the "Swedish" scenes in the resort town of Sochi. I remember Fateeva angry at the director and the organization, and at what she called "the typical Soviet fruitless" movie business. A lot of the "Swedish" scenes where cut from the final version. For me the movie production was fun to watch, the girls were fun to be around ( I was a year younger than Galina Belyaeva) but the result is exactly opposite - a very primitive, over-dramatized, overacted, corny Soviet movie, full of awkward slapstick (the sauna scenes, the reporters in the pool scene, the final absurd scene with the dolphin) that is more primitive than the original uncut version.
2 Reviews
The best sports film I ever seen
bakadeika9 April 2005
This film is about a young girl Nadya, who lived near the sea and liked to compete in swimming with her friend, a dolphin Fregat. Her another friend, non-professional provincial trainer, even did not trained her, just constantly suggested Nadya to show her skills in official competitions. He was nine years elder and had no other thoughts or wishes concerning her. But Nadya loved him and this was the main reason of choosing the "big sport", leaving Fregat alone for some time. However, while she easily, without any additional training, won (setting new records BTW) all events prior to international competitions, she could not swim well in latter ones. She knew, that million eyes are looking at her and feared.
Even I, who watched many masterpieces prior to this, was shocked, watching this film. The Great play by Galina Belyaeva, this was her first role, but she LIVED in the film. Very good play by other actors and magic music throughout the film resulted in absolutely fantastic atmosphere of the whole movie. I strongly suggest those, who think, that Olympic Games were always only doping scandals and Olympic Champions were always like cyborgs, to watch this film. You'll understand, what were Olympic Champions like in the best years of Olympic Movement.
I really don't know, where you can get it. I didn't found any DVDs or VHSs available online. I watched it on the Russian channel "Nashe kino", thats all, what I can say on this question. If you'll be lucky to find it somewhere, I am sure, you'll be shocked not less than I was after watching it.
Even I, who watched many masterpieces prior to this, was shocked, watching this film. The Great play by Galina Belyaeva, this was her first role, but she LIVED in the film. Very good play by other actors and magic music throughout the film resulted in absolutely fantastic atmosphere of the whole movie. I strongly suggest those, who think, that Olympic Games were always only doping scandals and Olympic Champions were always like cyborgs, to watch this film. You'll understand, what were Olympic Champions like in the best years of Olympic Movement.
I really don't know, where you can get it. I didn't found any DVDs or VHSs available online. I watched it on the Russian channel "Nashe kino", thats all, what I can say on this question. If you'll be lucky to find it somewhere, I am sure, you'll be shocked not less than I was after watching it.
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