May 19: Naum Birman's birthday, the director of Three Men in a Boat
Naum Birman was born on May 19, 1924, in Leningrad. A director, screenwriter, and master of lyrical comedy, he made "Three Men in a Boat," "The Magic Power of Art" with Arkady Raikin, and "Chronicle of a Dive Bomber." During his 24 years at Lenfilm, his films were seen by tens of millions of viewers.
From front-line concerts to Arkady Raikin
During the Great Patriotic War, Birman performed with the concert brigade of the Karelian Front's political administration, with the border troops ensemble, and at the Petrozavodsk Musical Comedy Theater. After the war, he graduated with a degree in acting from the Ostrovsky Leningrad Theatre Institute, but due to his Jewish roots, he was unable to find work in any theater for several years. He returned to the same institute, this time in the directing department. He also worked as a concert reciter and produced radio productions.
In the spring of 1953, immediately after Stalin's death, Birman staged the musical "Spring at LETI" for the student studio of the Leningrad Electrotechnical Institute. The performance was a sensation: mounted police and student patrols were unable to contain the crowd—the most daring even entered the auditorium through the roof ventilation shafts. After seeing "Spring," Arkady Raikin invited Birman to direct his Theater of Variety and Miniatures.
Lenfilm: 12 films in 24 years
In 1965, at 41, Birman joined Lenfilm. His debut psychological detective film, "Avaria," was seen by 17 million viewers.
Two years later, "Chronicle of a Dive Bomber" was released—a film about everyday life at the front, co-written by Birman himself. It featured the young Oleg Dal in one of his first major roles.
In 1970, the film almanac "Magic Power," based on a screenplay by Viktor Dragunsky, was released—three short stories shot with subtle humor. The third, "The Magic Power of Art," starring Arkady Raikin, was particularly memorable: a famous actor, disguised as a hooligan, comes to deal with neighbors who are bullying his elderly teacher in a communal apartment.
In 1975, Birman brought together a whole galaxy of stars in the film “Step Towards”: Lyudmila Gurchenko, Yevgeny Leonov, Andrei Mironov, Georgy Vitsin, Vladimir Basov.
In 1979, Three Men in a Boat, a musical comedy based on Jerome K. Jerome and starring Mironov, Shirvindt, and Derzhavin, was released. It became one of the most beloved Soviet films.
Birman's last film, an adaptation of Edmond Rostand's play "Cyrano de Bergerac," was released after his death. Naum Birman died in 1989 in Leningrad, at the age of 65.
