How Russians fought against the Vietnamese, while the Vietnamese played Russian roulette.

It turns out that it was not only Americans who fought in Vietnam, but also Russians. And not on the side of the Vietnamese, but against them. How is that possible? Everything is possible in Hollywood movies.

Michael Cimino's film "The Deer Hunter" from 1978 received five Oscars, a Golden Globe, and two BAFTA awards. It was later included in the national film registry of the Library of Congress in the United States.

Don't rush to be outraged by historical injustice. The film is interesting and truly deserving of all those awards. Yes, the main characters of this film are Russians, but they fight in Vietnam like American soldiers.

In general, the portrayal of Russians in Hollywood movies is a separate topic. They are mostly negative caricatured characters. If the characters are positive, they are still filled with stereotypes. But in Chiminо's film, despite these established notions about Russians, there are moments where the director hits the mark.

So, what is the movie about? A group of young men from a Russian community in a small industrial town lives a rich life. During the day, they work at a steel mill, in the evenings, they drink. Indeed, such a lifestyle is characteristic of many Russians, you can't argue with that. And on weekends, after waking up with a hangover, American Russians go to the mountains to hunt deer. Two events change their steady life - a wedding and the war. Three friends are sent to serve in Vietnam, but before that, one of them gets married.

The leader of the group, Mikhail Vronsky (such a beautiful and familiar Russian surname for fans of Leo Tolstoy's works!), is played by the famous Robert De Niro. Among the main actors, only one is of Slavic origin, but there is no doubt that they portray Russian people on the screen. The wedding scene is so colorful and touching that you might even doubt your own Russian origin. One of the group members drinks and laughs in the evening, and in the morning, he recites "Glory to God!" in a chorus in an Orthodox church.

Russians behave unpredictably, recklessly, boldly, and desperately, which is often characteristic of us. One episode has stuck with me. "Russian" Robert De Niro, after drinking vodka with beer (a Russian invention!), runs, undressing, in the headlights of a wedding car. In the end, the only thing left on him is an Orthodox cross around his neck. That's how we do it! Take off your pants, but leave the cross! Lovely!

Playing with death is also characteristic of the Russian mentality. In Vietnam, the three friends are captured, and the Viet Cong forces them to play a national gambling game - Russian roulette. In general, the Vietnamese would be very surprised to find out that they have a whole underground industry based on this game. The Vietnamese have never heard of Russian roulette, there is no underground betting on this game in Saigon - it is simply the author's invention, a myth created by him. But here, the artist's imagination hit the nail on the head. The game of Russian roulette became a metaphor for the war syndrome. Not all three characters were able to return to civilian life after returning home.

Why did Michael Cimino want to make his protagonists Russians? Perhaps he wanted to emphasize the connection with risk, with playing with death. The film was shot "in a Russian way." In Thailand, where the shooting took place, riots broke out. Actors John Savage and Robert De Niro fell from a bridge into the water and narrowly avoided being injured. Savage was almost bitten by a venomous snake. To add authenticity, Cimino made the actors not wash or change their clothes, and made them sit in water with mosquitoes and rats for a long time.

Unfortunately, besides this magnificent work, director Michael Cimino did not make anything significant - as often happens in the history of creative work. Michael Cimino is a director of one good film. His next film, "Heaven's Gate," became one of the biggest box office flops in Hollywood history. The "Russian roulette" drum turned out to be empty this time.

I have only one serious complaint about the American director. Well, we don't say "Na Zdorovie!" when we down 50 grams, enough already!