"White Bulldog and Pelagia": a film crew, roles and actors. "White Bulldog and Pelagia": description of the plot

Boris Akunin wrote a detective trilogy about a nun who had the gift of a detective. "White Bulldog and Pelagia" - the first part (2001). Eight years later, Yuri Moroz, together with the TV channel Rossiya, produced a series (8 episodes) under the same name. The actions recreated by the actors "White Bulldog and Pelagia", as well as in the novel, unfold in the XIX century in the open spaces of the Zavolzhskaya province. Here comes the synodal inspector to investigate all sorts of manifestations of paganism. It would seem that he must receive all-round support from the local bishop, the governor and some other personalities. But they are reluctant to meet him.

The summary of the series

All the actors "White Bulldog and Pelagia" coped with the game quite skillfully. The essence of the series is as follows: part of the local population of the Trans-Volga region (the so-called zytyaki), although it adopted Christianity, but firmly held some pagan positions in its religious consciousness. The governor, Bishop Bishop, the majority of the local population do not show a desire to cooperate with the inspector, as many of them lived side by side with zyatyaks for many years and did not want to spoil relations with them only because of divergences in the religious worldview. At the same time, Aunt Vladyka Mitrofan found herself in a difficult situation, when her white bulldogs began to plague her. Work on the breeding of such dogs and the breeding of a new "Russian breed" went to her from her deceased husband. The bishop himself can not come to the aid of his aunt and sends a young but perceptive Pelagia, a nun from his abode, who already rendered him invaluable assistance. On the way it becomes known about the death of the merchant and his nine-year-old son. Their heads are cut off. Zytyaki are under suspicion. However, Pelagia suspects one of the relatives of a rich aunt. On this the murders do not stop. The victims are Princess Naina Georgievna and her governess, and Pelagia sees a fleeing man resembling a werewolf.

Movie characters

All the characters, embodied by the actors "White Bulldog and Pelagia", bright and fully characterize the described era:

• Bishop (Metropolitan Mitrofaniy) - all respected, intelligent, decent, educated spiritually and possessing a business grasp person.
• Pelagia (in the world - Lisitsyna Polina) is the right hand of the lord, an observant and perceptive girl, with an excellent gift of an actress, easily transforming into a secular lady when necessary for an investigation. The detective "Pelagia and the white bulldog", whose actors and roles are very peculiar, can be viewed in one breath from series to series.
• Inspector Bubentsov - arrived with the mission of addressing the local pagan population to the Orthodox faith. It differs prudence and cynicism. At the same time it has success with the female. Many consider him an accomplice of the "unclean spirit."
• Generala Tatishcheva - aunt of the lord, engaged in breeding of white bulldogs, has a changeable mood, because of which he constantly rewrites his will.
• Princess Telianova is the granddaughter of the general's wife: a romantic and beautiful girl, but with a capricious and wayward character. She suddenly falls in love with a relative (cousin uncle) who does not pay any attention to her at all. This relative is Inspector Bubentsov.
• Still there is a talented manager Shiryaev, the grandson of the princess, a nihilist with progressive thinking, but an infantile character - Peter Telianov, governess of Mrs. Rigley, Tanya's maid and, of course, bulldogs.

Boris Akunin and the shooting of the series

An interesting fact is that Akunin himself claimed the actors for the main roles (Vladyka, Pelagia) in the series and personally chose puppies. Rights to shoot the series were bought back in 2002. The contract stipulated the right of the author Boris Akunin to choose the main characters, which the actors "White Bulldog and Pelagia" will play on the set. He immediately considered the most suitable for the role of Pelagia Polina Kutepova. For more convincing confirmation, Akunin first recorded an audiobook, which was voiced by the actress, after which he finally became firmly established in his choice. For filming nuns in secular intended to take the sister of Pauline, her twin Xenia, but the director considered that the best option would be shooting one actress, as he was convinced later. The city of Zavolzhsk was filmed in Suzdal, and the series was filmed in Moscow and Kirillov.

Bulldogs and Shootings

Selected for the shooting of actors and the role of the series "Pelagia and the White Bulldog" were diluted with wonderful dogs. The very breed of bulldogs is very mobile and restless. Such animals are forced to lie and pretend to be dead - an uneasy task. In the film "White Bulldog and Pelagia" three adult dogs and two puppies were shot. They were selected personally by the author of the trilogy. There was a lot of trouble in the studio. Attention to the dog was also not deprived. There are such movie frames, where instead of real bulldogs lay soft toys, because it was almost impossible to lay live actors-dogs. An interesting fact is that the breed "Russian Bulldog" does not exist at all, and the white color of wool from bulldogs is not uncommon among various thoroughbred groups. After filming, actress Nina Usatova (general's wife ), under the impression of her colleagues, was thinking about starting a pet.

Interesting Facts

The costume of Bubentsov is real, absolutely similar to the original of the XIX century, and the clothes of the bishop weigh ten kilograms. So, the actor Alexander Feklistov on shootings dragged on himself a burden weighing just over 22 pounds. The actress Polina Kutepova was very disciplined, a little closed, but at the same time a benevolent person. She honestly studied with the priest-consultant Alexei Volosenko all the wisdom of the behavior of an Orthodox nun, for example, take the right blessing from the lord and much more. She did not argue with the director, she tried to listen to the task set before her and to implement the idea of the author, screenwriter and director on the screen qualitatively. Since Boris Akunin has books about a nun-detective, they talk about filming the continuation of the series "Pelagia and the White Bulldog" (2009), the actors and roles of which were deserved recognition among the audience.

Costumes of the Governor and other characters

The Governor is a character with comic features. Therefore, her costume is somewhat outlandish. However, it was sewn according to the images of that time. Then in the pictures fashion dresses were hypertrophied somewhat, and Mrs. Rigley was very much following fashion and sewing dresses from magazines. So she got a few outlandish outfits. The costumes of other characters were also sewn with an eye for the depicted era, with the exception of the clothes of inspector Bubentsov. Hair actress Darya Moroz, playing governess, have the original color, but this is a wig. Polina Kutepova also used a wig when reincarnated as a secular lady. Thanks to an excellent game and original costumes, in the movie "Pelagia and the White Bulldog" the actors grab the viewer's attention from the very beginning to the final scene.

Provincial Russia

The series "Pelagia and the White Bulldog" in 2009, but shows provincial Russia of the XIX century with its intricacies, folk way of life, customs, customs and beauties of nature. You can see fluttering butterflies, dragonflies and an abundance of flowers. The viewer has the opportunity to contemplate how beautiful it is, but at the same time the river is dangerous in the morning mist. And the more surprising is the fact that, it turns out, in such quiet, beautiful corners of the provincial town there is a place for murders, persecutions and other ailments of society. The existing structure of the province can easily be broken by checking the controlling inspector, who in one movement controls the destinies of many people. In the series, crime follows a crime, and the one who creates lawlessness is at liberty until the last moment. But justice will inevitably overtake the perpetrators, even in the finals.