“I play fools, that's why they perceive me everywhere as a native” (Saveliy Kramarov)
Portrait of an Actor: In reality, incongruity can feel ironic at best and frustrating - even tragic - at worst, but it’s somehow also a magic reason to laugh at things in the real world, the off-kilter, the at-an-angle-to-the-universe: showing at once how things are, how they aren’t, how they should or could be. And sometimes out of the mouth of babes (and village idiots), a little strength can be ordained and a little truth expressed. With his foolish, carefree grin and twinkling mildly cross-eyed expression (later, corrected), the Soviet (later, American) comic actor Saveliy Kramarov was the king of holy goofballs, endearing himself to millions across the Union in films like “The Elusive Avengers,” “Gentlemen of Fortune,” “Afonya,” and “Ivan Vasilievich Changes Profession.” His gormless Ivan the Fool persona always brings a little harmless/cathartic chaotic release to the plot, doing or saying things no-one would dare say out loud or express seriously. In doing so, he could poke at the nonsense of the status quo with a little confusion or a little question, all with an entirely charming boyishness that can win over all but the most serious viewer. Even if in later life he perhaps longed to perform in more dramatic, sophisticated roles, I’ll always love how he easily possessed one of the true gifts of comedy, conjuring up moments of hope Xo
Portrait of an Actor: In reality, incongruity can feel ironic at best and frustrating - even tragic - at worst, but it’s somehow also a magic reason to laugh at things in the real world, the off-kilter, the at-an-angle-to-the-universe: showing at once how things are, how they aren’t, how they should or could be. And sometimes out of the mouth of babes (and village idiots), a little strength can be ordained and a little truth expressed. With his foolish, carefree grin and twinkling mildly cross-eyed expression (later, corrected), the Soviet (later, American) comic actor Saveliy Kramarov was the king of holy goofballs, endearing himself to millions across the Union in films like “The Elusive Avengers,” “Gentlemen of Fortune,” “Afonya,” and “Ivan Vasilievich Changes Profession.” His gormless Ivan the Fool persona always brings a little harmless/cathartic chaotic release to the plot, doing or saying things no-one would dare say out loud or express seriously. In doing so, he could poke at the nonsense of the status quo with a little confusion or a little question, all with an entirely charming boyishness that can win over all but the most serious viewer. Even if in later life he perhaps longed to perform in more dramatic, sophisticated roles, I’ll always love how he easily possessed one of the true gifts of comedy, conjuring up moments of hope Xo
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