«Theatre» is a latvian two-part artistic television film

«Theatre» (Latvian: Teātris) is a Soviet two-part artistic television film from 1978, shot at the Riga Film Studio.
Directed by Jānis Streičs.

One of the screen adaptations of the novel of the same name by Somerset Maugham. However, it should be noted right away that the text in the film is supplemented with phrases and remarks, such as: “the greater the actor (artist), the greater his pause,” which cannot be found in Maugham, since their author is Jānis Streičs himself.

Plot

Julia Lambert (Vija Artmane) is an actress, a star of the London theatrical world. She leads an established life: unchanging success on stage, a high reputation, a long and happy marriage to Michael Gosselyn (Gunārs Cilinskis), an actor, director and manager of their shared theatre, and an adult son, Roger.

Having gone from a provincial actress to a world-renowned star and reached the heights of professional mastery, Julia is not entirely happy. The passionate feeling for her husband Michael is long in the past; her enormous tenderness and mad passion have disappeared. They have been replaced by condescending kindness and mild contempt for Michael, for the long-time admirer Lord Charles Tamerley, who has been unrequitedly in love with Julia for many years, and for all the men who try to win her favour.

Julia initially treats the young accountant Tom Fennell (Ivars Kalniņš), who is in awe of her talent, in the same way. However, the seemingly timid Fennell suddenly and unexpectedly draws Julia into an affair and becomes her lover. The ordered life of Mrs. Lambert is once again filled with the raptures of love and surges of passionate desire. At the same time, there are also the torments of jealousy and the anguish over the passing of youth (all the more noticeable because Julia’s lover is “so devilishly young”). Nevertheless, she completely surrenders to the feelings that have overwhelmed her.

In time, Julia learns that the relationship with Tom has damaged her reputation; people are gossiping about it, mainly because of the vanity of her friend. Julia is forced to admit to herself that Tom does not love her; she was merely a “pass” for him into the world of bohemia and aristocracy, where he has now firmly established himself and significantly improved his financial situation.

A particular blow for Julia is the news that Tom is being unfaithful to her, and it is not a matter of one-night flings but of a serious relationship for him with the young, talentless actress Avice Crichton (Maija Eglīte). This becomes the final blow.

The heroine faces a difficult task: to overcome her feelings for a man unworthy of her, to save her reputation in society, to take revenge on her rival, and finally to take control of her life once again. With the help of her acting talent and professional mastery, she ensures the failure of Avice’s debut. She does this in such a way that no one understands that it was Julia who “drowned” Avice. Only Julia’s husband Michael managed to guess that Avice’s failure, for all the latter’s lack of talent, was the work of his wife.

After the successful production, Tom hurries to Julia’s dressing room and proposes that she leave with him, but receives a refusal. Julia does not want to see anyone. She leaves the admirers and reporters and goes to the place she has long dreamed of and long denied herself — to a restaurant for a good dinner. Looking at the restaurant public, Julia remarks: “Take a good look at these people. This is the real theatre… And real life (pointing to her heart) is here.”

Cast

Streičs managed to attract a star cast of Latvian actors and more for the film:

Vija Artmane — Julia Lambert (voiced by Antonina Konchakova)
Gunārs Cilinskis — Michael Gosselyn, Julia’s husband (voiced by Yuri Chekulaev)
Ivars Kalniņš — Tom Fennell (voiced by Alexei Inzhevatov)
Juris Strenga — the playwright
Pēteris Gaudiņš — Roger, Julia’s son (voiced by Alexei Zolotnitsky)
Eduards Pāvuls — Jim Longton (voiced by Yuri Sarantsev)
Elza Radziņa — Dolly de Vries
Maija Eglīte — Avice Crichton
Valentīns Skulme — Lord Charles Tamerley (voiced by Igor Yasulovich)
Ilga Vītola — Evie (the Old Cow) (voiced by Rimma Markova)
Aivars Leimanis — Angelo
Raimonds Pauls — the pianist
Jānis Streičs — the narrator (voiced by Nikolai Alexandrovich)
Aleksandrs Leimanis — episode
Lilita Bērziņa — Julia’s mother
Ēvalds Valters — the captain
Romualds Ancāns — an actor
Baiba Indriksone — episode
Gunārs Binde — the photographer
Arnolds Liniņš — a waiter.

Crew

Director: Jānis Streičs
Screenwriter: Jānis Streičs
Composer: Raimonds Pauls (credited as Raimond Paul)
Director of Photography: Harijs Kukels
Production Designer: Andris Merkmanis
Sound Operator: Igor Yakovlev
Costume Designer: Večella Varslavāne
Make-up Artist: Rasma Prande

Episodes

Inese Saulīte, Baiba Indriksone, Olga Krūmiņa, Herberts Zommers, Ivars Kauliņš, Kārlis Pamše, Jānis Plēsums, Brigita Baiba Krūmiņa, Svetlana Bless, Āris Rozentāls, Ilga Hincenberga, Eduards Plataiskalns, Pēteris Vasaraudzis, Voldemārs Lobiņš, Alfrēds Sausne, Venta Vecumniece, Mihailovs, Rihards Pīks, Andrejs Volmārs, Gundars Āboliņš, Lenvija Sīle, Večella Varslavāne, Pēteris Liepiņš.

Quotes

You bitch, you slut — you seduced my poor little Roger.
— Roger, you’ve grown a whole head taller!
The main thing is the ability to hold a pause; the greater the artist, the greater his pause.
You little fool, let it be known to you that Julia Lambert even at 70 will be better than you are today!
Don’t take a pause without necessity, but once you’ve taken it — hold it as long as you can!
I’d like to take your trousers down and give you a thrashing.
I guarantee that neither you nor Avice Crichton will ever play on the same stage with Julia Lambert!
Ah, you, my old cow!