Reviews on movie Heart Is Not a Stone (4)

Heart Is Not a Stone is an incredibly powerful film with a profound spiritual content that is relevant at all times. The theme of inheritance becomes a catalyst, revealing the true faces of all characters.

In the center of the plot is a rich and semi-mad smug Potap Potapic, who writes a will. He is the model of a false Christian who naively believes that he can buy not only all fleshly pleasures, but also the Kingdom of Heaven. The nearness of death makes him remember eternity, and he is ready to give all his money to the poor to pray for his soul. But as long as he lives, pleasures remain in the first place for him.
Vera Filippovna is the image of a true Christian. In her youth she was married to an elderly man, but she does not murmur and does not lose faith in God. On the contrary, she devotes herself to the service of her neighbors and prayer, constantly struggling with sin and preserving the purity of the soul and body.
Her communication with Apollinaria Panfilovna and Olga illustrates the eternal conflict of the Christian with the outside world. The high ideals of Vera Filippovna are often perceived as pride and hypocrisy. When it turns out that she really lives by these high standards, others involuntarily think about their shortcomings.
Erast is the most difficult character. A hardworking and executive man, he faces temptation and frustration. When his efforts are not rewarded, he is ready to betray and slander, driven by resentment and a thirst for monetary profit.
In the relationship between Vera Filippovna and Erasta, the versatility of human nature is revealed. Vera Filippovna, despite her feelings for Erast, understands that breaking the commandments will deprive her of the peace of mind and purity of conscience that allow her to appeal to God. She asks for help from God and receives it, remaining faithful and chastity.
The ending of the film is admirable. Vera Filippovna rejects her husband’s insane demands, remembering the words of the Apostle Paul: “You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men” (1 Corinthians 7:23). She builds her life on the rock of faith, not on the sand.
This wonderful film, thanks to its script, directing and cast, can be safely called a masterpiece.
10 out of 10

L. Pchelkin is a recognized master of film adaptations, and “Heart is not a stone”, I think, one of his best films. It is rarely seen on television.

The film turned out not even the love of a pure and beautiful woman to God, but that the main character Vera Filippovna, who was given away as a girl to marry an old and unloved person, finds solace in caring for the poor and poor. But the main purpose of a woman is not in this, the very purpose for which God created woman. This is the purpose to love and be loved by a man, the purpose to become a mother. A very important hay is when Vera takes in her arms the baby child of a factory worker. You can see the light of tenderness at this moment illuminates the face of Faith, because the heart cannot be deceived - the heart is not a stone.
Her love for the young clerk Erast was born even before his passionate confessions. That’s why Vera was so excited when Apollinaria Panfilovna hinted to her that Erast had some kind of relationship with Olga, the wife of Karkunov’s nephew. Faith is in great confusion after Erastus’ words and his humble, innocent kiss. Elena Yakovleva perfectly shows how her heroine is anxiously waiting for a date with Erast and at the same time afraid of him. She understands in her mind that this is a sin, but she cannot resist the feeling that originated in her heart for the first time in her life. And only the sudden arrival of Olga and overheard by chance their conversation with Erast saved her from a fatal step.
And in Erast, performed by Andrei Tashkov, you can really fall in love without memory. It seems to me that it is no coincidence that Ostrovsky gave this hero such a name – the name of the seducer from “Poor Lisa” Karamzin. But the image shown in the film does not quite coincide with the image of a predator and a hunter for money. In the film Erast is a rather complex and controversial character. It is perfectly shown his throwing and how difficult it was for him to take part in this abomination, to compromise and defame the Faith. He cannot but admire the purity and decency of the Faith, it is unlikely that before he had to meet such a pure woman. Admiration and respect turn into love. With what restrained and explosive passion he tells her about his feelings, and also opens her eyes to what she dares not admit to herself. In the finale, Vera firmly tells her old and dying husband that she is ready to give up a huge inheritance, but will not sacrifice personal happiness for this. She is completely different from the beginning of the film and does not want to give up the right to love and be happy with the simple happiness of women. Her impeccable decency and unwillingness to lie discourages others. There is no doubt that, for example, and Apollinaria Panfilovna, and Olga Dmitrievna, in this situation without hesitation would have gone to fraud. After all, their behavior was expressed by another heroine of Ostrovsky, Varvara from “Thunderstorm”: “Do what you want, as long as everything is covered.”
In conclusion, I will say that the role of Karkunov in this film is one of the best roles of I. Smoktunovsky, an actor who starred in all the adaptations of L. Pchelkin.

Incredibly powerful, in its spiritual content film.

The subject of inheritance will be relevant at all times. A very rich half-mad smug, writes his will. Here is the essence of all those around him.

Potap Potapich himself is an example of a false Christian, a “merchant”, “naively” believing that for his fortune he can buy not only all conceivable carnal pleasures, but also the Kingdom of Heaven. Death is a reminder of his eternal life, and he is ready to give all the money to the poor (you will not take it to the next world) to pray for his soul. In the meantime, drink your soul, have fun.
Vera Filippovna is the image of a Christian woman. Married in her youth to an elderly man, she does not murmur or lose faith in God. On the contrary, not loving her husband, she devotes herself to the service of her neighbors and to prayer. In the image of Vera Filippovna, the spiritual life of a Christian is revealed as an unceasing struggle with sin, the preservation of purity not only physical, but also spiritual.

In her communication with Apollinaria Panfilovna and Olga, the constant conflict of the Christian with the outside world is reflected. What is done for the highest purpose, the preservation of inner purity, is regarded as pride, arrogance and exaltation. Mercy and compassion are regarded as hypocrisy and ostentatiousness. When it becomes clear that this is indeed the case, the exclamation involuntarily breaks out: “How can we now look at ourselves, at sinners, after this?” That's the human thing. Being next to a pure soul, your own dirt is more visible, and you want to smear it.
Erast is perhaps the most difficult character. A hardworking, executive person is faced with temptation. He's trying, and he's not getting any reward. Not only that, he might be left with nothing. And here, his building collapsed, it was built on sand. Caught on the hook of resentment, dissatisfaction, and monetary gain, he agrees to meanness. Ready to slander, defame, trample into the dirt, a good name.
In the relationship between Vera Filippovna and Erasta, the multifacetedness of man is revealed. From holiness to sin is one step. Her heart is not a stone, and she has feelings, and she is attracted to this man, but she knows perfectly well that breaking the commandment will lose that without which everything is empty. Peace of the soul, purity of conscience, that state which gives the right to appeal to God as to the loving Father and to feel His love. This is the motivation for her actions, and it's not clear to others. Knowing the weakness of man and the power of sin, Vera Filippovna asks God for help, and the words of the psalmist come true: The Lord will deliver the souls of His servants, and those who trust in Him will not sin (Ps 33:23).
In the image of Vera Filippovna, all Christian virtues: meekness, abstinence, mercy, love.
At least 100 times deceive me, and I will not stop loving people.
The finale is admirable. Keeping faithfulness and her chastity, fulfilling the commandment of God, she rejects the insane demand of her husband, remembering the words of the Apostle Paul You are bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. (1 Cor.7:23).

Her heart is not a stone. She wants to build her life and happiness on stone, not on sand.
It's a wonderful movie. About the script, directing, cast and game I will say briefly - a masterpiece.
10 out of 10

“Heart is not a stone” is a wonderful adaptation of the play of the same name by A. N. Ostrovsky. A beautiful work, masterfully staged and magnificently expressed - directorial work and acting - is beyond praise.
The main character, Vera Filippovna (Helena Yakovlevna), a young woman, even in her youth, married to a rich industrialist, Potap Potapych Karkunov (Innocent Smoktunovskiy), who is much older than her. She lives as a recluse, the only consolation in life is an iron faith in God and a desire to help the sick and disadvantaged. Vera Filippovna, a naive soul, is alien to her lies, pretense and intrigue. Meanwhile, among the closest entourage are people who benefit from vilifying Vera Filippovna in the eyes of her husband. Karkunov's nephew is ready for any meanness for the sake of the future inheritance. His abominable plan is drawn into the master clerk, Erast (Andrey Tashkov). Will Vera Filippovna be able to resist the temptation or will she remain pure and innocent?
Today, the film looks like a classic theatrical production - the best in its genre. Innokenty Smoktunovsky – as always striking the versatility of his talent. Elena Yakovleva is very touching, very gentle, very convincing in her image. Natalia Gundareva is a real Russian beauty, majestic, flirty, cunning. Stanislav Sadalsky is a born scoundrel and intrigue. Andrey Tashkov, although a scoundrel, is involuntarily sympathetic. Oleg Tabakov – without comments, as always, impeccable acting skills.
The film is about a woman who gives herself to people, completely forgot that she is a woman worthy of the love of a man. On the struggle for a sinless soul and for the right to love.
10 out of 10