The last role of Andrei Krasko, which we did not see: behind the scenes of the TV series "Liquidation"

Ten years ago, a multi-part feature film "Liquidation" was released on the screens, which many consider to be one of the best creations of Russian cinema. For creating the image of David Gotsman, the head of the anti—banditry department of the Odessa Criminal Investigation Department, Vladimir Mashkov was awarded the TEFI, the Golden Eagle Award and even the badge "Honorary Employee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine". In general, critics are sure that the huge success of the series is based on the successful selection of actors.

It is curious that the role of David Gotsman was originally written for a performer of a completely different type than Mashkov. "Alexey Poyarkov (screenwriter. — Editor's note) wrote about a big bald man, — recalled the director of the film Sergey Ursulyak. — Not very charming, such a bindyuzhnik. I was honestly looking for an actor of this texture. The producers treated my search patiently, but gently hinted: maybe Mashkova should try? They sent him the script, Volodya read it, and for seven months of filming I was happy every day that he was playing Gotsman."

Mashkov prepared for the role with maximum thoroughness. He lived in Odessa for about a year, where he talked for a long time with veterans of the local militia, met with representatives of the thieves' world, asked them about bandit customs that existed in the post-war years. The artist lost 20 kilograms, cut his hair under the "half-box" and, they say, even after filming, he communicated for a long time in the language of his hero.

Svetlana Kryuchkova, who played Aunt Pesya, said: "Volodya Mashkov was not Mashkov, but Gotsman. I went everywhere, spat my "semachki" and was absolutely happy… I was once again convinced that Mashkov is an actor of the highest class. He reincarnates at the cellular level, he doesn't have a gap between him and his character."

Kryuchkova herself, like Mashkov, could not appear in the series. The fact is that the year before the shooting turned out to be extremely difficult for her. Svetlana Nikolaevna underwent two serious operations and clinical death. However, I managed to get in shape and felt very organic in the image of the Odessa woman. More than once on the street she was mistaken for a local and asked for directions.

One day an exceptional case occurred. Kryuchkova went to the famous Privoz market, and while trying on shoes, her phone was stolen from her bag. In the voice of Aunt Pesya, the actress shouted to the whole market: "That's right, the People's Artist arrived, and she was shamelessly robbed right on the Delivery!" On the same day, the phone was thrown into the bag of a woman from the film crew. The old-timers of Privoz have never seen anything like this before.

Odessa courtyard on Moldavanka, where the shooting took place

However, despite the Odessa atmosphere, which disposes to a fervent mood, the filming process was emphatically restrained. After all, already on the third day of filming, the heart of Andrei Krasko, who was invited to play the role of a pickpocket of Fima, a half-human, stopped.

Cut scenes featuring Krasko

The director faced the question of who would replace the deceased actor. "There was no casting," Ursulyak recalled. — I called Seryozha Makovetsky and asked him to come. He dropped everything and rushed to Odessa. I am grateful to him that he did not listen to any superstitious nonsense."