The filming of a now-iconic scene in the Soviet comedy "Love and Doves" nearly ended in tragedy when actor Alexander Mikhailov was almost strangled by his own tie underwater, according to Moskovsky Komsomolets.
In the film, the character Vasily Kuzyakin is sent south to a Black Sea sanatorium to recover from an injury, though the story never says exactly where. The resort scenes were actually shot in Georgia, with the famous moment where Vasily appears to step straight out of his front door into the sea filmed in the coastal town of Kobuleti.
That underwater sequence was shot in November, when the water temperature was only about 14 degrees Celsius. Mikhailov had to dive in fully clothed, strip off his clothes underwater, and resurface wearing swim trunks. Director Vladimir Menshov wanted the whole scene captured in a single unbroken take, so a set piece replicating the wall and doorway of the Kuzyakin house was built on a pier for the shoot.
Near-drowning during filming
Divers waited beneath the surface to help Mikhailov quickly remove his clothes. During one take, they yanked at his soaked tie too forcefully and accidentally tightened it around his neck, nearly choking him. Mikhailov began banging on one of the divers to get their attention, and only then did they realize what had happened and cut the tie free.
In a separate take, Mikhailov surfaced from the water and forgot his lines entirely. Actress Lyudmila Gurchenko had to feed him the dialogue from the sidelines.
Crew took precautions afterward
Following the incidents, the production team decided to take no further chances. In subsequent takes, Mikhailov's tie was pre-fastened at the back with thread so that it could be torn off instantly if needed.
"Love and Doves" remains one of the most beloved comedies of Soviet cinema, directed by Vladimir Menshov and starring Mikhailov alongside Lyudmila Gurchenko.
