Where the film 'The Diamond Arm' was shot

We tell you about the comedy beloved by many generations: where 'The Diamond Arm' was filmed, in which city the famous locations from the film were, and how the filming locations have changed almost 60 years later.

Brief plot of the film

Soviet economist Semyon Semyonovich Gorbunkov goes abroad for the first time. By chance, he gets involved in a criminal story: smugglers want to transport valuables in his plastered arm. At the same time, the hero cooperates with the police and helps them catch the criminals. But in such a way as not to arouse suspicion — the operation must be kept secret even from Gorbunkov's wife.

History of creation

The script was inspired by a note about smugglers who often hid valuables in plaster at that time. It was written in 1967, and the filming took place in 1968. And although many moments initially fell under censorship, the country still saw the film in 1969.

Main actors and their roles

The film features a truly stellar cast: Yuri Nikulin, Nina Grebeshkova, Nonna Mordyukova, Anatoly Papanov, Andrei Mironov, Svetlana Svetlichnaya.

The role of Semyon Semyonovich was written specifically for Nikulin, and his wife and son also starred in the film. Tatyana Nikulina played the leader of a group of Soviet tourists in Istanbul, and his son Maxim played the boy walking on water. 

Interesting fact: Nina Grebeshkova got the role of Nadezhda Gorbunkova, the main character's wife. Initially, she auditioned for the role of the building manager, but it was given to Nonna Mordyukova.

Sochi Sea Terminal: the beginning of the journey

The place where Semyon Semyonovich is seen off by his family is in Sochi. This is the famous Sea Terminal — a building with a spire, a federal architectural monument, and one of the top locations in the classic list of what to see in Sochi. As a tribute to the iconic film, a monument was erected near the port — bronze figures of the Gorbunkov family, Gesha Kozodoev, and his accomplice Lyolik.

There are many filming locations for 'The Diamond Arm' in and around Greater Sochi — find flights to Sochi on Kupi.com to see them all. 

Embankment: Gorbunkovs' walk

The main character's family strolled along the coast not in Sochi, but in Adler — 35 km from their home. The director wanted to film the scene in a simple and cozy place: the more pretentious and bustling Sochi embankment was not suitable for this, but the Adler embankment was. 

Of course, over time, the locations where 'The Diamond Arm' was filmed have changed: the Adler embankment has been improved, trees have been planted, and restaurants and shops have opened on the shore. But in 1968, the choice was made in its favor — the area of Kirov and Prosveshcheniya streets appeared in the frame. 

The place where Nonna Mordyukova's character bought lottery tickets is located here, approximately at the site of the current sculpture 'Aphrodite on Dragons', on Prosveshcheniya Street, 1.

Gorbunkovs' House: key location

Five-story panel buildings, like the one where the main character's family lived, were and are in every city. The one that appeared in the street scenes in the courtyard is in Sochi, but not on Morskaya Street, 21, as in the film, but at Donskaya, 92. The house, by the way, was built in 1967 — during the filming, it was considered a new building, but people still live there today. 

For the shots inside the apartment, Mosfilm pavilions were set up, the same for scenes in the ship's cabins and at the police station.

Restaurant 'Weeping Willow': important scene

The atmospheric restaurant 'Weeping Willow', where Gorbunkov sang about hares, never actually existed. Scenes were filmed in Mosfilm pavilions and at a cafe on Sukhumi Highway called 'Lentyay' (Lazybones), which later became 'Kurortny' (Resort) — however, it has long since disappeared.

Fishing spot: filming at Black Rocks

Gorbunkov and Gesha Kozodoev go fishing to the White Rocks — in Greater Sochi, this place is located in the Khosta River valley, in the Adler district. But the characters arrive to fish in the Tuapse district — this location, where 'The Diamond Arm' was filmed, is 170 km from Sochi, near Kiselev Rock.

A suitable islet in the sea was found in Novorossiysk — a monument to Gesha is now installed on Sudzhuk Spit. 

 Hotel 'Atlantika': iconic scene

Instead of the non-existent 'Atlantika' hotel, where Anna Sergeevna uttered her famous phrase 'It's not my fault, he came himself,' the 'Gorizont' hotel in Sochi was used in the film. Although it no longer exists: the hotel was demolished, and a new construction has already taken its place.

Dark underpass: tense moments

The underpass scene was filmed in Moscow: near Gorky Park from Leninsky Prospekt. The very one where a man asked Gorbunkov if he had a light. 

Not only the dark underpass was filmed in Moscow, but also the store where Gorbunkov looks for a bathrobe with mother-of-pearl buttons (— for this, the 'Sintetika' department store on Komsomolsky Prospekt was suitable), and the wasteland where a subbotnik (volunteer work day) takes place (— it is located in the Kuntsevo district).

Other locations: important filming spots

Another capital was perfectly suited for the foreign scenes — Baku. Azerbaijan looked worthy in the frame with all its oriental flavor: in the film, you can see famous landmarks such as the Maiden Tower, the Palace of the Shirvanshahs, and Juma Mosque. To this day, film fans visit Kichik Gala Street, where smugglers mistakenly plastered Gorbunkov's arm.

Interesting facts about the filming

• In the scene near the pharmacy, instead of Andrei Mironov, who couldn't fall convincingly, Leonid Kanevsky's legs were filmed.
• The ship 'Mikhail Svetlov' is also a kind of character in the film: it was played by other vessels — 'Pobeda' and 'Rossiya'. There was no liner with that name at the time.
• A doll, specially made for filming, falls out of the trunk instead of Yuri Nikulin. The mannequin was so similar to the actor that it scared the hotel maid: she initially mistook it for a corpse.
• The main places where 'The Diamond Arm' was filmed by the sea: Sochi, Adler, Tuapse, Novorossiysk — these are which warm cities of Russia made it into the frame.
• The film's cameraman took diving courses and made a special waterproof box for underwater shots.