The Twelve Chairs
Encyclopedia
The Twelve Chairs is a classic satirical novel by the Soviet authors Ilf and Petrov
, released in 1928. Its main character Ostap Bender
reappears in the book's sequel The Little Golden Calf
.
forces Kisa ("Pussy", Vorobyaninov’s funny childhood nickname, which Bender prefers) to partner with him, they set off to track down the chairs. This ultimately helps Kisa, who doesn’t possess Bender’s charm and is not as street-smart.
The two "comrades" find the chair set which is put up for auction, but fail to buy it and afterwards find out that the set has been split up and sold individually. They are not alone in their quest. Father Fyodor took advantage of the deathbed confession, and has also set off to recover the fortune. In this search for Mme Petukhova’s treasure, he becomes Vorobyaninov’s main rival. While in this enterprise Ostap is in his element, Vorobyaninov is not so happy. He’s steadily abandoning his principles and losing self-esteem.
Through the process of elimination, the two finally discover the location of the 12th and last chair, the one hopefully containing the treasure. To avoid splitting the loot, Vorobyaninov murders Ostap. He then discovers that the jewels have already been found and that they have been spent on erecting a new public building, and as a result goes insane.
The Twelve Chairs satirizes not only its central characters, but also the people and institutions they encounter: the operations of a Moscow newspaper, student housing, a provincial chess club, and so on. Bender represents values of the old order, egoism and individualism. He knows “four hundred comparatively honest ways of taking money away from the population” , and he has no future in the post revolutionary Soviet Union. Ilf and Petrov’s observations on aspects of everyday life are comic, but shrewd.
" (1933). The original plot was considerably altered yet many following adaptations were primarily based on this film rather than on the novel itself (e.g. the former marshal of nobility from the novel was replaced in the Polish-Czech film by a barber who then appeared in several later adaptations). The book also inspired a film called "Keep Your Seats, Please
" in 1936 by Ealing Studios, starring George Formby. The action takes place in England; another difference between the book and the film was that the story revolved around seven chairs, not twelve. The comedy It's in the Bag!
(1945) starring Fred Allen
and Jack Benny
was very loosely based on the novel, using just five chairs. In 1962 Tomas Gutierrez Alea
made a Cuban version titled "Las Doce Sillas" in a tropical context starkly similar to the Soviet one of the novel. Mel Brooks
later made a film, more closely based on the novel, titled, The Twelve Chairs
(1970), but with a sanitized "happier" ending; the story also served as the basis for the film The Thirteen Chairs
(1969) starring Sharon Tate
. Shortly after that, two adaptations were made in the USSR: a film in 1971 by Leonid Gaidai
and a miniseries in 1976 by Mark Zakharov
, featuring Andrei Mironov
as Bender. In total, the novel inspired as many as twenty adaptations in Russia and abroad. See The Twelve Chairs (film)
for more details on adaptations.
Ilf and Petrov
Ilya Ilf Ilya Ilf Ilya Ilf (Ilya Arnoldovich Faynzilberg and Evgeny or Yevgeni Petrov (Yevgeniy Petrovich Kataev or Katayev were two Soviet prose authors of the 1920s and 1930s...
, released in 1928. Its main character Ostap Bender
Ostap Bender
Ostap Bender is a fictional con man and antihero who first appeared in the novel The Twelve Chairs written by Soviet authors Ilya Ilf and Yevgeni Petrov and released in January 1928.-Appearances:...
reappears in the book's sequel The Little Golden Calf
The Little Golden Calf
The Little Golden Calf is a famous satirical novel by Soviet authors Ilf and Petrov, released in 1931. Its main character Ostap Bender, also appeared in a previous novel of the authors called The Twelve Chairs...
.
Plot
In Soviet Russia in 1927, a former member of nobility, Ippolit Matveyevich Vorobyaninov, works as a desk clerk, until his mother-in-law reveals on her deathbed that her family jewelry had been hidden from the Bolsheviks in one of the twelve chairs from the family’s dining room set. Those chairs, along with all other personal property, had been expropriated by the government after the Russian Revolution. He becomes a treasure hunter, and after the “smooth operator” and con-man Ostap BenderOstap Bender
Ostap Bender is a fictional con man and antihero who first appeared in the novel The Twelve Chairs written by Soviet authors Ilya Ilf and Yevgeni Petrov and released in January 1928.-Appearances:...
forces Kisa ("Pussy", Vorobyaninov’s funny childhood nickname, which Bender prefers) to partner with him, they set off to track down the chairs. This ultimately helps Kisa, who doesn’t possess Bender’s charm and is not as street-smart.
The two "comrades" find the chair set which is put up for auction, but fail to buy it and afterwards find out that the set has been split up and sold individually. They are not alone in their quest. Father Fyodor took advantage of the deathbed confession, and has also set off to recover the fortune. In this search for Mme Petukhova’s treasure, he becomes Vorobyaninov’s main rival. While in this enterprise Ostap is in his element, Vorobyaninov is not so happy. He’s steadily abandoning his principles and losing self-esteem.
Through the process of elimination, the two finally discover the location of the 12th and last chair, the one hopefully containing the treasure. To avoid splitting the loot, Vorobyaninov murders Ostap. He then discovers that the jewels have already been found and that they have been spent on erecting a new public building, and as a result goes insane.
The Twelve Chairs satirizes not only its central characters, but also the people and institutions they encounter: the operations of a Moscow newspaper, student housing, a provincial chess club, and so on. Bender represents values of the old order, egoism and individualism. He knows “four hundred comparatively honest ways of taking money away from the population” , and he has no future in the post revolutionary Soviet Union. Ilf and Petrov’s observations on aspects of everyday life are comic, but shrewd.
Adaptations
The first cinema adaptation of the novel was the joint Polish-Czech film "Dvanáct křeselDvanáct kresel
Dvanáct křesel is a 1933 Polish-Czechoslovak comedy film directed by Michał Waszyński and Martin Frič freely based on the Russian novel "Twelve Chairs" by Ilya Ilf and Evgeny Petrov.-Cast:*Vlasta Burian ... Ferdinand Šuplátko...
" (1933). The original plot was considerably altered yet many following adaptations were primarily based on this film rather than on the novel itself (e.g. the former marshal of nobility from the novel was replaced in the Polish-Czech film by a barber who then appeared in several later adaptations). The book also inspired a film called "Keep Your Seats, Please
Keep Your Seats, Please
Keep Your Seats, Please is an ATP production comedy film made in 1936, starring George Formby and co-starring Florence Desmond, Alastair Sim, Gus McNaughton and Hal Gordon....
" in 1936 by Ealing Studios, starring George Formby. The action takes place in England; another difference between the book and the film was that the story revolved around seven chairs, not twelve. The comedy It's in the Bag!
It's in the Bag!
It's in the Bag! is a 1945 comedy film featuring Fred Allen in his only starring film role. The film was released by United Artists at a time when Allen was at the peak of his fame as one of the most popular radio comedians.-Characters and story:...
(1945) starring Fred Allen
Fred Allen
Fred Allen was an American comedian whose absurdist, topically pointed radio show made him one of the most popular and forward-looking humorists in the so-called classic era of American radio.His best-remembered gag was his long-running mock feud with friend and fellow comedian Jack Benny, but it...
and Jack Benny
Jack Benny
Jack Benny was an American comedian, vaudevillian, and actor for radio, television, and film...
was very loosely based on the novel, using just five chairs. In 1962 Tomas Gutierrez Alea
Tomás Gutiérrez Alea
Tomás Gutiérrez Alea was a Cuban filmmaker. He wrote and directed more than 20 features, documentaries, and short films, which are known for his sharp insight into post-Revolutionary Cuba, and possess a delicate balance between dedication to the revolution and criticism of the social, economic,...
made a Cuban version titled "Las Doce Sillas" in a tropical context starkly similar to the Soviet one of the novel. Mel Brooks
Mel Brooks
Mel Brooks is an American film director, screenwriter, composer, lyricist, comedian, actor and producer. He is best known as a creator of broad film farces and comic parodies. He began his career as a stand-up comic and as a writer for the early TV variety show Your Show of Shows...
later made a film, more closely based on the novel, titled, The Twelve Chairs
The Twelve Chairs (1970 film)
The Twelve Chairs is a 1970 American slapstick comedy film directed by Mel Brooks, starring Frank Langella, Dom DeLuise and Ron Moody. The screenplay was written by Brooks. The film is loosely based on a Russian 1928 novel The Twelve Chairs by Ilf and Petrov...
(1970), but with a sanitized "happier" ending; the story also served as the basis for the film The Thirteen Chairs
The Thirteen Chairs
The Thirteen Chairs is a comedy film released in 1969. It was based on The Twelve Chairs, a 1928 satirical novel by the Soviet authors Ilf and Petrov. It was directed by Nicolas Gessner and Luciano Lucignani, and starred Sharon Tate , Vittorio Gassman, Orson Welles, Vittorio De Sica and Tim...
(1969) starring Sharon Tate
Sharon Tate
Sharon Marie Tate was an American actress. During the 1960s she played small television roles before appearing in several films. After receiving positive reviews for her comedic performances, she was hailed as one of Hollywood's promising newcomers and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for...
. Shortly after that, two adaptations were made in the USSR: a film in 1971 by Leonid Gaidai
Leonid Gaidai
Leonid Iovich Gaidai was one of the most popular Soviet comedy directors, enjoying immense popularity and broad public recognition in the former USSR & modern Russia...
and a miniseries in 1976 by Mark Zakharov
Mark Zakharov
Mark Anatolyevich Zakharov is a Soviet and Russian theatrical director and playwright. He was also a professor of the Moscow Theatre Institute ....
, featuring Andrei Mironov
Andrei Mironov
Andrei Alexandrovich Mironov was a Soviet theatre and film actor who played lead roles in some of the most popular Soviet films, such as The Diamond Arm, Beware of the Car and Twelve Chairs...
as Bender. In total, the novel inspired as many as twenty adaptations in Russia and abroad. See The Twelve Chairs (film)
The Twelve Chairs (film)
The Twelve Chairs is a 1928 satirical novel by Soviet authors Ilya Ilf and Yevgeny Petrov. Its screen adaptations include:* Dvanáct křesel, 1933, directed by Martin Fric and Michal Waszynski...
for more details on adaptations.