THE JEUNE PREMIER

The Jeune Premier

Young actor likes to brag. Nothing unusual there. Embellish. Live up to the image. Give people what they want. Entertain.

When he meets Klimov who dabbles a bit in theater and lives in the town where the jeune premier had performed for a couple of seasons -- the lead actor is so moved by his paramour adventures he has an Elia Kazan moment and begins to name names. 

That's the thing about getting used to being the center of attention -- you lose your sense of perspective and come to the conclusion the whole world revolves around you.

Now the jeune premier has gone too far and implicated Klimov's niece in his Penthouse stories. What is an uncle to do? Duel, baby, duel. The young actor pretends not to be frightened and storms off. "You want a duel, you'll get a duel, buster!"

In the hotel room the jeune premier comes to his senses: "A duel. That's not acting. I'm too young to play Hamlet in real life."

So off he goes to Klimov and catches him alone after the party where the lead actor puts on one of his best performances. Klimov appreciates the show and ups him one by reciting the dad lecture.

All's well that ends well.

Not so fast.

Yevgeny Alexeyitch Podzharov will continue to spin his yarns. The people demand it. We wouldn't want to imagine our actors are merely leading ordinary lives. They are obligated to live out our fantasies and sooner or later -- the jeune premier will get carried away again and land in another mine field -- and if he doesn't conjure the right moves -- it's curtains.