The story of the charming adventurer Ostap Bender captivated the readers so much that it was decided to make a film about him. The charismatic main character quickly gained sympathy, and his witty phrases became winged expressions. Below are the most famous quotes from The Twelve Chairs and The Golden Calf.
About car
Now almost everyone has a car, so it does not cause much surprise among others. Although not everyone can afford this transport, and for many it remains a luxury item. One of the most famous quotes of the Golden Calf:
Car, comrades, is not a luxury, but a means of transportation!
Having uttered such a pathos phrase, Ostap Bender pursued his goals, but, nevertheless, he understood the desire of people. Cars were just starting to become more affordable, but for most people they were still a symbol of wealth. People wanted the car to become an affordable means of transportation just like public transport. Thanks to a good understanding of psychology, Ostap Bender was able to carry out his scams, one of which was a car race.
About money
Ostap Bender's main dream was Rio de Janeiro. But in order to be there, money was needed. Since the great combiner considered lowering his dignity to do physical labor and work in general, he invented various methods of quick enrichment. We can say that Ostap Bender loved not so much money, but what they give - new opportunities, power and respect.
You need to part with money easily, without groans.
This quote from The Golden Calf is also one of the most popular. Some people, having accumulated a lot of money, for some reason do not spend it. It begins to seem to them that all of them are few, they think that they should accumulate even more. But it’s worth recalling Bender’s advice: you need to take money easier, be able to spend it so that it brings benefits and pleasure.
The financial abyss is the deepest of all abysses, it can fall into it all your life.
This quote from the movie "Golden Calf" can be explained as follows: a person who has not learned how to handle money carefully will always say that he lacks finance. People begin to borrow money, then gradually do this more often and do not think about savings. Therefore, a person must learn the correct and careful attitude to money.
About ideas and dreams
Despite cynicism and prudence, Ostap Bender can be called a dreamer. Unlike his comrades who wanted to spend money on familiar things (for example, a car), the great combinator wanted to go to Rio de Janeiro, a completely fabulous city that did not at all resemble the USSR.
Rio de Janeiro is the crystal dream of my childhood, do not touch it with your paws.
This quote from Ostap Bender from The Golden Calf is also one of the most famous. No wonder he picked up just such an epithet for the dream, as if showing how important it was for him and how carefully he treated it. It is this dream that shows Bender on the other hand: as a person who can dream of something more sublime than money.
The great combinator considered it below his dignity and even vulgar to work in ordinary work. This did not allow him to fully reveal his talents, in addition, Bender loved to admire others with his spectacular scams. Here is one quote from Golden Calf about ideas:
It is necessary to think. For example, ideas feed me.
Mental labor always caused respect and admiration among others. But you need to be able to not only put forward ideas, it is also important to think through their implementation. Ostap Bender always did a great job in compiling his scams. That is why they were most often successful.
Show me only a rich man, and I will rob him of his money.
Ostap Bender, unlike his comrades, was not going to be content with only small rewards for his mental labors. Having learned about the potential richer, the great combinator was already starting to build a plan for his enrichment. Ostap really enjoyed drawing up such combinations.
Relation to religion
In the Soviet era, most people were atheists. The people believed that religion only obscures the mind, and especially entrepreneurial people can use it to control people. Ostap Bender was also an atheist, but not because of the protest that someone could take advantage of the influence of religion. The great combinator believed that ministers of the church did not adhere to religious dogmas and did not lead a modest lifestyle.
As an example, you can hold one of the heroes of the first book of Fyodor's father, who was no less adventurous than Ostap. Bender competed with him not only in drawing up scams, but also in wit. Here is one of the famous quotes from the movie "Twelve Chairs":
How much opium is for the people?
Proponents of socialism compared religion to opium, because religion has a special effect on the people. Therefore, it is not surprising that Ostap Bender said this phrase in a dispute with his father Fedor.
About soviet authority
Ostap Bender was not a supporter of socialism. He believed that socialism destroyed everything that was beautiful in the country. The great combiner loved everything expensive, exquisite, loved to stand out from the crowd. And in Soviet times, people became equal, there was no one to stand out. There was no romance left (and yet, despite cynicism, Ostap Bender can be called a kind of romantic).
Therefore, the main character dreamed of Rio de Janeiro, in which life (in his mind) is like a holiday. Quotes and aphorisms from the Golden Calf about Soviet power have also become popular among the people.
Over the past year, I have had serious disagreements with the Soviet government. She wants to build socialism, but I do not want. I am bored of building socialism.
Ostap Bender was not interested in doing all the socially useful work, creating a new state system. It seemed to him vulgar to be like everyone else, to live in simple houses and work as an ordinary employee.
Do not hesitate, as soon as the Soviet regime does not become, it will immediately become somehow easier for you. You will see!
Such a statement, of course, did not correspond to Soviet ideology and could not be censored. Despite the fact that Ostap Bender is a swindler and this character would clearly not be a subject to follow, some could see in such quotes and phrases from the Golden Calf a criticism of the Soviet regime. Therefore, on the part of writers, and then directors, it was safe to create such a character.
About people
Ostap Bender knew people very well. Even the appearance could tell him a lot of interesting things about a person. The great combinator possessed an incredible gift of persuasion, excellent leadership qualities and organizational abilities. Ostap could unite people who, it would seem, could not find a common language. All these talents made Bender an interesting personality.
It should also be noted that Ostap was a very active nature. Even if the combinations were unsuccessful, he did not indulge in sad thoughts, but immediately began to come up with a new plan. He tried not to become attached to people, and his communication depended on what benefit they could offer him.
There are people who do not know how to suffer, somehow it does not work out. And even if they suffer, they try to do it as quickly and quietly as possible for others.
This is because they are too active natures, they are not used to give up, they believe that only man himself can build his happy future. Even if something hurt them, they try not to show it to others so that they do not know about their vulnerabilities. Or it may just be too cheerful nature, who always believe in the best.
About women
For Ostap Bender, women were not the subject of admiration. He did not start serious novels, did not think about creating a family. The main thing in his life is to get into the brightest city in the world of Rio de Janeiro. During the search for chairs, Ostap Bender got married, but only fictitiously. He described his wife as follows:
A sultry woman is the poet's dream!
His wife was too emotional and temperamental, but these qualities did not suit Ostap Bender. But they would inspire the poet, making their relationship even more romantic. In the second part, Ostap was carried away by one young lady, but the desire to fulfill her dream was stronger. Ostap Bender believed that women like elegant and wealthy men:
Women love: young, politically literate, leggy ...
Therefore, Ostap always tried to keep abreast of important events and follow fashion trends. Moreover, this allowed him to effectively appear in society, as the great combiner liked.
About life
Ostap Bender loved life and strove to live it the way he wants. Therefore, he was so desperate to get rich and go to countries where sheer joy reigns. Its combinations are not just a way to earn money, but also an opportunity to make everyday life richer, to bring a touch of romance and adventure.
Life is beautiful, despite the shortcomings.
This quote from The Golden Calf allows people to be reminded of the need to enjoy every day, even though not everything works out as the person planned. It is necessary to use the opportunities that every new day provides.
On the situation in society
Here's how Ostap Bender imagined a successful person, and what position in society he always sought:
Blue sea, white ship. A little worn tuxedo, Japanese footman. Platinum teeth, socks without holes, own billiards, and most importantly - the power, respect and glory that money gives.
The great combinator believed that it was money that allowed a person to occupy a high social position. But he did not take into account the fact that in Soviet times he could not have achieved any of this with the help of millions. There they evaluated a person in completely different qualities: talents, intelligence, hard work.
Quotes from the Golden Calf and 12 Chairs have become some of the audience’s favorites. Witty, not without meaning, they immediately captivated the public, and in conversations they often used the statements of the heroes of these films.