Tikhonov played in a wide variety of movies. As a young actor he played count Volkonsky in War and Peace (“I said that a fallen woman can be forgiven. I did not say I can forgive her”). A soldier in They Fought for the Motherland, a teacher in Let’s Live until Monday (“Love is blind. Earn their respect first”), etc., etc.
His most famous role, however, will always remain that of the Soviet intelligence officer, Max Otto Stirlitz (aka Maxim Isayev) in the Nazi Germany.
This is one scene from the movie, Seventeen Moments of Spring. In it, he is sitting in a cafe and is trying to remember when was the last time he had seen his wife. It is, I believe, 1944 or ’45, and the last time he’s seen her was in something like 1938. At that point he also had not seen her for a while and was already deep in the Nazi ranks. Soviet intelligence arranged a meeting, but all they could afford to do (because of the Nazi eyes being everywhere) is to sit in a cafe for a few minutes across from each other. Although the movie is not silent, in this scene there are no words.
There is a color version of this scene which looks very nice, but somehow I prefer the original.
Another scene, a little lighter:
— Well, in any case, I did not say that.What is remarkable about the scene, the movie and the whole Soviet cinematographic industry is eidelkeit. Something one does not see either in American movies or in modern Russian ones.
— Better I play for you, and you shall dance. I haven’t seen how people dance for a long time.
— Hmm, I am ready.
...
— You know, I have often wondered: why do you show such tenderness for frau Saurich? She says you remind her of the older son... Or maybe she reminds you of your mother?.. Then why?
— Simply... of all people who live on the Earth, I like children and old people the most.
— Is that so?.. I don’t think I belong to either.
— No you do not.
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