Original subtitles

My dear friend, what is it?

Nikolai.

He's dead?

No, wounded.

Is it bad?

How can one tell?

Oh, my boy, wounded.

Who is the letter from?

Nikolai, who else?

He's wounded and he wrote you a letter?

Yes, isn't it wonderful?

Well, it can't be bad then.

Of course it can't be bad.

How can it be bad if he wrote me a letter?

Oh, and I just think he's taken part in a charge.

My boy.

And they've made him an officer.

An officer?

No.

Count, my dear friend, how quickly they grow up.

How can we tell the little Countess?

Leave it to me.

Give me the letter.

She must be prepared.

I heard.

I heard everything.

Oh, isn't it, isn't it, Poppa?

You've heard the letter and he's all right?

Yes, yes, yes, he's all right.

He's been wounded, but not badly.

And they've made him an officer.

Isn't it wonderful?

You're touching.

You're saying nothing to your mama.

Sonia!

Sonia!

Sonia!

Sonia, Nikolai.

He's been wounded.

Nikolai?

Wounded?

Yes, no wound.

He's been promoted.

He's an officer.

Nikolai?

Oh, my God.

My God.

But he's all right, darling.

He's all right.

Really, he is.

What blubberheads you both are.

You've cried for everything.

Oh, shut up.

You don't know anything.

Well, what are you crying for then?

Ignore him.

Have you seen the letter?

No, but he is all right.

He was in a charge.

A charge?

I wish I'd been there.

Sonia, do you remember him?

Nikolai, of course.

I mean, really remember him.

Every detail of his face.

I do.

But not Boris.

I don't remember him at all.

You don't remember Boris?

Not like Nikolai.

Well, if I shut my eyes, I can see Nikolai.

But not Boris.

Oh, Natasha, that's awful.

I fell in love with your brother once and for all.

And whatever happens, I shall never cease to love him.

She can't remember Boris because she fell in love with that fat man with glasses.

Can't be sure I've got you, stupid child.

Oh!

Mama, they told her.

Oh, come on, Petia.

Oh, Nikolai.

Nikolai, my boy, my boy.

He's all right, Mother.

Oh, you are feeling, child.

He's been wounded, hasn't he?

Oh, Ilya.

Ilya, do you think it's worse than he says?

Do you think he's not telling us everything?

No, no, my love.

Now, come, now, sit there.

Vera, make this man talk.

I have him, dear.

Mama!

Oh, children, children, your brother, Nikolai.

We know, Mama, we know already.

I'm always the last to know.

Why is that?

Come, my love, read the letter.

I don't want to read it now.

I'll read it when I'm promoted, you say?

Yes, my pet, read it.

I don't want to read it now.

My Nikolai.

Ilya, let's answer it now.

The boy must be desperate for news.

And we'll send him some money.

Oh, how can we do that?

Through Boris.

He's in the Imperial Guard.

I can send it through the Grand Duc.

That's excellent.

Let's answer it.

What shall we say?

Our dearest son, Nikolai.

No, no, our most dearest son.

Our most dearest son.

Prince, what a melancholy business it all is.

Is there no one to stop that upstart emperor?

Kutuzov has fallen back on Austerlitz.

And will be joined by the other half of the Austrian army.

There, we shall see.

Now, I have something to ask you.

If it's the little affair of your son, Anatole, and Volkonsky's sister,

It's underway.

The ice has been broken.

I am aware.

Thank you.

I plan to take Anatole with me to Bald Hills in a couple of weeks.

I live in hopes.

No, something else.

A little plan involving La Belle Hélène and Pierre Bézout.

They love each other, I'm sure of it.

She's just a little slow.

That's all.

And you'd like me to do a little pushing?

Nothing much.

Bring them together a little more.

You have a light touch.

Of course.

But he is living in your house.

I arrange little things to get them alone together and nothing happens.

And I can't say to him, don't you think she's beautiful?

Why aren't you in love with her?

I understand.

And you know I've done everything for him since he inherited the estate.

Made him a gentleman of the bedchamber.

Taken it upon myself to advise him.

God knows how you manage it, Prince.

Most of us wouldn't have the patience.

Well, it's nothing.

His own house will be ready soon.

I must confess, I won't be sorry to see him go.

Though I love him.

No, but I mean seriously.

If you look at the map, while you see the advance went too far, Mac came in too

quickly to keep in contact with the supplies.

Napoleon came along with his marshals and took 50,000.

You see, I have designs on you this evening.

You can do me a small favor, Count.

My dear Annette, be nice to my poor aunt, who adores you and is sitting alone.

Of course.

And that you may not find him too tedious, here is

our dear coward, who won't refuse to escort you.

Isn't she exquisite?

Have you ever seen anyone like her?

I've never known a young girl with so much ability.

I mean, for life, living.

Oh, happy young man who gets her.

Count Basile, how nice to see you again.

Oh, so sorry to hear of your father's death.

Yes, thank you.

Thank you.

Say, Anna, have you shut all the windows in here?

They're dreadfully stuffy.

How lovely you look this evening.

I've been watching you from across the room.

Oh, thank you.

Don't you think so, Anna?

Indeed, who could not?

Why don't you show Count Basile half the snuff box out?

Well, I brought it tonight, knowing you'd be here, Count.

It was given by your father to my husband many years ago.

Oh, how beautiful.

Is that a portrait of your husband on the ledge?

It is, my dear.

Who did it?

I've no idea.

Please let me see.

Oh, this is charming.

Oh, please forgive me.

I'm terribly sorry.

I'm absolutely clumsy.

I'm sorry.

I hope we'll see you at dinner tonight, Monsieur.

We miss you, you know.

Especially a certain person I don't need to name.

Papa, why does he go out so much?

Papa, you know I'm staying in on his account.

Is that all of it?

Just one more.

Wealth is a responsibility, as you see.

Oh, I've asked your chief steward from the Moscow

estate to come and see you, give you his report.

You must familiarize yourself more with the management of these things.

After all, I can only do so much.

Oh, you've been very kind.

Oh, Monsieur, I do it for my own sake to satisfy my conscience.

Here, I received this form from the Chancellor.

What is it?

I applied for you to be entered into the diplomatic corps.

Oh, um... It's nothing, believe me.

It won't tie you down.

You can throw it up tomorrow if you want.

You're an important man now.

You must do something.

Oh!

Business?

No, no, my sweet.

We're finished.

Stay.

Have a word with Pierre.

I worry about him.

And I've so much to do.

Still, young people are better left on their own.

Hmm?

Well, I'll see you at dinner tonight, my friend.

Make use of us, please.

You know we're at your disposal.

Thank you.

I thought of going for a drive.

Yes, yes.

A drive.

The air is very fresh.

Oh, yes.

It brings such a...

Oh, such a glow to one's cheeks.

In fact, all over.

Don't you find that?

Oh, yes.

I've often found that.

You know, when I come in from a drive in weather like this, I simply...

I tingle sometimes.

All over.

But then my body responds to a touch of warmth in the air.

Will you wait for me while I change?

Yes.

Yes, of course.

Yes.

I shan't be long.

I'll just go up to my room and take off my things.

Perhaps you'll order a carriage.

Yes.

Yes, a carriage.

Yes.

Yes.

Oh, she's beautiful.

Beautiful.

And why not be honest?

I would like to go to bed with her.

And yet she's brainless.

She's...

She's not a brain in her head.

And yet does it matter?

Didn't Andre say all women were the same?

Why do I feel as if I'm bound to marry her?

Why?

I don't want to and yet it's as if it's already been decided.

They all expect me to and somehow I...

I know I shall.

Whether I want to or not.

Cousin?

Oh, Catice.

What are you doing in Petersburg?

Oh, cousin.

Please, I beg you, don't distress yourself.

I can't help it.

You've been so kind.

Kind?

No, please, I beg you, don't cry.

What have I done?

What have you done?

Everything, that's all.

Everything.

I don't understand you.

For years I put up with that old man.

Forgive me, cousin, your father.

But you don't know what I had to go through.

I'm sorry, I had no idea.

He left me nothing.

Nothing.

And I thought the injustice of it, that young man, that was you, does nothing

and inherits everything and now I shall be thrown onto the street.

No!

Catice!

Am I a monster?

No.

Saint.

Onto the street?

What must you have thought?

I had to come and thank you.

When I heard what you'd done for me.

Please, forgive me.

Forgive me, please.

The house, the settlement.

Everything.

Please forgive me.

Yes.

Yes, of course I forgive you.

What for?

Forgive you for what?

I don't know.

Oh, how could I have been so wrong about someone?

I hated you and you do this for me.

No, it was nothing.

It was a small settlement.

Prince Vasily arranged it.

I shall knit you something.

No, there's no need.

A comforter.

A striped comforter.

No, I shall do it.

I knit very well.

And when you're in Moscow, you shall have it.

And now I mustn't detain you.

You're an important man.

I shall be returning to Moscow tomorrow, but I'll see you before I go.

Goodbye.

Goodbye.

Why do people affect me so?

That silly woman.

She made me cry.

For what?

Nothing.

I'm like a straw in the wind.

Blown this way and that by a gust from any quarter.

Where are you going so early in the morning?

Just to meet some friends.

What time did you get home last night?

Not late.

What do you call not late?

Two o'clock.

How much did you lose?

I didn't lose.

I won.

That's a change.

Where are you going now?

To lose it all again?

No, to see some friends.

Sit down.

I want to talk to you.

It's time you were married.

There's no hurry.

Why should I get married?

Because I can no longer afford to keep you in the style you seem to require.

A wife could, if she were foolish enough.

Do you have someone in mind?

Yes.

Princess Maria Bolkonskaya.

I don't know her.

How do I know I like her?

What's more to the point?

Will she like you?

You'll do as you're told.

What's she like?

Hideous, I suppose.

You're no great prize yourself, despite the

fact that women seem to hang around your neck.

I'm considered very eligible in most quarters.

Not in this house, and that's what counts.

I've arranged a trip to Ball Hills in two weeks.

I've written the old prince to tell him we're coming, and why.

Between now and then, make up your mind to it.

And be on your best behavior.

All right.

Is she really that bad?

She's apparently... very attractive.

I'd better enjoy myself, then.

It's later than I thought.

Hmm.

Do you think you can bring it off?

We'll see.

It would be a help...

for a very wealthy family.

And the other?

Here?

Nothing happens.

Whenever she's with him, he looks confused and nervous and knocks something over.

It's driving me insane.

Young girls seem less effective than they were.

Their lives are too sheltered these days.

I could have brought him to the boil in five minutes.

She tries.

It's him!

He never seems able to make up his mind to anything.

Something must be done.

It's nearly two months.

They go out driving, play cards together.

Takes her now to Anna Shera's.

Perhaps he doesn't like her.

Well, of course he likes her!

Who wouldn't like Elaine?

When I was her age, I could have made a deaf mute speak.

The day after tomorrow is her name day.

Invite a few guests.

Let them know it's to be an occasion.

Then, if he doesn't speak, if he doesn't see what he ought to do, well,

I'm her father.

I must do something.

Thunderclap.

There you are.

Patience.

Such a solitary game.

You've missed the Red King.

Oh.

Shall we play a little?

Yes, please.

Papa's arranging a little dinner for my name day.

I hope you'll be there.

Oh.

Yes.

Yes, of course I will.

It would be quite a miserable affair if you weren't.

Your lead, I think.

Please excuse me.

LAUGHTER We really shouldn't laugh at Sergei Kuzmich.

He's a very dear man.

No.

But it was very funny, Anna.

Here is the Governor General of Petersburg so overcome at

receiving a letter from the Tsar he can't even read it properly.

He should have got the town crier.

There he is, standing before Wednesday's session of the British Council,

trying to read the letter, and can't get past his own name without weeping.

Sergei Kuzmich.

By God, I wish I'd been there.

LAUGHTER The letter began, Sergei Kuzmich.

From all sides, reports reach me.

And he never got further than Sergei Kuzmich.

The whole session, Sergei Kuzmich.

From all sides, starts to slip.

He tries again, starting at the other end.

From all sides, Sergei Kuzmich.

It's me.

LAUGHTER We really must be unkind.

He's a very dear man.

No, but he was very funny.

I can tell you.

I'm sure if Count Buzuhov had been there, he'd have leapt

to his feet and snatched the letter from the man's hand.

I'm sure Count Buzuhov has someone else in mind during dinner.

Sergei Kuzmich.

Why not?

He's young, isn't he?

What else should he be thinking of?

Certainly not Sergei Kuzmich.

LAUGHTER Let's go into the drawing room.

Sit a while.

No hurry.

Join us later.

Sergei Kuzmich.

LAUGHTER

Well, let us join the others.

Please, I'm terribly sorry.

And then, of course, Anatole has scarcely turned out as we might have wished.

Show me a child, my dear, who has turned out as his

parents wished, and I'll show you a saint in heaven.

Where are they?

Where are they?

Has anything happened yet?

Well, you two have kept out of sight all evening, eh?

It is getting late.

Late?

Late it is.

This one who comes in all hours of the night and morning.

I didn't want to keep you up.

Sit down.

The night's still young.

If Anna Shera hasn't gone yet, it's not late no matter what time it is.

Sergei Kuzmich.

LAUGHTER From all sides!

It's going to happen.

I know it.

They're all expecting it.

They're so certain it will happen.

I can't disappoint them.

I can't.

How will it be?

I don't know.

It's inevitable.

The step must be taken.

It's gone too far.

I don't know how or why, but it has.

How on earth did it happen?

It's all done so quickly.

Go and see what they're doing.

Well?

Nothing.

Marriages are made in heaven.

My dear boy.

Thank God.

My wife has just told me.

Oh, I'm so happy.

I knew your father.

I loved him, I may say.

Oh, she'll make you such a good wife.

My little girl.

My little Elaine.

Aline, Aline, Anna, come here.

Oh, this is wonderful.

Wonderful news.

My dear, you were right.

They've decided.

Wonderful.

Wonderful.

This had to be.

It could not be otherwise, so it's no use wondering whether it's good or bad.

At least I am no longer tortured by doubts, and that's something.

But how did it happen?

How exactly did it come to this?

All I did was live in his house.

Come, this is a wonderful occasion.

Let's have some champagne.

Anna, how fortunate that you were here.

Something is said on these occasions.

What is it?

How to know?

Take off those.

Je vous aime.

Je vous aime.

I love you.

I love you.

Come in.

Well?

Prince Coragon arrived with his son, Your Highness.

I showed them to their rooms.

They refreshed themselves and came down.

They're waiting in the drawing room.

What the devil brought them here?

I didn't invite them.

Why should she want to get married?

Isn't she happy here?

But who'd marry her for love, eh?

Well, I've no objection.

I'll take tea in thirty-five minutes.

No, my sweet, it won't do.

It's the dress that's wrong.

Yes, yes, I think it is.

Get me the maroon velvet.

It makes no difference.

I look awful today, and that's all there is to it.

Oh, no, my love, you look lovely today.

No, no, I can't understand you.

Now, get out of the dress.

And I don't like the hair.

Oh, no, the hair is lovely.

We'd better hide it.

I don't like it.

It'd look so good if we kept on waiting much longer.

I caught a glimpse of him.

He looked very dashing.

Oh, Maria, I think you're so lucky.

Just think, you'll be able to escape from him once and for all.

I want to get married, Lisa, like every woman, but it's not to escape my father.

But he's so difficult, Maria.

I don't know how you stand him.

I live in fear and trembling of him.

There.

It's not right.

No, it isn't.

I prefer the other.

Me, I prefer the grey.

No, Emma, we've already tried.

But I'm all for simplicity.

Perhaps it should be the black then.

No, leave me alone.

There's nothing you can do.

There.

There's your answer.

It makes no difference.

I just wish I didn't know what they were coming for.

And at least I could have behaved normally.

Well, thank you both.

I'll dress myself.

Well, at least, princess, do something about the coiffure.

You're quite right about that.

Tell me honestly, Father, is she really attractive?

So I understand.

Attractive enough.

You mean, considering how rich she is?

I mean she is an extremely nice young woman, by all accounts.

I hope we'll be on your best behaviour.

I hear he is rather eccentric.

I never mind what you hear.

He's a very brilliant old man.

You accomplish a tenth of what he has, we shall have cause to be proud of you.

Well, the uniform should impress him anyway.

Oh, God.

How can I stifle these feelings I have in me?

I want him.

I don't know him, and yet I want him.

To hold... and caress.

And perhaps...

a child to nurse at my breast.

Tea is served, mistress.

The prince will be out in a moment.

I'm coming.

But we live quite near then.

Ah, what a coincidence.

How long were you there?

Two years.

Perhaps we passed each other on the street and didn't know it.

Well, Lisa, this is strange, is it not?

We lived almost next to each other in Paris.

I never knew.

From all I heard of Anatole's activities there, Emily, you were probably fortunate.

Oh, well.

Young man, you know.

He learnt a great deal in Paris.

And he practised it in Petersburg.

And she had his soirées rang with stories about yourself and Kambazov.

Well, all that's behind him now.

He's on his way to the army.

Ah, voilà, Marie.

My dear, what a pleasure it is to see you again.

You won't remember me?

On the contrary, Prince, I remember you very well.

But it was a long time ago you were just a little girl.

Now, what a fine young woman you've grown up to be.

This is my son, Anatole.

I've heard so much about you.

Have they served tea?

We were waiting for the Prince.

Ah, well.

How do you do?

How do you do?

Friendship laughs at distance.

This is my son.

I beg you to favour him with your friendship.

Well, fine young fellow, fine young fellow.

You may kiss my cheek.

I hear you've been educated abroad.

Not like your father and me, taught by the parish clerk.

I studied in Paris.

And you joined the army.

Well, these are times of war.

My son's at the front.

He's aide to Kutuzov.

Is that where you're off to?

My regiment's at the front, but actually I'm attached to...

What is it I'm attached to, Papa?

Well, if you can't remember it, it can't be that important, can it?

Come now, tell me, what's the news from that quarter?

Oh, good news I hear, Prince.

Kutuzov has drawn up around Austerlitz and linked up with the Austrians.

For the first time, Bonaparte faces a Russian army proper.

Ah, my son's letters tell a different story.

Still, a Russian army's not an Austrian, I grant you that.

What have you done to yourself?

Nothing, Papa.

Was it for our guests that you got yourself up like that?

What do you mean, Papa?

You have done your hair in a new style for visitors.

And before visitors, I tell you, never to do that again without my consent.

It was my fault, Mon Père.

You may do as you like, but she doesn't have to make

a clown of herself, she's plain enough without that.

Oh, on the contrary, the coiffure suits the princess very well.

I agree, absolutely.

Enough, enough.

Come along to my room, you came here for a talk.

Let's have it now.

Not only for that, after so long a time, it's a pleasure just to be here.

I noticed on the way in you've been doing some building.

No, no, no, I'm too old now for that sort of thing.

I do it for myself, you see.

If people want to come and look, they can.

Sit down.

Now, about this visit of yours.

You know my principle.

Cards on the table.

Oh, I agree, absolutely.

No room in these matters for hedging.

Why hedge anyway?

After all, we're both fathers.

We both have children, as I said in my letter, who

one day must marry and have a home of their own.

After all, you and I aren't immortal.

They can't live with us forever.

Who said they should?

Well, you know, some parents like to keep their little birds in the nest.

She can marry whom she likes.

It can be tomorrow, as far as I'm concerned.

I don't keep her chained up.

Oh, that's what I thought.

So, I said to myself, what's the harm in letting them get to know each other?

I shall be travelling in the district soon.

Why not take Anatole with me and introduce them?

She can do as she likes.

Only let me tell you, I shall need to be better acquainted with my future son-in-law.

Prince, um, I'll be frank.

Anatole is no genius.

I am his father in concern, but he is a good lad at heart and a fine son.

We shall see.

But you must be a little tolerant.

Like all young men, he needs a steady hand.

The princess is a fine young woman.

Their natures will complement each other.

That remains to be seen.

I leave it to her.

Tomorrow, I shall ask her in your presence if she wants it.

If she says yes, then he can stay.

He can stay on here, and then we shall see.

That's all I ask.

But she can do as she likes, you understand?

I don't keep her chained to this house.

We understand each other perfectly.

Now, I should dearly love to see some of these inventions of yours.

Now, first, you must look at the notebooks.

My notebooks contain everything.

Then you'll get a clear idea.

Now, you look through these first, and then you shall see things.

Well, have you finished yet?

No, Papa.

Your time is up?

What's the matter with you?

You've proved Pythagoras a hundred times,

and this morning you sit there like a dummy.

I'm sorry, Papa.

Your head's full of this other nonsense, I suppose.

Well, all right.

That will do for this morning.

Thank you, Papa.

A...

A proposal was made to me last night on your account.

And as you know my principle, I refer the matter to you.

How am I to understand you, Papa?

How?

Prince Vasili finds you to his taste as a daughter-in-law.

That's how you may understand me, and I'm leaving the matter to you.

I don't know what to think.

What do you think?

What have I to do with it?

I'm not going to get married.

It's your opinion I wish to learn.

Well, I... I don't know.

Oh, we're not leaping then at the idea.

I only want to carry out your wishes.

No, madam, not mine.

It's your wishes we need to know.

Well, then, if I had to express my own desire, if it's to be my decision,

and you wouldn't mind... Wonderful, wonderful, what a decision!

He'll take you with your dowry, he'll hook on mademoiselle Burgen into the bargain.

Don't you see?

She'll be the wife while you...

There, there, there.

I was joking, I was joking.

Make up your mind.

You know my principle.

You're free to choose.

Only remember, your life's happiness depends on your decision.

What do you think?

No need for discussion.

He'll do as he's told, whether to marry you or anyone else.

But you are at liberty to choose.

Go away and think about it.

Come back in an hour's time.

I'll have Prince Vasily here, and you can tell us both.

Go now.

How was Geometry this morning?

Did he mention anything?

Maria!

Maria!

Did papa mention anything?

He leaves the decision to me.

Oh, that's wonderful, wonderful.

Look, it's finished.

Isn't it pretty?

Yes, you've done it very pretty.

Come in!

Ah, my dear!

My son's future is in your hands.

You know he told me last night how deeply attached he already was to you.

He was amazed, he said, at how easily it had all happened.

A proposal has been made.

Do you want to be Anatole's wife or not?

Speak up, yes or no?

I would like never to leave you, Mon Père.

I don't wish to marry.

Nonsense!

Rubbish!

Rubbish!

Still, if that's your decision, well, so be it.

My dear, are you sure this is such a big decision?

I'm sure, Prince.

But can you give us no hope?

No hope for the future, that if we try we

may succeed in touching that heart of yours?

Oh, no, Anatole will be distraught.

Say, perhaps.

I'm sorry, Prince, but I can't marry him.

I don't wish to marry.

Well, that's good enough.

The decision's hers.

You may go now.

Off you go.

Off you go.

Well, you've had a trip for nothing.

I'm sorry about that.

But you must stay a little.

We're delighted to see you.

Delighted!

No.

One must not give way to one's passions.

One must not be helplessly borne along by them.

The mind must constantly temper the heart, no matter the cost.

We know the right and must cling to it.

How did it happen?

All I did was live in his house.

I took her out once or twice, played cards with her.

How did it happen?

Everyone seemed to expect it, and there it was.

It is as if I had nothing at all to do with it.

What then is my purpose in life?

My purpose is a different one.

My purpose is to be happy in the happiness of others.

Happiness?

To be happy?

Yes, that's my purpose.

She's certainly beautiful.

THE END