Original subtitles

MOSFILM Studios

ZHANR Film Studio

GOSKINO of Russia

ROSNEFTEEXPORT

present

a Vladimir MENSHOV film

THE ENVY OF GODS

- Good evening. - Good evening, comrades.

Today's meeting at the CPSU Central Committee...

Vera ALENTOVA

Anatoly LOBOTSKY

Alexander FEKLISTOV

With Gerard DEPARDIEU as a guest star

Written by Marina MAREYEVA Vladimir MENSHOV

Director of Photography Vadim ALISOV

Production Designer Valery FILIPPOV

Music by Victor LEBEDEV

- What else is there? - The Bolshoi in Mordovia.

Forget the Bolshoi. Scrap culture.

Now then, Nina.

Executive Producer Natalya POPOVA

General Producers Alexander LITVINOV Vladimir MENSHOV

Weather forecast...

Tomorrow, August 22d,

in the Maritime territory... What? Something wrong?

It'll be warm in the Urals, above zero Celsius.

Tomorrow's temperatures in Moscow

are 21-23 above zero.

You nuts, Sonya?

It's live!

Big thanks everybody. Now clean exit.

What's up, Sonya?

Not the text, is it?

Sonya, what happened?

Incredible! It appears that today is the 21 st.

21st of August, 1983. Moscow.

I want to ask you something.

Fuck them. It's OK 5 minutes,

then they start jamming.

Here's a good one. Our Jew emigrated to Israel.

He comes to a cafe and asks for a tea and Pravda issue.

The waiter says: "How many times shall I tell you: there is no

Soviet government over here." - "Go on, keep telling me this."

Here's another one. 6 AM. Two guys in an empty metro car.

One opens a newspaper. The second guy sitting opposite him

sees a large picture in a black frame

and what looks like an obituary. He casts a hopeful glance

at the newspaper guy, who says;

- "Not him." Funny. - I wonder who makes'em up.

Stop smoking, guys. Let's go.

- My, whiskey! Shoot. - You bet.

Let's have a shot while the girls...

Hey, alkies, couldn't you wait for snacks?

Knock it off.

Here's writing a report for the general secretary

to this accompaniment. And she calls it a report.

Three pars on public education. I'm not an analyst, am I?

But it gave you access to the Kremlin cafeteria.

Guess what, guys. I was there yesterday

and made a copy of their menu.

24 appetizers! Red caviar. Guess how much?

- 1.5 rubles. - 35 kopeks.

- Guess how much is sturgeon? 18 kopeks. - Parasites!

Trout with mushroom sauce, 55 kopeks.

Yeah, everything for the benefit of man.

And I know the man's name.

- Don't say it. - Back in Paris I have...

Those Kremlin dotards are snug as a bug in the rug.

They've arranged communism for themselves.

Guys with the right ideas would never its way there.

You met with that guy in Leningrad.

Oh, Anatoly Chubais... It's

a group of young economists.

Hold it. I want to tell you about Paris.

400 brands of cheese in an ordinary supermarket!

- How many? - 400!

Didn't you bring some?

I just got enough money to buy my wife a dress.

- From Paris? - Let's see it. Right. From Paris.

We've been taken to the Tati shop.

- Here's to our reunion. What? - Hold it.

Aren't you glad to see us?

There's a more appropriate occasion.

- I wonder. - I'm scared. - What's the day today?

- August 21. - So? - Blackjack.

The 21 st...Night...Monday... The city skyline at night...

Your wedding anniversary! Dammit! Exactly.

Our wedding anniversary? Gee, twenty years!

Twenty years?

Forgive me, Sonya.

You are forgiven, because I forgot about it too.

Let's light candles.

Take the seats for which you bought the tickets.

Some VCR! Serge, when'll you get us one?

Wait till I get my emoluments. They're putting out my book

"Normandie-Nieman" in France.

Congratulations. They might lavish some 40 francs on you

and our dear country'll pocket the rest. - As usual.

- Is this your Brando?

I hear translators hold their nose with clothes-pegs

for the KGB not to figure them out by their voice.

... in the film "The Last Tango in Paris".

How do you do, Kaleriya Georgievna.

Our neighbor Kaleriya is standing there with a big ear.

- Why don't you ask her in? - She's so mean.

Once we make it louder, she starts banging on the wall.

Thank God it's your wall, not the KGB's.

Bite your tongue.

Terrific. Look at those jerks.

It may be somebody's... secret. I'll show you the secret.

Watch the next scene.

- What are you doing? - Taking oil.

The holy family. - Why oil? ... including the Mother of God.

I want you to repeat it after me. No, no. - No, don't.

For Christ's sake! You're overreacting.

I don't want to see it.

They've seen it in all civilized countries.

Let them but I'm not going to watch pornography.

That's a regular elitist flick.

- Hey, what's the row? - It's okay. We're fine.

We're partying. Just unwinding a little.

People envy me. I got a car,

a dacha. I go abroad...

Now they'll be saying I've got porno flicks.

So you admit it's porno.

You tell this to the cops when they come for me.

Sonya, it's a great movie.

Great? It's humuliation of human nature.

How did Zabolotsky put it? "How life does change,

How I change with life." 20 years ago we were going

from the registry office along this embankment.

Twenty years ago!

How could I forget it, Serge? We were walking and you

wore me out whimpering that I'd divorce you the next morning.

You'd led me on five years at college.

You ditched me twice. Well, I said, I've no luck.

After you got your diploma you brought me dandelions.

And you fell for it. Did you feel sorry for me? Yes, you did.

Your mum's a nice one too. "It's a mesaillance, Sonya."

You should be ashamed to say such things about my mother.

If my parents hadn't moved into our dacha,

all five of us would've still shared that 2-room apartment.

It suited you to a T. I touch you at night and you say no.

Mum's not sleeping, Dad's coughing...

It beats me how you gave me Sasha.

Why did it take you so long to give me a baby?

We couldn't afford it. Of course we could.

We didn't even have a home.

It's just you never loved me. The words you say, Serge.

Super.

Look, Sonya... Hush. You'll wake Sasha.

- Let's turn on the light. - Why? - I want it.

- What? Sasha'll wake up. - No, he won't.

- Let's turn it on. - What do you want to see?

Your eyes.

You'll see them tomorrow.

- There must be some variations. - Like what?

- Sonya, kiss me down there. - Down where? - Down there.

- What? - Why not? - What do you mean?

- You are so unromantic. - Do you call it romanticism?

I guess so.

You've seen too much of that trash. Let's sleep.

Cut it. Enough.

Look, let's do it standing in front of the mirror.

Christ! I nearly missed my stop.

- Visiting your parents? - Yes. With some critical stuff.

Where are you taking your brood? To work. People complain Grey

howls when he stays alone.

I talked to the vet I know. He says he's climacteric.

Who? The vet? Grey, not the vet.

I guess he misses Mitya. Mitya is his master.

How is he doing in the army?

Do you get letters from him? Not a line. What if he's been

sent to Afghanistan? Don't panic.

- I'm scared for him. - Well, bye. - Bye, Anyuta. Good luck, Grey.

- Mama!

- Sonya. I'll be back.

Gavryusha, my dear doggie.

Dad, you have changed. A real bee-keeper.

I take in about 16 kg from every bee-hive.

You do? That's worker bees for you.

I've brought you some food.

You saw Nina again? Right. We are receiving

Frenchmen tomorrow. I've got to make the table. I'll

buy some things at the market. Frenchmen? You sound so matter-of-fact

as if you were receiving them every day.

Serge made his acquaintance when he was working

on his book in France.

It turned out the guy fought in that squadron

and is a big shot over there.

Also the chairman of the society of Soviet-French friendship.

He's here and wants to see us.

How interesting. I'll go tell your father.

Volodya, Sonya is receiving Frenchmen tomorrow.

"A Frenchie from Bordeau." They're all Maquis now.

In May, 1945 Keitel was to sign an act of capitulation.

On eterning the hall he was surprised to see a French delegation,

"What? Have we lost the war to France as well?"

Sonya, you should wear my boa. - It's summertime, Mum.

A fur coat too. As Herzen put it,

meeting a foreigner is a kind of promotion for a Russian.

Come on... Okay, take my cameo. You stole the show wearing it

at the New Year party. The French are - cherchez la femme.

"Jemeny, Jemeny, and not a word about vodka."

And the door! I've told you to do it in leatherette.

They'll be shocked. Their clochars live better than our writers.

- Hi. - Hi.

Who told you to come? And who's going to pay?

Not to fear, Mum. Not us. Who then? Oh God, what's going on?

What? Caviar? It's for the guests!

It's not the caviar. Come with me. - Not the caviar?

Watch this. Some lav pan, isn't it. - It's beautiful.

Oh, my God, it's terrific.

- Look at this tank. - How did it all get here?

- Vive la France! Oh this. I wish those French

visit us every month. I can't promise that.

We'd give it a complete overhaul.

I'm Krapivin Vladislav Andreyevich. I'm Sonya. Sofia Vladimirovna.

Sofia Vladimirovna, I want a word with you.

- Who is that? - He's from the organs.

- What organs? - lnternal secretion.

Good gracious! So it's you who brought all this.

Well, I'll be damned. Gee, I borrowed lots of money.

Can we eat it all?

Put it on the table when the French pop comes.

But don't be overzealous.

What if the French pop'll sweep it all? - No way. Ulcer.

Looks like you know everything.

It's part of my modest job to know everything.

I know it's your air time at 5 PM tomorrow.

Fly home as soon as it's over. The table should be laid and you

in your Sunday best by 7 PM. - Vous comprenez? - Ja, ja, naturlich.

Hey, I had a crazy dream. Reagan...

some brass hats...

Professional disease, the Vremya news program.

There was a jet plane too. Some Chinese were boarding it.

I even remember the flight number, 007.

I'm Bond. James Bond.

- Hi. Oh, where's everybody? - Hi. In the kitchen.

- And why aren't you at your workplace? - Sorry, I relaxed somewhat.

Just you wait.

Entrez, Sonya. We're baking potatoes. Oh, how do I say it...

This is my wife Sonya... This is Bernard... Come on, come on.

- Your husband said you are a brunette. - He did?

- So you have a brunette to boot. - He's just teasing you.

Mind the peels.

We couldn't get sauerkraut. Comrade Sergeyev tried all

floors. It's the off season.

- Bernard here mentioned sauerkraut. - No, no, no. Stop.

What's with you, Serge?

He says you are very beautiful.

Let's have a shot, then we can admire women.

What did he say?

Bernard, stop seducing my wife.

He says Russian women have soft hands.

He was thinking of his wartime girlfriend, Nadya.

May she rest in peace. Don't clink glasses, just down it.

May she rest in peace.

I don't know about Russian women's hands being soft,

but my wife has hard fists.

When she fists my back it's the fall of Pompeii.

When he looks at you he's thinking of his sweetheart.

So this is the society of French friendship.

Not only. Of French love too.

He returned to Paris after the war. He got married, had children...

In February this year when he was in his mansion in Biaritz,

he suddenly woke up at night.

Hie heart was aching and he was perspiring.

He had dreamt of a woman he didn't know

but she looked familiar.

She was in the sleigh, a white shawl on her head.

The earth was snow-covered.

She was driving away, waving him goodbye.

He knew it was Nadya.

Only not the Nadya he had known but today's Nadya.

He decided to find her.

He knew that she lived in Vyazma before the war. He went there...

Nadya died on the night he dreamt about her.

And he realized that she was saying goodbye to him that night.

Sit down to table, comrades.

Remember how you ate lamb on St.Michele boulevard?

Oh yes. It was delicious. Good, Bernard.

He says you went to a peep-show.

And what's that?

- I'd say it's a brothel. - Oh, we were just playing the fool.

If it wasn't for this glass I'd have made a scene.

Did I say something wrong? You're really something else, Bernard.

You want to wash your hands? Go ahead.

Sorry.

Sofia Vladimirovna!

- Here you are. Let's organize tea. - Yes, sure.

- They'll soon be leaving.

I'm afraid the pie won't bake well.

- Serge, where's our interpreter? - In the john I guess.

It's good they mounted a new lav pan. Or they'd give us a bad name

in Europe. What's-his-name? - Gerard Philipp.

- Yeah. Wearing women's pants.

I'd like...

No, I want... Can l...

Nice meeting you.

We're going to see the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Leaving already? I've made a pie. Why don't you take it for breakfast?

They serve God knows what in hotels.

Where's the interpreter?

Sonya, why didn't you go with them?

- I'm really pooped out. But I'll give you a hand. - No, no. Don't bother.

Maybe they'll give Serge an apartment.

After all, he's a famous writer. Foreigners come to see him.

He can't live with his in laws all his life.

That guide. He has fine eyes. Very, very blue. Have you noticed?

No.

Hi, Sonya. This ivory from ltaly is specially for you.

Hello, Bulat Shalvovich.

- Hey, Gera. - Hi, Sonya.

Meet Vadim, a commentator with the foreign section.

- Where are you going? - To that big briefing.

Not to worry. Last week was OK.

- Are you sure? - Don't worry.

Andre asked me to give it to you.

- Andre? I don't know the man of this name. - Cut it out.

He'll meet you at 2 PM tomorrow on Dzerzhinsky square.

I don't know what you are talking about. - Yes, you do.

The Voice of America reports

heavy fighting in Afghanistan and losses in Soviet manpower.

What's going on, Sonya?

You don't speak to me.

Is it because I went to a brothel with Bernard in Paris?

I went there, yes, but I never touched anyone.

You know I'm fastidious.

I am an author and I was there with an instructive purpose.

If I need to describe the human bottom

I'll know all about it.

Look, your idol Akhmatova sat for Modigliani in the nude.

Wednesday. Dzerzhinsky sq. 2 PM.

So much for the Monday night of the 21 st. "The city skyline at night."

When do you go to your coach? At four. Why? Are you leaving?

Me? No. I am not leaving. I'll see you off and take up the laundry.

None of your sandwiches! Borsch'll soon be ready.

- What now? - You salted it, Mum.

Okay, pour it yourself.

- What time is it? - 1:30. I'll make it.

That cuckoo's gone mad. When do you go to your coach?

You asked me that one. Four o'clock.

- I did? I forgot. - Are you leaving?

- Me? No. - Why change then?

I changed... because I soaked my blouse.

Sasha, will you turn it off in five minutes?

I just checked about a tail. A tail? Oh yes, I had a tail,

fluffy and beautiful. But I cut it off. No room for it in the car.

It's okay. I can grow a new one.

A tail means a spy, a man following you.

I see. You must be good at covering up your tracks. - Which you are not.

Do you always date girls at the Dzerzhinsky monument?

- It's very beautiful. - It's the Cheka.

Sonya, please, we can go to a restaurant, cafe or bistro.

Oh yeah? No, we can't.

Now I know. You want to recruit me

because my father worked in the defense industry.

Did that guy come with you?

He's our agent. He stole secret papers for me.

Very funny.

The agent can wait. Let's go to the restaurant.

No. I'm here to tell you:

Stop chasing me and sending queer birds.

The queer bird is Vadim. He is a nice guy.

A Russian journalist & a friend of mine. I can't see you. - No, you can't.

- I can't come to the TV studio. - No. - So I asked Vadim.

He can be trusted. - Can you be trusted?

Why should I believe you? What do you want?

I've taken a fancy for you. Very much so.

You walked in and I thought: I know your face. I've known it for years.

I want to see you. I want to talk to you, to be with you.

You can want as much as you like. I'm going. Hey, taxi.

- Yakimanka please. - Five rubles. - Are you nuts? It's no more than two.

- Get in, Sonya. - No, I don't want anything.

Hop in, he's paid for it.

- Is he a foreigner? - An Uzbek. - I thought so.

- Hi. - Leave me alone.It's okay with me. Just take the note and go your way.

- I'm not taking anything. - What do you mean?

You are an old pimp. Let me be.

Go to hell all of you.

- lncredible! - Can you keep a secret? Mum's the word.

A Frenchman. lsn't it super? - What's stopping you? Do you like him?

Not in this sense.

Why are you always creating problems?

What if he's trying to get to the Vremya TV program?

You mean he wants the news from you that he can hear on TV in the evening?

He may want to get to Serge. Serge is not the last in line.

So the French intelligence have run themselves of their legs chasing Serge.

So he'd divulge the top secret of the 1812 guerilla movement.

He's fallen in love with you. Don't you think a man can fall in love with you?

Women of our age are in great demand now.

- lra, mum's the word. - Sure. My lips are sealed.

A Russian-speaking Frenchman had a crush on you.

I told you about the love I had with a Romanian.lt was le menage a trois -

l, he and the Russian-Romanian phrase-book under my pillow.

Can't you afford - once in a lifetime! -

a brief, beautiful, non-committal affair.

That's out of the question.

What's that supposed to mean, non-committal relations?

- Okay, go on living with your guerilla in a dugout.

You'll never know what real love and passion is about.

What do you know about real passion? - l?

You're in luck, Lett. - No, I'm just an ace.

- You win again. - Thanks for the game.

Hey, you owe us a bottle.

Since you wouldn't talk to Vadim, I came in person.

- Did you go to my place? - No, I'm no fool.

I phoned you first. There was no answer.

Go away, we are here like on a palm.

- Like on a palm? - It's a play on words. It means "to be in full view".

Look, I want to see you. Is it against the law?

- Hell's bells. We're done. It's my mother-in-law. - In law?

My husband's mother. Finita la comedia.

I bought some bananas. Had to queue twice. For you and for us.

What's he doing here? I don't get it.

I called Serge. He's not in. Sonya, I don't understand.

Me neither. I've just bumped into him. Excuse me, what was your name again?

You owe us an explanation.

I'm on a mission here. I'm doing a reportage on Moscow yards.

The people who live here know one another.

They spend time together, play wonderful games - like dominoes.

Formidable! No such thing back home.

We don't even know who lives next door.

No wonder. Under capitalism man is a wolf to man.

Under socialism man's a friend, comrade and brother.

- Do you klnow Yves Montan? - Yes, but not closely.

What's up with him? He was an ordinary worker guy, one of us.

And we loved him and his wonderful songs. And now?

He became an anti-communist. Maybe someone's egging him on?

"The leaves are whirling, The trees're shedding leaves."

Take this, Andryusha.

Sonya, show comrade Andrei the way he can well get lost in our courtyards.

"The words of love never fade away..." - I'll be right back.

"lf they were picked from lips..." Give my love to Simonne.

Sonya, what do I do with this? I can't eat it.

You have to. The mother-in-law's gifts can't be discussed.

You can stew it with frogs a la Francais.

- What are you doing? - Hailing a cab.

- For us? - For you.

- Sonya? - What? I am not a seducer,

not a Lovelace, nor a skirt-chaser. - I'm not so sure of that.

Our windows face into the quay,

she may be watching us.

So I'll pretend I'm seeing you off.

Sonya, look at me.

Ours in not an accidental meeting. It's not a fleeting love affair, it's fate.

I know it and you know it.

l? I know it?

Well, I think you're going too far. Sonya, I want to see you.

I want to be with you. I don't want to hide.

Listen to me please. I am married.

I am married too. I have two daughters, Marie-Louise and Natalie.

- Please, get in and go away. - Sonya...

Are you going?

We don't have much time.

I'm leaving Moscow for good.

My contract expires in a week.

It does? So much the better.

Please, get in, please!

I am awfully sorry. But it's not going to work out. Goodbye.

- Where are you going? - I'm gonna see Yuri.

Hi, Mama. How come you didn't call? How's Dad doing?

I've got him some magazines.

As I was commuting to Moscow, I recalled a funny story.

Once before the war I invited Granya to the theater. "Anna Karenina" was on.

Is it that scandal-monger who lived in a communal flat?

Come on. She's a nice Russian woman. Of peasant stock.

It was wonderful. Tarasova was superb.

A standing ovation. Tears. I'm wiping my eyes too.

The play is over, we are going home.

Granya doesn't say a word. She's reliving it, I thought.

Suddenly she stops and says: "Your Anna Karenina is a bitch."

And adds some strong words I dare not quote.

Bravo! The real voice of the people.

I was indignant then, yes. But now I think Granya is

right... basically.

If an ageing woman sacrifices the future of her husband and son,

hurling it into the furnace of passion...

Not bad. Can I borrow it? "The furnace of passion"!

I am not sorry for her. She was motivated by selfishness.

Julia Apollinarievna, can't you see I'm working.

Here's what I've written. "A detachment led by Anna Karenina..."

lra, it's me. Did you tell my mother? Stop wriggling.

Okay, lra, you can forget my name.

- Goodbye.

Mama, we didn't even talk.

I've told you all I meant to.

Half a kilo of Russian cheese, one butter,

and two bottles of milk.

Dusya, I said there's no Russian cheese left.

Can't you see you're compromising me?

I live in this neighborhood. I could run into my neighbors

or family. lsn't it enough for you to have met my husband's mother?

- Your mother-in-law? - Right. What are you going to say

if we see her again?

I'll say I'm writing an article on family relations.

Say, there's a big difference between a Russian grandmother and a French one.

Funny. Very, very funny.

Oh my God! What shall I do? Let's go into the club.

Buy us tickets, please. - What's on? - Does it matter?

It doesn't. My son's over there. Cover me, I beg you.

Figure two. A sad one.

So you're hooking up silly Russian girls.

What's hookup? Love a la Russe?

Then I want to hook you up for the remaining six days.

And how are you going to unhook me six days later?

What if I get hooked fast? Are you going to cut my flesh?

You sound malicious.

- How old are you? - Forty. - You're a sucker.

I'm much older than you. I'm 44. What things can we share in common?

- What kind of future? - Yeah. When you turn 100, I'll be only 96.

Stay calm, comrades. It's a checkup.

We'll see why you're here during working time.

Can we see the movie through? Those whose papers are okay can.

- Give us the flick! - Get your lDs ready.

You should always carry it with you.

Come with me.

Why should we show you our passports?

There's the law on labor discipline.

- Is it a roundup? - Yes.

That's a violation of human rights.

Now you are talking about human rights!

You'll bring in the Helsinki accords next.

Sure. How dare you cut it short?

It's Andropov's falcons crusading for discipline.

It's okay.

At 3 PM a person should be at his work post.

- And you are not. - My post is here.

Gee! A Finn? - Further south.

- Zimbabwe? - Further north.

- They leave and you scram. - Many thanks.

Merci, madame.

I work 24 hours and I'm off 72 hours. lnteresting work, yours.

It suits me. You can call and check. We'll call and check.

Let's go out into the lounge.

You're crazy. I told you not to. Please, don't.

What? lnvoices? Yes, we got them. What invoices?

What are you doing? They've treated us like decent people.

Wait a minute. Why do you speak Russian so well?

My mother was Russian. - And your father? - He was French.

- He fought in the Resistance. - I'm going to resist you too.

Tell me more about your mother.

Mum died when I was a little boy. I was raised by my Russian grandmother.

You look like her. Really? I look like your grandmother?

- I didn't mean that. - Enough, enough, Andryusha.

Enough, please. It can never be.

- I'm going to tell my husband. - Why?

I don't know. I guess it's silly. But I can't help it.

I'll tell him everything. I will... Anyway, you're leaving next week.

Please, Andryusha, don't spoil my life.

- It's time. - Two minutes to go. Get started for God's sake.

I'll get you part three. Steady. Ready.

30 seconds to go. Features... Okay.

- Ready, Tanya? - Yes, I'm ready.

No picture on monitor 5. Attention! Here we go.

Give us the banner. Cut the cackle!

- Good evening. - Good evening, comrades.

A decree of the CPSU Central Committee, the USSR Council of Ministers

and the Central TU Committee on enhancing socialist labor discipline.

TASS? This is Anikanova. We have a problem with part 3.

Oh, it's okay.

Tanya, get Sonya. The text is running out.

...shirking work or reporting late... getting drunk...

...hopping from one enterprise to another without any reason.

Hop it. I'm coming.

It's okay. Page three now.

...Loafers, shirkers and job jumpers...

Tell him to read by the syllables.

-... Call to book... - Good boy.

Officials who poorly organize work

and do not improve working and living conditions...

For it is in the work collective that workers in socialist society.

can mold and temper their personality.

Fourth. It is inadmissible to distract white and blue

collar workers from work in their working time

for holding all kinds of meetings,

rallies and seminars,

for amateur art activities and tourist trips.

Fifth. As a moral incentive for people working honestly...

Hi, Sonya dear. You look great. Slimming?

- This blouse suits you. - You sucking up to me?

I am really sorry. You know how stupid I am.

Mama, you are not stupid. Shut up.

I am stupid. But she came to me.

- She wondered if there's electric light at our dacha. - So you enlightened her.

We were talking about seedlings. But you know your mum.

- She probed me for your personal life. Did you tell her about yours? - Yes, I did.

Please, I promise. I'll never say a word about you, never ever.

You're forgiven, but I'll never

confide in you anymore.

- Okay. Now tell me about you two. - You are really nuts.

Sonya, I think your Dad knows. But not from me. I never said a word.

Your mother didn't let you down. But I could see she's not herself.

She takes valerian in the morning,

validol at noon and bromide in the evening. So I knew something was wrong.

Sonya, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say it.

I made her.

Say something.

Dad, you never entered my room without knocking,

even when I was a little girl.

Why are you now trying to force it?

Don't you think it's my business?

Not exactly. As for your room, your son and our grandson

now occupies it. It's his final year at school. Exams, hard work...

- And what are you doing? - Poor boy!

He won't be admitted to college. He'll get into the army, to Afghanistan.

Stop harping on Afghanistan. He'll just do some fighting like all normal boys.

Look, you've already split me with my husband and sent my son to war.

Let me say again: this is my business.

Then get a divorce...

I hope he'll move to the USSR for permanent residence.

And tell him it's pretty cold here in winter;

and we eat fish only on Thusdays. Does he speak Russian?

He does, he does.

I'll teach him nonstandard words by way of cultural exchange.

Let's make a deal: we don't discuss this topic.

Mama, it's time we talked about our noble origin.

Yes, you Buturlins are noblemen. And we, plebeians, have marred your breed.

Bye, Gavryushka. We'll be fine.

- Mama, this is Natella. - Nice to meet you.

Sonya, sit with us. We are celebrating.

Military Publishers have commissioned me a story of the battle of Stalingrad.

Congratulations... Why didn't you cut some cheese?

Can you believe it? Markelov wants Vilen to hack for him.

The son of a bitch turned down Vilen's best story

and dare ask him to sweat for him. Rat.

- D'you think I should say yes? Sure. You'll get some money.

Don't do it! I'll share my guerilla stuff with you.

The Crimean underground alone weighs at least 5 volumes.

Sonya, I'm a long-time secret admirer of yours. I can say it now.

I'll buy me a Japanese receiver when I get my money.

Listen, Japan's premier leaving our country is giving an interview.

He answers questions and says you have fine children.

Q: What has impressed you most in the Soviet Union?

We have factories, nuclear plants...

A: Whatever you do with your hands is no good.

But your kids are good.

- Is it a joke? - Here's to the kids.

To the kids, Vilen.

No. Let's drink to the women. The terrific, beautiful women.

Men drink standing.

Mama, it's for you. Mum, a phone call for you.

Hello.

It's me. Tomorrow at 3. 15:00 at your military theater.

I mean the Soviet Army theater. Why would the army want

a theater? It's beyond me. Do you get me? Repeat it.

The Soviet Army theater, 3 PM. I'll be there.

Parents are meeting their children who were at a summer camp.

Sorry, I've got to work occasionally.

I got scared. I thought you had left for good.

How could I go without seeing you?

It's hard to get a taxi here, so I stopped this one.

I'm chilled to the bone. Take me home please.

Do you think I'm a cab? Okay, get in the body.

- What's that? - Felt boots. - Felt boots?

- Yes. They give warmth in winter. - Oh, felt boots.

- And this is a fur coat. - It's a sheepskin. It's warm.

Right. Here we are.

- It's all soaked. Take it off. - Yes.

- The dress is soaked too. Off with it. - Right... Turn away.

Turn away.

Horror! I can't. Give me a hand.

Thank you. Now turn away.

Oh Lord, I'm so happy.

God, what was it?

Here we are.

No. I don't want to leave you.

Where are you going now? Yaroslav highway, 62d km.

What am I doing? I'm going to regret it.

Is there a room to rent, a hotel, a motel? We'll think up something. Go.

Here's a motel for you.

- Serge, let's talk.

- Cousin, ain't ya? - Yeah.

- You are feverish. - I got chilled.

- Hi. Your woman's ailing. - Ailing?

- Ailing means sick. - Move toward the stove.

Yes, she's sick. Where's the drugstore?

What fucking drugstore? We get bread once a week.

- My! She's wet through. - She needs some aspirin.

- She needs some moonshine. - What's moonshine?

It's like aspirin, only a lot better. Come over here and lie down.

And we're gonna get your medicine.

- Do you really have no moonshine in Latvia? - In Latvia, we don't.

This ointment was given to me by a very old woman, Liza.

She made it. It's good for cold.

You grease me and I'll turn into a witch. Just you wait.

And you'll fly away from me on a broomstick.

It's moonshine. Vic says it's for internal use.

Good. Let me taste it. No. I tasted it.

I need you alive. Turn round.

I'm going to treat you.

You're my doctor.

You are feverish. It must be influenza.

lndeed. Or Spanish flu.

That's what my granny would say. I'm going to teach you Russian.

And I'll teach you French.

- Doc, do you know what's the best medicine? - I know.

I've got to call my family. I bet they are worried stiff.

- Yes. I'll do it. - I'll give you lra. She's my best friend.

Tell her I'm not mad at her.Tell her to call my husband and spin some yarn.

Spin? Spinner... spinning.

Honey, you don't understand.

But he'll surely send me spinning.

Great people, Sonya!

Did you call her? Yes. She's very nice, your lra.

She said she'd do this for you. Honey, they're super!

I think you drank too much. I drank moonshine at a wedding.

I drank with uncle Petya. We were criticizing Reagan

and - what's-it-called - the Star Wars. They took me for a Balt.

A Lett. That's what they collected for my sick wife. - Thank you.

It's a purely Russian phenomenon. You can't get anything

in your supermarket. It's a desert.

But when you're on a visit the table's laden with delicacies.

Counters are empty, fridges're full. It's the other way around in my country.

You are dazzled in a supermarket... - Dazzled.

But when you are invited to dinner by your private friends, you sit down

to table and you see... this. - You're laying it on thick. - Canapes.

And aperitif. That's all. So much for the French hospitality.

Your people are so nice. Why are you so poor?

Probably because we are so nice? Are you joking?

No, you have a bad system. And bad leaders.

You haven't been here long enough to draw conclusions.

Guess what they gave me. Candies!

And what's that? Aha! I caught you.

Valya, do I dial 8 first? That's a provocation.

I don't know any Valya. There were lots of them. - Lots?

- I got caught. - Got caught? - By someone in the dark.

- In the dark? - On the quiet. On the quiet. You, cunning boy.

She gave you her office number. Here. Off. No.

I don't know. I only know I'm off my mind... over your body, Sonya.

You are a good doctor. You've cured me.

You know something?

- I want to go to the field. - Don't be silly. You are ailing.

- I want to go out to the field. - You can't.

I'm quite well now.

- Ship ahoy! You want hands? - Are you giving me away?

Mum was raised on classics. She named me after two Sonyas.

One moment. Let me guess.

First - Dostoyevsky. Sonechka Marmeladova. - You are really well-read.

Sorbonne! And second?

- "Uncle Vanya". Chekhov. Let me think.

"We shall see a diamond-studded sky. And we shall rest."

When I grew old enough, I said, "How could you name me after those two?

One's a fallen woman, the other's an ugly old spinster."

Mama said they knew what love and self-sacrifice is.

Look at that horse. Why doesn't it sleep, that strange horse?

And the horse must be thinking: why doesn't she sleep, that strange Sonya?

My aunt's husband died years ago. I saw her three months ago. It's a shame.

- Why did you think of her? - I feel so good.

I want all people to feel good.

- I'm going to be jealous of your aunt. - I hope you have just one aunt? - Yes.

- A burden off my chest. - But there's an uncle... And three cousins.

That's a blow. - How about two nieces?

- That's too much. I'll put out your spark of humaneness.

Sonya, you must love only me. Just me!

- I'm afraid. - You Russians are afraid to be happy.

Not only Russians.

Ancient Romans wouldn't tell themselves

they are happy not to cause the Gods' envy.

Gods do not encourage this. They people who try to be their equals.

Good chanson.

- Have you gone crazy? - I've been a week that way.

For shame! They'll give us away to the police.

Excuse us, he's only kidding.

- Dear brothers and sisters! - Stop it!

They'll start giving us alms, what with that padded jacket of mine.

Sonya, there's just four days left.

Are you in your right mind? You'll burn the flat to ashes.

They turned down my story. Which one? You're drunk.

Is it about the Smolensk underground party committee? - No fucking chance.

It's the best I've ever written.

Is this the story? Gogol! Give it to me. Wait till better times.

There are no better times in this country. Only lousy and more lousy times.

None of your drunken hysterics.

That's your country. There won't be another.

Alas! Not that they chewed it out.

"It's a funky story", they said. "Talent shows in every single line.

But your specialty is the military-patriotic theme. And your story breathes eroticism"

It's as good as "Lolita" written by Bonch-Bruyevich or Agniya Barto.

Guerillas is a worthwhile theme.

Sure. I built a cooperative apartment for my mother.We aren't doing bad either.

It's all the guerilla money. I've got to keep you, dammit.

So you slept at lra's last night?

That's right.

Deeds, not high-flown words. That's what we need today

to make our great and mighty country even stronger.

I'm confident that those present here share my view.

So?

4 PM at Mayakovskaya metro station.

Why didn't he call? I gave him my office number...

- How fearless we are! Your phones are bugged. - They are?

- Didn't you know? What do I tell him?

- Tell him I'll be there. - Yes, sir.

Could I borrow 50 rubles from you?

I spent my last penny. Courier expense, you see. And the gas is costly.

- Are you blackmailing me? - God forbid. I'll pay it back.

Here's 50 rubles minus one ruble. That's all I have. Thank you. Thanks a lot.

So, when's your flight? Dance!

- Is that what they taught you in the Sorbonne? - Dance! - Why should l?

It's a Russian custom. You dance if the liming is good.

We whitewash the ceiling if the lime's good.

- It's tidings, news. Right. Go on dance. - I have. So?

I'm staying for another six months.

Don't you want it? Aren't you glad?

I'm not glad. I'm happy.

You said your cousin wishes to lease her apartment.

Excuse me, I'll call again.

Mama! What's up? Nothing. I won't come in.

There's a cab waiting. - I paid both ways.

Why did you come?

To see you're safe and sound.

Sonya, are you okay?

Yes, I'm okay. Let the cab go. No. I've seen you.

You look great.

Mama, do come over.

Hold on, Natasha. I'll just say goodbye to Mama!

Mama!

Mama!

- Watch out, Sonya! - Mama, why are you going?

Sorry, Natasha. You haven't leased it yet?

Good. I'm taking it. For myself.

Take the keys? Yes, I can. I'm on the way.

I'll explain it when I see you. And see "The Last Tango".

- Cut it off and that's it. - But there won't be light.

He'll come out right away.

Hey, what's going on here? What's up?

The cassette'll get stuck

and we'll catch them red-handed. - Whom?

Well, there are... What's with the light? Hey, Sonya.

Witnesses, follow me.

So it's your doing?

Gavryukov, turn it on.

- Who's the owner? - I am. - Your passport, please.

- Your warrant, please. - We have it. - I want to see it.

There is no warrant. It's lawlessness.

Comrades witnesses, come over here. We're confiscating a porno cassette.

- You? - Yes.

"The Last Tango in Paris" is banned in this country.

- I'm Larisa, Natasha's cousin. - You want an apartment? - Yes.

- Dry bread, pack a parcel, you're going to jail. - Shut up, you idiot.

This looks like a kitchen. Let's open the window... Well?

This is the best apartment in my life.

God, how I missed you!

They took the cassette away. I'm sure they'll play it till it's worn out.

Ah the apartment! It's just lovely.

They've released lgor.

Poor guy. But serves him right. How could he enjoy a bad movie?

Don't you like "The Last Tango in Paris"?

I don't. They think that love means killing.

Love is death. I think love is life. It's a truism but that's what I think.

I'm going to talk to my husband today.

I mailed a letter to my wife yesterday.

This is the Voice of America. Soviet officers have been shot

down for contraband goods trafficking from Afghanistan.

- Serge, we need to talk. - Talk.

- My, Sonya's back! Just in time for supper. The kettle's boiled.

Poor dear, you work all the time, never giving yourself a break.

Sasha brought in a girl. They've been sitting there, talking and listening to music.

- You may be a granny soon. - Stop crowing. He's not old enough...

- What was it you wanted to say? - You see...

- Hi. - Hi. - Bye. - Bye.

- I'll walk Natella home. - Don't be late. - I'm not a little boy.

So?

It's about Sasha's coach. But it can wait.

The rent from Andre. For six months.

Thanks. - Do I owe you anything?

Here's your money. "Take it with my picture". I was really on the rocks.

Pity. I hoped you'd be blackmailing me and tell my husband.

I can't bring myself to do it.

Give it a try. He'll be happy you're out of this...

Your kids will grow in a free country. I've got one son. He's 16.

OK, you'll save him from Afghanistan.

I wasn't planning to go.

An intelligent person can't help feeling disgust here.

I didn't notice disgust in your stories

about the advantages of the socialist lifestyle.

Because you can't read between the lines.

How come you are not on the Champs d'Elysee?

They've been plowed already. I'm late. I'll turn 46 in Nov.

You can work the Champs d'Elysee when you are not older than 20.

- Right. They don't pay for "between the lines". - Very witty.

See that you're not late for your reportage.

Foreign listeners are dying to hear your candid words.

Cheers! The master's back.

The master. - How beautiful! - The master and breadwinner.

lndeed. Where did you get it? Did you go to Paris?

I bought it here, in a supermarket. - No! - For dollars of course.

You can't get it for rubles.

I'm an asshole. I showed you that you are poor

and can't afford it. - It's okay. You are so kind.

That's really nothing. Just nice wrapping, that's all.

You can't afford to buy it - but you feel happy. - Not really.

You don't get it. You are... You are not slaves.

Not the slaves of money. You don't think about it,

but about important things. Love, spirituality, God, the Universe...

All we talk about is money. Ours is a consumer society.

Buy, buy... And here it's get, get.

It's not important if you have it.

And if you don't have it, you think it's most important.

I love you.

- Thus dinosaurs died out. - You will not die out.

- You are strong. - Oh, yes. - Braggart!

- How about... er...? - Sleep, sleep!

September 2, 1983.

Reporting violation

of the Soviet airspace.

- Destroy the target. - Right.

- Why you refuse to talk to me? - l? When was it?

I called at 8 AM. lra said you were asleep.

I said to wake you up. She did but you refused to talk to anyone, she said.

That's right. I had a headache and was in no mood for talking to people.

- These things happen.

- Good pancakes. How do you make them? - I add veg marrows.

- And grate them. - Come to think of it.

I've been unfaithful to you.

What?

I've been unfaithful to you. The first time in my life.

There's always a first time.

I don't want to cheat on you. I can't. I respect you too much.

But I also respect myself.

I can't sleep with you anymore. It's--

Sure, you can't, since you were with the other guy. How very noble of you.

I've fallen in love, Serge. Am I expected to be moved to tears?

My pancakes! What are you doing?

- Scalded yourself, you bitch? Come on, tell me.

- Everybody's hitting me today. - Hitting you? Does he work with you?

Stop it. Sasha's here.

What's with you? Oh, pancakes! Why aren't you at school?

The chemistry teacher got sick. Why this water?

I dropped the kettle.

- Go. You'll be late for classes. - Why are you sending me away?

You heard about the TASS statement?

An UFO's been shot down. At Vladivostok I guess.

Great. Maybe it's a flying soccer.

- Go to school now. - What's with you?

He mustn't know. At least not this year. I've figured it out.

We'll tell him I'll stay with lra awhile. lra has problems and I've got to help her.

You don't worry. I'll be coming often to do the cooking and laundry.

- Check his homework. - I'll kill you or else strangle.

- Bitch. - I've thought of that too.

I'm going to see mum and arrange for Sasha to stay with her to stay with her.

while you'll be killing me. You'll get used to it.

We have no right to ignore the lessons of history.

Our task is to teach people to tell good from bad. We mustn't let

such things happen again. The Soviet Union is an empire of evil.

We're listening in to Reagan on Eurovision.

The whole world's agog, only we, like, live on another planet.

Call TASS again. Ask them if there'll be any comment or not.

lgor Nikolayevich, I've settled it. Miroshnikov will stand in for me. Bye.

What's all this about?

I can't hear you.

The Boeing has backup systems.

Have you gathered them for a comrades' trial?

- Nope. They are worried about that Boeing. - What Boeing?

269 passengers! Children, women...

I got some oranges.

We are celebrating.

The Americans and Koreans are responsible for the passengers.

- And we are glad to show our might. - You are really hard to please.

You'd sling mud on Stalin saying he didn't trust Zorge fearing provocation.

Now we didn't fear provocation and shot the plane down. You don't like it either.

Why should people pay for it? Must we be thanked for killing 300 people?

Reagan is right - we are an evil empire.You should be ashamed to say this.

It's an evil empire for him. For us it's the Motherland.

Here's one. The worm-son asks his father:

"Do we worms feel good living in an apple?" - "Very good, son."

"And in an orange?" -"Just wonderful." "Why then do we live in muck?"

Vilen, not in front of children. "Because it's our Homeland, sonny".

They make up such jokes in a special ClA department.

- Yeah, they come to work and start making them up. - Exactly what they do.

It was just a stray plane but all the army was alerted.

In 1945 just one plane flew over Hiroshima.

The Japs didn't even sound an alarm. Who wants to bomb us anyway?

You may take it personally: but tell me why the hell do we have such

a helluva lot of missiles? - Do the Americans need them?

They all are arming themselves because of us.

Can you be serious?

I've got an impression I'm in North Carolina, not in Moscow.

So the Americans're right and we savages hamper progress?

I wouldn't like to live in the country where you rule.

They'd show you general human values, fuck you.

If you are right, why do we jam Western radio stations -

The Voice of America, BBC, the German wave, Freedom?

Because they lie shamelessly. If they lie, expose them but

don't try to decide for me - what should I listen in,

That's a fine philosophy! The system is to blame for it all.

- Thank God you're home. - What is it?

Andre is proclaimed a persona non-grata. Come, we may find him in yet.

Did you listen in to the Freedom this morning? They quoted from his article.

Witty, scathing, biting. He's a real profy. I envy him.

They wouldn't forget such things.

Just deny him accreditation and send him packing in 24 hours.

- How could he do it? Why? - He did right. He told the truth.

The truth? What's truth?

Your truth is that we shot down a plan. Out truth is that it violated our airspace.

Don't you understand there can be no truth in politics.

Just force and interests. Oh, why didn't he call me?

He did. You were not home.

Yes, I was... No, I wasn't. Oh my God, where was l? I was at work.

We had it out with Serge. I bought a nice torch.

Wait a minute... I had a dream. I had a dream. I was given a sign.

- I was given a sign but I didn't get it. - Traffic jam.

Thanks. I'll foot it. Not everything is lost yet.

- You don't know the way. - I'll manage.

You should be proud of him. He called things by their proper names.

What names? I know just two names.

I was called Sonya, he was called Andre. - Why was?

- So they envied us. - Who?

It's the envy of Gods.

Thank God, we've made it.

- Hi. - Hi.

Neither shame, nor conscience.

Here's the figurant.

You don't have much time.

Andryusha dear, how could you? Why didn't you ask me? Why?

- Forgive me, Sonya. - It's death.

I'd have explained it all to you.

- Please.

Please, don't.

The Soviet TV reader has reported

continuous violations of Soviet space by US aircraft.

The Voice of America says the bodies of

some of the Boeing passengers had been found.

But he was doggedly pursuing his course. I had an order.

A clearcut order. - Poor boy.

Do you know how many men he sent to kingdom come just pushing the button?

He's a soldier. He must obey orders.

My mother's here. Pull yourself together. You look like a sleep-walker.

Mother knows nothing and doesn't have to know it.

Sonya, let's give it a try.

Like you said nothing yesterday.

But you must promise me you'll break it off with him.

Just promise you'll never see that guy and I'll forget the whole thing.

I will, Sonya.

No. I can't promise you that.

Hey, woman, leave the track.

Rise up. Look at you sprawling... Come on, give me your hand.

You hear me?

Please help me. I'm sick. - You surely can bear it.

- No, I can't. - Poor girl. - She can't. - I can't. It hurts.

All people can. You can too.

If it hurts, then you're alive. Get up, honey.

Let's go to our lodge. It's warm and good there.

We'll have tea. You'll spend the night with us. Come on.

We'll go to church tomorrow. There's a good church nearby.

Father Valentin gives good sermons there.

Tomorrow is a great holiday.

We'll put a taper for our Lady of Kazan, say prayers.

Now let's go to our lodge, have tea and you'll tell us your story.

Sonya - Vera Alentova

Andre - Anatoly Lobotsky

Serge - Alexander Feklistov

Bernard - Gerard Depardieu

Sonya's Mother - Irina Skobtseva

Sonya's Father - Vladlen Davydov

Mother-in-Law - Ludmila Ivanova

Irina - Larisa Udovichenko

Igor - Vladimir Eremin

Natasha - Marina Dyuzheva

Vadim - Leonid Trushkin

Krapivin - Alexander Voroshilo

Vilen - Victor Pavlov

Sonya's Son - Yuri Kolokolchikov

Igor Kirillov, Anna Shatilova Nina Eremina as themselves

in a Vladimir Menshov film

THE ENVY OF GODS

General Investor ROSNEFTEEXPORT

General Director Tamaz Somkhishvili

Written by Marina Mareyeva Vladimir Menshov

Director of Photography Vadim Alisov

Production Designer Valery Filippov

Executive Producer Natalia Popova

General Producers Alexander Litvinov Vladimir Menshov

Music by Victor Lebedev

Lyrics by Yuri Ryashentsev

2000 "GENRE" Film Studio MOSFlLM Studios

Preuzeto sa www.titlovi.com