Original subtitles

MOSFILM

SSDKO

Written by K. ISS YEV Based on Russian foIkIore

Directed by SIexander PTUSHKO

Director of Photography F. PROVOROV

Production Designers Ye. KUMSNKOV, Ye. SVIDETELEV

Music by N.S. RIMSKY-KORSSKOV

Editing and Sdditions Composer V. SHEBSLIN

Sound by V. ZORIN Choreography by S. KOREN

Cast:

Sadko -- S. STOLYSROV Lyubava -- S. LSRIONOVS

Trifon -- M. TROYSNOVSKY Vyshata -- N. MSLISHEVSKY

Ivashka -- B. SUROVTSEV Kuzma -- Yu. LEONIDOV

Timofey Larionovich - I. PEREVERZEV

OmeIyan DaniIovich -- N. KRYUCHKOV Monk -- S. MSRTINSON

Maharajah -- M. SSTSNGOV Varangian Leader -- L. FENIN

King of the Sea -- S. KS YUKOV Water-sprite Queen -- O. VIKLSNDT

Princess of IImen -- Ye. MYSHKOVS Phoenix -- L. VERTINSKS YS

FareweII, fareweII O VoIga river.

TweIve years I've saiIed upon your waves.

My heart wiII yearn for you forever,

But new and vaIiant

Feats it craves.

Receive, O VoIga, Sadko's parting bow,

I'II ne'er forget your kindness and your grace,

But, oh, my heart's afire with Ionging now,

Snd wouId the wide and mighty worId embrace.

Greetings to thee, great city of Novgorod!

Why do you Iook at me Iike that?

Don't be angry. May I have a drink of water?

Drink.

- What is your name? - Lyubava.

- What a beautifuI name! - I must go.

Wait! Won't I see you again?

Who knows?

How shaII I find you?

When there's a wiII there's a way.

Lyubava!

- Move on, Vyshata. - Leave off, I'II go myseIf.

Good peopIe! I've soId myseIf into bondage.

Stand me a drink to sweeten my fate.

Go on! You had your fiII!

- Such a misfortune. - Hunger drove him into bondage.

- No Iuck, no happiness. - Where find it?

Don't wait for it. Happiness doesn't come of itseIf.

In a faraway desert, I heard an oId man say

that happiness is a bird that skims the skies.

Catch it, and it's yours. It won't Iet be caught easiIy, though.

Where's that bird of happiness fIying?

You have to search for it.

In far-off Iands, where aII kind of wonders Iive.

Perhaps, the bird of happiness is there, too.

I'II rig up ships and saiI there.

Once I see it, I won't Iet it go.

Snd on what are you going to rig up ships? Must have a weII-Iined purse.

My psaItery is my soIe fortune.

- Not much of a fortune. - You won't get far on it.

Don't grieve, you wretch. What did you seII your freedom for?

- For a haIf grivna. - So IittIe?

Who'II give me a haIf grivna for my sabIe hat?

- The hat is mine! - Mine!

- Mine! - Mine!

If you find happiness, dear man, Ieave some for us.

Poor foIk need it too.

Snd an armIess man stoIe an egg, Hid it in a bare-beIIied man's shirt.

- Snd a bIind man... - ...started Iooking for it!

- Snd a deaf man... - ...started Iistening to it!

- Snd a IegIess man... - ...ran to the constabIe!

- Snd a mute man... - ... ''heIp!'' he yeIIed!

Forget it, Ivashka, he's a rich man. Just bear with him.

I wiII not!

Oh, sons of iniquity!

Off with you!

Come on, come on, Timofey Larionovich.

Who's so honoured a merchant as I, Timofey Larionovich?

Whose storehouses are so bursting with goods as mine?

Upon whose charity does the peopIe feed?

Is there a richer man in Novgorod than I?

You'II burst bragging, Timofey.

There're merchants richer than you in Novgorod.

Snd whose wife is the pride of Novgorod?

Yours, OmeIyan DaniIovich.

Your sweet young wife goes to church strutting Iike a peacock,

and comes back Iike a white swan.

How good, how merry are our banquets!

I wonder!

- Who is he? - Where did he come from?

Where I came from, I am no Ionger there.

But I was born in Novgorod, I'm Sadko, the minstreI.

Never heard of you.

What brings you to our feast?

Why do minstreIs come to feasts? Sing a song for honoured merchants.

Go ahead, sing. We'II see how good you are at the psaItery.

If not, we'II throw you out.

- Why shouId he sing? - Out with him.

Let him sing.

The wise man boasts of his father and mother,

The fooI boasts of his young wife,

The merchant boasts of his fat purse,

Snd the rich man of his goId...

Sbout whom does your shamefuI tongue say such things?

How dare you sing such songs before us?

That was onIy a preambIe. Now for the story!

I saw him at the market-pIace.

He was stirring up the foIk with his deviIish taIk.

Quiet, nobIe merchants of Novgorod!

It's not to quarreI that I've come to you,

but with a humbIe offer.

If I offended you, forgive me.

So you came begging? Sbout time!

What do you want?

Listen to me, O nobIe merchants.

Time you stopped feasting and bragging, trading and cheating.

However great may be your riches,

you can't take them with you to the other worId.

Better take your goods

to distant Iands, over the bIue seas,

show the worId our rich sabIes

and deIicious honeys.

Earn gIory for our dear Novgorod.

He's stark mad!

S beggar trying to teach us!

- Sway with him! - Throw him out!

- Out with him! - Sway with the troubIemaker!

Throw him out!

What he psaItery pIayer says is true.

Is it reaIIy you speaking, VassiIy Potapovich?

Yes, I am.

But this beggar caIIed us stay-at-homes and fooIs.

He's young and unwise. But he spoke the truth.

What he said is to our interest.

He is too green to boss over here. I'm my own master.

Is the minstreI right, Granddad?

What's it to you? Just mind your business, bIow your pipe.

- I'II go with him, Granddad. - Don't you dare!

So you'd Iike to have our goods?

We've saved some goods for Sadko: broken dishes and rotten pots.

Wait, oId man.

He is right. We're wasting time here, fiIIing our coffers.

What? You're taking the beggar's side, you son of a dog?

Going against your father? Want a beating?

The EviI One speaks through him.

SII right, be it your way, honoured merchants.

I'II get the ships without your aid.

I'II strip you of your weaIth!

I'II carpet the streets with your siIks! I'II dress the poor in your brocades!

You're wrong, merchants of Novgorod!

I wiII get the ships!

- Take me aIong, Sadko. - Who are you?

I'm Ivashka the minstreI. I'II be your faithfuI servant.

You're much too young.

I'II give my Iife for you! Take me aIong, I'II be usefuI to you.

SII right, you'II be the first to join my troop.

No go. I must think.

My psaItery meIodious, you're aII that I've got Ieft.

Oh, the shady grove of trees,

Step aside, make way for me.

Through the mist of bitter tears

The whoIe worId I cannot see.

Hark you, biIIowing wave of the Iake,

You're coming in a sparkIing stream,

Hear of my IamentabIe fate,

Hear of my most cherished dream...

Won't you even Iook at me?

Oh, you wondrous vision!

You marveIous beauty!

- Sm I not fair? - Indeed, you are!

I Iike you too.

Your mournfuI song has charmed my souI.

Why are you so sad, my darIing? TeII me.

If I cannot aid you myseIf, I'II beg my father to.

Snd who is your father, fair maid?

My father is the formidabIe King of the Sea.

His beautifuI paIace stands in the bottomIess depths

where goId-finned fishes and ocean monsters dweII.

Great is my father's domain.

Come with me, Sadko, to my father's kingdom!

Wait. I mustn't Ieave the earth yet.

I've promised the peopIe to get the bird of happiness.

But I don't know how to do it.

I'm too poor to buy ships. I feeI desperate.

Too poor to buy ships?

Come here tomorrow morning.

I'II bring you goId-finned fishes. They're priceIess.

WiII you Iove me then?

Now I must Ieave you. The dawn is near.

Goodbye, Sadko.

Come tomorrow!

GoId-finned fishes!

They're priceIess!

Ha, ye merchants of Novgorod, I'II show you!

Leave your work! SII to assembIy! Let's go!

What's happened? Why is the tocsin ringing in the middIe of the night?

Why the ringing?

Setting up a new prince or bidding fareweII to the oId one?

- Who dared summon the peopIe? - I did!

That troubIemaker again?

- Take him! - Srrest him!

Don't put me to death, free men, my brothers, but Iet me speak!

- Throw him from the bridge! - Let him speak!

Let him speak. Speak, Sadko!

Hear me, free men!

I came to Novgorod with good news. I wished to bring gIory to Novgorod,

but the merchants mocked at me.

They didn't beIieve a word of mine.

Snd here I'm saying before aII the peopIe:

St sunrise tomorrow I'II cast a net in Lake IImen

and catch a wonder fish with fins of goId!

There're no goId-finned fishes in the IImen!

You're trying to make fooIs of us?

Drown the Iiar!

Catch the fish, Sadko! Catch the fish with fins of goId!

SII right, honoured merchants, I'II Iay you a wager.

If I catch that wonder fish, I get your goods.

If I don't, you chop my head off.

Is it a good wager?

What do you think, Orkhip Sevastyanovich?

We'II get his head cheap.

- WeII, what do you say, merchants? - Sgreed!

Have aII of you free men heard that?

We aII did!

So be it!

When the sun rises, cast your net, Sadko!

If you faiI to catch the fish by sunset, off goes your head!

SII right!

O, Sun!

Who wiII join me?

Take me, Sadko! Me too! Me too!

I'm not inviting you to fish, we're saiIing in search of happiness.

It won't be easy, I need staIwart men.

Whoever passes my test, wiII go with me.

Come on, try us.

You see? He's coIIecting a troop to go fishing.

Never mind, Iet him amuse himseIf untiI sunset.

We'd better buiId the scaffoId quick.

RoII up a barreI of wine.

Snd get me a goodIy cup.

Come up, good peopIe!

- Test me, Sadko. - Drink up.

No good, too weak. Now you.

- SII right. - Here, take the cup.

Good Iad. Now I'II try to knock you down.

Hit me.

No good, either.

- Try me, Sadko. - SII right, Kuzma, take the cup.

If you keep on your feet, you're good for my troop. If you don't, I'm sorry.

Come on, hit me, I'II bear no grudge.

Good for you, Kuzma! Stand on my right.

Try me, Sadko!

Damn that beggar! Look what he's up to!

No matter. His end is near.

You'II do!

- Try me too. - Stand on my right, Vyshata.

No, I want some wine.

Drink it.

Come on, hit me!

He needs a cudgeI to hit him, not a fist.

Let it be the cudgeI.

Let him wrestIe with my bear -

prove his strength!

Let it be the bear. Come on.

WeII, Bruin, defend yourseIf!

Easy, easy, you giant! You'II kiII the beast, you deviI!

You're mighty strong, Vyshata. Get in Iine.

WiII you take me on too, Sadko?

You're much too fraiI.

I just Iook fraiI. You'II find me usefuI.

My stomach won't take wine, and you can kiII me with a thread.

But I'm wiIy. Look!

How about that?

Very good, Trifon! You'II do! You may join our troop.

Now, friends, get me a siIken net.

The sun is high.

He wants our goods, does he?

We, too, have something in store for Sadko.

Let's go open our shops.

Riff-raff!

No fish!

No fish!

- No goId-finned fish! - No!

No! No!

Thank you very much, Princess.

He got it!

I got it! Got it!

He got it!

Now you go Iike riff-raff, dear merchant, crawI into our skin.

Why do you Iook so gIum, honoured merchants?

You've Iost - time to pay up.

Hand over the keys to your shops!

Come on, brothers! Here are the keys to shops fuII of goods!

Get yourseIves sharp swords,

cIothe yourseIves in new garments.

You used to be the riffraff, now you are martiaI peopIe.

Stint not the siIks and veIvets -

give them aII to the poor foIk.

Why are you so gIum, Trifon?

Haven't you got a rich dress, or you're just too proud?

What is there to be proud of? The new dress won't make me any wiser.

But you're rejoicing too soon.

Why shouId I not rejoice? Look how happy the foIk are.

SII fed and cIothed.

Did you say aII? Take a better Iook around you.

- What is it? - The peopIe, the riffraff.

You've given away aII there was in the shops, aII the goods, aII you had.

Yet you made onIy a few happy.

On what are you going to saiI in search of happiness?

I forgot about the ships.

- I wanted to make foIk happy at once. - Snd you haven't.

- Lyubava! - Sadko!

Why do you trembIe so, my Iove?

My mother forbids me even to think of you.

Does she think I'II hurt you?

She says you are a good-for-nothing.

You appeared from God knows where, stirred up the peopIe,

insuIted the merchants.

You came into riches easiIy, but squandered everything away.

How can I expect to be happy with you?

That is what mother says, not I.

She's right, I am a ne'er-do-weII.

No one can be happy with me.

I'm sick at heart, Lyubava.

I don't know what to do.

I want to do what's best,

but I get carried away, as if by some roIIing wave.

Your mother is right -

I'II be your ruin.

I don't beIieve mother.

Snd even if she's right, I don't care.

Do as you wish.

I'II bear with grief, I'II bear with pain,

so Iong as you do not Ieave me, my beIoved!

To part with you is Iike cutting my heart in two.

To part with me?

Yes, Lyubava, if I get the ships, I'II set saiI.

Sh, you do not Iove me!

I Iove you more than Iife itseIf.

If I Iooked for happiness onIy for myseIf, I wouId have never Ieft you.

But I've promised the peopIe.

I must keep my word.

Go, then, if your heart makes you to.

But remember that my thoughts wiII aIways be with you.

This is aII I have Ieft.

Thank you very much, Princess.

Wake up, brothers!

Look at these riches!

Scoop up the goId, and run to the wharf.

Summon the best craftsmen.

Let them buiId ships, strong and fast.

With their sides Iike snakes.

With their bows and sterns Iike beasts!

Make haste, brothers!

The bIue ocean caIIs us!

You wiII not forget me?

I'II never forget you.

Wait for me, Lyubava!

Don't Iisten to vicious tongues.

I'II come back to you even if from under the earth.

Look, they are my messengers.

I wiII send you one every year.

Here, I embroidered this amuIet for you.

With our native soiI.

It's time for you to go.

I wiII not see you off.

I don't want peopIe to see my tears.

- What say you, merchants? - Do not bear us a grudge, Sadko.

- One may imagine anything at night. - But by dawn it dispeIs.

Let bygones be bygones, merchants.

He who doesn't run, never stumbIes.

We can see now that you have Novgorod's gIory at heart.

That's what we want, too.

Sren't we the sons of Novgorod? If you need our goods, take them.

Thank you, merchants, for your kind words.

Go, Sadko, work for the good of the peopIe!

Guests aren't weIcome here.

We come with peacefuI hearts.

If they wish to trade with us, good. If not, we'II bear them no maIice.

We've just come to find the bird of happiness.

- I doubt it is here. - Let's ask peopIe.

HaIt!

Whence come you and who bid you here?

Why are you so unfriendIy? We've come from across the bIue sea.

We bring you peace.

We wanted to see you, peopIe, and Iet you Iook at us.

We wish to trade with you.

Go, before it's too Iate!

Why are you so scared of us?

Snother step - and it wiII be your Iast!

WeII, I can stop, since the host insists.

TeII us, have you the bird of happiness here?

Our happiness is to kiII our foes.

What sort of happiness is that, spiIIing human bIood?

Sometimes one is forced to spiII human bIood,

but we don't feeI happy about it.

Let us go from here.

We got our pants wetjust for nothing.

He's taken the step!

Charge, my sons! KiII them.

Watch out, Sadko!

We did not Iift a hand against them.

You've started it, and you shaII rue it!

Come on, brothers, beat them!

- What are you doing here? - Give me the sword!

You're too young. Stay here, on the ship.

Sadko!

You wanted bIood, did you?

CooI off!

Hey, get a saiI!

Bring me a saiI! Quick!

Easy, you giant, you'II damage the steed.

It wiII be aIright.

Take it to the ship.

It wiII be a nice present for Sadko.

What peopIe!

- No bird of happiness can dweII here. - Very unIikeIy.

Cheer up, brothers, we'II find it, even if we have to go to earth's end.

S year passed,

and a second,

and a third is speeding away.

I've nigh gone bIind with watching.

I've sung aII the songs whiIe waiting.

Where are you, my beIoved?...

Hey, peopIe, Christian and non-Christian,

so-and-so, such and such, come up!

Buy our goods, brought from far-away Iands!

Come up and buy!

Sadko!

- There's a bird of happiness here. - Where is it?

In that paIace over there, their Prince keeps it

in a goIden tower, behind seven waIIs.

- Let's go. - Wait.

S thousand soIdiers guard the paIace. We'II just Iose our Iives for nothing.

I'II just take a Iook at it.

Don't be in a hurry, Sadko. We must use cunning here.

Their prince treasures fine steeds above aII eIse.

What if we...

Smart Iad, Trifon!

- Who are they? - Who are you?

We are free merchants from Novgorod.

We trade in deIicious honeys and rich sabIes.

We bow to you, fair Prince.

- Is that your steed? - Yes, it is.

How much do you want for it?

It is not for saIe, I'm saving it for myseIf.

How dare you to deny me?

Don't be angry, I cannot seII it. But if you wish, I might trade it.

Trade it? That suits me weII. What do you want for it?

We heard you have the Phoenix bird.

We wouId Iike having it in Novgorod.

Give me the bird, I'II give you the steed.

Impudent fooI!

My bird is a miracIe, and you want it in exchange for a steed.

I'II order my eIephants to trampIe you to death, and take your steed.

You can't do that!

You can't, because it's a magic steed.

Whoever takes it by force dies a terribIe death.

Just Iook at him!

Then Iet's do it this way. Let's pIay a game of chess.

If you win, the bird is yours.

You Iose, the horse is mine.

Good, Iet's pIay.

Give up the bishop!

Check!

I've won! The steed is mine!

You have Iost, fair Prince!

SII right. You have won my treasure.

But watch out, see you don't Iose your Iife.

That is my concern. Pay up, Prince.

WeII, Iet's go.

Go in!

- How shaII we get back? - We'II manage.

Who thinks of turning back when seeking happiness?

- Maybe we'II go back? - No.

Rest yourseIves on the rugs, seekers of happiness.

You're on the threshoId of the Iand of bIissfuI caIm.

You have spent Iong years in pursuit of happiness,

reaching your eager hands for it,

and, Iike many before you, found nothing but a void.

Naked and homeIess is man upon the earth.

Snd thus it wiII be forever and ever.

Woe to him who tries to grasp happiness by action.

Happiness is caIm,

sIeep,

dreams.

Listen to me, Iook at me

untiI tears veiI your eyes.

Snd faII into eternaI sIumber.

What is the wicked worId and other peopIe to you?

Pity no one, weep for no one.

Snd I, the Phoenix, wiII IuII you with my sweet songs.

SIeep, sIeep.

The caIm bIiss. The caIm bIiss.

Happiness.

SIeep...

SIeep...

SIeep...

Those songs won't do for us!

FooIish bird, come out and Iook at the worId around you!

Can your songs feed your starving peopIe?

No, this is not the happiness we seek!

Let's go, brothers!

- What shaII we do with the bird? - Tuck it in under your coat.

We'II take it to Novgorod and Iet our peopIe wonder at that miracIe.

Why not?

The cockIe is hissing. Cursed vermin!

WeII?

They must be asIeep by now.

Go and bring me their heads.

- Look at him! - He got scared.

The prince does not Iike to Iose.

- He might want to win it back. - Let him try.

- What do we do now? - Wait.

If we're happy enough...

You say, happy?

Come on, sing them your song of happiness, wise bird!

- Sing, I'm asking you niceIy. - Sing!

Do as you're toId!

Drop on to your knees, brave warriors,

and faII into a deep sIeep.

Snd I, the Phoenix, wiII IuII you

with my sweet songs.

The caIm bIiss... caIm bIiss...

SIeep...

CaIm bIiss...

CaIm bIiss...

SIeep... sIeep...

SIeep... sIeep...

Oh, heavy is my heart,

Yearning for my dear father and mother.

The road has taken me far from home,

Snd there's no turning off it.

Where, oh, where Iies the way

To my dear native Iand?

Oh, my beIoved Iand,

I cannot Iive without you...

The oId man Iied. There's no happiness beyond the seas.

Hoist saiI!

We're homeward bound.

My brave troop, we saiIed over many a sea.

But we made no offering to the King of the Sea. He is wrathfuI.

The King of the Sea demands a human sacrifice.

I Ied you across seas, brothers, I'II pay the price.

We shared your Iuck, we'II share your misfortune.

Let us cast Iots. The one who Ioses, wiII go.

Right.

No, brothers! I'm in the King's debtor.

I guess it's time to pay the debt.

I beg you of a Iast favour, brothers:

Throw a cypress board upon the waves and hand me my psaItery.

Do not weep, Ivashka. Sadko is not dead yet, so he's aIive.

We may yet see each other again.

Remember me to the foIk of Novgorod and to my beIoved.

Don't think iII of me!

FIy, my messenger, fIy! FIap your white wings!

Find my beIoved!

TeII him Lyubava's heart has been worn out by grief.

But she's waiting for him, and wiII keep on waiting forever.

GoId is more precious than iron on Iand.

No, iron is more precious!

- No, it's goId! - No, it's iron!

How dare you argue with me?!

- I'm the Sea King, after aII! - Snd I'm the Queen!

My father gave you sheIter out of charity. You must obey me.

- No! - Yes!

No, I mustn't! Want me to hit you with my trident? Then you'II know.

Sha, the rich merchant Sadko came to visit us.

I've been expecting you for a Iong time. Brought your psaItery?

- I have, Your Highness. - Good, brought your psaItery!

It's not a psaItery, it's a cither!

ShameIess woman! It's not a cither, it's a psaItery.

- S cither! - S psaItery!

Stop arguing! Or I don't know what I'II do!

S cither!

TeII her it's a psaItery!

How can I butt in the argument between man and wife?

Better aIIow me to pIay a song for you and the Queen.

Go ahead, pIay, it might caIm me.

King of the Sea, deep and bright,

For riches and fierceness weII known,

Human eye has never beheId such a sight,

Snd the psaItery sings of its own.

Dance, skip!

FiII the hearts of the King and the Queen with gIee.

How can you, dear King, be so bored?

How can you, fierce King, not make merry a Iot?

Don't order Sadko be punished for a song,

But order your monsters join in a dancing throng.

Dance, skip!

FiII the hearts of the King and the Queen with gIee!

PIay merrier!

Ships are wrecked?! PeopIe drowned?! No more!

What's happened?

- Why have you stopped pIaying? - The strings broke.

I must go back to earth for new ones.

Ha, sIy fox!

Just arrived and want to go back aIready?

First marry one of my daughters.

See how many I have?

Then I'II Iet you go for new strings, if you wish.

Choose the one you Iike best.

TeII father you wiII marry me.

But I won't!

Just promise him, that's aII. Snd I'II heIp you once more.

I'm taking this one!

Not her! She's my favourite daughter.

- Take any other one. - No other.

How dare you speak to me Iike that!

I'II onIy give a wink to my vassaIs and they'II tear you to pieces.

Ssk mother!

The King has refused. What do you say, nobIe Queen?

Let him marry her!

Snd I said he won't marry her!

- He wiII! - He won't!

Yes, he wiII!

Let him marry whoever he wants. I do not care.

Why did you make me Iie to your father? I cannot marry you.

I know you do not Iove me, but I'm in Iove with you.

My heart is not my own. I beIong on the earth .

Forgive me, pIease. Fate wiIIed it so.

May not you order your heart?

No, Princess.

I cannot be angry with you, though I shouId.

I must be true that Iove is stronger than anything.

What do you wish now?

I want to be free again.

HeIp me to get to Novgorod, Princess.

SII right... FoIIow me.

He took our dear daughter, Vasya. We've Iost our IImen girI.

Make haste, Sadko. There is no faster sea-horse in the whoIe sea kingdom.

Thank you, Princess.

FareweII forever. We'II never see each other again.

- FareweII, Princess. - Now go, before I change my mind.

Get up, King! Sadko has escaped!

Escaped? My sheII carriage!

Lyubava! My beIoved!

- Sadko! - My precious one!

My darIing.

Where's Sadko?

Sadko's no more.

Why no more? Here I am!

- Have you found happiness? - I have!

Where is it?

Here!

I've been to many Iands, and to the bottom of the sea,

but there's nothing fairer than my native Iand!

Here is our happiness!

The fiIm was restored at M. Gorky FiIm Studio

Restoration crew:

Director -- Georgy Shepotinnik Sound Director -- PaveI Drozdov

Conductor -- Sergey Skripka Manager -- SIexei Sborin

Music editor - YuIian Grunberg

M. Gorky FiIm Studio New version, 1986

The End