Original subtitles

M. Gorky Central Film Studio

WHITE BIM, BLACK EAR

Based on the story by Gavriil Troyepolsky

Starring

Vyacheslav Tikhonov

V. Vladimirova, M. Dadyko I. Ryzhov, I. Shevchuk

M. Zimin, G. Kochkozharov R. Manukovskaya, M. Skvortsova

A. Barantsev, V. Leonov L. Sokolova, A. Chernov

D. Barkov, R. Ryazanova G. Svetlani, V. Sergiyenko

Music by Andrei Petrov Sound by lgor Strokanov

Production Designer Sergey Serebrenikov

Director of Photography Vyacheslav Shumsky

Written and Directed by Stanislav Rostotsky

Bim!

Why are you looking? I'll be back soon.

Stay, Lada! Stay!

Oh, Ivan Ivanych! Come on in!

- You were about to leave. - Never mind, it can wait.

- How are you? - Fine. Come in.

Thank you.

Come in and pick your choice. There they are.

Lada, what's the matter? Good dog.

I don't mean any harm to you. Don't be angry.

Lada, behave yourself!

- They take after father and mother. - Pure breed.

- Yeah... - Can't find any fault with them.

The elite.

Lada! Behave!

She feels what I came for, that's why she's nervous. Lada!

Calm down.

No! No!

I'll have to take her out.

Come on, as long as you don't behave.

Stop it! Aren't you ashamed?

Take your time while I'll put her on a leash.

Come here.

You said she had seven.

Right. I've already given away 3, with 4 left.

Ah... I see.

Stop it, Lada! No!

I'll be right with you.

That's it, Lada. Don't strain. Have some milk.

Calm down.

He managed to get out.

I should've drowned him right away. All the signs of degeneration.

The damned albino!

How did he come about?

Sometimes they're born yellow, but this happens once in a 100 years.

Disgracing all his forebears.

My wife wouldn't have him drowned, and now it's too late.

We have to rid of him some other way.

Don't tell anyone, or the parents will be ruined. I'll put him to sleep.

What else can I do? lf it gets known, no one will take the puppies.

It makes me sick just to look at him.

Go away!

I advise you to take this one.

Hasn't he got a fine coloring?

Take any of the four. They'll all be medalists.

I guarantee it.

Bim! It's me.

Oh-oh-oh...

How do you like that!

Who did it?

Whose doing is that?

Tut-tut!

You rascal!

We got no one to clean here. And it's hard for me to stoop. Where're you?

Come here!

Where're you? Come on, come here. Let's talk.

Look for yourself...

You've torn the Bible for Believers and Non believers. Never touch books.

Not books. Listen to me, Bim!

Never touch books, or else! You get it.

Shame on you! Shame on you!

So you were interested in feathers.

It's a pillow, not a grouse.

Oh, you've come to help me?

Go ahead. Good boy! Thank you.

Hey!

No! Stop it!

Are you interested in my biography?

Hello there!

You feel lonely? I'm doing it for you. Or you won't be let in a nice society.

All right, take it easy.

Listen to what I found in Sabaneyev's.

Given the fact that the Setter originated

from an ancient breed of hunting dogs, it is not surprising

that Setters perhaps represent the most cultured, intelligent breed.

That's right. Let's go on.

Red Setters were also bred by the court doctor Bers.

He crossed one of the bitches with the Emperor's Black Setter.

I don't know what the puppies were like and where they went.

But one of them was raised by Count Leo Tolstoy.

You see, if you got your black ear from the Emperor's dog...

All right, let's forget about the Emperor.

Then you may come from the dog ofthe world's greatest author!

Go to sleep! Sleep!

Everything will be all right.

Everything will be all right.

Search, Bim!

Why are you standing? Search!

You worked well today. Only you must lie down when a bird flies up,

and you get excited and carried away.

You shouldn't.

You might get shot.

We'll get a pedigree certificate and medals.

Who else should get them if not you? You'll see.

You're a dog with an amazing scent.

- Am I intruding? - No.

Now you made it clear to me.

I often see you in the meadows.

You look like a hunter, but you have no gun.

So it's all for his sake.

For him to live up to what he's destined for.

Just imagine, as soon as he scents a bird

he gets like dead.

Yes!

I'd love to have one like him scenting fish.

He must be very purebred. Is he?

He is.

- But not everything's right with him. - Why not?

His coloring should be black with reddish dapples.

And he's not that at all. His coloring isn't typical.

The sign of degeneration. They might not give us the documents.

And deprive him of all his dog's rights.

So if he was like everybody else, then it would be all right.

But once he has his own looks, it means he's bad?

This is not right.

Bim and I also think so.

- What about your fishing? - Ah! Forget it.

You look around... and you fell better.

Everything has its use, everything's forjoy.

As with him: his legs, his ears, his nose.

With your nose, we'll be all right. Others will be jealous ofyou.

Only don't you cock it.

- Well, I must be going. - Good luck to you.

It's better to be not alone. There's someone to talk to.

Sometimes I feel like it was only yesterday.

At other times it seems to have been long ago.

I didn't notice how our first summer had passed.

Bim got to know my duties and my habits.

We were looking forward to the fall.

And, at last, it arrived.

Hurry up, folks! Hurry! The bus is leaving.

Go on.

Don't be afraid, the dog's kind. Sit!

- Dogs are not allowed on the bus. - Why not?

So according to regulations... get out!

- Why are they not allowed? - Just like that.

- You're inventing it! - I'm not!

- I won't go. - We waited half an hour for you.

Get ready your ticket money. I said I won't go until you get out!

- What am I to do? - How should I know?

I'll pay you.

Get in, pop.

I'm not supposed to.

Otradnoye stop! Get off, folks! Don't forget your stuff!

Thank you for your attention.

- You know what you are, moonlighter? - Get off!

You are a parasite!

I can deliver you to the commandant's. I've got a whistle.

Go ahead, whistle! You whistler!

You shouldn't have paid him. He had no right to do it.

- Good luck to you, guys! - Goodbye.

Let's take a rest.

Can you imagine? I offered a bribe.

You don't care. But what about me?

It makes no difference if it's a ruble for a small thing or 20 for a big one,

or 1000 for a major one.

It's a shame all the same.

As if selling my conscience by little bits.

You don't understand, Bim, that these pieces of paper and your conscience

are sometimes directly correlated.

Hello, Trofimych!

Oh! lvan lvanych! Good evening!

- I wondered who could it be so late? - Will you take me in for the night?

A good man is always welcome here.

Here's some potatoes.

You've got some poor trophies. You shot only one bird?

- Bim roused three more. - What? Did you miss?

I guess I'm getting old.

I hate to kill game. But if I don't shoot, I'll spoil the dog.

You got a beautiful dog.

His coloring is not standard. I'm afraid we won't get the certificate.

Doesn't he obey?

He obeys all right. You won't find many clever dogs like him.

Look at him fawning. You speak well of him and he's fawning.

Go to your place.

I guess life is more cheerful now, with him beside you.

That's right, more cheerful.

Eat, my dears, help yourself.

About killing. You're right. We've had our fill of killing.

Remember the instruction to kill magpies?

A harmful bird. And kites, too.

Yes, I remember.

Then a new edict: they're not enemies and killing them is prohibited.

And what about the wolves?

We've annihilated almost all ofthem.

And another news: kill crows, because they ravage nests.

And how many birds I found who died of poisons poured in the soil!

They tried to save the soil from pests and killed birds instead.

Killing birds means killing the forest. The forest can't live without birds.

And who is to blame? Lump it all on the gray crow.

Now they got alarmed and passed a law

and all kinds of edicts for the living creatures to breathe more easily.

Only each man has to have his own responsibility in this matter.

His heart should bleed for it.

Because nature means life, and life means nature.

They can't live without each other.

And everyone should know it since early years.

No matter ifyou become a minister or a ploughman.

- Why don't you write about it? - You talk some rubbish, old man.

No, he's right.

Only we must write about it in time, not after the event.

Right. It's easy to be bold after the event.

Eat, my dears.

And the certificate should be given on the merit, not on the coloring.

Don't lose heart. A clever dog will prove itself.

- You better go, your hanger-on's here. - I'm coming.

It's an elk cub. His mother was shot, so we're rearing him.

Coming, coming.

Here. Come with me.

Come here. Come on.

Here!

Good boy!

Don't be in a hurry.

- Here, it's a present for you. - You shouldn't, Petrovna! Thank you.

Enjoy it.

Goodbye.

- Let's go, Bim. - He can't wait. Go on, run!

Go!

Why are you looking? Nobody's perfect.

What happened?

Oh! It's a hedgehog, Bim.

It's a useful creature. No! He's the enemy of bad insects.

You won't scare him. He's bold. Not even afraid of snakes. Let's go.

Learned people say you see everything in gray. That's too bad.

But cheer up. In the first place, they may be wrong.

And in the second, it means you got your own point of view.

Today we had a happy day.

Those were truly happy days.

Winter came.

We were ready for the first exam and were waiting for the summer.

We didn't know that we were in for much more serious trials

than the recognition of Bim's hunting skills.

We couldn't even imagine how many unexpected friends and enemies

we would meet in the future.

Bim? Hi!

Why are you sitting here? Have you got lost? Show me where's your home.

Come on, show me.

I'm coming. You mean, here?

Well, go in.

Be patient.

Your owner will open up now, and I have to go.

Come in! Why don't you come in, Bim?

Good afternoon!

I thought he got lost. And he led me here.

- Come in! - No, I don't want to disturb you.

Come in, we'll be glad if you do.

I don't feel well. So he has to go out alone.

Aren't you afraid?

Bim doesn't leave me alone for long.

After he has his walk, he scratches at the door, knowing it will open.

He can't reach up to the doorbell. That's how he announces himself.

He's learned that the doors are for everyone to come in.

You just have to ask, and you'll be let in.

I wish it was so.

- What's wrong with you? A flu? - No.

It's my heart... Old wounds.

Old wounds is an asset, of course, but they're no fun.

Right.

And where's your missus? I see you manage on your own.

She's gone... It's been three years.

I'm sorry... I didn't mean...

It's too bad...

How about his rights? Have they recognized them or not?

We'll know next summer. At the exhibition.

Your attention, please! Scottish setters are called to the ring.

Male dog youngest age group.

Please come to the ring.

Start moving in the ring.

Keep your distance!

Follow your prescribed number.

- You can begin. - Thank you.

Change to number five.

- What kind of wonder is that? - Something unprecedented.

From Bets and Lada. Three of his brothers are here, too.

- It's unbelievable! - An albino.

- I've never seen anything like that. - He could at least have dyed him.

- Just amazing! - He must be a humorist!

He'd better choose another place and time for his jokes.

- Who is the man? - He's retired. After the war.

- He's a serious man. - A writer. Sometimes gets published.

All retired men are writers. Call him to the table.

Owner of the dog number six,

please come to the judges' table.

- All my puppies will be rejected now. - Maybe.

If only the judges were from our town, but they have a professor from Moscow.

That white dog is the most beautiful of all.

What are you presenting to us?

A pure Scottish setter. His parents are named in the appraising sheet.

But neither father nor mother has any white coloring.

- That's right. But... - We have no right to appraise him.

Put it away.

But... he has outstanding field qualities.

Maybe. I'm removing your dog from the ring,

because its coloring doesn't meet the requirements of the breed.

You know, Leo Tolstoy had a setter

from the red father and black mother, and hence...

This way anyone can trace the origin of his dog

to the great writer's dog.

And thus raise yourself to the level of Tolstoy.

You're right. We have too many Tolstoys...

They're turning up in numbers.

What does it mean?

- Ask the outsiders to leave the ring. - All right, Bim. Let's go.

Unauthorized persons, please leave the ring.

Let's go.

Ivan lvanych, it's nothing personal!

The dog Bim is being taken off the ring for not meeting the requirements.

- Your briefcase. - Why did you bring him here?

He's the most beautiful dog anyway. Will you sell him to me?

Sell me the dog!

Good for you. You said it honestly and on principle. Take it easy.

We shall go on living. You're a good dog. Everybody loves such dogs.

Even if you have no pedigree certificate and medals.

Ha! Running like crazy. Dogs all around.

In old times residents wouldn't have put up with this outrage!

They only spread infection. And eat food that's in short supply.

- Who? - Who? The dogs!

- Hello! - Hello!

Jerk!

- He visits her every day. - Perhaps they're in love.

Love! ln an individual one-room apartment! Of course!

I bet they couldn't do it in a communal apartment.

- No, there's some use in them, too. - In whom?

I mean the dogs.

Oh! What an idea! Just look at what's going on.

What are their parents thinking about? I would've complained long ago.

What do you mean, some use? With an owner like his?

He lets him run without a muzzle, scaring the children. He may bite them.

- Who? - Who? We're talking about the dog.

- You're not very quick-witted. - It's just that l...

He bit me! He bit me!

What on earth is going on? Good people, you're all witnesses!

No, I'm not going to put up with it! Man-eater! Pal Titych!

Pal Titych! Tell me, what is this?!

I knew it was going to happen!

- What did you know? - He bit me, the parasite!

Hey!

Bim, what's the matter?

Who has scared you?

We'll go to the editorial office now, and tomorrow the hunting season starts.

Come in! It's not locked!

- Hi there! - Good morning.

- Going hunting? - Yes, hunting.

- Fox hunting? - No, we've nothing to do with foxes.

You'll have to wait.

May I ask why?

- Hunting is permitted. - Yes, permitted. On a limited basis.

Well, let's get to the point.

Sit down!

You've got a dog. And I've got a complaint. Here.

It's some nonsense.

He's never bitten anyone and will not. Bim is an intelligent dog.

Intelligent! He nearly knocked me off my feet once.

A strange way to look into it. One who is complained about has to read it.

That's the prescribed way. Besides, the complaint is about a dog.

We won't give it to the dog to read. The dog has to be fired.

It doesn't have proper documents either. I checked it.

We should meet the plaintiff and talk to her.

Just a minute.

- Where are you? - I'm here. Where else?

Come here.

So much for our hunting.

- There she is. - I can tell it right to his face.

There's no law allowing dogs to attack people.

He bit me.

- Bit you? - Wanted to bite.

- Wanted to? - He almost bit me.

Bim, where're you? Come here.

The door is open. Go and close it.

And fetch my slippers.

Hurry up!

Good. Now bring the other one.

Thank you.

What do you know! Nice doing. Good for him.

Sit on the chair.

We have guests. Say hello.

- Hi! Left one, closer to the heart. - You too. Come closer.

- Tell him: give me your paw. - He won't bite?

Don't be afraid, he won't. Say hello.

- Give me your paw. - Don't be afraid!

Bim! What's going on?

What kind of behavior is that?! Come here!

He insulted me!

That lousy dog scorns me, a respectable lady!

Enough!

He never bit you and he doesn't even want to know you!

- Stop yelling at me! - Hush! Some respectable lady!

Go! Go!

I'll go! But you will answer for it!

You will have to remember everything you said here! I will make you to!

- You were rather rude to her. - It's the only way to speak to them.

If I let them get out of hand, there'll be anarchy in the house.

Bad resident makes a toilet rumble.

- Who is my worst enemy? - Who?

Those who don't work. They may not work but eat a bellyful.

Yes, that's possible.

- What do you do, by the way? - I write.

It's no work. You just sit doing nothing, yet you're being paid.

Yes, sometimes. But I live on my pension.

I do, too. But I work as a housing committee chairman. Without pay.

I've been at executive posts all my life, but didn't get a special pension.

Writing is not an easy job either.

Writing? Everyone can write today.

If you were younger, I would beat some sense into you.

Well, let it be.

If you write the truth, then carry on.

You can even be paid for the truth, but it happens more often

that you yourself have to pay for it.

You may stay, Bim, but don't mess with that woman.

Get away! Go home!

What's the matter? Quiet!

Why all this racket, disturbing the working people's rest?

Open up your eyes! This pest bites me again!

Where are you going? Maybe you'll tell us all?

I know where. To the market place again, hiking your price triple-wise.

It's Sunday, people want to relax,

and you rob them of their last kopeck.

What are you scolding her for? Maybe she's joining the hikers.

What is this?! You're disgracing me before everybody because of that dog!

- I'm going to report you! - Aren't you ashamed?

Me ashamed? It's you who should be ashamed!

I'll write about you, too.

Go on, write! Authoress!

Bim, go home. I told you, don't mess with her.

What are you doing?!

They're laughing. Very funny.

I'd like to look at you when that beast bites you.

They've never seen a woman before! Crawling out of their holes!

Just you wait! He will bite you all!

Well? We go hunting. Are you glad?

Let's go. Or they'll stop us again.

I've been on a lookout for you.

- No see, though hunting's permitted. - Yes...

I thought they deprived him of his rights and took the dog away.

No, it can't happen.

They deprived him of his rights, but not of his responsibilities.

You were hurt? Don't worry. I won't trade you for anything.

Friendship doesn't need any documents.

- Go run around. - The paper doesn't mean anything.

What kind of an apparition is that?

It's not an apparition... It's a misfortune.

Where's its owner?

It has no owner. Used to have.

All homeless dogs used to have owners.

This shaggy creature lived in a small old wooden house.

It didn't burden anyone, it served as it could.

Then the house was pulled down.

The owners got an apartment with parquet floors. The dog was turned out.

You know that or you made it up?

Life made it up, not me.

It's going to perish.

No, I'll take it in. Come here, come on.

Bim, here!

Wait! Where are you going? I'll catch you anyway.

Wait! Why are you so angry?

You can go. I will catch it.

- It won't go with you. - It will.

It doesn't believe people anymore.

Wait, I won't do you any harm.

Let's go.

I feel bad, Bim.

I feel so bad.

The shell fragment moved.

I feel so bad, Bim!

- Come on in. - Who's there?

The doctors are here.

- No, Bim! Here! - Bim dear.

- What do we do? - Bim, come here!

Calm down. They're good people. Don't be afraid, Doctor.

Give me your hand.

There you go.

What a misfortune!

- What's troubling you? - It's my heart.

- A shell fragment. Since the war. - When was the last attack?

It's never been that bad.

Never. Unbutton your shirt.

You need to go to hospital.

- Stepanovna! Where's Bim? - He's here.

Hold it, dear.

Get ready. And hurry up.

There's nothing we can do about it, Bim.

Wait!

I'll be back soon. Wait, understand? Wait.

Bim, you can't go. No, you can't go!

Stay.

- Stepanovna, my dear. - Yes, Ivan Ivanych?

- Will you look after Bim? - All right.

Let him out in the morning. He'll come back himself. Wait a second.

- I'll do everything. - He'll be waiting for me.

- All right, don't worry. - Please.

Get well.

Everything will be all right. Get well.

Bim, I brought you some porridge. Here, eat!

You miss your owner so much! It's just unbelievable!

Then go for a walk, Bim.

Look for something out there.

I guess you like grass, or you'll dig up something in the trash.

Go! Search.

- What do you want here? - Leave me alone!

Why are you bothering me? Get away!

Why did you come here?

Hey! Just look at you!

- Ouch! Get away! Get away! - Catch him!

Petrov, drive him away, or the chiefwill give me hell.

Get out of here!

There you go. It's a serious institution. It's medicine, pal.

- Team 3, an emergency call! - Where're you going?

Are you still here? Go away!

The address?

Sadovaya Street, 47.

Will you go away or not?!

I hate working nights.

Then look for some other job.

So you never left? That's too bad. You must be hungry.

Let me share it with you. Eat!

Oh, you're in a pretty bad shape. What happened?

Tell me.

Here, eat.

Eat it.

You wretched creature!

Waiting for your owner?

It's not a hospital, it's an emergency room.

Come on, I'll let you out.

Run home. Perhaps your owner is waiting for you.

Right. Good boy!

Goodbye!

No, I'm saying the truth. Run home!

Coming, Bim!

I'm opening. You're here! Good dog.

You've come home, poor thing. Are you hungry?

I knew it, you found something to eat. Good for you. Go to sleep now.

I'll let you out in the morning. Sleep.

Where are you going?!

- Good morning. - Good morning.

What is this?

A dog in a medical institution?! Get rid of it immediately!

- Help me, please. - Go home.

- Get out! - Don't beat the dog!

- You managed, didn't you? - Maybe he'll listen to you?

Step back. What if I treat you so...?

He's waiting for his master.

Your master isn't here. You must search for him.

Go! Come on!

Search for your master. Close the gate.

Waiting for your master or you got lost?

Take the candy. It's good.

- He won't. - We have to unwrap it.

He must be not hungry.

Well now! Look what we got!

Dogs on a thoroughfare! ls that your territory?

Right. I can see.

You don't see. He refuses a candy. They make our life miserable.

So don't live. Look at you, so emaciated, poor thing.

Are you getting personal?! What's so funny?

Get back, I have to work. I'm speaking to you, dumbbell.

He insulted me again! I'm calling the police!

Go ahead, call them!

- I'll show you! - Scaring me with police.

- Officer! - Yes?

- And you, wait. Your master will come. - He didn't persuade the policeman.

Natasha, what are you doing?!

- Where's the police? - You'll see.

Don't touch him! He may be contagious.

It's really outrageous! With all the flues and infections around!

A walking infection sitting next to the young generation.

Not every dog is infectious. Look what a nice dog he is.

What barbarity! We fight it, give lectures.

What ignorance!

- Are you so sure? - You yourself an infection!

Yes, barbarity! He bit me, too!

I even bled! I was disabled for a whole month.

No way! Where did he bite you? Show us.

You whippersnapper! They educate you in college, you vermin,

and what are you saying to a respectable woman?

Where's our country going?

If you could only see yourself from the outside.

- Who gave you the right to insult me? - Police!

Call the police.

- Good afternoon. Who shouted? - She did.

Why don't you watch? Dogs at a street crossing of a regional center!

- And wild pithecanthropuses. - He's swearing, unafraid of jail.

- Wait. You insulted me. - Don't go yet. Any witnesses?

What's up?

That student guy wouldn't go to the police station.

Them two want, but he ain't.

Resisting the police.

- He must go if they take him. - Take him to the station.

What shall we do with you?

Whom are you waiting for? Your owner?

They're all like that. We educate them on our money, and they insult us.

Oh! There he is! Speaking of the devil! The main culprit!

It was all because of him. It's good of you to bring him.

He came here himself. He's a clever dog.

Clever. How can you say such things about beasts?

He and l, we saw everything. That boy is not guilty.

What? I can't even pronounce what he called me.

- It's a stray dog. Should be poisoned. - Enough!

We came here to...

Keep quiet! Or I'll lock up everyone. Come on, tell your story.

- Lyucia, have you seen Bim? - No.

- He ran away. - He'll come back.

We told everything right, didn't we?

- Please. - You can go.

- Can we go too? - Thank you, dog. And thank you, too.

- He understands everything. - And what about us?

You stay.

- Connect me to the hunters' union. - All right.

- Well, Black Ear? - Andrei Leonidovich!

Hello? We need information on a dog. A setter.

Number? Let me see. 124.

No information? It can't be... It's a good dog.

Where? City Council? Thank you. Get me the City Council.

He has no owner. The dog is not registered.

- Ifthey bark at us at the poluce... - You can go.

That's all? How can we expect order? Everybody got out of hand.

- Veterinarian department. - Go, granddad. Look up No.124.

- I'm father to you, not granddad. - Go and rest.

A setter with exterior defects? Perhaps he has defects.

Can't even be polite.

Yet they want to bring up such creatures. Patting them on the back.

But he'll go, bow-wow! and eat you up.

Man-eater.

What? I need the owner's address.

Put it down: Proyezzhaya St. 41 , Apartment 19.

We found the owner. Why do I know that address?

- It's the address ofthe bitten one. - Whose?

- The one who was bitten. - Pithecanthropus's. Old scores.

- Will you take him yourself? - I will.

I'm coming.

- Don't ring, my dear. - Hello.

Hello. The owner's in a hospital. Bim remained to watch the apartment.

He goes out and then comes back. Go in.

Come on in.

No, Bim. He's not back.

Do you know lvan lvanych?

I met Bim. And he brought me here.

- I got the address at the police. - What?

I thought he got lost. But he was looking for his master.

He doesn't eat anything?

Not at home. Maybe he finds something in the street.

No. He's missing his master.

He may die if he goes on like that.

Such a clever dog won't die.

There're so many stray dogs. They find some stuff in the street..

Come on, let's make you eat something. Eat, eat!

That won't do. Come on.

He's eating! What a smart dog! He feels when people like him.

I'll try to talk him into it, too.

- His owner, is he in town? - He was taken to Moscow.

- Why do you do that? - I'll explain.

Don't let Bim out until I bring the collar.

I'll be back in the morning.

Don't grieve. Your master will be back.

"His name is Bim. He's waiting for his owner, living alone in the apartment.

Please don't hurt him."

You're a kind girl.

And he's a loyal and clever dog. Wait.

Where're you going?

I guess his owner is a very good man.

He's quiet and lonely.

He was seriously wounded in the war.

That's his son. He died in the mountains.

Four years ago. And that's his wife. She couldn't cope with the son's death.

Are you from our town?

No, I'm studying in Moscow. I was here for practical work.

Very good writers lived in this city.

Ivan lvanych writes all the time, too.

- May I have a look? - Why not? These are not letters.

Look as much as you want.

It's all about you, Bim.

He loves you very much.

I got to go. Tomorrow I'm leaving for Moscow.

Do you know what hospital he's in?

I don't know, dear. But if anything had happened, they'd have let us know.

Don't worry, Bim, I'll find your master.

- So you're going? - Yes. Goodbye.

Goodbye, Dashenka.

Will you hold Bim? Or he may follow me.

- Yes, yes, Bim. - Goodbye, Bim.

Wait, wait.

You should kick it into the goal! Come on, Tolya! Kick it!

Oh, you missed!

What do we do now?

We must take it from him. He'll bite it through. Go take it!

Look! He's bringing it.

See?

You brought it to me?

Give it to me. Can I take it?

Who do you belong to?

Hi, Black Ear.

See? He gave it and greeted me.

- He must be a trained dog. - Sure. He got a plate on his neck.

Read it.

"His name is Bim. He's waiting for his owner, living alone in the apartment."

He must be hungry. Let's get some food.

- We'll get it. - Hurry up!

Here. You should've brought sausage!

I would, but my mother's home. She'll make me practice music.

I've got a tomato.

He doesn't eat tomatoes. Try it, Bim.

Why don't you eat?

Eat. Look what a good apple it is. So delicious. So red.

- Maybe he'll eat the tomato? - No, he won't.

My mother said that all dogs are contagious.

Dog-catchers get the contagious ones, and he has a plate. Here!

He got it! He's eating, guys! Good dog!

Eat, Bim! Eat it all!

Why were you shy before?

Whose dog is this?

- Well, whose dog is he? - Nobody's.

He's mine. At this moment he's mine.

So, is he nobody's or his?

- He got a plate on his neck. - Let go!

You shouldn't lie, boy. The plate says it's not your dog.

Shame on you! Did your parents teach you to lie?

It's very bad.

I must deliver the dog to the proper place.

What are you doing?

Don't touch the dog!

Wait. Maybe his owner is an alcoholic.

Then we'll draw up a report and confiscate the dog.

Don't you trust the plate?

I do, boy. Absolutely.

But, as they say, trust but verify.

What is vigilance?

You don't know.

Let's go!

Come on!

Where are you going?

Come on!

- Why did you tell about the plate? - I thought he's a good man.

You thought.

And you couldn't even lie well: at this moment he's mine...

- He would've taken him anyway. - I pity the dog.

- You think I don't? - And they call themselves grownups.

What's the matter?

Enough! Come on.

I called him. He's not in the yard.

He'll come. He's got a collar with a plate.

You've brought another one. Oh God!

Stop nagging!

It's number 500 in my collection.

With text.

Here, look!

A rarity.

Let him go. Why did you drag him in? Might have taken it off in the street.

Boys were following me.

I can't let him go. If they see, they may report it.

He'd better stay for the night.

Go to the hall!

Just look at that!

Go to sleep, Lyucia. Bim will come.

He always comes home for the night.

What is it? What?

Let him out. It's morning. He'll wake up the whole building.

Quietly. Won't he bite?

Get out! Go away, I said!

You devil!

Careful.

Get out, parasite!

He'll bite you!

- Oh! Ouch! - You got it.

I told you he'd bite you.

Give our regards to Moscow!

Bim! My dear!

- Where're you going? No! - Go home!

Go home!

Go home!

- Open just for a second. - I can't. I'm not supposed to.

- Open it for her. - Why do you meddle?

- When is the next stop? - In about 90 min. It's a fast train.

End of Part One