Original subtitles

Will you stop walking up and down?

- You're making me seasick. - I'm sorry.

Drink some tea.

I'm not sure that I can.

Then be done with it and have a vodka.

You think I'm that bad?

I don't drink every single day, you know!

Oh, I see. I... I didn't realise.

Nana?

Mm-hm?

How long have we known each other?

How long? Too long!

I'm joking.

Well, a long time.

Sonya's mother was still alive, so, uh...

That's right.

So, what...

sixteen, seventeen years?

Yes, it must be.

- Oh. - Do you think I've changed

in that time?

Oh, God yes. You used to be gorgeous.

Young and dashing.

We were all mad about you.

- And now, well, you're older. - Yes.

You're still handsome, there's no denying that!

We all like that, but, er...

- Also... - What?

Well, you drink now.

- Yes. - So, um...

No, it's true.

I am a completely different person, you're right.

No, you're not a completely different person

but you're a drinker.

But what of it?

Good for you. So what?

You know why I drink, don't you?

Because...

I am worn out.

The moment I lie down

it's bang, bang, bang on the door

and I'm up and out to someone's deathbed.

Sometimes 20 miles away.

And the rare nights when no one bangs on the door? Well...

you lie awake anyway

in dread of the knock that never comes.

So, of course you age and wither and get old.

Who wouldn't? That's what happens.

But if you could hold your drink, what of it?

You start to go a bit...

wonky, because you have to. I mean...

Look at this beard, Nana. Have you seen it?

- I like it. - No, you don't.

No, I don't.

No, I don't!

I mean, everybody gets a bit...

- "Argh!" - Mm.

I just never really

feel anything anymore

that's what it is.

I never look forward to anything.

Oh, Doctor.

Except you, Nana.

I will always love you.

You know, when I was a little boy

I had a lovely nana, just like you.

Gave me long, deep hugs.

I used to feel like nothing could harm me.

You remind me of someone too.

Please, have a drink.

No...

No.

During Lent, earlier this year

I went up to Malitskoe.

Oh...

Typhus epidemic.

They'd... thrown all of the sick ones into huts

side by side, people on the floor

pigs coming in and out.

Filthy. Depressing.

I didn't stop all day

nothing to eat and by the time I got home

I could hardly stand.

Bang, bang, bang on the door

and they carry in this...

this boy.

A trainee signalman.

A stock car had sliced off half of his foot, so...

I got him on the table, and quickly

gave him the chloroform so that I could...

and he... he just died.

Right there.

And just when you could really do without it

all my feelings came back.

Uh, I felt like I had killed him.

They were all looking at me, asking me if he was alright

and I just sat on the...

Just closed my eyes and...

all I could think of was...

why?

why can't it be a hundred or...

two hundred years from now?

We'll all be gone

none of this will matter.

I mean, the people then

will they even remember us?

Have anything good to say about us?

They'll just forget all about us.

The people may not remember us

but God will.

Yes.

Well said, Nana. Yes.

Yes!

What were we, um...

What were we talking about?

- Typhus. - Ah! Lovely.

Good sleep?

Too good.

Horrible black hole in the middle of the day.

You see, this is what's happened to me.

Ever since the professor and his young bride returned

they've knocked me right off my beanpole.

I keep taking these stupid catnaps in the middle of the day

which means I wander around awake all night.

I miss all the regular mealtimes

so I stuff my face with snacks

which means I drink too much wine

which means I start onto the liqueurs

which inevitably lead me onto the spirits

which always knock me sideways.

Suddenly I wake up, I've missed my breakfast

I've missed my lunch, and the whole blasted nightmare

starts all over again.

It's no good.

I need to be occupied. I...

I need to be worn out, because of my...

Your nervous energy.

Yes, my energy.

It's not nervous, it's...

It's edgy.

It's a little bit edgy.

But ever since the professor came back, I'm...

Well, Sonya's quicker than me

her eyesight's better, so she gets everything done

before I even wake up, so I'm...

You're cast adrift.

I've been cast adrift.

- Haven't I, Nana? - Yes.

The professor...

never even stirs till noon.

I mean, before he came, we always had our lunch

at the normal hour of one o'clock in the afternoon

same as everybody else all over the world

- didn't we, Vanya? - Yes, Nana.

You know what time the professor eats his lunch?

I don't know.

Go on, guess.

I don't know.

Six o'clock!

- What? - Six o'clock!

Six o'clock in the evening!

- Six o'clock. - Six o'clock.

Good Lord!

Then up he stirs the whole night

reading, writing, working

insists on keeping that poor young girl he's married

up with him, "attending to his needs"

and suddenly then, at three o'clock in the morning

he's ringing the bell.

- What bell? - He's brought a bell.

And we're all supposed to come running.

Everybody's up.

"Tea!

Tea for the professor!"

At three o'clock in the morning. I ask you.

Nobody gets a moment's rest.

How long are they staying?

Staying? They're not staying.

They're moving here!

To live?

The university's retired him off.

Took his apartment back.

He can't afford to live in the city.

- Oh. - I mean...

do you know how long I've been keeping this hot water

on the go now? Two hours.

"Tea, tea for the professor!" he said

two hours ago, then up he suddenly announces

"I'm going for a walk."

- "A quick walk." - Quick walk.

- "Quick inspection." - Quick inspection.

And we're all supposed to just... Ugh!

Enough to give you a pain up the backside.

Oi, shh! He'll hear you. Don't give him the satisfaction.

...ended up paying twice what I paid for it

before I sold it for half what I got it for in the first place!

And you haven't even seen the new forest yet, Papa.

Ah, wait till you see up there.

- We can go tomorrow. - Ah, Professor!

Your tea is ready.

Yes!

My dear friends.

I do apologise, but this excursion

has inspired some startling new ideas

and I... I feel I must grasp them while the blood is hot.

Um... be so kind as to have my tea brought to my study.

- Thank you. - Papa, Dr Astrov's here.

Of course, Professor! And, um, anything else?

I beg your pardon?

I'm sorry?

What are you asking me?

No, just...

Anything else? Any other refreshments?

A bowl of fruit?

A pair of new slippers?

Something from the village, perhaps?

I mean, Nana's here.

She's got nothing better to do. She could march into town.

I said just tea.

Oh! Course you did. Thank you, Professor.

Uncle Vanya, you have some kind of sauce all over your trousers.

- What? - Sonya?

Sorry.

Oh, God!

"I've had some startling new ideas..."

It's hot enough to fry a sausage

and the great genius goes about with his overcoat

and his gloves on.

So much for the intelligentsia, eh?

Hm?

I said, so much for the intelligentsia!

Maybe he knows something we don't.

Oh, yeah? Like what?

Hmm?

Oh, uh, Madame Professor.

Uncle Vanya.

Uh... Yes, the...

The others have all, um...

That's her.

That's his wife.

Yes, I know.

You ever seen a more gorgeous creature?

Well...

Well, what?

Haven't really had much time to...

Oh, come off it! How much time do you need?

Hey, Vanya.

Don't mind the professor's young wife.

Look at Marina Timofeevna here.

You should have seen this one in her day, my lads!

Grow up!

Whether I'm riding across the fields

or walking into this shady garden

or just looking at the way you lay out a table, Nana

I feel an inexpressible bliss!

Suddenly, one is reminded that winter is far, far away.

And shh!

Listen, shh! Vanya!

I'm not saying anything!

Do you hear the birds?

No.

That's what I mean!

It's such a particular silence!

It's so restful here in this house.

What else could anyone possibly need?

And so much of that is down to you, Nana Timofeevna.

Eat your biscuit!

But you... you... you saw her eyes.

Tell me you saw her eyes.

Whose?

Young Madame Professor. Yelena.

I really didn't notice.

Oh, you're no use.

Well, Vanya, how are you today?

- What? - Any news?

Is this some sort of joke, Waffles?

What news could there possibly be?

Everything's the same as ever, except worse.

No, that's not true.

It is, you know!

I sit around getting fatter

and the fatter I get, the more annoyed I am with everyone.

And my mother! Jesus Christ.

She's exactly the same.

Still wanging on about women's rights

as if they're some kind of alien, abstract concept

rather than something that might actually help improve

her own wasted life.

Where is she?

Up in... up in the professor's study!

This is what I'm saying!

She remains completely in thrall to him.

Translating his papers

researching his billions of footnotes.

She'll never change. Nana?

Have you offered the doctor a drink?

- Yes. - I'm working.

Working? Where?

Here! The professor summoned me.

Oh, of course!

Well, he's an incorrigible hypochondriac.

We all have to tiptoe around his various "ailments"

while he composes his latest treatise.

"With straining brain and wrinkled brow

he works into the night.

The only thing that twit produced

- was when he took a sh..." - Ah, Vanya!

You know, he's spent 30 years

writing papers no one understands

for journals no one ever reads.

Thirty years of...

of utter obscurity

all the while, hogging the post of professor

from someone who might actually have something to offer.

So not only has he offered the world nothing

he's actually deprived it.

You sound jealous to me, Vanya.

Yes, too right, I am jealous!

I mean, could someone please explain

his effect on women? Hm?

His first wife, my poor late sister

she was so sweet, so intelligent!

She could have had her pick of anyone in the whole world

but no, it had to be him.

And now his second wife, a full 40 years younger than him

beautiful, stunning, clever, you know

and she's gonna...

give it all away for that old knobbly croaker.

For what? I mean, why?

She must be in love.

You are joking?

Is she faithful to him?

Inexplicably, yes.

Why inexplicably?

Well, it makes no sense!

Well, where's the morality in denying your youth

your vitality?

And pissing it away on some conceited old duffer.

Don't tell me that's moral, it's immoral.

Vanya, please, I hate that language.

Your... your casual manner, disparaging people.

The way I see it, anyone who deceives their wife

or their husband is an unreliable person

who might just as easily one day betray their country.

Oh spare me, Waffles, will you? For God's sake.

I don't mean to upset you, Vanya, but look at me.

On the day after my wedding, my wife left me.

- Here we go. - Yes.

After just one single solitary night

of almost conjugal bliss, she...

left me in the morning, as soon as the sun peeped up

to go back and be with her old, her much older, boyfriend.

She said it was purely to do with my physical appearance

so there was nothing I could do about it.

However, I have remained faithful to her to this day.

Yes, for over 50 years

I've supported her and every single one

of her illegitimate children, as is my duty. Hmm?

You can still see her, down in the village.

She's a haggard old woman now.

Her beauty has entirely vanished.

Her lover is long dead and...

what has she left to show for it all, huh?

Nothing. And look at me.

You see?

Vanya...

I still have my pride, hm?

You cannot deny it.

Good God.

Nana? Nana!

There are some peasants outside on the lawn

- will you see what they want? - Ah, y-yes, my dear.

I'll do the tea.

Tea, Doctor? Please have something.

Oh, go on then.

Uncle Vanya?

- Hm? - Tea?

Er, nah.

- Hello. - Hello.

You may or may not be aware

but I've come to see your husband.

Yes, Doctor, he's been...

You wrote to me last night, saying that he was very ill.

Yes, I'm aware of...

But now it appears he's been walking all over the estate.

Well... Yesterday, he was...

He was terrible, he literally couldn't get up...

He does know that I live 20 miles from here?

Well, what can I say? I'm...

And it's not the first time.

You're here now, Doctor. Stay.

I don't suppose you've eaten anything.

Well, I haven't, as a matter of...

Well, then, it's settled. You'll have dinner with us.

We don't dine till after six

so you'll have to stay the night, I'm afraid

but we'll make it perfect for you.

I'm sorry Papa dragged you out. This tea is cold.

It's alright. Too hot today anyway.

You see, what's happened is

there's been a significant decline

in the temperature of the water.

Oh, is that what you think has happened, Waffles?

- Thank you. - Never mind, Ivan Ivanych.

We'll drink it...

I'm sorry, excuse me.

I'm sorry, madam, can I just set one thing straight with you?

It's not Ivan Ivanych

it's Ilya Ilich.

Il'ya Il'ch Telegin.

Or as Vanya likes to call me

on account of my periodic bouts of acne, Waffles

because I don't mind answering to this or that

or any of these names

but please call me by something

which I recognise as my name.

Thank you.

Y-You may have noticed my name on any of the numerous occasions

we have been repeatedly introduced?

You may even perhaps have noticed me dining with you

every day, three times a day, because I actually live here

With you, in this house!

Il'ya Il'ch. Right?

My...

My name is Il'ya Il'ch.

Thank you.

I... I'm sorry about this, I...

I just find it better to clear the air about these things.

No, nicely handled, Waffles. You tell her.

My Godfather, Il'ya Il'ch

he is our rock, our support

and our right-hand man. Isn't that right?

I...

Yes.

Let me get you something nice.

Oh, tea, Grandmaman? It's cold, I'm afraid.

I'm fine, thank you, my dear.

Oh, Dr Astrov!

Oh, no one told me you were here!

How are you?

Very well, Mariya Vasilievna, all fine. How are you?

Well, thank you.

Ironically, we're busier than ever

since the professor retired.

Yes, Vanya told me.

Now that he's no longer teaching

he has so much more time to write.

So we're never finished translating, reading proofs

we hardly stop for a moment.

- Ah. - What's the matter, Grandmaman?

Oh, Sonya... or Yelena.

Ah... although, I don't want to disturb him

now that he's writing but, oh!

I meant to tell Alexandre, the professor

that I received

Pavel Alekseevich's new pamphlet today

in the post from Kharkov.

My memory, it's really going...

What? Oh, dear God in heaven!

Quick, somebody do something!

Alert the professor!

There's a pamphlet in the scullery!

Yes, yes, sarcasm. Of course, Jean, very clever.

The professor has been waiting specifically for this pamphlet.

It must be very interesting.

What's very interesting is that Mr Alekseevich

has suddenly more or less refuted

all the positions that he's held for the past 20 years

which, of course, has grave implications

for the professor's most recent studies

which have only just been published

and may well be just as quickly out of date!

Oh, who cares, Mama? Really.

What do you mean, "who cares"?

Just relax, be quiet, drink your tea.

Don't tell me to be quiet. I'll talk if I want to!

There's been too much talk

and talk and talk.

You've been talking and reading bloody pamphlets

for the last 50 years!

And... and what good has it done anyone?

What good has it done?

Just give it a rest. That's all I'm saying.

Oh, that's all you're saying!

You were asleep in that chair over there half an hour ago!

Don't suddenly pipe up and tell me to stop talking.

You show some respect to your mother.

That you would even speak to me like that

in front of everyone!

I have no idea what's come over you this past year.

You used to cheer us all up! Tell us all to keep going!

Didn't he?

Now all you do is...

is cause fights.

Upsetting everyone.

What's wrong with you?

Yes, it was always left to me to cheer everybody up

and it was bloody exhausting.

Well, here it is.

- I am 47. - Forty-seven?

Yes, I'm 47!

And I'm too long in the tooth to go around fooling myself

that the professor's pamphlets

and all our toiling and working to make sure

he can keep churning them out is worth the bloody candle.

- Alright? - Yes, that's fine.

Thank you, Uncle Vanya.

You've rehearsed these views many times

but we have guests now, so...

And I'll tell you why I never sleep.

It's cos I'm so pissed off!

I've been such a fool, wasting my life away.

For what!

Don't blame your principles for leading you here.

- Principles? - Yes.

You shared the very same principles

the professor sought to espouse.

No, I never shared his principles!

- I can't believe you'd say that. - And I sought diligently

to bring to a wider audience, and you were happy to help.

What bloody choice did I have?

It's you who have failed, Jean

because you abandoned your principles.

Oh, here we go... Go on then.

Your principles have not failed. You have failed. Why?

Because you've never done anything.

What exactly are his principles? That's what I'd like to know.

You criticise me for talking? That's all you ever were.

All talk, and you still are!

How would one even begin to discern his principles?

Grandmaman, please.

Uncle Vanya, I beg of you, please!

♪ The hawk flies above the plain... ♪

Just because we can't all be pamphlet regurgitators

like Herr Professor up there!

Don't equate laziness with rebelliousness.

You never learnt the difference.

Because some of us refuse to worship nobodies

when we can see there's no point!

- What do you mean by that? - Just what I say!

I mean what I mean when I say what I say.

- Oh, stop it! - What part of what I say

- confuses you? Hmm? - Stop it! Both of you, stop it!

- Stop it! - I'm not saying anything.

What did I say, huh?

Isn't the weather nice?

It's not too hot and it's not too grubby.

Yes! You know, I was reading in the paper just the other day

apparently this is the perfect weather

for slitting your wrists.

Mm. Something to do with the science of it.

The, er... the blood flow.

Nana?

What did the peasants want?

It's the same as they always want.

They want to look through the compost.

Chook?

- Chook, chook, chook? - Which one are you calling?

It's the tawny mummy.

The crows will get her chicks.

Chook...

Chook, chook, chook. Chook, chook, chook!

Chook, chook, chook.

Oh, hello!

Coochinka! What are you doing in...

- Here she is. - Naughty girl...

Oh...

Back to your chicks. Oh!

Come on.

Naughty mummy.

Naughty mummy, mummy.

I'm sorry, excuse me, Doctor?

There's a man outside says there's been an accident.

- Where? - Uh... the factory.

- When? - Sometime this morning.

They say someone has been crushed.

Sometime this morning?

Right...

Thank you.

- Right, well, I'll... - Oh, Doctor.

Do come back for dinner, won't you?

No, no, it's far too far to the factory.

I couldn't possibly keep you all waiting.

♪ How should I go? ♪

♪ When I don't know the way? ♪

♪ How could I leave? ♪

♪ When you beg me to stay? ♪

♪ Only Ramesses knows... ♪

I tell you what, I will just quickly...

take a glass of that vodka, if it's still going.

Course, you know who I'm like now, don't you?

With this beard?

That chap in Ostrovsky's play.

"I am a man

of large moustaches

and small abilities."

"Who believes in the invisible

yet doubts the things he sees."

I disagree.

I think it makes you look more distinguished.

Older. More distinguished.

Have another before you go?

Well, it's been nice to have had the honour.

You know...

if ever you should feel like an excursion

Sonya knows my place. I would be truly delighted.

Thank you.

It's a small enough estate, 90 acres

but there's an orchard

and a large government forest beside me

and the old chap who's in charge, he's always sick

so it's really me who takes care of it.

Sonya loves it.

It's really very nice for a wander

should you feel inclined.

Yes, Sonya has told me all about it already...

and how well you look after everything.

I hope it doesn't interfere with your real vocation too much.

Only God knows our real vocation.

The forest is your true love.

Well, it's just so interesting. It's...

It's fascinating!

But I've always heard that it's an older man's work.

You don't look, what, more than 40?

Oh? Thank you.

Nothing but tree after tree, you don't find it monotonous?

- No, no! - No, no, in fact...

- it's the opposite. - Precisely the opposite.

Well, the doctor plants new spans of forest

every single year.

He already has a bronze medal for it and a diploma.

You don't mind me saying that?

And he saved the old forest from being destroyed.

We must go, I'll show you!

And if you listen to what he has to say

in 30 minutes, he will change how you see the world.

The world, no less!

Don't listen to Vanya.

I hadn't realised how much we...

depend upon the forest.

D'you know the forest actually softens the climate?

What?

And when the climate is less severe

humans expend less energy

we become more responsive, we can develop our culture

our languages.

The arts and sciences flourish in temperate climates.

And... and, and women especially

are treated with more courtesy.

- Courtesy! - It's been shown.

He's gone.

It's a lovely idea, Astrov

and I'm glad it makes Sonya so happy, but if you don't mind

I'll continue to make a nice fire with my logs

and build my barns out of wood.

You could burn peat in your stoves

and build your barns out of stone.

I mean, of course, chop down a tree here and there

if you need to, but why destroy the whole forest?

I'm not destroying the whole...

As we speak, swathes of forest are perishing.

Without their roots

the soil turns to dust and blows away.

Rivers dry up, gone forever

because you're too lazy to pick up fuel from the ground?

It's not all down to just me!

We have the unique capacity

alone amongst all creatures

to appreciate the miracle of creation

and what are we doing?

Destroying the lot.

God, I'm knackered.

Vanya always gives me that ironic look

like I'm always so bloody serious all the time.

I know I am as cranky as the next fellow

but there are moments, you know

when I go down past the peasants' wood

or I see a span of forest

that I've planted, bursting into bloom and...

I realise that...

well, to some extent

the climate is in my power.

And that because of some small thing we do

someone a hundred years from now

will be happier because of it, well, that...

I'm not joking, that does something to me.

To my...

Well, if you will do me the honour

of allowing me to take my leave.

When will you come back and see us?

- God, I don't know. - Don't leave it another month.

Promise me that much.

And as for you, Ivan...

Oh, so now it's "Ivan"?

What are we going to do with you? Hmm?

Do what with me?

Do you really have to antagonise your poor mother like that?

She antagonises me!

And this morning too.

You had a go at poor Alexandre.

He was really upset with you, you know.

I can't help it if I loathe him.

What's the point in loathing him?

He's only as bad as anyone else, and certainly no worse than you!

You're one to talk.

Don't think I can't notice the sheer effort it takes you

just to live from moment to moment.

Oh, yes, yes the effort and the boredom.

Since when is it any of your business?

No, and don't pretend it's because

you have any sympathy for me.

Of course I have sympathy for you.

I heard you, Vanya, you have no pity for the woods

or the forest or...

women, or for anyone else.

I'm not sure that's quite what I said, but anyway...

where's all this philosophising coming from everybody

all of a sudden?

That doctor, he had such an exhausted look on his face.

Look at me! I'm exhausted!

Yes, but he has an interesting face.

Thanks.

And Sonya's clearly mad about him.

- I can understand it. - Of course you can.

You know he's visited three times since I've been here?

- But who's counting? - And I...

I've always been too intimidated to speak with him.

Never even said hello or been nice to him

and now Sonya says he thinks I'm moody.

I wonder why.

You know why you and I get along so well, don't you?

- Cos you like me? - No.

Because we are the most tedious, boring people

on the whole estate.

We are!

Tedious.

Don't look at me like that. I don't like it.

How else am I supposed to look at you?

I love you.

No, stop it.

You're the only thing on Earth that makes me happy.

Makes me feel like I was ever young.

Makes me... appreciate my life.

I...

Thank you!

I know the chances of you feeling the same way

are practically zero, but let me look at you.

- Let me listen to your voice. - Vanya.

Vanya, your mother is coming. Will you stop it?

Just let me sit here next to you and I'll be the happiest...

No, God, leave me alone!

You're driving me mad!

Oh...

Where is everybody?

- Go back asleep. - I wasn't asleep!

Was I?

Well, Vanya!

What?

How are you today?

Any news?

Oh...

Oh, no...

Alexandre.

- No! - Alexandre, you're dreaming.

No! No...

You're dreaming.

- You're dreaming. - Oh...

God!

I... I'm frozen.

- Your rug has fallen off. - Oh...

Oh, Sonya.

It's not Sonya, it's me.

Oh, Lenochka.

Forgive me.

I'm sorry.

The pain's back.

I'll shut the window.

No, no, it's fine.

Can't catch my breath. I...

I fell asleep. I...

didn't even realise, I dreamt...

this wasn't my leg, that...

that it belonged to...

someone else.

- Oh, it's agonising. - It's your gout, Alexandre.

No, it can't be gout! It must be something else!

My God, the pain...

What... what time is it?

Yelena.

Did you find the volume of Batyushkov I asked you for?

What?

Can you find me the volume of Batyushkov

I asked you about?

Mm...

Why can't I... It's as though I can't get a breath.

You need sleep.

You got none last night, now this tonight.

It's these new ideas I have, I...

If I don't get them up and running, they'll be gone.

And what of it?

You're retired, take your time. Accept it.

But you can't turn your brain off.

You're in a race against the bloody clock.

You...

You know Turgenev

suffered a heart attack because of his gout?

Because of the pain?

And just, bang!

I mean, that's what could...

I daren't even look in the mirror anymore.

I see my father...

scowling back at me from his deathbed.

He had a horrible death.

And what's worse is you're so fully aware

of how revolting people find you.

They leave you in no doubt.

- Oh, now it's my fault? - Oh, no, it's...

it's nothing.

I'm speaking objectively.

Lenochka, it's nothing personal.

You're young, you're healthy, you want to live

and why shouldn't you?

But I have a feeling

it won't be long now.

Yelena?

- Did you hear what I said? - Yes, alright.

Please just stop!

- Stop what? - What do you want?

- What? Stop hounding me! - Hounding you?

Oh, well, of course. I've completely worn you out

haven't I?

Be perfectly understandable if you...

wanted to just... I mean.

Oh, yes? And go where?

- With what? - Mm.

Let's just be quiet, alright?

You know what's really funny?

When Vanya starts to talk

or his mother speaks

everyone is scrupulously attentive to their drivel.

I so much as say two words

and suddenly everyone wants to kill themselves.

You lose the right to exist. That's...

No. No one is denying you your rights.

No one is disputing your rights.

You spend your whole life...

growing...

and learning, developing your expertise

and then, suddenly, that's it, you're old.

You're from the past, and the past is gone.

You end up...

living in a kind of tomb.

And I still want to live!

I can't help it.

I want to publish great works.

I want to be successful!

What's wrong with that?

This was a huge mistake, you know.

Coming out here.

There's nothing here!

It's like being dead

only you're not even allowed to be. It's...

Yes. Well, time is killing me just as certainly as you.

Papa?

You asked for the doctor. He's waited for hours.

I can't believe you'd do this again.

What doctor?

Doctor Astrov, who else?

Ugh! He's so bloody conceited.

Well, what do you want?

Because we can't send for the medical faculty

of St Petersburg every time you get pins and needles.

Just let him have a look.

No! I can't stand him.

Wonderful.

Well, I'm not telling him. You can tell him yourself.

Oh...

Where are my glasses?

What... what time is it?

Past midnight.

Oh...

Sonya, bring me my drops from the table.

No, not those ones! Those are my morning ones.

- I'll be up all bloody night! - Alright!

No need to be rude.

Perhaps other people pander to that behaviour

but you can spare me.

I've to be up in three hours for the haymaking.

I'm not so sure about that. There's a storm brewing.

In case anyone wants to know.

Et voila.

Yelena, Sonya, go to sleep.

I am here to relieve you.

No, no, don't leave me with him! He'll talk me to death.

- I won't say a word! - No, Vanya, I can't.

I'm not in good form. I don't want an argument.

We must give them some rest!

Come on, me old banana!

Be reasonable, me old sausage.

No, I'm asking you, Vanya

in the name of our former friendship

don't antagonise me.

Our friendship!

- "Our former friendship..." - I know what you're doing.

I know what's going to happen.

So, please, I'm too tired.

This is almost funny, isn't it?

It's... It's almost...

Oh, yes, you're all still up!

Everybody, everywhere...

Nana, go to bed, it's so late.

Nothing's cleared away, how can I go to bed?

I've kept everyone up again.

Everybody is worn out! I know, I know.

We love you!

What are you talking about?

Don't start behaving like an old twit.

- You see! - Right, Vanya, go to bed.

I've only just got up! I want to help!

Shh!

Shh, shh, shh!

- Shh! - All the geese go cack, cack!

- Cack, cack, cack! - Cack, cack...

Day and night, day and night.

Oh...

Now, come on, now.

Here.

Mmm...

Don't mind them, Professor.

Old people are like children.

We want people to feel sorry for us

but nobody feels sorry for us.

You, uh...

you come with me.

I'll make us some lime flower tea

- and I'll rub your feet... - Mmm.

Say a little prayer to God for you.

Come.

Oh, come on.

I fancy a walk in that.

Anyone?

No?

Vera!

She used to worry all the time about your legs.

She would sit in here and cry with me.

Do you remember?

And Sonya, you would sit with us too

but you wouldn't understand.

You remember.

Wait.

Vanya. Here.

What?

Take it.

It's your watch.

I know.

My sister gave it to you.

I want you... to have it.

Alright?

What a lovely thing to do!

You... come along with Nana.

Come.

Oh... Come along.

God, I am so sick of it.

I can hardly stay on my feet.

You're sick of him...

I'm sick of myself, it's...

Well, it's a perfect...

You know, it's a...

Well, you know.

Look at you!

You're educated and intelligent.

You should be working to reconcile us all

but you do nothing.

Yelena.

I need you...

to reconcile me to myself

before I can even think of doing any of that.

Stop it.

Take your hand away. Go away.

Mariya?

She's asleep.

There's a girl.

She's under the wall.

It's... it's really more her expression than anything else.

If I give her my hand, I won't be able to leave.

Soon the rain will pass, and everything will be clean!

Everything will breathe again.

Ha!

Well, I'll... I'll still be stuck here.

Day, night, wha... what's, what's the difference, hm?

It's all the same to me now.

Now that I've wasted my life.

Wasted my love, in all the wrong places.

It's like the sun

shining down a deep, dark hole.

Utterly pointless.

Vanya, you know what happens

every time you start talking to me about love?

No. Tell me.

I feel completely dead.

Well, that's not good.

Yes.

I never know what to say to you.

Goodnight.

Yelena, do you know what kills me? Shall I tell you?

I-I don't care if my life amounts to nothing

it makes no difference to... to anyone.

But to watch you, wasting your life?

Vanya, you're drunk.

- So what? - Oh, God!

Please, get off me! Go and find the doctor!

Where is he?

- In my room. - Drinking?

Oh, excellent! And what good does drinking do either of you?

- Hmm? - Kills the days.

Oh, wonderful.

You were so much nicer when you never drank.

You never went around so sad as you do now.

It wears us all out.

- Yelena! - What?

You don't even know how wonderful you are.

Vanya, I've asked you to stop.

You're doing it on purpose now.

This is nothing.

Our conversations always end like this.

I met her ten years ago

when she was 17, and I was only 37.

I should've proposed to her then.

She probably would've said yes.

She wouldn't have known any better.

She'd be my wife now.

Storm would wake her up

and she'd come looking for me.

I'd take her in my arms and say, "Shh.

I'm here.

It's only a storm."

These are the kinds of thoughts that swirl around my head

incessantly, now that I'm old.

She doesn't understand a word I'm saying.

She gets into these long-winded arguments, lecturing me

as if I'm somehow to blame

for all the dreadful things in her world.

Her husband.

The professor.

I worked like an ox to keep him going.

To keep his money coming in.

We've squeezed everything out of this estate, me and Sonya.

Vegetable oil, dried peas...

you name it, we sold it.

We kept nothing for ourselves.

We were proud of his position, you see.

Made us all feel like somebody.

We lived and breathed for him

to tell you the truth.

And now?

Here he is, back.

Not a penny to his name.

And not one page of anything he's ever written

is read by anyone.

He's nothing. A...

a soap bubble.

I was cheated out of my life, for that.

For nothing.

And the funny thing is...

I always thought I was cleverer than him.

Oh, just play something, for God's sake!

If you promise to keep your voice down

- I'll play very quietly. - He won't play!

I'm not really able to play well, you know.

What are you always carrying that bloody thing around

with you for then?

It was my father's. It's an affectation, really.

Bloody hell! Well then, affect to play something.

You all alone, Vanya?

No ladies?

♪ No bed for the master ♪

- ♪ No moon in the sky ♪ - Yes, that's...

- That's alright. - ♪ Oh, my love ♪

♪ Won't you open the door? ♪

♪ Your mother is sleeping ♪

♪ The lamb's in the fold ♪

♪ And the mountains do call to the clouds ♪

Come on!

♪ No bed for the master ♪

♪ No moon in the sky ♪

♪ Oh, my love, won't you open the door? ♪

♪ No bed for the master! ♪

♪ The mountains do call to the clouds ♪

I'd almost fallen asleep!

- Ha! - Bloody rain woke me up!

Ah!

Ah!

What time is it?

The devil knows!

I thought I heard Yelena's voice.

She's gone.

Oh.

I've seen what you mean, by the way.

About what?

Her eyes.

Argh! Ah!

Ah! Ah!

Argh! Ah...

Right!

Amphetamines.

Morphia.

Prescriptions from everywhere: Kharkov, Moscow...

Do you think the professor's putting it on?

No, no, no, he's sick.

What has got you so miserable today?

Nothing.

It's such sweet torture, hm?

To love another man's wife.

We're not in love. We're friends.

Friends? Already?

What?

Well, a woman can only become a man's friend

in this order.

First, acquaintance.

Second, lovers.

And only after that, friends!

You're such a bloody... vulgarian.

That's true.

When I drink.

Because then, all of you

all my friends and all my patients

appear to me as mere insignificant insects

mere microbes.

Oh, Waffles, play something else for Christ's sake.

We're gonna wake the whole house.

Just play something!

- You will be quiet? - Yes, I promise.

Vanya.

- What? - There's no brandy left.

When dawn breaks

I say we head over to my place.

You can stay with me, Vanya.

I've got this new medical assistant

who brews his own spirits.

He never says "alright".

He can only say...

"Awright?"

He's a total reprobate!

They say he killed someone in a card game.

"Awright?" he says

as he leads me astray.

- "Awright!" I say. - "Awright?"

And I am very far from "awright".

- "Awright?" - "Awright!"

- Where's he going? - ♪ I'm awright ♪

Vanya, where you going?

♪ I'm awright. ♪

♪ Y'awright? ♪

♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah... ♪

Oh...

Oh.

Excuse me.

I appear to have forgotten my...

Pfft!

Awright?

Awright?

Awright!

Ah!

Drunk with the doctor again?

You're like two sad, old tramps.

It's horrible.

The hay's been cut.

Nothing's been baled.

The whole lot is getting soaked in the storm.

And... you're in here.

You leave me to do everything!

Why are you crying?

No, just...

You look so like your mother.

My poor sister.

W-Where is she now, huh?

Dead.

If only she knew.

Knew what?

I don't know.

Were you looking for me?

Don't let my uncle drink anymore.

I give you my word.

There's nothing to drink.

I'm going home now anyway.

It's raining.

Wait till it's bright. We... we can have breakfast.

The storm's going right over.

And please...

don't ask me to come and visit your father anymore.

I tell him it's gout, he says it's rheumatism.

I ask him to lie down, he gets up and goes hiking.

Today, he wouldn't even speak to me.

He's just spoiled.

Would you like something to eat?

Yes, I would, actually.

Night-time snacks are my favourite.

There's usually something in here.

My father has always had great success with women

his whole life, and they've all spoiled him.

Look. Cheese.

Oh!

- Mmm... - Mmm.

- I... - I really...

- Sorry! - No, I just realised...

Haven't eaten anything for two days.

You know...

there's no one here that I can speak frankly with, Sonya?

You're the only one.

Your Uncle Vanya, he's depressed, you know?

Your father. Your grandmother...

God, your stepmother too.

I don't know how you do it.

I would suffocate.

- What about my stepmother? - Hmm?

You said my stepmother, Yelena.

Yelena!

Oh, don't get me wrong. She's beautiful.

Stunning.

But everything about a person should be beautiful.

Not just the face. Their...

Their thoughts, their...

soul should be beautiful.

I mean...

she is beautiful.

She is, but, Jesus Christ...

all she does is eat and sleep.

She takes no responsibility for anything, and that's...

What?

Maybe I'm being too severe.

Who am I to judge a creature like that?

No.

Ah, I'm just getting old.

Me and Vanya.

Two grumpy old men, now. Fed up with life.

You're not fed up with life.

Not life, but...

This.

Horrible, provincial...

Blergh!

Life!

I absolutely despise this kind of life.

But your personal life?

My personal life?

Oh, God knows there's nothing to speak of there.

You know how...

if ever you've been lost in the woods at night

and you suddenly see a...

a light in the distance?

And... you strike out for it

and you don't notice or you don't care

about the prickly branches in your face

you just go straight towards it?

That's how it is for me, working.

I work and work and work

and I get stabbed by all the...

But there's no light anymore.

I never expect anything, really, for myself, I mean.

And is there no one?

Well, there's the peasants.

They're all afraid of me, and...

Well, the supposed intelligentsia.

I don't bother with them anymore.

They all... sidle up behind you

and they say, "Oh, he's a bit strange, isn't he?

He's a vegetarian.

He's always in the forest."

And they... they don't know what to call you

so they just label you some bloody psychopath.

No, please.

- No more. - What's wrong?

It really doesn't suit you, you know?

You normally have such a lovely...

gentle voice.

You're not like anyone else I've ever met.

- Oh, Sonya. - You know what I mean.

You're not like ordinary men

who go about drinking and playing cards.

You hate to see people destroying things

and yet you destroy yourself.

I'm asking you not to.

I will never drink again.

Are you giving me your word on that?

My word of honour.

Alright!

Alright.

- Well, thank you! - Well, that's it!

I'm sober now.

And that is the way I will stay.

Until I die.

Although, it's probably too late for me now.

I've worked myself too hard.

No feelings.

No...

I...

I lost a patient, Sonya...

during Lent.

He died under the chloroform.

Oh.

You know what the funny thing is?

I...

Yes?

Uh...

Mikhail?

Say if I had a friend...

or a younger sister, and say that...

say that... you found out

that she was in love with you.

Well, what would you...

What I mean is, would you do...

I wouldn't do anything.

I would just tell her that I...

I couldn't...

love her, you know.

Just... I can't even think straight anymore.

I'm gonna go.

Come here.

Thanks for the grub.

And the hospitality, and...

you are such a lovely girl, Sonya.

Really.

You are. What?

Nothing.

What?

Nothing!

Thank you, alright?

Just...

Thank you.

That's all.

Right, I'm going to go out this way

because if I run into your Uncle Vanya

- I will never get home. - Wait.

Goodnight.

He gives me nothing.

He never does.

But I'm so happy

every time I see him.

Oh...

Oh, I said...

"You're so intelligent.

You have such a nice voice".

What must he think?

"If I had a sister who liked you..."

Oh!

Oh...

What an idiot.

And of course, when he talks about love

he immediately mentions Yelena.

Of course.

Last Sunday...

coming out of the church, I was behind these two old women

who didn't know I was there.

"Did you see Sonya Alexandrovna?" they said.

"Oh, she's a nice girl

but it's such a pity about her face."

Where's the doctor?

- He's gone. - Oh.

- Sonya? - Mm.

How much longer do you plan to be like this with me for?

Like what?

Like this.

This way...

I'm not being any way with you. What way?

Alright, it... it doesn't matter.

I just want us to make up.

That's what I want.

Good!

Thank God.

So, is Papa asleep?

No, of course he's not, he's in his room.

He's not speaking to me now, so...

- Who's this for? - Mikhail.

The doctor.

He hadn't eaten all day.

Why don't we have some wine?

Yes.

Drink a toast to each other.

Share a glass.

Right. You go.

I have been trying to make it up with you, you know.

I just felt too ashamed, somehow.

Hey! No, that's alright.

Don't cry!

No, it's fine, it's just me.

Oh, no.

Now I'm crying.

Oh, God!

I know why you're angry with me.

It's perfectly understandable.

You think I married your father so that I could get ahead.

No. No...

No, no. No, it's alright.

It's what everybody thinks.

But I swear to God

I married him because I loved him.

And of course, I was...

attracted to him because he was famous and respected

of course, all of that, and yes

I thought that was love.

I mean, now I know.

But at the time, I thought it was real love.

- So please, don't blame me. - Aww...

No, you've given me that punishing look

since the day we got married.

- Let's just forget about it. - No, no, no.

You really shouldn't give people that look, Sonya

you have no idea how crushing it is.

If you don't think someone believes you

it's actually impossible to live, actually.

I'm sorry.

I want to be friends.

But honestly, are you happy?

Of course I'm not happy.

And would you be happier, do you think?

If your husband was younger?

Of course I would! Don't be so bloody naive.

Oh, go on.

Ask me anything. Anything you like.

Alright...

- Do you like the doctor? - The doctor?

That's where we're going, is it?

Yes, very much.

And I know how much you do.

Oh, I have that stupid look on my face, do I?

Oh, I get it whenever he's here.

And when he's gone, I can still hear him.

I can smell him!

I stare out into the night, and I can see him

standing there

plain as day.

You don't think anyone can hear, do you?

- No, no... - We could go to my room.

- Here. - This is really embarrassing!

So what do you think of him then? Tell me something.

What can I tell you?

Well, you see how clever he is.

All the things he can do, there's nothing he can't do.

He works with his hands.

He heals people.

And the forest.

Well, that's because he's...

It doesn't matter what he does

whether it's the forest or medicine or...

He has talent. He has insight.

- Yes! - His mind is free to imagine.

- That's right. - So that when he...

when he plants a sapling, he already visualises

a fully-grown tree

and he understands what that means

- to someone's future happiness. - I know.

God, can you imagine how horrible his life must be?

He has all that potential

and how does he spend his day?

Trudging through impassable mud on the road

vast distances in blizzards

arriving too late to help some poor doomed soul

in some shed somewhere.

God, no wonder he drinks. He's had 30 years of it.

I know.

I'd love to see you happy.

See you both happy.

I've given up on it for myself.

You?

I'm just a...

footnote at the end of your father's life.

And there are no happy endings down in the footnotes

just optional details, like...

Why are you smiling?

I'm sorry, it's just the doctor.

- I'm sorry! - Come here.

Oh, I would love to play something.

Oh, do.

- Do! Please do! - Should I?

We're never gonna go to sleep now!

- Play something. - OK.

Just ask your father if it's alright, will you?

Music always gets on his nerves when he's sick.

- He won't mind. - No, no. Ask him.

Just to be sure.

He says no.

Sonya.

- Sonya. - Mm?

What's the time?

Four minutes since the last time you asked me.

Quarter to one.

Quarter to one.

Quarter to one.

Quarter to one.

It's a quarter to one.

Fifteen minutes till we hear why the distinguished professor

has instructed us all to gather in the drawing room.

He has something he wishes to announce to the world

at one o'clock.

Something about his business affairs.

His business affairs? What business affairs?

Uncle!

What?

Look at her.

She's practically falling off that piano stool.

Someone should paint her

and call it "Lazy Afternoon".

"A Lazy Lady's Life."

"Lady...

With A life That's Lazy

Playing the Piano on a Sunday After..."

Oh, shut up, Vanya!

It's your bloody voice droning on and on.

How can I help it?

I'm surprised you don't talk yourself to sleep.

God, I'm actually dying

of boredom!

I can feel it in here.

What the hell is one supposed to do with oneself around here?

- There's nothing! - I could find you plenty to do.

Like what?

There's a million things that need doing.

Oh, yes, farm work.

Or teaching?

Children for miles around here can't read or write, you know.

No. No, thank you.

Help the old people.

The sick people.

Uncle Vanya and I used to always enjoy going to the market

to sell flour! That's something we could...

Sell flour? I don't know how to do any of that.

Only people in books go out and teach beggars how to read

and feed the sick peasants.

Do you really think that's me?

It could be you!

You haven't even tried.

I bet children would love you.

Don't lose heart.

Yelena.

I know it's hard.

You don't know what to do, but look.

We're all doing it to each other.

It's contagious!

Uncle Vanya here has all but retired, it seems.

And I'm no better.

Here's me hiding in with both of you

avoiding work, looking for...

idle chat.

And even the doctor

he's practically abandoned his practice.

We used to be lucky to see him once a month

now he's here every day

and forests be damned.

I think you've put a spell on him, actually.

Me?

Absolutely, she's right.

You know, I have a feeling

you have mermaid blood in your veins.

You lure sailors onto the rocks.

And we're all drowning in your waters.

So why don't you let yourself go?

For once in your life.

- Oh, shut up, Vanya! - Let yourself go, huh?

Let yourself go!

For once in your life!

Huh? Let yourself go!

Let yourself go!

- I know what you're thinking. - Really?

In a world full of ugliness

why did God choose me to be so handsome?

That's exactly what I was thinking.

It's because you deserve it. You deserve to be handsome.

Well, I just can't help it.

We should have a ball here!

Proper dancing. Proper music.

And invite who, exactly?

Well, I don't know, someone interesting!

- Hey, hey, hey. Watch it. - What?

You'll look at me once too often like that.

Like what?

Look at me like that.

And... I-I was only joking.

You're not a mermaid at all.

You're a giant squid.

And as a token of peace and harmony, I...

I shall bring you the last roses from the garden.

Sad roses.

Autumn roses.

Sad roses.

Autumn roses.

I heard that!

September already.

How are we going to live through a whole winter here?

Where's the doctor?

He's in Uncle Vanya's room

working on his maps.

- I need to ask you something. - What about?

"What about? What about?"

- You know what about. - I know.

I'm so ugly.

You are not ugly!

- I am. - Of course you're not!

You have lovely hair

- such expressive eyes... - "Lovely hair!"

Such beau...

"Nice teeth!"

People only say that kind of thing to women who aren't...

You know I've been in love with the doctor for six years?

More than I ever loved my own mother?

I can hear his voice

I feel his hands squeezing mine

every time I look at the door, I expect him to come in

and when he actually arrives

it's like he doesn't even see me.

I pray every night

for some change, and then the next day

I go up to him, and I look into his eyes

and we start talking, but...

I mean...

I hate myself.

- Stop it. - No!

Last Sunday, even Uncle Vanya took me aside

to ask me what was wrong.

I said, "I have a cold, I'll be alright."

But everyone knows.

- Well, they must know. - So he must know?

The doctor.

I don't think he's ever noticed.

Well, he's an unusual man.

Look, let me speak with him.

No, no, no. I'll be careful.

I won't... won't say anything.

But I'll find out.

He won't even notice I'm doing it.

But we have to know, yes or no.

And if it's a no...

he'll have to stop coming here.

And it will be easier then, not seeing him every day. Hm?

Go and get him.

He wanted to show me some...

chart or map or something, tell him it suits me now.

You'll tell me exactly what he says?

The whole truth, whatever it is.

It's got to be better

than the uncertainty you live with now.

Yes.

Yes.

I'll... I'll tell him you want to see his charts.

Oh, but...

But sometimes uncertainty and...

and... and not knowing something...

that can be better.

- Than... - Really?

No.

No.

I'll get him.

She tells me her deepest secret

but there's nothing I can do.

And there's no one in the world that can help

because he simply isn't in love with her.

I mean, you could say

why doesn't he just bloody marry her anyway?

At his age, he'd be lucky to have Sonya.

She's bright, she's... she's clever

she's good at the accounts

she hasn't a bad bone in her body.

But it's not about any of that, is it?

She just...

She just wants him to love her.

And, you know, I can see it

you know, from her point of view.

Living here

surrounded by all these grey blobs

with all their pointless breakfasts and...

and sleepwalking and napping and...

into this, arrives someone so...

different, and so alert and...

alive, and...

so handsome...

and interesting and...

attractive.

It's like waking up to find the moon rising

in your bedroom window.

Of course you lose yourself in him!

It's even happened to me, a little.

It's perfectly understandable.

It's so boring when he's gone.

You can't help smiling a little at the thought of his return.

He's...

He's funny. He says...

different things, unexpected things.

Who wouldn't find that attractive?

Uncle Vanya says I have mermaid blood in my veins.

"Let yourself go

for once in your life!"

Maybe I should.

Fly away from all these sleepy faces

and forget I was ever here.

But of course, I'm far too much of a coward for that.

The doctor comes here every day now.

I know why he comes.

I should've fallen to my knees in front of Sonya just now

and begged for her forgiveness.

I know why he comes.

Sad roses.

Autumn roses.

Hello.

Hello.

You... you promised you'd show me.

I'm no artist.

No, no, I-I'd like to see.

Alright, well, you've been warned.

- Where were you born? - Petersburg.

You study there?

Yes, music.

- At the conservatoire? - Yes.

Well...

that's impressive.

I doubt any of this will be that interesting for you.

Oh, no, it's just... I know so little

about really living in the country.

I mean, I've read so many books.

I love Turgenev, but I've never actually...

Well, the reality's a little more...

- Real? - Yes!

Vanya lets me work here.

I keep all my gear in his room

and when I get exhausted, I mean

on the point of total collapse

I throw everything in a bag, and come out here

and work on these.

Vanya and Sonya, they're so good.

- They indulge me. - Aw...

They click away, counting on their abacuses

doing their accounts

and I sharpen my pencils

and we all sit in silence together

and I do these.

I always feel so...

warm...

content.

It's a simple pleasure, really.

I don't do it often, maybe once a month.

The mapping.

It's beautiful.

So anyway, this represents the whole area.

This is us here.

Where?

Right here. See?

Oh yes, there we are.

So, the dark green and the light green, forest.

Well, just... Half of this map is forest.

And anywhere you see these different coloured lines

there are wild elk, horses, wild cats.

- Oh? - Oh, not very big, but...

bears, antelope, exotic birds

this whole cosmos of creatures.

- Really? - Oh, yes.

And these crosses, here?

These are the old hamlets and villages

small farmsteads, and right here...

Well, that's where all the heretics used to gather.

Practice the old religion.

They're all gone now.

So...

blue lines here, horned cattle

wild horses.

But this is all a hundred years ago, right?

We are looking at the past here.

Now.

Look. This...

is 25 years ago

and two thirds of the forest is gone.

No wild goats, some elk, very little blue here at all

but I will keep going, because this...

This is the present.

This is now.

I mean, there's some green.

Not much.

All of the elk have disappeared, no swans now, no grouse.

All of the old settlements are gone

no farms, no monasteries, no mills.

In other words...

this is a picture of steady, irreversible decline.

Ten more years and...

the destruction will be complete.

You say, "Well, that's progress. Nothing stays the same.

No point wanging on about the good old days."

And yes, that's fine

if in place of the ruined forests

we were seeing...

decent roads with schools

and better educated, healthier people

but look!

There's nothing of the sort it's...

swamps, mosquitoes

mud tracks, typhus, diphtheria...

the same old backbreaking struggle for existence

stagnation and decay.

Who can take responsibility for anything when they're

sick and hungry?

If you're trying to save your child from pain

and cold

you will snatch at anything

that might keep it warm for a few hours

not realising that you're destroying this very habitat

that sustains us all, because...

Well, you can't think about the future.

Who has time for that? That is a luxury.

Ah...

I can see from your face that I've alarmed you.

- That's not what I... - Oh no, no, it's not that.

I mean, it's obviously terrible, and it's just...

- My mind is... - Of course, I...

No, I wanted to ask you about something

and I'm finding it difficult to know...

- where to begin. - Ask me about what?

No, it's really harmless. Sit down.

No, actu... No, you don't have to sit down.

It's not that...

Look, I...

I know this young person, and...

Look, I'm just gonna be really honest with you

and like two friends, we can have this chat.

Alright? And then we just forget we ever spoke about it.

- Alright? - Alright.

This matter concerns my stepdaughter Sonya.

Do you like her? Yes or no?

Of course I do.

No, of course, but... but do you like her...

as a woman?

What do you mean, "as a woman"?

You haven't noticed anything? Over time?

No. Should I?

Alright. You don't love Sonya. Listen...

She is in agony about this.

So it would be better if you stopped coming by

- so often, it's... it's too much. - Are you serious?

Bloody hell.

Look...

my days for all that carry on are over.

And anyway, even if they weren't I wouldn't be able to...

where would I find the time for all that?

Oh my God, this is such an unpleasant

and embarrassing conversation. Thank God it's over.

Now let's forget it, the weight has lifted.

and you should go.

You're an intelligent person.

- I know you understand. - I understand...

- This is so uncomfortable. - You know...

If you'd have said all of this to me a month or two ago

things were...

I mean, I probably could've given it some thought

but things have...

I mean...

Why do you ask me all this?

- What do you mean? - I mean, why now?

- I don't... - You think you're being clever.

- No, I don't! - Alright.

Alright, suppose Sonya is suffering because of me

what is that to you?

- How can you ask me that? - Look.

I am too old.

I have seen too much, you can't pretend you don't know.

Doctor! I asked you here...

I beg myself not to return, yet here I am every day

I am hardly ever at home,

I've given up everything else so please don't pretend

it doesn't give you any satisfaction

to see me like this.

Of course we all like to see you, Doctor.

What do you mean, "see you like this"?

Like this! Like some... helpless animal

lost in the woods at night.

But the fox knows exactly where I am...

- What fox? - You!

And there it is.

There's nothing more I can say, but then you knew that

before I stepped in the room, before you sent for me.

I didn't "send" for you!

- Yes, you did. - Oh, my God!

You're out of your mind.

And suddenly now you're shy.

No, no, I'm not shy, I'm just not what you take me for!

It's alright, I am leaving and I won't come back here

but please tell me where we can meet

before somebody comes. Just tell me.

- You know I am mad about you. - Listen, listen, I swear

- I didn't ask you here. - There's no need to swear, God!

- Look at you. - That's enough now.

That's enough, you've forgotten yourself.

Yes, I know. Tell me where we can meet.

- You know it's inevitable. - No, Doctor...

- We must see each other. - I'm begging you, please, no.

- No, you have to go. - Yes. Tomorrow.

Two o'clock. Say yes.

Say you'll come.

Oh, my goodn...

It's alright.

I... It's...

Ivan...

How are you today?

You know, this weather is nowhere near as bad

as it should be.

It was overcast this morning and I thought, "Oh!

We'll have rain!" But look, the sun is shining.

A perfect autumn day.

The crops will be in great nick.

The only trouble is the days are getting shorter.

And there is nothing we can do about that.

Vanya.

Promise me...

that you will do everything that you can to make sure

that myself and my husband leave here today.

Do you hear me, Vanya?

Please tell me that you'll help me.

I have to leave here today. Oh...

...haven't been well for three days!

My head, my tummy...

Where the hell is everyone?

I hate this house. It's like a damned maze.

Twenty-six room.

Anyone wanders off, you don't see them for days!

Er, someone ask Mariya Vasilievna

and Yelena Andreevna to come in.

I'm here.

Oh, good. Right then.

Everyone, please, sit down.

What did he say?

I'll tell you later.

It wasn't good. He's not coming anymore.

That's it, isn't it?

One can always come to terms with ill health

but you want to know what'll really kill you?

Boredom.

I feel like I've fallen out of the bottom of the Earth

and landed on some alien planet.

Sit down, everyone, please!

Sonya?

Sonya! Can't she hear me?

Nana!

Nana, you too! Nana!

Ladies and gentlemen.

Friends...

Romans, Russians!

Lend me your ears.

Ha! What's that from, Waffles?

- What? - What's that from?

What's what from?

I'm assuming you probably won't need me, so I'll...

No, no, on the contrary, Ivan Petrovich.

This concerns you. Please sit.

What business of yours could possibly concern me?

Vanya.

I've offended you in some way.

Have I annoyed you somehow?

If I have, please forgive me.

No, just stop being so bloody condescending.

What do you want?

Sorry, sorry.

And at last, here is Maman.

I shall begin.

Ladies and gentlemen.

I have invited you all here today

in order to inform you that

the government inspector is coming to visit us.

The government inspector!

That's a joke.

Nana! It's a joke! Nana, sit down!

However...

joking aside.

I've gathered you all here today

to ask for your help and advice

and knowing, as I do, your customary kindness

I hope that I may receive it.

I am a man of learning, of books.

I've always been a stranger to the practical life.

I can't survive without

advice from people in the know

and so I ask you, Ivan Petrovich

and you too, Ilya Ilich, and you, Maman

for your views on this.

The fact is, manet omnes una nox.

That is, "one night awaits us all".

I'm old.

And sick.

I need to put my affairs regarding my property in order.

I'm not thinking of myself

my life is already over

but I have a young wife, and an unmarried daughter.

I must think of them.

Alright. Here it is.

It has become impossible for me to continue

living in the country.

I was not created for the country.

I can't work here.

I-I'm blocked up

- and I... - I've always said this!

...I just can't. I know.

You need the movement and bustle of the city.

- I know. - The salons and the intrigue

- and the gossip... - I know, Maman.

You know me better than I know myself.

Without that, you're absolutely...

I know! And there it is.

But... to live in the city

on the means that we receive from this estate is impossible.

So, what to do?

If, for example, we sold the forest

we get a lump sum, we live in the city for a year

on the proceeds, for a year or two.

But once it's sold, it's gone.

And the money's gone.

So we need, therefore, to seek out measures

that will provide us all

with a constant, eternal and fixed income

going forward, and for the rest of our lives.

I have therefore devised

just such a measure

and I have the honour to submit it

for your consideration.

I'm not going to bamboozle you

with financial detail

I'll just spell it out in general.

Our estate yields...

no more than 2% per annum.

If, however, we liquidate our assets

i.e. the whole estate

and convert it into cash, hm?

Which can then be converted into stocks and shares

i.e. ploughed into the stock exchange

I mean, really forcefully, really rammed in there

according to my calculations, we will easily receive

four...

or even 5% per annum!

Notwithstanding a lump sum of some thousand rubles

which I will retain

in order to purchase a modest villa

in Finland, er...

simply so that I may continue my work there in the holidays

and to which, of course, you would all be

most welcome to visit.

I hope that goes without saying.

Now, what do you think?

Wait a minute, I think my hearing must be failing.

Can you repeat what you just said?

Convert the money into stocks and shares

and with the excess remaining, buy a villa in Finland.

No, not the bit about Finland, I-I got that.

There was something else you said?

Well, it's quite simple, Vanya. I propose to sell the estate.

That's the bit! Sell the estate.

Excellent! What a brilliant idea.

And... and what would you have me, my mother, Nana

and... and Sonya here do with ourselves?

Well, that's what we're all here to discuss!

What do you suppose I'm doing here?

Right, but, um...

Bear with me a moment, because up until now

I-I was under the impression that this estate

belonged to Sonya.

My late father bought it as a dowry for my sister, Vera.

Therefore, under the law

this estate passed to her daughter, Sonya.

Yes, "under the law"

if you want to be pedantic about it.

Of course the estate belongs to Sonya.

No one's disputing that.

I'm proposing that this is done for Sonya's benefit!

Right, because I'm... I'm struggling to understand this

although in fairness, I must admit

I may have lost my reason some time ago.

Jean, please, don't contradict Alexandre.

Who else among us has his learning?

See, who else can know what's best for us?

If that's what the professor decides, it's settled.

We need to be practical.

I need a drink of water.

Getting agitated won't help anyone, Vanya.

I'm not saying my plan is ideal.

I wish we didn't have to do it.

If there's a unanimous objection

I may be obliged to reconsider

but that's what we need to ascertain.

Right.

Your Excellency, I think I might be of some assistance here.

My brother, Grigory Ilyich's wife's brother

perhaps you know him

Konstantin Trofimovich Lakedemonov?

He holds a Master's degree from Tubingen.

The question of unanimity is one he holds in great regard.

You are absolutely correct...

Hold on a minute, Waffles

because we're discussing business now

the philosophy can wait.

Actually no, here... Ask him.

Because he'll tell you

this estate was bought from his uncle.

Ask him what?

Well, because he'll tell you, the estate was bought

for 95,000 rubles.

My father paid 70,000 down

with a remaining debt of 25.

The only way that this estate could be afforded

was if I renounced my inheritance.

- This is correct. - So I signed away my share

in favour of my late sister

your first wife, whom I passionately loved.

Alright? To make it all possible.

And what's more, I then stupidly

worked like a dog for the next 20 years

to pay off the debt, so

in actuality, my share of this estate cost me double

what it would have cost anybody else

and yet I still have absolutely nothing on paper

to show for that! Nothing!

And you propose to sell it out from under me?

I regret that I started this discussion.

The only reason that this estate is free of debt

is because of my personal efforts.

I'm the only reason it's actually worth selling at all!

Except now that I'm too old to do anything about it

I'm gonna get thrown out on my ear!

Is this just wilful misunderstanding or...

What are you saying?

I'm saying that for 25 fucking years...

I have managed this estate

I've sent you more money than any land agent would have

and I've raised your daughter for you, in your absence

and in all that time

you haven't ever once thanked me.

Well, you must stop this now!

And!

And in all that time and even now

I never received more than 200 rubles a year.

Two hundred rubles.

A year!

Children in the city get more pocket money than that!

And it... and it never crossed your mind

to add so much as a ruble more.

Vanya, for Christ's sake! How was I to know?

You could have had more if you wanted

as much as you need. I would never have known!

You mean, why didn't I steal the money?

Why didn't I have the initiative to pilfer the account?

Well, I realise now that's what I should've done!

That would've been the right thing to do

because then I wouldn't be a beggar now, facing the street!

- Jean! - No one is facing the street.

Vanya, my old pal, don't do this to yourself.

Everything can be discussed.

Oh, look, my hands are shaking too!

Let's all have a cup of tea!

- We can all discuss... - 25 years stuck in here!

Like a rat running round a pipe!

Still living with my mother, never going anywhere!

This is irrelevant!

Blue in the face telling Sonya what a great man you are!

How frightfully busy you must be!

With your books and your works and your fame!

All those nights, we should've been resting or meeting people

or... or being sociable

just having some time on our own.

Well, we wasted them away. God!

God, when I think of it!

Don't, Vanya, don't. It's not worth it.

I don't understand what it is you want.

We'd all been duped, hadn't we?

That you were some form of higher being

who understood more than we could ever see.

Well, my eyes have been opened a long time now, mate!

I see it all!

Oh, yes, of course you do.

Yes, I do!

And what is it, pray tell, that you see?

What great insight have you to impart to the world?

Oh, it's very simple.

You lecture everybody about art

about politics, about life, about people

but you don't have the faintest understanding

about art or real people

the way real people think and feel and need to be loved!

All those years, I-I struggled to read your essays

thinking I was stupid cos I couldn't make sense of them.

Well, I realise now, you were just having us on!

This is pointless. There's no point talking to him like this.

- I'll be in my room. - No, no, no.

No, you don't get away that easily!

You've ruined my life!

Don't you understand that? You've destroyed me!

What in God's name do you want from me, man?

What do you want me to do about your life?

What life?

You think this estate is yours?

Why don't you take it? Have it.

You think I need it?

I'll be gone in a few years! I have no need of it!

What are you talking about?

It's not even yours to give me!

I am leaving! Right now!

Do you hear me? I can't do this!

- Oh, Lenochka... - Stop it, both of you!

If I'd just gone on and lived a normal life

continued with my writing,

I could've been another Dostoevsky.

Another Schopenhauer!

Oh yes, of course.

Mama! Mama, what am I gonna do?

You will listen to the professor.

We all live under sufferance.

I'm not going to beg.

Mariya, listen.

No one has to beg for anything. This is a proposal.

- It's a discussion. - Yes, I know what it is.

Please, Vanya. Some decorum.

Decorum?

Decorum, yes, decorum.

To think that you had the good fortune

to be born a man

a human being with agency and respect

and what have you done with it? Sweet damn all!

What I wouldn't have done with that freedom!

The time to pull up your boots

and fight for your rights was long before this.

That day is long past

so you... you choose to blame everybody else.

But you're too vain to even see that.

So don't ask me what to do. I don't know.

I have no idea...

No, no, it's alright. I know what to do.

I know what it is.

You think you can...

just forget about me, don't you?

Wash your hands of all of us and be gone!

That's what you think, isn't it?

"Another Schopenhauer!"

That's all we need!

I hear him, you know, every night.

I'm in the room right below him, shouting in his sleep!

I offered him

"Move into a room in the village, I'll pay for it."

"Move into one of the barns," I said to him.

"We'll fix it up." But oh no, not good enough.

Nothing's good enough!

So that's it. I'm moving out!

It's done, it's settled.

We have to pack. We have to do it now.

Papa, please.

You don't understand.

Uncle Vanya, a-and me too

it's just that we're both... S...

I suppose it's just that neither of us have ever had...

I can't help it if the man's a non-entity, Sonya.

I didn't force him to achieve nothing!

He managed that all by himself.

But Papa, Uncle Vanya and Grandmaman and me too

we... we copied out your papers for you

we... we translated them for you

we... we corrected them.

No one needed to correct them!

We annotated them, we... we bound them for publication.

I could've asked anyone to do that!

- Why didn't you just... - No! No.

As soon as our estate work was complete, all of us

we were... we were were straight back in here.

We wanted to!

And the... the papers

they were... they were all over the floor!

And I'm not saying this very well...

but I'm asking you to be compassionate.

Compassionate?

Yes, to show some compassion!

Don't tell me I don't have compassion, Sonya.

It's too late!

We have to be practical.

No one ever wants to face the truth in this house.

- That's the... - Alexandre, for God's sake

go and explain it to him.

I've explained it!

Jesus Christ! Someone else needs to explain it to him.

Sonya... you...

you do realise I'm doing this for you too?

You realise that, don't you?

You tell him.

It's too late!

Unless we all want to putrefy together in this tomb.

Is that what he wants?

Is that what you want for yourself, Sonya?

Sonya...

Don't make Sonya do it. Go to Vanya!

- Me go to him? - Yes, you! Who else?

Just do it. Talk with him!

Don't get upset.

I'll explain it again.

If anyone thinks it'll help.

I'll go to him.

Let him calm down. Be kind and understanding, Alexandre.

I've been understanding.

- That's the problem... - Don't mind them

my little chuck.

The geese go cack, cack, cack. Nobody minds.

So they stop.

They stop.

Look, your hands are shaking.

Oh! You feel as though you've been out in the cold.

Some lime flower tea...

raspberry tea...

Everything will be right as rain.

My... poor little orphan girl.

God is merciful.

All will be well.

Oh, listen to them, the silly geese.

Vanya!

Leave me alone!

Vanya, don't!

- Vanya, please! - No!

To hell with you!

To hell with you all!

Take me away from here!

Take me away or kill me but I can't stay here!

Sonya.

Sonya!

What am I gonna do?

- Where are they? - No, nearly done.

We're gonna miss our chance to say goodbye!

I said we've nearly finished.

Hold still.

Apparently, they're headed for Kharkov.

Kharkov, of all places!

- They must be desperate. - They are.

I heard her, Yelena, shouting in their room.

Said she wouldn't stay here a minute longer.

"Send for our things later!" she said.

What "things"? Really...

It just wasn't meant to be.

Their living here.

It wasn't predestined.

Or... Or else it...

No, it was predestined, but this is what was predestined.

- Not that. - What are you talking about?

I-I can't stop talking when I'm upset. You know that.

Ah, it's better for everyone!

He starts too many fights, that one, the professor.

It's an absolute disgrace.

And that is all.

Kharkov.

I hate Kharkov.

And the people! It's like the living dead.

Well, it's good enough for them.

And we can go back to the old ways, Ilya Ilich

breakfast at six, lunch at noon

and in the evening, we'll sit down for a light supper.

Everything in its proper order again.

The way normal people live.

Like Christians live!

Oh, it's far too long since we had noodles.

Noodles! Now you're talking.

What's the matter?

- Huh? - What's that look for?

Oh, it's nothing, I...

I was just remembering something

the shopkeeper in the village said to me this morning.

Mm?

I had forgotten my wallet.

He was so rude about it.

"You always were a sponger," he said.

- What? - Yeah.

He said we were all spongers up here

living off the work of others.

Said we should all be thrown out.

It really hurt me, the way he said it.

I hope you put him in his place.

I was too embarrassed, to tell you the truth.

Nobody came to my defense, so I just left.

What an ignorant pig.

We're all living off God's charity anyway.

Shopkeepers, most of all! How dare he?

None of us here has lived an idle life.

Sonya never stops.

Vanya has almost killed himself with work and you...

Uh...

Where is Sonya?

Last I saw, she was with the doctor, looking for Vanya.

Tell me, what did you do with the pistol?

Shh!

I broke it up.

I stashed it in the cellar.

- It never happened, alright? - No, of course!

It's unbelievable.

- Vanya... - Just leave me alone!

- Vanya! - Out.

- Out! - Yeah, a-alright, we're going!

- We're going! - Chook, chook, chook, chook!

Chook, chook!

I've asked you to leave me alone.

Listen, nothing would give me more pleasure.

I'm not even supposed to be here!

But you have something belonging to me

and if you think...

- I don't have anything of yours. - Vanya, I am keeping my temper

I can't be here. Do you understand me?

Now, give me back what you took and I'll be gone.

I don't have it, whatever you think I have.

I don't have it.

Right then, I am going nowhere.

If you force me to, I will have to take it from you

I mean, physically.

- Alright. - No, I mean it.

I will tie you up and I will search you.

- Do what you want! - You think I'm joking?

I've been such a fool!

If I'd hit him, it wouldn't be so bad

but to miss him from three feet away, twice!

You'd have had better luck shooting yourself.

What's worse is no one does anything about it.

No one attempts to arrest me, they...

they think I'm just sick in my head, that I'm...

I'm pitiful.

I saw you with her

in your arms.

That's right.

And you know what I have to say to you about that?

Pffft!

Mother Earth must be mad, sustaining the pair of you.

Again, I say... Pffft!

Anyway, don't flatter yourself. Nobody thinks you're mad.

Everybody just thinks you're an idiot.

One who has been fatally starved of love.

In other words, you are completely normal.

This is worse than any physical pain.

The shame.

What am I gonna do now?

I mean...

what the hell can I do?

There is nothing you can do.

Don't say that, Jesus Christ!

I'm 47 years old.

If I live till I'm 60, that's another 12 years.

Thirteen.

Thirteen years!

How am I gonna live through 13 years of this?

How do you fill up 13 years?

If only you could just...

wake up

some clear...

tranquil morning, and everything

your whole past was forgotten

and you could start to lead a new life.

Oh, come on, Vanya!

What new life?

You don't get a new life!

Old codgers like you and me, we are stuck here now.

This is our life.

- Our situation is hopeless. - Don't say that.

I'm only telling you the truth.

Will you give me something for my head

- it's going like a train! - I said stop it, Vanya!

- Right, thank you. - No, no, no, no.

Listen to me, listen.

Listen.

In a hundred, or two hundred years

this is what I always think about.

I think about...

the people.

A hundred years from now

they'll have figured it all out.

And they'll be looking back on us and they'll say

"How sad it is to think that all these people were so unhappy."

But you and me, right now

this is what we have to hope for.

Are you listening?

When you and I

and Ilya Ilich and Nana

and your mum...

when we're all slumbering in our graves

we will be visited by such pleasant visions

we won't even realise we're dreaming.

How nice will that be, eh?

You see, you and me

we are the only two intelligent people

who have ever lived around here.

That's half our trouble.

And I really feel that in these last

what, ten years or so

we've let this... horrible

provincial, small, stupid life out here

really get in on us.

And it's killed us

in a way.

But hey, look at me.

Don't start distracting me

with all this "yak, yak, yak".

Give me back what you took.

- I haven't. - Vanya.

You have taken a whole bottle of morphine from my bag.

Now, if you really wanna do yourself in

walk out into the forest and put a bullet in your brain

but don't do it with my medicine.

They'll think I gave it to you and I'll be struck off.

It's enough that I'll have to do your post-mortem

without it being my last job.

I don't have it! I swear to God!

Sonya.

I was supposed to have been gone hours ago

but your Uncle Vanya has taken a bottle of morphine

from my bag. Now, it's already getting dark

please will you ask him to give it back to me?

Give it back this minute!

Why would you frighten us like that?

Come on!

I'm at least as unhappy as you.

Probably even more so

and I'm not giving up.

I'll endure it, till the bitter end

and I'm not doing it on my own.

So...

you better hang on with me

or I'll kill you!

Uncle Vanya.

For me.

Please give it back.

You'll give me something to do, Sonya? Hm?

- You'll keep me busy? - I promise.

As soon as everybody has gone

we'll sit down to work

just the two of us.

Same as always, alright?

Oh, we have an absolute ton of invoices

on every account.

We've never let it pile up like this in our whole lives.

Right, well, I'd better...

Vanya.

We're leaving.

Alexandre wants to see you before we go.

Oh, God.

Oh, do go, Vanya.

Make your peace with him.

Come on!

I'll go with you.

Jesus Christ.

What a day!

Right, well, I'm...

- I'm leaving, so... - Don't go.

No, no, you promised, you promised you'd leave!

I am! Leaving now.

Please...

don't take fright.

Is it really so terrible?

To be loved?

Yes.

Stay one more day.

- See me tomorrow. - No.

- Come to the forest. - No, no, no.

It's already been decided.

But I will ask you one thing.

Please think better of me than you do.

I am more than what you take me for

and I would like you to respect me.

Respect you?

How can I respect you?

You have no aim in life.

You do absolutely nothing to occupy your attention

so it may not be today

or tomorrow, but sooner or later

you will have to give in to this... feeling.

it's inevitable.

Better that you give into it here

in the bosom of nature.

God, don't live to regret everything

in a dump like Kharkov!

Out here, we have the forest

all these quaint, old, rundown estates.

Out here, at least, we can dream we're in a Turgenev novel.

Oh, stop it, stop it, stop being so absurd.

God, you make me so angry, Dr Astrov.

But all the same

I will remember you.

You are an interesting and original person.

And we'll never see each other again

so why bother keeping it a secret?

I was...

I was actually quite smitten with you

for a time.

So, there we are.

Let's shake hands and part as friends.

And remember me kindly. Alright?

You know, it's so strange.

I look at you and I see a well-intentioned

warm-hearted person

but everywhere you go, you wreak havoc.

- No, I don't. - Yes, you do.

You don't mean to, but no sooner do you arrive

than everyone who was working here

busy with something, creating something

everybody abandons everything to attend to you

and your husband

and your various dissatisfactions.

- Oh, please! - Yes, both of you.

You have infected everybody with your idleness.

Including me.

I haven't done a damned thing this whole month.

People are sick.

The peasants have let their animals graze on my land.

Everything that I've planted has been destroyed...

That's hardly my fault, Doctor.

You know, part of me wonders

if you had stayed here

how long it would be before

our devastation was total.

Oh, I'd be finished within a few months.

Well, there it is.

"Our revels now are ended."

I want to take something to remember you by, Doctor. May I?

This pencil? Is this the one that you use?

Yes.

It's so strange, isn't it?

Just as we come to know each other

suddenly we must never see each other again.

- It's the way with everything. - Mm.

Will you allow me to kiss you?

Before Uncle Vanya comes? Just to... say goodbye?

Is that alright?

Can I?

I wish you all the best.

Shh...

There you are. Right.

Ahem. Thank you.

Well.

Look, it's been decided.

We will all put all of this behind us.

It's been a stressful time

and a stressful day.

I've been turning it all over in my mind and...

no doubt, it's inspired me.

I feel a paper coming on, Mariya Vasilievna!

A kind of guide as to how one should live one's life.

How wonderful.

I've accepted Vanya's apologies.

And I...

I ask you to forgive me too.

There it is, alright?

Oh!

So, we'll just go back to the way it was.

I-I'll send you the same as before, alright?

- And we'll... - Goodbye.

- Alright? - Maman.

- Ah! - I mean, is that...

Er, Alexandre, um...

Have your photograph taken in the city.

I want to see you both looking fine and urbane and...

You make sure he does, now.

Alexandre!

What are we going to do?

Oh, Maman. It's all for the best.

Goodbye, Your Excellency. Don't forget us, alright?

Listen...

I thank you all for the pleasure

of your company.

I do respect your way of thinking, and...

your enthusiasms and your energy for things

but permit an old man

one parting word

before he goes.

We must, all of us

ladies and gentlemen

we must be practical

and face up to the practicalities.

Now.

My best wishes to you all.

I'll probably never see you again.

Please forgive me.

Vanya, I...

Lenochka!

Dear sweet Vanya.

I tell you what, Waffles. You couldn't...

bring my stuff around, could you?

Of course.

You not going out to see them off?

Oh. No, no.

I... I can't. I just need to...

I just need something to do.

Well, that's it.

They're gone.

Professor's relieved, I'd say.

You won't see him back here for a very long time

I shouldn't think! If ever.

They've gone.

They're gone.

Right!

Uncle Vanya?

That's it.

There we are.

Right.

Thank you, Nana.

So, where were we?

January, February.

Feels like forever since we sat here together.

Look, there's no ink.

They've gone.

Right.

First thing, Vanya, we can start

by writing out... these ones.

We got a letter from the factor this morning

asking us for our invoices.

I can't believe none of these have been sent.

Can you see?

Let's start here. You do one, I'll do another.

And so on.

"Account... in the name of Mr..."

I feel really sad now they're gone. You know?

I'm ready for the hills.

Pens scratching in the silence.

The crickets are singing.

All is warm and cosy.

I just don't want to leave.

Right, well.

All that's left is to say goodbye.

Goodbye, table.

Goodbye, friends.

Why are you always fussing about? Stay!

- Just sit down! - I can't. I have an obligation.

"Which leaves an outstanding balance

of two rubles, 75 kopeks..."

- Doctor. - Ah! Yes, that's...

Let me give you a hand with this.

Oh, thank you.

No, no, no! I don't want to bend those.

- Oh, I... - I keep them rolled up.

- It keeps them flat. - Oh, I see. I wasn't thinking.

- Sorry about that. - No, I'm sorry, it's just

you know, works in progress.

Well, I-I'll leave that to you then.

Thank you, Waffles.

Right, well.

When will we see you again?

I imagine...

it won't be until next summer now.

It's hardly possible in the winter.

Though, of course, if there's an emergency or...

if you should need me, then just

just let me know, and I'll...

I'll come.

Thanks for the...

meals and...

the hospitality and...

Well...

Thanks for everything.

- Cheerio, Nana. - You're going without any tea?

Oh, I don't want any, Nana, really.

A drop of vodka then? For the long road ahead.

Well, maybe...

I knew, you see!

My old horse, Belka

back at the stable at home, she's gone lame.

Oh no...

- poor old Belka. - Mm.

Not sure what I'll do with her now.

Why don't you bring her to the smith at Rozhdestvennoe?

Yes. I'll have to.

See what he says.

Can't be helped.

Can you imagine...

the heat in Africa right now, Vanya?

What?

The heat in Africa.

Right this minute.

What about it?

It must be absolutely unbearable.

Yes.

Here.

Oh!

To your good health.

Eat something.

No, I couldn't. That'll do me now.

Don't see me out, there's no need.

Mariya Vasilievna.

Doctor.

Ivan.

I'm...

I'll...

Alright?

Hm?

Yes.

"February the second.

Lenten oil, 20 funts.

Buckwheat meal..."

He's gone.

Sonya.

"Which... which leaves 15...

rubles, 25 kopeks."

My goodness.

Oh, Sonya.

I just feel so completely...

I know.

What can we do?

We have to live.

We have...

days and days and days ahead of us.

Endless evenings.

And we...

will bear it all

with good grace.

We'll do our work...

and we'll support...

everyone who relies on us.

We'll do it now

and we'll continue to do it till we're old...

and we'll accept our time of dying

and afterwards, we'll say...

"Yes, we suffered.

Yes, there were times we wept.

Times we could hardly keep going."

And God will smile on us.

And you and I...

We'll see, Uncle Vanya

we'll see that life

is beautiful...

and radiant...

and dignified.

And we'll look back on these unhappy moments

and we'll feel nothing but compassion.

Then we'll smile...

and we'll take our rest.

I believe that, Vanya.

I do.

We'll hear the angels.

The whole sky will be full...

of diamonds...

and we'll see...

all the evil in the world...

and all the pain...

and all the suffering...

all engulfed...

by the mercy...

that's going to fill up the whole world.

And our lives will be as sweet

and gentle

as a caress.

I believe it.

I do.

And I know...

Uncle Vanya...

I know...

that you have yet to see happiness...

in this life.

I know.

Oh, but just you wait.

You'll see.

We'll rest.

We'll rest.

We will rest.