Original subtitles

Channel One Leningrad Production

Schmidt and Partners Communications Group

Nonstop Production Motion Picture Company

with participation of St. Petersburg Studio of Documentary Film

with the support of Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation

present

September, 1941 Three months into the war

Move aside!

LENINGRAD VICINITY

Army vehicles! Make way!

Get out of the way! Now!

Out of the way!

Mira Sorvino

Where are you going? Step aside!

Come on, move aside!

Armin Mueller-Stahl

Army vehicles! Make way!

Out of the way!

Stop!

Olga Sutulova

Step aside from the military vehicle.

Alyona Stebunova as Sonya Krasko

- What's going on? - Come on out!

Get off!

Mikhail Efremov Aleksandr Abdulov

Hurry! Don't stop!

Keep up! Come on, hurry!

Vladimir llin Luiza Mosendz

I said keep up!

Aleksandr Filippenko Sergei Koltakov

David Verrey Christian Berkel

Alexander Beyer

Valentina Talyzina Valentin Gaft, Kirill Lavrov

and Gabriel Byrne

Director of Photography Vladimir Klimov, R.G.C.

Music Yuri y Poteenko

Art Direction: Alim Matvejchuk, Alexander Boim, Pavel Novikov

Come on.

Co-Producers Vyacheslav Telnov, Leo Zisman

Producers Sergey Melkumov, Aleksandr Buravsky

Producers Marina Schmidt, David Gamburg

Producers Peter Doyle, Chris Curling

Written and directed by Aleksandr Buravsky

Lieutenant Gorkin?

I'm Sergeant Tsvetkova.

I've brought new orders. Your field phone, it's down.

They're out of men?

They're sending girls now?

The messenger was killed. They sent me instead.

You're not going to read it?

I already know what it says.

"No retreat."

Retreat means court-martial and execution.

They'd be better off sending in reinforcements

than trying to scare me.

Your new company, sir.

- Lower. - Stay lower.

- Stay low. - Now go.

GO, go!

Come on.

These?

I'll tell you where you can stick them.

I need soldiers, not professors and students!

Lieutenant, didn't you hear me?

Take the company and advance!

Don't raise your voice at me, you snot-nosed brat!

I have my orders too, Lieutenant. You think I won't carry them out?

Stay low.

Comrade Militiamen!

If you don't have a weapon, grab one off the dead!

If there aren't enough around, pick weapons up on the battlefield!

All right, GUYS-

Platoon!

Attack, Lieutenant!

Where do you think you're going?

Get out of here! This is no place for you!

Follow me! Attack!

Hurrah!

Stay low! Stay low!

Keep low!

For the Motherland!

Charge!

Where are you going? Go back there!

I said go back there!

Tsvetkova, what are you doing?

Enough retreating! We've already retreated all the way to Leningrad!

For the Motherland!

- For Stalin! For Leningrad! - Stop! You can't go there!

You're not authorized!

Hurrah!

They're retreating!

For Leningrad!

You won't scare me!

I am disappointed, von Leeb, very disappointed.

You promised to take Leningrad by July.

Then by August. It's now the end of September.

But the city is completely surrounded, mein Fuhrer.

But not taken!

I am moving the point of attack to Moscow.

I'm giving von Bock the 1st and 6th tank divisions.

But -- These are my divisions.

Gopner's group, Reinhardt's corps, the 36th Motorized Division,

and Manstein's tanks.

This morning I appointed Zieglmeier Deputy Superintendent of the Army.

Formerly, he was...

Director of the Munich Food and Nutrition Institute, mein Fuhrer.

...our body must receive fuel in order for the heart, the lungs,

and all other organs of the body to function.

Our body is like any other engine, gentlemen,

and in physiology this fuel is calculated in calories.

2,000 calories per day

is the minimum amount for our body to sustain life.

Listen, von Leeb.

Guess what's going to destroy Leningrad instead of you.

According to our latest intelligence,

the daily ration in Leningrad is down to 300 grams of bread per day.

That's only 500 calories.

Wheel it in.

The Fritzes!

They're digging in!

We've stopped them!

We've stopped them!

300 grams of bread.

Breakfast.

Lunch.

Dinner.

A very healthy diet, indeed.

Total extinction will be when?

If our troops maintain the siege --

What are the time limits?

Three months maximum.

By January of '42 two million people will die of starvation.

Two-thirds of the population of Leningrad, mein Fuhrer.

CENTRAL TELEGRAPH OFFICE MOSCOW

This is Leningrad speaking.

This is the Soviet Information Bureau reporting:

During the night our troops fought the enemy over the entire front.

Kirovsky Factory

Hail to the great leader!

Once again, your mission.

To ensure absolute order.

No lines anywhere, no panic-mongers or whiners.

Stay out of sight of any foreigners.

Mission clear?

Yes, sir!

Proceed!

The city has 7 days worth of flour left, 8 days of grain.

14 days of fats and oils.

Sugar?

Sugar”

Three days worth of sugar.

All right, break it up. Get going!

No bread today!

- Disperse! - But we've been here since 5:00 a.m.!

Go home now!

Look there...

For one little foreign poodle they put on an entire show.

While people will now have to trudge God-knows-where to get some bread.

Hide!

Hide!

Let's go!

Quick, chase them away! Hurry!

Walter!

You are a good pilot!

Think about the Knight's Cross.

Is it true Hitler issued a secret directive?

The plan is to no longer take Leningrad,

but to wipe it off the face of the earth?

Yes, because the Russians are so stubborn,

with their pointless resistance.

And I always thought that the Russians were the barbarians.

Yes.

Attention!

This is an air-raid alert from the Air-Defense Command.

Attention! This is an air-raid alert!

To the shelter!

Get to the bomb shelter, hurry!

Forget the horse! Go!

Come on, go!

Five, four, three, two, one!

Germans! Get back in the bus! Quickly!

We can make it to the bomb shelter!

Chocolate!

My daughter will be very happy.

- Hurry! - Faster! Come on, come on, come on!

Hurry!

Come on, come on, come on, come on!

Get down!

Get down!

Ageyeva, where are you going?

We're going to look for the journalists.

It seems like they got bombed. The foreign lady, too.

Tsvetkova!

You stay here.

If there's a call from Headquarters, tell them everyone's out searching.

Yes, sir.

- Proceed. - Yes, sir.

Let's go.

Do you COPY?

Hello?

20-44.

Hello? Yes, 20-44.

Headquarters, do you copy?

The English journalists' bus never made it back.

Korneyev!

Korneyev!

I don't get it, is that a person out there?

Some broad.

Stop!

Comrade journalists! This is the Captain speaking.

You must board now. We must make it to Moscow before dawn.

Gals! She's not Russian.

So, where is your "spy"?

There, in the truck.

We picked her up.

We don't get what she's babbling, so we thought...

Why are you dragging, for devil's sake?

Lady! Don't die on me!

Please! What I am supposed to do with you?

Easy, stay still.

We've got to stop the bleeding.

Attention! This is Soviet Information Bureau reporting:

Our sites in various sectors of the Western Front

have been fiercely attacked by the Germans.

Attention!

...through the Osinovets and Kokorevo piers --

9,800 tons of food were delivered in the last 30 days.

While the city consumes 1,100 tons of flour alone,

that's at a ration of 400 grams of bread for workers,

and 200 grams for all others.

How long can we hold out?

- If we were to lower the rations-- - Are you out of your mind?

Reduce the goddamn rations even more?!

You want us to have a revolution on our hands?

Nine days.

Nine?

So, nine days, huh?

Company, read)/!

Hi there.

Come on, come on, come on, get in!

Make some calls! She's probably shell-shocked.

I thought of taking her to the hospital,

but if she dies there, we're to blame.

Well, make the call. What are you waiting for?

All right, I'm calling.

So, you're saying you've found the Englishwoman?

Alive, right?

I personally reported to Commissar Chigasov

that the Englishwoman was killed.

Killed?

It means that I saw the dead body myself,

and personally identified it.

That's half the trouble.

The Commissar obviously called the Kremlin.

They must've called the Embassy. Then it must've gone to England.

Are we supposed to change the report now?

What do we do then? Kill her?

Is she under arrest?

Who?

Exactly. Who is she?

Did you see her papers?

She lost her papers.

So you're trying to stick me with some broad with no papers?

Your firearm.

On the table! Now!

Where is she? Answer me!

Where?

Out there, on the motorcycle.

In the sidecar.

Come with me.

- Well? - She ran away.

It is my fault. I'll take full responsibility.

Are you crazy? You are playing with fire.

HOTEL SAVOY, MOSCOW

This is Leningrad speaking.

The following is the new bread ration decree

of the Government Food Supply Commission.

Workers, their spouses and children -- 150 grams a day.

GROCERY STORE

Lowered rations again!

Bread! Give us some bread! Starved by our own!

Let the Germans in! At least they'll feed us!

Who said "Germans"?!

Disperse these bastards!

Go home! Disperse!

- Air raid! Get down! - Lay down!

Get down!

Get away. It's on delay. It could blow any second.

People! Look!

See what it says!

Sugar! It's sugar!

SUGAR

I'm telling you, it's sugar!

The Germans dropped sugar for us!

Exactly! While our own starve us to death!

There are no real bombs like that!

Why are we staring at it?

- Just open it! - Are you out of your mind?

What are you doing?

Step aside.

Stay back! Stop it!

Idiots! Stop! Are you blind?

Have you gone crazy? It's a bomb!

Stay back! Get back to your senses!

Do you really think the Germans would drop sugar?

It's a bomb! You'll all die!

All my makeup has been stolen.

Anastassia Andreyevna.

I know, I know.

They are using it to fry food.

They eat lipstick, right? Well, they've eaten it all.

As our director, please, tell me, why won't they evacuate us?

We are the last working theater in the city.

Apparently, Party Headquarters needs us as a symbol.

A symbol of what?

Fine. I'll evacuate myself.

Any general can have me.

And if they refuse, I'll write to Zhdanov.

I'll write to Stalin himself.

As one symbol to another!

See? Even Spaniards visit us. As if life went on as before.

Hire her as a stagehand. Maybe she'll get some food coupons.

Please, help my father!

- I'm begging you, help! - Stay with the boy.

An author of over 30 papers on astronomy...

He didn't even redeem his coupons.

He just lay on the couch all day.

Nina's mom shared her spot in the line, so I redeemed mine.

This is for you, for tomorrow.

And this for today.

This is for Yura for tomorrow.

You understand?

This is for Yura for today.

Go and give it to him.

Wait.

Give it back.

This is for you, too.

Go and give it to Yura.

Mom, you made a mistake. It's too many for me.

Do what I said!

For 19 years, I studied in the laboratory...

EASTBOURNE, ENGLAND

NKVD (STATE SECURITY) OFFICE MOSCOW

This came last night from London.

She was an Englishwoman from head to toe.

But her homeland was Russia.

That's where she was born, and that's where she died.

As usual, Parker creates a sensation.

Grevitskiy Aleksei Valerianovich.

Nobleman, committed monarchist.

Lieutenant General of the White Guard.

Fought us all the way till 1920.

And dear father to our "so very British" Kate Davis.

We checked her through every channel.

Including yours, by the way.

She cleared highest security, and we still missed her.

Missed her or...?

Or what?

Think, Chigasov.

Or British intelligence outwitted us.

POLICE

Aren't you on duty?

I got some food for my mother.

Liar! You run off somewhere every day!

Maybe you got yourself a girlfriend? Let it out.

Kiss me.

Please.

Kiss me. Come on, now.

You know why I was called to the State Security Office?

It's about your journalist, the one who escaped from the motorcycle.

Old General Grevitskiy, ever heard of him?

Affirmative, Comrade Senior Lieutenant.

- My father fought him. - That's right.

And he's the father of your phony English journalist.

What?

That's right. White Guard, Enemy of the People.

So, I'm thinking now, if this daughter didn't die,

someone has been helping her stay alive.

Maybe out of ignorance.

But if that someone knows who she is,

then they would be a traitor to the Motherland.

With all of its consequences.

Katya, where are you?

The stores were closed today,

but here's what I got at the black market.

Human stuffing?

God forbid, Anastassia Andreyevna.

Onions.

What did you swap for it?

The earrings.

I kept the big ring.

Hello, Katya.

The Fuhrer is very unhappy about the situation in Leningrad, General.

That's why he sent me to see you.

Yes, the Russians are desperately holding onto life --

But what else should they do?

They've lowered the daily ration an additional 100 grams?

Yes, and the ration will be lowered again.

The sea will be covered by ice, so shipping will be a journey to hell.

And now the Russians are hoping for ice.

What are they going to do with it? Eat it?

They want a pathway, a road on the ice.

But in three weeks the ice won't be thick enough yet

to carry the weight of trucks.

Even nature is on Germany's side.

That means?

That means, of course,

in three weeks the city of Leningrad won't exist anymore.

This is Leningrad speaking.

Broadcasting a decree

of the Government Food Supply Commission

about lower bread rations.

Hey, what are you doing? It's alive!

It's alive! Go away!

125 grams for civilians and children.

Canned meat?

It's American.

Straight from the front.

Oh, it's you.

Perfect that it's you.

Everybody is in the theater already,

waiting to know when we'll be evacuated.

How will I get out?

When I had the ring, I had hope.

Of course! Eight carats.

I saved your Spaniard, and from whom does she steal?

From me!

Sonya!

Yura! Sima!

I'll sip some hot water, then try the other store.

Anastassia Andreyevna, Katya asked me to tell you--

Oh, God, Katya isn't being evacuated.

She asked me if I ever made it to Moscow,

to get this note to a journalist there.

But everyone but you is being shipped to Kazakhstan.

You have many more opportunities.

"Phil Parker, Hotel Savoy,

The New York Times Foreign Bureau..."

An American and Katya?

Believe me, I pleaded for everyone,

but they're only shipping out artists and the like.

Are you flying with me tomorrow?

Why tomorrow? The day after.

Tomorrow is for actors.

And that's it for the theater.

Nina!

Don't even think about it!

Mama.

They are playing Beethoven.

German music, conducted by a Jew.

You have asked for a leave, Walter?

For what reason?

I'm just a bit tired.

People have seen you drunk a lot, lately.

So, I've already been denounced?

You're doing everything you can to avoid a flying mission.

You are given a lot of leeway because you are my nephew,

but first and foremost you are a soldier.

I thought soldiers were fighting against soldiers.

We are bombing defenseless civilians.

Above all, I am still your General, Walter!

Who orders me to shoot down anyone who's trying to leave the city?

Of course, it makes sense.

The more people stay in Leningrad,

the less calories remain per person.

That's Hitler's plan, isn't it?

If this is, indeed, what we have become, Uncle Wilhelm,

then Beethoven is a Russian or a Jew, but not a German.

To hell with your cheap sentiments!

Go and sleep it off in the barracks,

and tomorrow you will fly according to schedule.

I will personally see that my orders are carried out.

We agreed that they'd pick me up here.

Anastassia Andreyevna, I have a favor to ask.

If you are in Moscow, by any chance...

To give it to an American in the Hotel Savoy?

How did you know?

You fought with Katya because of me.

Anastassia Andreyevna, please!

Because of me, right?

Because of some stupid ring.

Here. Take this key. It's for the jewelry box.

Take whatever you need.

I don't need anything!

Well, I do. I need you to survive. Both of you.

Give this old has-been a reason to go on living.

That's Malinin with his family.

God, it's time.

Promise me you will survive! Promise me!

And now, just like when you were little,

when you were a fat little brat,

and not a boor, wearing these awful boots,

give me a hug.

Ninka!

A painting...

a basket...

a hatbox...

and a teeny-tiny little dog.

- Walter, how are you feeling? - I'm fine.

Attention! This is Leningrad speaking.

This is an air-raid alert from the Air-Defense Command.

Crank right, Polozkovl

See it?!

Fire!

Fire!

Track him, track him! Go, go, go!

Fire!

Walter, I'm done.

It's your turn, Walter.

- Don't hang behind! - I'm not!

I'm looking for a target.

Are you going for the anti-aircraft artillery?

Maintain altitude, Walter!

Walter! Walter!

This is suicide!

Shit, Walter!

This is suicide! You idiot! No!

You will die, Walter! No!

Fire!

Misha, the raid's over.

Misha.

Misha!

Misha...

All right, guys!

Most of the Southern sector is already frozen, except here.

So run the route around it, or put it here or there.

May I suggest we find the city's 9 or 10 best skiers?

Send them. The real test is on foot.

Osipov!

Write up an order. Immediately.

To form two groups, 12 people each.

Two groups are too many, Comrade Zhdanov.

Three groups, 12 people each.

And immediately begin a search on foot across the lake.

You have 24 hours.

They won't make it back alive, Comrade Zhdanov.

Out of three groups?

Someone will.

Mama!

It's time for you to go.

You can't rest here for too long. You won't be able to get up at all.

Katya, Katya!

Come here! I saved a spot in the line! Come here, Katya!

Valentina?

NEWSPAPER LENINGRADSKAYA PRAVDA

(THE LENINGRAD TRUTH)

Katenka, my God!

Katenka, we must go.

Where is the Major?

He fell in! The driver's with him!

Give me your hand!

Your hand!

Hang in there!

Come on!

Are you sure you aren't mistaken? Here, have a smoke.

Comrade Commissar, I used to be smitten with her.

Gonzales, Ekaterina Garcievna.

I saw her ID. It even has an address in it.

She's staying with the actress Vozdvizhenskaya.

I tried to pull her out,

but she went on and on about some children.

All right, you can go now.

- I'm ready to fly right now. - What?

Where?

To Leningrad. We'd better get her out or she'll die.

I'll take care of it. Go now. Thanks for the tip.

Damn it!

Comrade! Comrade! My coupons! Stop!

Comrade, stop!

Stop! Stop!

The glue is flour-based but very old.

Check.

Yura, you think that it's time to die?

Korneyev hasn't come.

They probably shot down his plane.

Planes always get shot down.

Anastassia Vozdvizhenskaya People's Artist

False lead.

I told you there was nobody here. We broke the door for nothing.

It's not a false lead. It's not.

I want to know everything about this actress.

You understand?

Her whole life story.

Where she's from, who she was with -- all of it!

Nina hasn't come either.

She must be dead. Otherwise she'd be here.

If we fall asleep and leave the stove open,

we'll die from the fumes.

They say it's nice. It gives you sweet dreams.

I guess Yura is right. It's time to die.

Only it's a shame our food coupons will be wasted.

There's got to be a store where they can be redeemed.

Checkmate!

Comrades, show your papers!

Papers, please!

I'm from the Ladoga group!

Here.

All right, you can go in.

Remain calm!

Take it easy!

Ten trucks will be in the convoy.

The first five, with ammunition made in Kirovsky Factory.

The rest will take those who are in need of evacuation the most,

and also the families of the Ladoga skiers.

Our way of thanking them.

How many people, then?

Major Tolkunov died.

8 out of 36 people returned.

They will escort their families

and then come back with food supplies.

Good afternoon, sir!

Well, I've found out something interesting.

Vozdvizhenskaya had a maid.

She died recently.

Her name was Valentina Tsvetkova.

The maid had a daughter, Nina Tsvetkova, a cop.

From the same precinct that ran the search for the Englishwoman.

Easy, easy!

Your documents, please.

Please repeat, to whom do I connect you?

Moscow. Newspaper Pravda. Senior correspondent Korneyev.

The telegraph is only for the military.

Hurry! I have orders!

Comrade Captain!

May I be dismissed for a few minutes?

Negafive! We are about to line up!

I need to get my family!

Family? Aren't they here yet?

They are close by!

What are you talking about, Tsvetkova?

Comrade Zhdanov is about to make a speech!

Everyone line up!

Do it.

Is the Chief here?

No, sir, Comrade Major!

And Tsvetkova?

Tsvetkova? She was transferred out.

Where to?

How would I know, sir?

When the Chief is back, he can tell you.

Nina!

Take my Dasha with you.

Get her to the other side! Leave her at an orphanage!

Tell them that her mother died on the way!

What?

Zina died.

She was giving all her food to Dasha.

Will you take her?

Come over here, Dasha.

Come on.

Go ahead.

Your documents, please.

That's my family.

Go, Dasha. God willing.

Give me your hand.

Your documents, please.

Papa!

Sweetheart!

You hold on! Hold on!

We'll see each other soon. I promise.

Go with Nina. Don't give up.

It's my family!

Katya!

- Katya! - Nina!

Nina!

Convoy, stop! Drop the sides!

Hurry!

Hurry!

Where is the convoy now?

Get to them immediately!

So we get to them, then what? Check each and every one of them?

Tomorrow she'll turn up at the British Embassy!

And that's it! We've lost her!

Well, then we've lost her.

The real enemies are closing in on Moscow, strangling Leningrad.

But no, we, as usual, go on fighting our own "enemies"!

Well, there it is, we lost her. Permission to leave.

"THE ENEMY WILL BE STOPPED!"

Check the cars!

What's taking you so long? Hurry, hurry!

WE'LL DEFEND BELOVED LENINGRADI

THE LENINGRAD FRONT ICE ROAD -- 30 km

Take the horses away from the cars!

Tsvetkova! Move it!

I'm coming, Comrade Captain!

Wrap it up!

Start the engines!

Let's go!

Go!

Stop!

LENINGRAD, 1965

Sima!

Sima!

Hello. I stopped at Anastassia's.

She said you left already.

Da. Parker.

Well, shall we get a drink, in memory of our loved ones?

Let's go.

You may not remember,

you sent me a bottle of whiskey in 1941.

And since then I've grown a taste for it.

"GONZALES, EKATERINA GARCIEVNA. 1915-1943"

"TSVETKOVA, NINA KONSTANTINOVNA. 1915-1943"

The siege of Leningrad lasted 882 days.

Nearly 1,500,000 people died.

By January 24, 1944,

Leningrad was completely liberated by the Soviet army.