Original subtitles

Kiev. 22nd June, 1941. 3:56 a.m.

Well, Mr. Hess. You have convinced us in your honesty once again.

‒ Ready and willing to serve. ‒ No, you are not.

It’s the only way for you to survive.

Yeah. I’m alive while you need me.

And if we take the courier from Berlin with your help,

you will render an invaluable service to us, Mr. Hess.

If I’m not mistake, he’s supposed to come about 4 a.m., right?

You have read the cipher, haven’t you?

I have.

Freeze!

So, Comrade Berezhnoy? You have lost the game.

The officers you have executed had never been Abwehr agents.

Do you hear this sound? It’s a war.

STAR MEDIA presents

ALEKSANDR DOMOGAROV

MIKHAIL PORECHENKOV

YEKATERINA VILKOVA

PAVEL TRUBINER

Written by IGOR TER-KARAPETOV

Directed by SERGEY GINZBURG

Music by GLEB MATVEYCHUK, ANDREY KOMISSAROV

Director of photography: VASIA SIKACHINSKY

Production designer: YURI KONSTANTINOV

Costume designers: ZHANNA LANINA, KSENIA MAVRINA

Makeup stylist: ANASTASIA RAMLIA

Casting directors: YEKATERINA STRUCHKOVA, ANASTASIA LEONOVA

Edited by OLGA PROSHKINA, IRINA MICHURINA

Sound supervisor: LEONID SHUSHAKOV

Postproduction producer: ANTIOM YELISEYEV

Executive producers: ANDREY ANOKHIN, VLAD RYASHIN

In autumn 1941 the troops of the German Reich approached Moscow.

The situation was critical.

Dozens of subversive teams were sent to the Soviet capital.

Under these circumstances the Soviet government took the decision

to evacuate the Headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief

and Comrade Stalin himself to Sverdlovsk.

Believing that the physical elimination of Stalin

would cause the capitulation of the Soviet forces,

Hitler ordered Martin Hess, the best Reich’s subversive, to kill Stalin.

KILL STALIN

Three NKVD battalions were engaged in the defense

of the station and adjoining railway tracks.

The whole way is under protection. Soldiers are standing every three meters.

A reserve platoon ready to react

to any attempt of German breakthrough is deployed behind the train.

So, you guarantee safety, Comrade Major, don’t you?

Yes, Comrade People’s Commissar, sir.

So, where are the Germans? The intel said they would attack.

They may probably try to attack along the train’s route.

It’s impossible. Immediately after Comrade Stalin heads to the station,

the guards of the road will switch to clear the tracks.

Comrade People’s Commissar, permission to talk to Comrade Senior Major Prokhorov, sir.

Permission granted.

Comrade Senior Major, no subversives has been detected during the last half hour, sir.

‒ Permission to leave, sir. ‒ Permission granted.

Do you really think there are fools working at the Abwehr?

Where have your subversives gone, Comrade Prokhorov?

Roger. He's here.

Now you pray.

What do you think? What’s their plan?

His, not their.

Is this the old friend of yours?

Yes, it’s Hess.

Comrade Stalin, everything’s ready, sir. The railroad to Kuybyshev is guarded.

I see.

Who is fighting near Moscow instead of these soldiers?

We’re deserting like rats.

Your life, Comrade Stalin…

Nikolay Sidorovich, do you think Prokhorov will cope with his mission?

He will, Lavrentiy Pavlovich.

Why do we hold the train?

He won’t go anywhere.

What?

Comrade Stalin won’t go anywhere. He’ll change his mind.

Do you realize what you are talking about? Do you?!

That the Abwehr has figured out the Master!

And you, such a smart aleck, have figured out them?!

That’s not about being smart, Comrade Senior Major.

The point is that if Comrade Stalin changes his mind, we will have to withdraw

the guards from the station and redeploy them along the road.

But… I have withdrawn the guards from the road.

Withdraw them from the station. You have 10 minutes.

Then it turns out the station will remain unprotected.

Yes, sir.

Comrade Stalin is coming back to Kuntsevo.

I ordered to withdraw the guards from the station and redeploy them along the road.

– The subversives count on that. – What do we do, Andrey Ilyich?

– Captain Berezhnoy has a plan. – Yes, sir, I do.

Go ahead.

Listen to me. This group is no riffraff, but well trained Abwehr agents.

What makes you think they will move this way?

They will be driven here. So, you should take them alive, if possible. Clear?

– Roger, commander. – Come.

They are going shoot them all. I need them alive. Alive!

You personally will be responsible for them!

Attention everyone! They got poison in the collars!

Got that!

All right, guys. Good job. Take the alive to the office.

It seems to be over, Comrade Stalin.

Well…

How so, Lavrentiy? They almost approached us.

They counted on you changing your mind to leave

the capital at the last moment, Comrade Stalin.

Who was that smart strategist to figure me out so nicely? Eh?

We’ll find it out, sir. I’ll give it my personal attention.

Do that, Lavrentiy.

If they approach me so close ever again, you will lose your head.

And give my personal thank to the agent who exposed their plan.

What’s his name?

N…N… Name?

Comrade Stalin, it’s Captain Berezhnoy, sir.

It’s Captain Berezhnoy…

Yes, sir.

To the office!

Faster, faster! To this side! Hurry up!

We send dozens of groups deep into the Russian rear.

As our Fuhrer said: “We must cover the earth like typhus lice.”

Hope you understand this. Everyone you can see here will be sent tomorrow to Moscow.

Your name and rank?

Albert Schicht. Oberleutnant of the Abwehr.

Your mission?

To eliminate Joseph Stalin.

Who has developed the operation?

The Command of the Abwehr.

Be precise: who has developed the operation?

Operation Samurai was supervised by Guenther Seliger.

Did you hear the name of Martin Hess?

No.

Go ahead.

Why “Samurai”?

Because Monday ends I “y”.

Stay sitting!

Are you nuts?! Idiots! Why did you shoot at him?

Why did you release him?

I did as I was trained to. To let him feel free.

In order to start from the very beginning.

Have the two others in.

Put the healthy one in the armchair and don’t untie the wounded!

I will ask them questions. You work if they don’t answer.

Maybe, I’d better cut him now?

Why?

In order for the others would to be more cooperative.

Do that.

What did you learn?

Berezhnoy was right. The operation was developed by Martin Hess.

Damn…

Did your men hear that?

No, sir. I interrogated them in German.

Look, you’re smart aleck, aren’t you?

Does “Martin Hess” sound any different in German? Not like in Russian?

All right, I’ll talk to them later.

You failed me. You and your Berezhnoy.

The Master has already hinted at the misinfo and at the resident in Kiev.

Martin Hess was this resident. Do you remember?

Vania, Vania…

Are you Captain Berezhnoy?

Yes, I am.

Get dressed. You will go with us.

‒ May I ask you on what grounds? ‒ Igor, stop.

Who are you?

He’s Senior Lieutenant Mikhaylovsky, an officer of my department.

Get dressed. We take your weapons.

Move.

Hold. Your face to the wall.

Are you Captain Bereshnoy?

Comrade People’s Commissar, State Security Captain Berezhnoy reporting as ordered.

‒ Dismiss. ‒ Yes, sir.

To be precise: “delivered as ordered.”

THIS is going to happen to you when you flop the next time.

I thought it’s connected to the Kiev failure, Comrade People’s Commissar.

You guessed right. This is why we’ve gathered here. To talk uneavesdropped.

Recount.

In general, you were right. The operation was prepared by Hess.

So, we are responsible for Comrade Stalin’s life having come under threat.

Comrade Beria knew about our failure and has actually covered us.

I have not. I don’t care about you…

I’ve led Comrade Stalin in believing your misinfo.

I have persuaded him that there was a plot of the military.

Now what? We have lost the best military experts on the eve of the war.

So many people were executed. Do you realize that?

Comrade Beria, I do, sir.

And do you realize the implications for you?

Yes, sir, I do, sir.

Hess is preparing a new attempt on Comrade Stalin’s life.

How do you know?

A subversive has confessed.

You must concentrate on the liquidation of Hess.

I repeat: on the liquidation.

I hope your visiting our school have created

a favorable impression on you, gentlemen. I will not detain you.

Everything goes according to the plan, Herr Major.

Why did you cancel today’s landing?

I have taken the decision to.

Taking decisions is not your competence. I am in charge of the operation.

The Fuehrer gave the order to me personally and I shall execute it.

Despite existence of idiots like you.

Don’t say so, Herr Major.

Silence! Any news of the Schicht’s group?

Nothing. Our source says that Stalin is all right.

He’s in Moscow.

Someone had the information about the group. And its source is here.

Imagine the consequences in case the Fuehrer learns of this.

All cadets who have seen me and Grin must be sent to the Russian rear today.

But it’s… impossible.

Why? This was number one. Number two:

I need a bomber with the crew of those

who fly out to bomb Moscow placed at my absolute disposal.

All right. I’ll take care of it tomorrow.

Not tomorrow. Today. I need to depart tomorrow.

Right. But why all this hurry?

I received the signal to activate agent Rose yesterday’s morning.

Did you? Are you sure you have the authority to do so?

I’m absolutely sure. Agent Rose is to meet us in Moscow.

You can go out of your skull. What are we looking for?

You were told: any strange facts.

For instance: a sudden night offensive at the sector of Pogoreltsy — Sennoye.

Could some men remain in our territory? Yes, they could.

Is there anything strange in the offensive? We are at war.

Train your brain, my young friend.

Every attack needs to be prepared and has some purpose.

And in this case they achieved nothing; they only sent the soldiers to die.

So what?

I don’t know!

The task was brought up by Prokhorov

and via telephone when Captain Berezhnoy was absent.

Good morning, comrades. What do we have?

Good morning, sir. Beg to report.

Report.

We are working. Lieutenant Sapater discovered a very interesting fact.

Did he?

It’s interesting. We need to check the spot.

I take charge of the check as the most senior officer in the task unit.

Why you?

Comrade Captain, I am sick of papers, sir.

I feel depressed, I swear. I’ll become unfit soon.

Good. You can go. And take one of the sergeants.

Yes, sir. Come.

What happened yesterday?

Nothing special. Thank you very much. You’re my friend, but…

I’m sorry, I can’t tell anything.

I see.

We’re like vampires — being afraid of light. We’ve been awake for almost five days.

And we’ve been almost brought before the tribunal instead of thanks.

That’s tight. We’ve almost messed up.

Comrade Captain, may I ask you?

Go ahead, Comrade Senior Lieutenant.

Who were you looking for among the subversives?

Nobody. You fancied.

I’m sane and I did not.

But you did today.

Keep away, Iggie, there’s nothing special about this case.

Or maybe there is…

There was Lera’s picture here, was there not?

There was. Kuzia, get off the table. Come, come. Take a seat.

When did you part?

In August. When I was in the hospital.

Nice. And the time was right. You were almost at the deathbed then.

We parted on mutual consent. Have your tea.

What do you think?

Shit. Nothing more to say. They stink of cattle. Cowards and traitors.

Agree.

Want to talk Russian?

I do.

Then tell me this, Martin: why the hell

they make us attend all these nests of vipers for two days already? Eh?

I don’t know. It’s Seliger’s order.

I have a feeling that they show them off to us.

It’s we. We are shown off to them.

Everything all right?

Everything’s good.

So be it. Know what our guys invented to frighten the Russians?

The technicians drill holes in barrels and drop them down on the trenches.

Air comes in through the holes and there’s terrible roar.

– The Russians scatter like hares. – Yeah.

– And there’s no explosion. – It’s German engineering.

It’s time. They are here.

Pity. All right. Let’s come to meet them.

I’m Lieutenant Helmut Nei, commander of the F6+AL.

I’m Colonel Seliger.

All right, gentlemen. Let me introduce Major Hess.

He and his group will fly with you.

Welcome, sir.

Do you know your mission?

In rough outline. We need to depart together with the regiment

and then land in the enemy’s territory.

The Major will explain the details later. Prepare the plane for departure.

Prepare the plane for departure.

They are one of the best crews.

We need the best ones.

Well, Martin, good luck.

Remember, any of my wishes means an order for you. Is this clear?

Damn…

How is it going, Lieutenant?

Fine. Are we doing the job today?

No. We enter the area of the antiaircraft fire,

light the smoke pots and pretend falling down.

Then why did we take the load? Not ordinary bombs but high-explosive ones.

I don’t know. Ask the ladies.

Why are they ladies?

They don’t look straight in the eyes. Like whores in the Hamburg port.

In the Hamburg port?

How long more are we to fly?

Less than half an hour.

Any more questions to ask me?

No, sir. All’s clear. We land, you go out, and we take off.

For luck.

Coming… They’re coming, Comrade Lieutenant.

I’ll inform the ack-ackers.

Start the visual tracking.

Yes, ma-am.

“Cedar”, “Cedar”, it’s “Ground 3”.

It’s Lieutenant Vorona. Visitors coming from my side.

No damages, commander.

Perfect. The only thing remained is to land.

Got you! It’ hit! It’s hit!

Comrade Lieutenant!

What is it? Report.

All is well. 5 Junkerses and 2 Messerschmitts brought down.

We’re here.

Good job, guys.

Damn! From now on everyone speaks Russian only. Is it clear?

No initiative! Everyone makes his way to Moscow down his own route.

‒ Are the bombs ready? ‒ They are.

It was hit here. Then it dropped here. This is the time when it was hit.

And this is the time when it exploded.

I see. And why is this one not recorded. Didn’t it explode?

Why didn’t? It did.

Here.

Will this circus last long?

As long as needed. Don’t be so nervous, Comrade Captain.

I’ve got 60 sorties on my record. 3 MEs and a Junkers brought down.

And I’m being interrogated by some…

You’ve got a correction in your travel order. How did they appear?

Nothing?

I made it. I wanted to visit my mother.

I’m a Muscovite. And my destination is Odintsovo.

So, I thought… Guys, I’m telling the truth!

Do you realize it’s a crime?

Where do your mother live.

In Miasnitskaya Street. In the “Tea House”.

The glue is of our manufacture.

It’s all right, except for the correction in the travel order.

I see. So, captain, shall we?

We’ll take you to Miasnitskaya, to your mom. Or some patrol may detain you again.

Thank you, Comrade Captain. Excuse me, Comrade Captains of State Security.

You are welcome.

Thank you.

‒ Go. ‒ Thank you.

What are you doing?

Where are you pushing? Are you fed up with living?

Stop shouting. Can’t you see the lady is unwell?

‒ Excuse me. ‒ Come. Can you rise?

Careful.

What’s your name?

Polina Serebriakova.

Polina Serebriakova. Very good. No brain concussion. She remembers her name.

I’d better be going. I’m almost there.

Know what; let’s take you to the doctor. Just in case. Come.

Make way. What’s going on here?

It’s all right now, comrades. Please, go.

The killed plane report.

Thank you.

Check these breakouts thoroughly. Their statements don’t agree.

I see.

Pay special attention to the size of the detachment.

I see.

What do you see?

That some guys have possibly left behind.

You think in the right direction.

These guys may be the ones we are waiting for.

‒ I see… ‒ Go.

Here. Look at this. The night bombardment report.

Comrade Senior Lieutenant, it’s so boring.

The night before last was interesting and now…

You think narrowly.

Captain Berezhnoy and I have sifted through so many reports to puzzle out this group.

Or you think the Germans have themselves reported on their arrival?

This is why what do you is of great importance. Dig thoroughly.

So, what did the doctor say?

He said I’m all right.

Good. All right, good bye.

Will you see me home?

See you home? I can do that. With pleasure.

What are we going to talk about?

Anything you wish. Want me to read poetry?

Not so fast. Tell me your story.

Ah, don’t worry. I live not far from here.

Go if you hurry.

Ah, excuse me. It’s a habit.

You are an NKVD captain, right?

Right. I serve with the headquarters.

They don’t send you to the frontline?

Too much work to be done here.

Do you catch spies?

Oh, no. I’m a cartographer.

You tell lies purposely. Why? I’m no stupid;

I can see your medal… and also you were heavily injured.

Look, let me read poetry, eh?

‒ All right. ‒ Good.

Hello everybody.

Hi. Nothing again?

Nothing. We almost ran over a lady by car.

Where’s Berezhnoy?

Well, we took her to the hospital; he’s remained there.

And, I must say, the lady is really charming.

I see.

He remained just to learn how she feels.

That’s what I’m talking about.

Comrade Senior Lieutenant, there’s a slight strangeness. Here.

The plane dropped down and exploded 3 minutes after. It says this.

“Anton Ivanovich Is Angry”. I’ve watched this movie twice.

‒ Have you? ‒ And you?

I haven’t watched it at all.

It’s a funny movie. The people were laughing as if there was no war.

If you will excuse us, miss, we’ll take your gentleman with us.

Excuse me, Polina.

Let’s meet here, at the square, tomorrow. About 3 p.m. Will you come?

‒ I will. ‒ Good.

What shall we do?

Nothing for now. Don’t trample down on the evidence.

What do you have?

Nothing, sir. The fall-down, the explosion of high-explosive bombs.

Why did they explode with delay?

Maybe, the observer confused something?

‒ Did you check all the bodies? ‒ Not yet. There’s another more.

‒ Sechin! ‒ Here!

‒ Split the men into groups. ‒ Yes, sir. Anokhin, you go with me.

And this one hasn’t got burnt that much.

Just look at this.

A TT bullet. The pilots were laid here as scenery.

These visitors are serious ones.

The ones we’ve been waiting for.

No use searching near the plane. We need to check around.

Do that.

Everyone freeze!

‒ Comrade Captain, sir! ‒ Stop searching here.

I seem to have found.

We search around. Everyone follows me! In the footsteps!

Here, here, and that direction. The footprints are deep.

He was carrying something heavy.

They. There were two of them. They were too following in the footsteps.

Listen to me: our task is to figure out the size of the group.

Moliboga, check the forest closely as far as you can. Help Mikhailovsky.

Yes, sir.

What’s the closest town here?

Igumnovo. That way.

You go with me. We call more people and two men with dogs.

Yes, sir.

On my sailor’s honor, we have no suspects. And even no strangers.

Good. I believe you. But if someone comes, please…

I will inform immediately.

You mud is strange.

May I?

It’s no mud. It’s blue clay. Our supporter. Was before the war.

We are the only place in the region to have it.

Now we have it too.

Good. Thank you.

Good day, gentlemen. Good luck.

According to the footprints, the group consists of seven men.

Five of them scattered. Two reached the nearest road and took the truck.

They were waited for?

No, most obviously, it was a passing truck.

We need to look for the truck.

We already are, Comrade People’s Commissar.

Are you sure he is the one we are waiting for?

Well, I think not too many people will be allowed to destroy a plane

together with its crew with disguise purposes.

Agree. The Germans dislike sacrificing men.

This is why it will be we who will win the war. So, comrades, go on.

And remember the main thing: Comrade Stalin’s life is in danger.

We must prevent the attempt on his life at any cost.

Your order will be executed, Comrade Beria.

I have no doubts.

So, what have you done?

The overviews of the German landing were sent to every NKVD

and commandant’s office. The only thing remained is to wait, sir.

All right. Dismiss.

Yes, sir.

Your travel order, Comrade Senior Lieutenant, expires at 22:00.

I know. A truck is waiting for me in Moscow.

Where are you coming from?

A hospital, comrade patrol commander. You can read it in there.

The city of Kaluga. Look closely. You will find there the letters you know.

I already have. Your behavior is impertinent, Comrade Captain.

You shouldn’t say this.

Well, excuse me; I’ve lost my good manners at the frontline.

You did him all right.

Well, it’s okay.

The ferry is coming soon.

Is it going to come today?

Well, another more glass, eh?