Original subtitles

Want me to tell you a story?

Once upon a time there lived a little girl.

She seemed to be happy.

Shoes.

She was the only one in the building with red shoes... and black polka dots.

Do you know how they make exotic monkeys happy?

Why don't you say something?

No.

What do you mean, "no"?

I don't know how they make exotic monkeys happy.

Larisa...

Viktor, please don't leave me.

My dear, my darling!

I'll die without you. Really, I'll die.

Would you be better off with me dead?

Come on! Tell me! Be honest!

It would be simple — no suicide notes or anything.

You're the perfect one. But not me.

You'd be better off, right?

Olya, I don't love you.

Of course.

Forgive me, please. It was humiliating.

Why humiliating?

— We were good together. But the time as come... — Would you make me some coffee?

It's the last time.

Recites a poem: How many years on this street...

Do I hear the footsteps of my friends leaving...

Olya, c'mon. Drop the poetry.

You want me to go outside naked?

That's not exactly my idea of fun.

The trams will soon be running.

I'm an idiot, right?

I thought you would try and stop me.

I'd probably make an excellent dog.

Quiet... loyal...

I would be waiting at the door when you came home.

Khrustalyov!

Could you ever imagine...

what it would be like to have someone waiting for you?

You're tired and frozen...

You get home...

And it doesn't stink of ashtrays...

It's warm...

Cozy. It smells like home.

With a woman's scent.

Remember how you said how you liked the way I smell?

Sugar?

What?

We spent four months living together... sleeping together.

And you don't even know if I take sugar in my coffee?

I hate you!

I'll kill you!

I'll poison you!

I'll tell every girl I meet that you're impotent!

You bastard!

Viktor! Open up!

Open up! I left my pocket book!

Viktor!

I'm pregnant.

Stop lying!

Viktor!

I love you!

Please open the door.

Go to hell, you piece of crap!

That's whose autograph you ought to get!

Our main cameraman! An artist with a capital A.

People like that don't star in our movies.

Viktor, help!

Our director's beserk.

He needs a an oncoming train shot from below.

Viktor, hi!

— Can you spare three rubles? — I'm broke myself.

Get the fuck outta here. We're trying to talk!

What's there to talk about?

A case of cognac... And I'll get you the shot.

— What the hell?! — Got a better way?

Arkady...

— Have any of our film projects been approved? — I can't even think about that right now.

Katya kicked me out of the house.

Where are you now?

— I moved into Masha's place. — You like living dangerously.

Coffee. Strong.

I can go on searching... I can forgive and stay... If there is love...

Cut!

Fyodor Andreyevich!

Can I try it again? I missed the transition.

Oksana! Everything was great!

This is just the first stage. The main thing is the voice.

You sang great! Good work!

You're wonderful... Simply wonderful!

Fyodor!

She's got a really boring face!

Lusya, take ten and have a smoke.

Who's up next?

Her chin should not be shot from below.

Hi, what's your name?

Galina Chirkova. I'm 23.

— Operetta Theater — So you can sing.

Have a smoke.

Did you read this script?

— You know the songs by heart? — Sorta.

Give it a try.

But I haven't rehearsed the dance.

Forget the dance. Give me the song.

Only the director and the actors in the scene are permitted to smoke on the set.

I'm leaving!

Gosha! Coffee... and fast! I just have 10 minutes.

Look who's giving orders!

What the fuck?!

Khrustalyov! In the flesh!

— I heard that you... — Don't believe it.

How come you're not on location with Mishchikov?

What, you guys got into a fist-fight right on the set?

We had artistic disagreements.

Over a girl?

Who are you working with?

Fyodor Krivitsky.

— He just finished up another film — He's a workoholic!

"National Memory"?

Regina Markovna, please let me try it again.

Stop this boo-hooing this instant!

Regina Markovna! Just tell Fyodor Andreyevich that I can do it better.

— I will. — Promise?

I promise. Now, let's go.

— He's a bad guy! — A real jerk!

But mainly, he's a tight-wad.

— A whole month on preproduction and not a word?! — I tried to call, but you were busy shooting.

— He was hiding! — Yep!

I wasn't hiding. I just didn't have time!

Nadya wouldn't let him.

— She's got him under her heel. — I'll get it done!

Lusya, let's go get drunk, just the two of us...

We'll get ourselves some vodka and steak

and celebrate the start-work approval of Fyodor's new film.

I'll be free in a hour.

Wait and you can come over. And Nadya will be thrilled.

That's Bondarchuk, the director!

— Sergei Fyodorovich! — Sorry, I'm late.

All of emulsion is scratched.

Half of the film stock is defective.

— Lusya, we'll fix it somehow. — Somehow? How?

— Will five bottles be enough? — You're kidding, right?

— I don't drink your wine. I'll take vodka. — Or cognac.

Fyodor Andreyevich, I'd really like to come and do it over.

I really do sing well. I was just nervous.

What's your name?

Oksana.

Oksana, we're rushing off to see a wonderful girl named Nadia.

— Would you like to come along? — Sure!

I'm with a friend.

Great! We'll take your friend too.

— Okay? — Viktor, can I have a word?

— What's going on? — I don't know.

Viktor, how do you see this playing out?

I show up at the dacha with your... lady friend.

So? There are two of us and two of them.

— Nadia's in her ninth month! — Oh, that!

What about Kostya Parshin? We can take him too.

Kostya! Reveille!

We are invited to see a beautiful girl named Nadia.

— What, she can't wait till tomorrow? — No, she can't.

— Why me? — Guess!

I'm the decoration and entertainment.

You need elegant men.

Wrong. We need numbers.

More male participants.

Bastard!

Nadia!

Nadia...

Hello. Make yourselves comfortable.

You'll have to wait. I'm not done cooking.

How do you feel?

You could have asked me earlier.

But you decided to bring over your friends for a shindig.

Nadia, don't be mad. It just turned out that way.

— You won't be mad? — It'll be fine.

Go tend to the guests.

I've decided to change my name.

I'm going to call myself Mr. Corn.

Corn — Queen of the Collective Fields...

With a name like that, just let them try to kill my script!

We'll talk later.

Lusya, come and help.

Here, I'll help.

No, relax.

Oksana, we're going to have some wine...

Then of course we're going to dance.

And then I'll have a few questions for you.

The leading lady in my script is an actress.

I have to ask your advice.

Lusya...

Who is she?

— An actress? — I don't know.

I'm not the one who brought her.

— Want some help? — No, I'm fine.

They rejected the script again?

They said it sounds phony.

A Soviet Komsomol member has to think about all the people's happiness. Right?

Right.

And he would discuss the Chinese Communists,with his girlfriend, right?

Of course!

— And about the Lenin Icebreaker ship and the actor... — Of course!

All right. Enough already!

We were all went through the Komsomol Youth Organization.

We all sang those songs when we were young.

I still sing those songs...

I've got another eight and a half years left in the Komsomol.

Six and a half!

— You must be... — Girls, you're all young and beautiful!

Like Marina Vladi, the French actress.

Are you going to pour drinks or not?

Why does everyone like that Marina Vladi?

Her face is flat.

They don't expect me to write something like that.

They're expecting me to write the way it is.

For example...

A young Komsomol member volunteers for a big construction job.

He looks around...

And begins to drink.

He drinks and drinks and drinks.

Then he climbs onto the highest building...

And jumps head first.

And turns his brains into mush.

That's what I would write.

— Petya, you're wanted. — Okay. Hold on.

Quiet. Turn down the music.

Speech!

Fyodor! You're a great guy!

Because unlike us, you put work first.

And I don't know if it's better to spend all day in bed because you want to make a movie...

And what they offer... And in fact, the offer is off the table

Because they're a bunch of bastards.

Later I'll tell you all about Gebenchuk's dumb script.

Fyodor, you're a happy man.

You take pleasure in your job.

And the best part is that

the people flock to your movies in droves.

You should be ashamed.

You're guests in our home...

Eating our salad...

And you think you can get away with toasts like that!

You think Fyodor makes movies for mental retards?

He's the dumbest, right?

Nadya, that's not at all what I meant to say.

Nadia, c'mon! We're all in love with Fyodor!

You think I haven't seen your films? I have!

To be honest, I didn't understand a thing!

Excuse me for asking, but why does the girl

give herself to a man she has no intention of marrying?

Out of pity... she might wash his floors.

I remember the dust.

It looks good in the movie.

But her drinking...

sitting there on his apartment floor...

next to some packed bags... Is that supposed to look good?

Whatever she's so upset about that even for me....,

a person with an MD..., I just don't get it.

Moreover, no one does.

That's why your movie

pulls in just enough people to fill two rows.

While people line up to see Fyodor's movies.

You came to our house.

You hang around.

— And you brought your whore... — Nadia!

Forgive me.

Guys, I'm sorry. It's the pregnancy.

I told you... The dust in that movie gets people upset.

Can you give me five rubles? It's close to payday.

Khrustalyov!

Here.

— You're staying? — To try to patch things up.

I'll do the dishes.

Let's go to the Sunshine.

It's a 24-hour cafe.

Sorry, girls... We have to get back to work.

Here ya go, boss.

It's the movies, y' know.

I asked a girl on the street

who are you, oh beautiful creature?

It would be better if she had not answered.

...If she had just said nothing.

Hey, you, Mr. Lush! Pipe down!

We're sorry!

Oh, beautiful lady!

Angel of travel,

That thick movement through the night... It's a train.

rumbling on the rails on its flight...

I turn any drama into a farce.

I also once wrote poetry ...in school.

About love.

Would you like to recite it?

And then he eats this steak, and his eyes pop out...

He says, "Lucy, I've never had anything like this ever!"

And our people are all laughing off-screen.

Which people?

I don't know, since we can't see them. But we can hear the laughter on TV.

What for?

So that we get that it's funny.

Look, this is serious...

It's really serious.

Kostya!

Viktor, you know you're a genius, don't you?

Kostya, we're all geniuses.

Viktor, wait!

We're from the Kuban Region! And we live in Azerbaijan!

a southern land of warmth!

Near the Kazakh virgin lands!

— Khrustalyov speaking. — Viktor!

Kostya Parshin...

fell from an open window.

I can't believe that Kostya would do that.

Drunk? Fell out of a window? No way!

Hello.

Glycerin?

Respect for the dead.

What are you doing here?

I knew Kostya. He's dead, and I came to pay my respects.

Please, no long faces!

Kostya wouldn't have wanted that.

He had a zest for life and...

left much undone in this life.

Remember how I asked you about the train?

The director wants to know how you're going to shoot it.

I'm waiting for the cognac.

I remember...

I was walking down a corridor at Mosfilm Studios...

And there was Kostya...

sitting on the window sill...

Sad...

— I went up to him... — Why all this lying?!

— Lying? — It's all lies.

What specifically?

He comes up...

And Kostya's like some orphan... crying.

Let's drink... To Kostya!

Let's drink to people not saying all sort of crap about him.

Who are you calling crap?!

Take a guess!

You never even read his script!

Cause you don't have the brains!

This is a wake, not a wedding! The last thing we need is a fist-fight!

Are you going to shoot his last script or not?!

I'll show you all!

Let go!

And you said I would never be able to shoot it!

Fuck!

You have Kostya's last screenplay?

Let me read it.

Viktor Khrustalyov...

You can take his script and fuck yourself, Viktor Khrustalyov!

You guys went and got him drunk!

Some friends!

He should never have been allowed to drink

Not a drop!

Why did you let him get drunk until he was blue in the face?

And I thought you were trying to get away like six years ago.

Six years ago I told you about the nude model conference, and you...

Yeah, I boasted about it.

I have a favor to ask.

Let me guess!

You're leaving town to be in a film?

But then there would have been some sort of paperwork on it.

So, it's a vacation. And our daughter has no place to stay.

I'm gone three days, from Tuesday to Friday.

I'll be in the hospital.

For an abortion?

Whose is it?

That, Kostalyov, is none of your business.

They'll throw me in jail.

Uff! I gotta dig!

Who the hell knows when the train will get here.

What if something on the undercarriage knocks the camera over?

It's coming!

The train is coming!

Stop. Get back up.

The train is coming!

— What f-stop? — 5.6.

Regina Markovna!

They're going to throw me in jail!

It's coming!

— Hello, gorgeous! — Hi, Dad!

— You've grown! — I stopped growing a year ago.

Can I get a lift?

You're suggesting I take you to have your abortion?

It's on the way — Hospital No. 30.

By all means, dear. Don't give it a second thought!

— I hope you don't mind that the car needs a wash. — It'll do.

I don't know if you're aware...

They have these things you can get from the Bakov factory...

...that handle birth control.

The gynecology program is looking for a lecturer. Maybe you want the job?

You seem to be the big know-it-all.

Give me the address. I'll probably see you there quite often.

How many times have you been?

— What's wrong? — Mom's upset enough already.

She knows?

It would be better not to discuss your sex life in front of our child.

So long.

When should I pick you up, dear?

— I'll manage myself. — No way! I brought you, and I'll get you.

Okay. Friday, 6:00.

Friday, 6:00 p.m.

Don't you ever dust?

Samarkand Forum of Cinematographers: Best Director of Photography

Is that Samarkand Forum big?

Huge.

Prestigious?

Very.

You ever hear of Cannes?

Cannes is always begging for films from the Samarkand Forum.

But Samarkand turns them down.

Who broke it?

Whoever broke it would remember. We used it to drink vodka.

How can you drink vodka out of it?

This is how...

That was Kostya?

Mom told me you had a friend who died...

And you used to drink vodka with him.

What else did she tell you?

Nothing.

So she didn't say that desides drinking vodka...

Kostya was probably the best screenwriter in the country...

Which of his screenplays did you shoot?

We shot one really awful film...

with a great script.

The director was an idiot.

Kostya even asked to have his name taken off the credits.

Then there was another film, but it banned before release.

And...

Kostya had a hard time of it.

So he left nothing to be remembered by?

Wanna go to the movies?

Okay.

E. Myachin: Student term project Instructor: M.I. Romm State Film Institute, 1961.

What did you think?

Really boring.

Thank you, Kolya!

Okay. Yeah. It's boring.

But it's got a certain something.

You haven't seen his other student work.

Does Egor Myachin live here?

Yeah. Come on in.

But he's not here right now.

He'll be back tomorrow.

Come on in and have some pilaf.

He said he would give me a script to read

What script?

The one he's been working on.

The one he keeps hidden?

Yeah.

Thanks. Oh, sorry.

Excuse me, please.

Got it. Thanks. Enjoy your lunch.

— Bye. — Bye.

Let's toast...

To the Film Institute!

Where's the script?

Where's the damn script?!

Where's the script?

Why do you want the script?

You come over and start screaming... What, you have some great new inspiration?

Hello...

Read what's on the page.

Who's going to let a newbie like you shoot it?

Read!

"Declaration"

“I hereby declare...” Can you get that spoon?

Do you recognize whose handwriting?

I hereby declare

that I will not allow my script “Shards”

...“Shards”

to be directed by anyone except my friend Yegor Myachin.

“K. Pashin”

Okay. Now read this.

I hereby declare that my next script is to be directed by my friend Viktor Kostalyov.

I don't care. I won't work with you.

Every knows you're a son of a bitch.

That's when I deal with other sons of bitches.

But if the director is half-way decent...

Then I'm glad to pay for his artistic inspiration.

We went to see your film yesterday. It was quite good.

Hungry?

I am.

Your cameraman... Our cleaning lady could have done better.

But your directorial concept is visible.

And if we get it through all the roadblocks...

You're going to do that, right?

C'mon... Give me a break.

The first problem is

you're a novice.

We're going to have to do some maneuvering.

Second... No, actually first...

Since your being new... that's secondary.

The first problem is...

is getting the script through rewrite.

Anyone want some shishkebob?

Hey, you've already eaten most of it!

Dad, I'm thirsty.

No thanks.

Try it. You have permission.

I don't want to.

Taste it so you know.

Just like a resistance fighter taken prisoner!

Wait, Pronin was in the resistance!

Listen! Pronin was in the resistance!

What's this script about?!

A resistance unit!

Who's Pronin?

A resistance fighter! Wowie-zowie!

— In his memoirs he... — You read them?

— Of course not! — It doesn't matter.

We'll quote from them.

— How can we get in to see him? — We'll do whatever it takes.

We'll sit in his receptionist's office as long as it takes.

You go in the morning, and I'll relieve you at 3:00.

You can't be there in the evening.

Why not?

You promised to pick up Mom from the hospital.

Okay, then I'll go in the morning, and you'll come after 3:00.

Okay. Here...

Now give me yours.

— What for? — Just do it.

Okay...

Now no one will know that Yegor Myachin was supposed to shoot this film.

Or Viktor Khrustalyov.

Director of Mosfilm Studios Semyon Vasilievich Pronin

Viktor, you're not likely to get in without an appointment.

— I'll wait. — As you wish.

Don't even think about it!

— Hello. — Good afternoon.

Semyon Vasilievich, if I could just take two minutes of your time...

I have a wonderful script...

It's a wonderful script...

about a boy during the war

His family's been wiped out. He's cold and hungry...

He's found by a resistance unit.

I thought you'd be interested, since you yourself were in the resistance.

I mean, the idea and the story line.

It's the story of how...

even surrounded by the horrors of war, there's still a place for human feelings...

as well as deeds.

It's Kostya Pashin's script. He poured through your memoirs...

That gave him the idea...

You could say you were his inspiration.

If you would read just the first 20 pages...

Sanya!

Sanya!

Is this skirt okay?

What did you expect?

Hi!

Sanya, I need a tailor-made dress coat.

I'm meeting the director of Mosfilm after lunch.

What about the woolen coat?

You said you would make me the costume designer for a movie.

I swear as soon as they start work on the film... C'mon.

So?

Perfect fit!

What's your name?

Let's make it fast. I'm late.

Excuse me, miss. Just wait.

Just give me a moment.

I don't usually just go and say hello to strangers.

Just don't laugh... Okay. Laugh.

I think I'm in love.

I sympathize.

Excuse me, miss!

Please, I beg you!

You might be the one I've been search for all my life.

People!

I've been searching for that girl all my life!

Excuse me...

If I make an appointment, when would I get in?

Hold on...

So...

He's booked until mid-July.

I could schedule you for July 26.

No. I'll wait.

Be my guest.

Who is she?

Who is she?

Want my advice? Drop it!

How come?

Her brother's a boxer.

Who's her brother?

Me.

What's her name?

So wait... You don't want the coat?

What is her name?!

Mariana.

I need the coat.

But for a different reason.

Hello.

Hello. Excuse me but...

I wonder if you could find Yegor Myachin. Room 213.

He's gone?

Has he been gone long?

Sorry to bother you. Thank you.

Grandma, can you get the door?

Coming!

Hello.

I'm Yegor Myachin.

Sanya's friend.

I've come to ask your granddaughter's hand in marriage.

Hello.

Mariana, you have a visitor.

Thank you.

I believe in love at first sight.

I met Mariana and...

I realized that she is my destiny.

I don't know what else to say.

That's smart.

You must think I'm out of my mind.

No, I planning on an exciting, fulfilling life.

I'm a movie director.

And you've already made some movies?

Up till now just student projects.

My entire career is ahead of me.

That's for sure.

Well, Mariana is in college.

A junior...

— Majoring in chemistry... — Grandma, stop!

Yegor...

You're probably a rather creative person.

But all this is...

rather odd.

I mean how can you...

see a person just once in a tailor shop...

and then propose to her that very evening?!

You bring a cake...

which, by the way, I don't eat. No, Grandma, wait!

I don't like cake with butter frosting.

I don't make acquaintances on the street...

Or get married to the first person who walks up to me.

I see.

You need time to think it over.

There's no rush.

I'll wait for your reply every evening at 6:00 at the Mayakovsky Monument.

Thank you for the tea. Good bye.

I'll see myself out.

— Congratulations! — Thanks.

When was Dad supposed to come?

Sometime in the next life.

Semyon Vasilievich!

Please, just a word! I've been waiting all day.

Do you know Regina Markovna?

What would she say?

Khrustalyov, fuck off!

Khrustalyov! You win.

Someone stood me up...

Revenge for every time he's been rejected.

I want to know... Who is she?

I see you're your usual charming self.

I miss you.

You hold the record!

You usually start to miss someone only after two or three years of marriage.

You've been married what... a month?

Two?

— Are you busy tonight? — Not any longer.

Shall I drive you home?

Or will you get home alone?

I'm sleepy.

I'll go in the morning.

What will you tell your husband?

I'll say I went out for a walk...

And I fell asleep on a park bench.

He'll buy that?

If he doesn't, to hell with him.

What goo is a marriage if the people don't trust each other?

Viktor!

Open up! It's me!

Okay. I admit it... I didn't show up yesterday.

I have a good excuse.

But that doesn't mean I've forgotten about our film.

Hi.

You want to know the reason?

No.

If you could see what's in my heart

How it always follows you around

If you had felt the same

You would know what love is.

Oh, how deeply I was in love

And now what?

I thought it was spring

But it was just a temporary thaw

Come to me

Even if on the sly

Even if you have to fly halfway across the country in your dreams

I'll fall into your arms like a stone

Into the the depths of your heavenly eyes.

Oh, how deeply I was in love

And now what?

I thought it was spring

But it was just a temporary thaw