Original subtitles

TV CHANNEL RUSSIA

MOSFILM

PRESENT

FILM BY KAREN SHAKHNAZAROV

ANNA KARENINA

BASED ON LEO TOLSTOY'S NOVEL, ANNA KARENINA

AND ON VIKENTY VERESAEV'S ON THE JAPANESE WAR

EPISODE 2

CHINA. MANCHURIA. 1904

♪ ♪ ♪

They made me a general.

Do you know that, Colonel?

Yes, yes, so I heard.

- The order’s already signed. - Congratulations, General.

I wish you a speedy recovery.

The order...

We ought to celebrate it. They’re out there, those bastards...

Good day, Colonel.

Good day.

How are you feeling?

Decent enough.

What have you been doing today?

They’ve been bringing in the wounded from the dressing stations.

So we’re changing their bandages, giving them food,

sending them to the hospital corps.

I have been meaning to ask you...

- How has your life turned out? - My father passed away,

shortly after my mother.

Then Anya, too. My half-sister.

Your daughter.

She was just five years old. Do you remember her?

Yes... I was aware of that.

I was raised by my godmother, Lidiya Ivanovna.

Went to university, graduated,

worked at a hospital for a while, then started my own practice.

I was even married once. Though I’m alone now.

And then the war began. I enlisted. So now I’m an army medic.

Who’s that little Chinese girl? Where did she come from?

Not a clue. She just started following us...

Maybe she was abandoned. This is war, after all.

Now she is staying with us, for the time being...

Why didn’t you come to your daughter’s funeral?

I wanted to...

I wrote a request... But it was turned down...

But no-one would have turned you away if you had come... Would they?

Ah, fine...

I have an hour to spare. Maybe an hour and a half.

After that ball, I left for Petersburg.

There were barely any seats left,

I was ready to rough it with the peasants in third class.

But a friend of mine from the army helped me out.

He had been meaning to go back to Petersburg with his brother,

but the brother had fallen sick and so had to stay behind.

1872

I didn’t sleep the whole night.

I kept remembering Anna.

Her face, her words.

My mind filled with fleeting images of a possible future,

which made my heart miss a beat.

Now I knew that all the happiness

and meaning I could ever find in my life

came from gazing at her, from hearing her voice.

Watch out! Watch out! Can’t you see...

Over here! Over here!

Do you need anything?

Is there, perhaps, anything I may do to serve you?

I didn’t know you were coming. Why are you here?

Why am I here?

I am here to...

I am here to be where you are.

I cannot live any other way.

Please forgive me if what I just said unsettles you.

What you are saying is wrong.

And if you are a good man, I beg you to forget this.

- As I will. - Not a single word you say,

not a single gesture you make, shall I ever forget.

- I cannot. - Enough.

Enough!

Porter! Porter!

Alexei Alexandrovich! I am here.

Yes, as you can see, I am a devoted husband.

- Hello then. - As devoted as I was

some two years after our marriage, when I burned with the desire to see you.

Is little Sergei well?

And this is all I get for my ardour? He is quite well, quite well.

Count Vronsky.

I believe we’ve met somewhere.

You went there with the mother, and came back with the son.

You must be back from your leave?

I hope to have the honor of visiting you.

It would be a great pleasure. We receive guests on Mondays.

It is so wonderful that I was the one who had half an hour to spare,

so that I could meet you and express all of my tender love.

- Mama! - Sergei, darling!

- I’m so happy that you’re home again! - My sweetheart!

That girl from Moscow, the one you were talking about.

The one who can read and write. Is she better than me?

- No one in the world is better than you. - I know.

Well now, go on.

- I will come to see you in a moment. - All right.

My solitude is finally over.

You will not believe how awkward it is to dine alone.

And I see that your journey was a good one.

- How is our dear Stepan Arkadyich? - You cannot imagine...

How I pitied both him and Dolly, with all my heart!

I don’t believe that such a man can be excused,

even if he is your brother.

I know that not even matters concerning blood relations

will stop you from voicing your sincere opinion.

I know that you have this trait.

And I love you for it.

You are not going out anywhere. Aren’t you bored?

Maybe you should visit someone in the evening?

No. There’s no need. I will be perfectly happy at home.

You know, Latnikov...

That clerk from your department, just as I was leaving for Moscow...

Ah, yes, the collegiate secretary. With the funny hair style.

Of course I remember him. What did he do, then?

He told me...

Well, in short, he nearly confessed that he was in love with me.

Well, when moving through society, every woman is at risk of that.

- But... - Anna.

I have always had faith in your decorum, and I always will.

So I will never demean either you, or myself, by stooping to jealousy.

I swear, this is not even worth talking about.

Not worth talking about, is it?

Not that there is anything to talk about, thank God.

Are you leaving already?

I’m needed at the ministry now. Then I’ll be receiving petitioners.

How do you ever manage to do everything on time?

You know how. Every minute of my life has been catalogued and scheduled.

And in order to make time for everything,

I must be meticulous and thorough.

But regardless, I am happy that everything ended well

and that you’re back.

Is there any talk in Moscow of the new proposition I made at the council?

I’m sorry, I didn’t hear anything about it.

It made quite a stir over here.

They would not stop applauding.

I know this story...

It’s not too decent, but I’m dying to tell you.

- So go on, tell us. We’re all ears. - I won’t name any names.

We can play a guessing game.

Enough with the drinking. Eat something.

I’m not hungry... You have to understand

that this is a matter of life and death for me.

You can guess, can’t you?

Yes, I can, but I can’t talk about it.

I feel that you are the only one... Although you must despise

any and all feelings... You are the only one who can understand.

- You are a lucky man, my friend! - Why?

Because you have it all ahead of you.

- And you have it all behind you? - Well, not.

But you have real feelings, and I have just bits and pieces here and there.

This is not love.

I have already been in love, and this is nothing like it.

It’s like some power from beyond has taken a hold of me.

I did try to escape,

because I decided that it was not meant to be, you know?

It’s like a happiness that doesn’t belong on earth.

But I have lost a battle against myself, and I won’t survive without this.

Vronsky… Vronsky!

Excuse me, sirs, one moment.

Hold up, Vronsky. Come on, come on, let’s have a drink.

Thank you but I I have had enough. Or else I might get drunk.

- So, how is life treating you? - Badly, very badly.

And it’s all because of women. That’s why I came for advice.

Let’s say you are in love with this woman.

Yes... but she is married. But you are so infatuated with this woman

and well as if... I just don’t know how to put it...

It’s like you’ve already had a lot to eat

but when you’re passing by a bakery, you go and steal a bun.

Though, some buns are so delicious that it’s very hard to resist.

- What I wanted to ask... - If you, my good sir,

wish to make a fool out of yourself, I cannot stop you.

- Alexei! - But if you intend to continue with it

in my presence, I shall teach you a lesson about manners!

I’m not joking! Though, if you’d prefer to settle this,

- I am at your service. - What are you saying?

My apologies, Count.

What’s gotten into you?

Gentlemen! Speaking of women, I’m not done with my story yet!

You forgot to tell us how it all ends.

Oh no, it doesn’t end, this is just where it all gets started!

Yes, my dear sirs, it turned out to be her husband.

He went to the regiment with a complaint, saying that his wife’d been insulted.

And, just think about it, she was in the family way too.

Gentlemen! So what did the colonel say?

And the colonel said...

The oddest thing is that I cannot for the life of me remember courting her.

Well, I do remember the vague, general picture,

but I don’t recall how exactly I did it.

What I do remember well is an odd pained sensation every time

I went too long without seeing her. Right here, in my chest.

You know, like the feeling a smoker has when deprived of tobacco.

And I kept following her everywhere. Everywhere she went, I went too.

But she would always spurn me. I did not have any hope...

And still, I pressed on.

I just wanted to see her so much, to see her eyes, her smile...

The way she would crinkle her brow... It was insanity.

When my mother learned of the courtship, she treated it like...

like a trite high-society affair.

Mark my words, darling,

nothing adds the finishing touches to a brilliant young man

- like an affair with a socialite. - Maman!

What’s more, I must say that I found Karenina to be exceedingly to my liking.

I approve of how much she loves her son.

As much as I love you.

But still, she is just like any other beautiful but decent woman.

You should bear that in mind.

- I heard it was a marriage of passion - Of passion?!

Whoever speaks of passion in this day and age?

As you will.

But I know that the only happy marriages are those of reason.

They call it so when both spouses have already sown their wild oats.

It’s like scarlet fever, you have to suffer through it.

To really experience true love, you must be prepared

to first make mistakes and then correct them.

- Even after marriage? - It’s never too late to repent.

To do wrong first, and then to do right.

Please don’t.

We served in the Caucasus together. Won our battles. And now we meet here.

He’s been demoted to captain. I recognized him straight away.

A handsome man...

Yes, I knew him...

I have a nine! A nine! What do you mean, what of it?!

I know what I said! I have a right to take my pick whenever I want to!

I put a hundred on this! You’ve already started dealing,

and now what? Chickened out, backed off? Tell him, Vronsky! As a real officer!

- He cannot cheat like that! - Naturally.

I’ll never play cards with you again! You bloody swindler!

- Next time I will punch you in the face! - And you’ll have every right to.

I still don’t know for certain when she made the decision.

And the decision was all hers!

Later on, Anna told me about the conversation

she had had with your father shortly before.

I believe that this conversation was the turning point.

You think that “Anna left to be with Vronsky”?

No, “Anna left Karenin”...

- Anna, I need to speak with you. - With me? What is all of this?

Very well, let’s speak, if we must. But I would much rather sleep...

- Anna, I must warn you. - Warn me? About what?

I want to warn you against giving people in society cause to talk about you,

either through imprudence or carelessness.

The far too animated conversation you had today with Count Vronsky

- ...drew quite a bit of attention. - You’re always like this.

I don’t understand.

You don’t like it when I’m bored, and you don’t like it when I’m happy.

I wasn’t bored today. Does that offend you?

Anna, is this really you?

What is all of this? What do you want from me?

What I intend to tell you is this...

Please listen to me, I beg you.

As you know, I consider jealousy a degrading, humiliating feeling

and I will never allow it to guide me.

But there are certain laws

that cannot be violated without repercussions.

I am utterly at a loss. You are not well, Alexei Alexandrovich.

But fine, I will hear you out. And with keen interest,

because I would so much like to understand what this is about.

I have no right to go into the particulars of your feelings,

and in any case I consider it useless, even harmful.

Your feelings shall be on your own conscience,

but I have a duty to you, to myself, and to God

to remind you of your obligations.

Our lives are bound together, and not by men, by God.

These bonds can only be broken by a crime,

and a crime of this nature shall be punished most gravely.

I still don’t understand.

And goodness, to make matters worse, I am so very tired!

Anna, for God’s sake, don’t talk like this.

Maybe I’m mistaken, but please believe me.

I am speaking for myself as much as for you.

- I am your husband, and I love you. - Alexei Alexandrovich.

I swear I do not understand. Please be clearer about what you find.

Wait, let me finish. I love you.

But it is not me I am talking about.

The important people here are our son and yourself.

And if you feel that you have even the slightest inclination I beg you

to think about it. And, if your heart tells you to, say everything to me.

I have nothing to say.

And really, we do need to sleep.

To Count Vronsky.

Anna, is that you? Here?

Let the man go.

Yes, of course, go. I won’t be needing you today.

I would like to see your home.

May I?

Yes. Yes, of course. Please, follow me.

You know, a long, long time ago... When I was seventeen

I rode to the Trinity Lavra with my aunt on horseback.

Was that really me?

So many things that, at the time, I used to think beautiful

and unattainable, now seem so petty and insignificant,

and the things I used to have are now forever out of my reach.

How foolish.

Some wine?

No, I don’t want wine.

Let’s go, it’s a bit stuffy in here.

And even now, so many years later, I remember all of our meetings

as if they happened yesterday.

I remember the glimmer in her eyes, the smell of her hair,

and those words of hers, “I do not have anything in the world

except for you, remember that”. That’s what she told me.

I’m telling the truth! Strike me dead on the spot if I’m not!

Won’t even look at the foot soldiers... the big guns...

And what were you dawdling for?

Hey, we have nothing to do with this.

The scouts stared into their binoculars till their eyes began to bleed.

♪ ♪ ♪

Vronsky!

Vronsky, can you come over here?

What, are you in pain?

Only my head is... Otherwise, it’s bearable.

I just wander around like I’m in fog.

Say, you and the doctor are talking about something.

And I can hear it all, but don’t understand what the words mean.

What does the doctor say about me? Am I going to die soon?

You can tell me.

We’re both soldiers.

Yes, soon.

Is he a friend of yours, this doctor?

No, I knew his mother.

Knew how... you mean loved her?

- Yes, I did... - And did she love you back?

- Yes, she loved me back... - So what happened, did you part ways?

We did. She died a long time ago. More than thirty years now.

I see.

Does any part of us remain after we die?

Like love, for instance?

If we are no more.

Where will our love go? To heaven?

I don’t think so.

You know,

I used to have a daughter.

Maximov, can you hear me?

You know, when I sleep, I have the same dream almost every night

I dream that both of you,

you and Karenin, are my husbands now.

And I find myself wondering how that could have seemed

impossible to me before. And I explain to you both

that this is much simpler,

that both of you are now content and happy.

And this dream, it’s like a nightmare.

It weighs me down, and every time I wake up in sheer dread.

Think about it, Anna.

A lot of people have already more or less caught on to our relationship.

- Yes. - And soon...

and so very soon, our love may become known to everyone.

You must find it hard to understand.

Most of the women who are jealous of you cannot wait for proof that this...

What of it?

I’m not afraid.

But Anna, I can feel how torturous your situation is, and mine.

I see your shame over being driven to deception and lies...

We will have to keep our love hidden, we will have to lie,

use guile and trickery, always think about the others.

- Do you love me? - You know I do!

- I have loved you since the day we met! - And I too...

I... At first... I don’t even know.

I even loathed you then. It seemed to me that...

But well, it’s not important... Now it’s all in the past, thank God.

I‘m cold, please hold me.

But Anna... we have to do something.

I see how much it all makes you suffer

polite society, your son, your husband.

Oh, definitely not my husband.

I don’t know... I don’t even think about him.

- He does not exist. - You aren’t being truthful.

I know you. It pains you to think of him.

Ah, he doesn’t even know.

Ambition, desire to succeed. That’s all there is in his soul.

- Whether or not he knows. I don’t care! - Let’s not speak of it!

Let’s not speak of it at all!

Please, please, stop.

Really.

You must understand: I am not embarrassed by my love!

- I am proud of it. - Anna!

Whatever our fate is, whatever it will be,

we are the ones who made it,

and we’re not going to complain.

It’s getting late, I must leave.

When will I see you again?

At one o’clock on Wednesday.

Attention!

At ease, sit down.

Samarin, give me a smoke!

- I say, sir, what is this war all about? - What?

They say that the war is for Manchuria.

But what do we even need it for? We wouldn’t live here if they paid us.

When we were passing through Siberia on our way here,

there was so much land all around, without end.

What was the Tsar thinking about when he began this war!

Sir, and if we make peace with them we’ll have to pay up to Japan, right?

Yes, I suppose they will demand reparations.

Even more of a weight on us poor farmers.

No, better keep the war going then!