Original subtitles

[NO AUDIO]

[THEME MUSIC]

Love in Chains

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]

Stefan Yanovich, please!

Please! You are a noble man. You wouldn’t kill an unarmed man.

I swear, I give you my word. I’ll tell you everything!

Believe me, what happened to your wife wasn’t my fault.

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]

Keep fighting, Mr. Bezus. Make killing you more interesting for me.

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]

Get up. Come on!

Fight me, Mr. Bezus. I’m waiting.

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]

[KNOCK OF HOOVES]

[NO DIALOG]

When were the guys supposed to finish unloading?

I don’t think Stefan Yanovich will be able to do anything while they are there.

I ordered them to finish before nightfall,

so that they didn’t run around carrying glass in the dark.

The sun set long ago.

Are we too late?

[NO DIALOG]

Her daughters-in-law are vipers, she says. Huh?

Look at her! As if she were an angel.

Listen, what did she mean by living independently?

That our husbands will not work at the store?

Olesia, do you have a different explanation?

- But we are the vipers, huh? - Girls, I’m done.

I’ve cleaned the store and closed up for the night.

Do you expect us to bow to you for this or what?

Olesia, what got into you?

Aren’t you ashamed to tell all and sundry

that you are throwing us out of our own house?

What?

What are you talking about?

Nothing.

Maybe I’m mistaken.

Good night to you, too, girls.

[FOLK MUSIC]

Do you want her to tell father how we are bullying the poor thing in his absence?

This isn’t the way to do it. We need to pit them against each other.

What does father love more than his life?

Well… His store, what else!

Whom did he entrust it with?

- The country bumpkin. - That’s right. Let’s go.

All right.

Come on.

[FOLK MUSIC]

Look what I found in the backyard.

God, this smells awful.

[FOLK MUSIC]

[SHOUTING]

God, this is a horrible mess. Olesia, come on, help me clean it up.

Father likes cleanliness.

- Aha. - Let’s honor it.

- All right. Just a second. - Come on, come on. Yes.

Here.

[FOLK MUSIC]

- All right. Give me the knives. - Knives, knives, knives…

All right.

[FOLK MUSIC]

Oh! Good job. I like your creative approach.

Listen.

Why don’t we smear father’s apron? He wouldn’t let even Miron do it.

Lesia, you’re smart. Bring it here, quick.

[FOLK MUSIC]

Come on. Come on.

- Dusia, listen, I found more towels. - Come on, quick. Give them to me.

Like this.

Come on.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes. Like that. Good.

[FOLK MUSIC]

Yes! This place has never been such a pigsty.

That’s enough. Let’s go, before Timofey starts looking for you.

Yes, let’s go.

We should scrub our hands with ashes, or we’ll stink all the way to Khreshchatyk.

Oh God.

[YELLING]

Your vitality inspires respect, Mr. Bezus.

But it’s time to finish with it.

Get up.

Get up and take it like a man.

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]

- Stefan Yanovich, don’t do it! - Go away!

Don’t be like your enemies. Be merciful.

Go away. Katerina Stepanovna, you are only prolonging his sufferings.

He killed my wife. He will die.

I didn’t kill her! I swear! I never laid a finger on her.

Yevgeniy Antonovich, lies will not help you.

There is a glaring proof.

Olga Platonovna, may be you will listen to the voice of reason.

Yes, it is Vera Gnatkevich and I in the daguerreotype,

but I didn’t kill her.

Nothing happened between us. We met only to make this photograph.

It wasn’t even my idea. It was Mr. Zhadan’s.

- This is an outrageous lie! - Did you say it was Andrey’s idea?

It was him who started all this.

On what grounds do you want me to keep this man in jail?

Do I need me to tell you how to do your job?

Officer Gnatkevich is in foreign service.

He spent a long time in Poland and is waiting for a new assignment.

Suspicions on state treason?

You are quick on the draw.

I don’t think there will be problems with the first part of your plan.

As for his wife…

You know this isn’t the best moment.

I can’t be involved into a scandal with infidelity.

Has Rogneda Vasilyevna succumb to your charms?

Rogneda Vasilyevna has.

But her father still believes her too good for me.

Of course, a small impoverished landowner

is no match for a decorated war hero,

a general with plenty of land.

If you help me, I’ll put a word for you with Vasiliy Romanovich.

After all, if your marriage plans come true, it will be good for me, too.

As for the scandal, rest assure

it will not spread beyond this establishment.

If you want to marry your ticket to the high society, help me,

and I will help you.

I don’t know why he did it.

What was he trying to do? Put her at odds with her husband?

No, his plan was much subtler than that.

Zhadan wanted to compromise Vera Gnatkevich to blackmail her

into leaving her husband and going abroad with him.

He had concluded that Vera would rather doom herself to disaster

than let any harm come to you.

Besides, a public scandal would put an end to your career.

Knowing your principles,

you wouldn’t forgive her for paying such price for your freedom.

Was he correct in his calculations?

To the smallest detail.

He didn’t have to wait for a week after your arrest.

Three days later, Vera turned to him for help.

Tell me what you have found out. How serious is his situation?

I don’t know. Nobody tells me anything.

I don’t even know what they arrested him for.

Andrey, he is innocent. This is all some horrible misunderstanding.

I’m begging you, please help Stepan. Please.

You have my word. I will do everything in my power.

However, as you understand, I can’t promise you anything.

Thank you. And I’m sorry for thinking ill of you.

Everything happened exactly as he planned.

Vera would grasp at any possibility to better your lot.

On a certain day Zhadan sent her a letter

telling her when and where she should be.

Dear Vera Maksimovna, be at noon at 17, Andreyevskiy Descent.

The room with a butterfly on the door. Yours, Andrey Zhadan.

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]

I’ve sent away all the girls. There will be no unwanted witnesses.

Will the camera work without complications?

- Have you tested it? - Of course.

Look, Liubov Vasilyevna, if selling girls won’t work,

you can open an art salon here.

You will take photographs to every taste.

I hope she won’t have cold feet.

[NO DIALOG]

Here she is.

I’ll go meet her. Wait for me in the next room.

She came to the meeting believing that all she had to do was to bribe me.

She even had an envelope with the money ready and a knife in her purse.

- A knife? What for? - Yes.

It appears she wasn’t a timid person, and she brought a knife to our meeting.

God help me, I don’t know why she thought she needed a knife.

Why a knife? Believe me, I wasn’t supposed to molest Mrs. Gnatkevich.

Besides, a woman with her moral values would never do anything of a kind.

All I had to do was persuade her

that I had this small vice,

almost innocent,

and that I would release her husband

in exchange to a small favor.

How dare you propose me such a thing?

Wait, wait. Don’t get excited.

Believe me, it’s nothing but a beautiful picture.

Imagine that you and I are sitting for a portrait.

Just a few minutes of your precious time, and your husband will be released.

All charges will be dropped, and nothing will cloud your happiness.

Did she… agree immediately?

No. No, no, not at all.

Vera Maksimovna carried herself with great dignity. She almost left.

To finally break her,

I had to tell her that you’d go straight to the gallows from jail,

that the investigation is being rushed, the brass are putting on pressure,

and no one was going to look into your case properly.

They’ll just proclaim you guilty, and that will be it.

Did Andrey come up with all those horrible lies?

Yes. Yes, yes. Believe me, I’m telling the truth.

I swear. I was just his tool.

I must admit

that this situation did not seem too unpleasant to me.

Quite the opposite, it seemed amusing,

if you know what I mean.

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]

Everything is ready.

Nothing bad is going to happen.

Admit it, it’s even pleasant.

I am sorry but we’ll have to do it again.

Freeze and don’t move.

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]

- Mr. Stefan… - You bastard!

Mr. Stefan, calm down.

If you want to kill him, you’ll do it later. Let him finish first.

Stefan Yanovich, please. I know how hard it is,

but you have to control yourself

for your own sake and for the sake of your wife.

I’m calm. I’m calm.

Mr. Bezus.

Go on.

I fulfilled my part of the agreement. Zhadan fulfilled his.

That night I was invited to dinner

with my future bride’s father.

I couldn’t afford to be late.

It would mean the end of my hopes for marrying her.

As soon as I was done, I left.

Mrs. Gnatkevich, your husband can be proud of you.

You are a selfless woman. I am sure he will be out of jail very soon.

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]

Imp, wait.

You don’t need to thank me.

What for?

I saw everything.

You couldn’t keep your hands to yourself and do only what you were asked to.

Love is a frightful force.

Thank God I am getting into an arranged marriage.

Well, I won’t hold you up anymore. My fiancee’s parents expect me.

Andrey Andreyevich…

Get out.

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]

I left and went almost all way down the Andreyevskiy to Kontraktova

when I saw on the opposite side of the street

someone who wasn’t supposed to be there.

You.

I thought you had somehow found out.

I did.

Upon returning home, I found Zhadan’s note.

Of course I followed Vera.

I saw you asking directions to Number 17.

Andreyevskiy has the most confusing house numeration.

I ran back to warn Zhadan.

What? Are you crazy? Andrey, why did you do it? Why?

The girl killed herself. She had a knife.

She probably couldn’t live with the humiliation.

Goddamn it. Her husband will be here any minute.

The idea how to make the complications go away came up naturally.

I’m sorry, Stefan Yanovich, but luckily I had the gendarmes close at hand.

What can I do for you, sir?

Where is the Butterfly Room?

Upstairs, where else?

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]

My God! How horrible! The poor girl!

Is she one of yours, Liubov Vasilyevna?

I don’t remember her.

She was only getting a feel of it. She hadn’t started yet.

It’s a lie! She couldn’t have! She couldn’t! No!

- A rowdy client? - I’m her husband! Let go of me!

Everything is clear. Take him away!

Vera. Vera! Let me go!

It’s the third jealous husband this month.

Vera!

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]

Your nobleness, do you want to be in charge of the case?

No. I must say I feel bad for the poor man.

I don’t know what I would have done if my wife did something like that.

I told you the truth.

I know I did a low and dishonorable thing.

But I didn’t kill Vera Gnatkevich. Nobody did.

Why did you take Zhadan’s word for it?

Zhadan did many things.

After Gromyko’s death,

all his tasty morsels, all the brothels went to Zhadan.

But killing someone with his own hands?

No. He isn’t capable of it. It’s not who he is.

Take revenge, lie, set something up - yes, he would do all that,

but killing someone - no.

Besides, Madame Makarova was there and saw everything.

She had no reason to lie.

Now we’ll have to visit Madame Makarova and see if she corroborates your words.

That’s reasonable, Stefan Yanovich.

- I can’t believe it. - Let’s go.

Wait, Stefan Yanovich.

Let the councilor of state write down everything he has just told us,

in case he decides to change his mind or change some details.

Olia is right.

To clear your name in Vera’s murder, we need proof.

Let Yevgeniy Antonovich write it down.

Mr. Manager, please make sure the councilor of state has everything he needs.

[EERIE MUSIC]

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]

[NO DIALOG]

I am so happy to see you here today.

Believe me, it will be an unforgettable night.

Please sit down.

Thank you.

I’m so glad to see you!

[BACKGROUND CONVERSATIONS]

Good evening! Good evening.

I am so glad to welcome you in our music salon.

I must say I am a little confused.

I didn’t have a chance to familiarize myself

with this establishment’s rules and traditions,

so I will be most grateful if you point me in the correct direction.

Oh! You have a personal invitation.

It means you are one of the most anticipated guests tonight.

Follow me.

My God, it’s creme de creme of the Kiev society.

They are all our guests. Please sit down and make yourself comfortable.

Here. Have a nice evening. Kitty? Kitty.

Take care of our guest.

To love.

My dear, why do you make us wait for so long?

Where is the unforgettable one? We are waiting.

Don’t worry. I will rush mademoiselle on.

- Please relax, make yourself comfortable. - Thank you.

Lialia… come back.

[MYSTERIOUS MUSIC]

[MYSTERIOUS MUSIC]

Go away!

Don’t you dare come in without knocking again.

I see the lady is used to having house help.

Nobody is going to wait on you here.

Get up and run to the parlor.

The guests are already there and are getting restless.

Tell Madame that I will come out when I decide to come out.

Liubov Vasilyevna has left and asked me to be in charge and watch over everything,

so that there would be no problems.

So watch over it. Is Councilor of State Bezus here already?

I didn’t see him.

Didn’t you hear me?

There is a parlor full of important guests who are here for your sake.

If they are here for my sake, they can wait for my appearance.

They aren’t going anywhere, are they?

Close the door.

And send the valet for me when his excellence Bezus deigns to arrive.

Don’t imagine that you are allowed to do what you want here, all right?

You aren’t the mistress.

[MYSTERIOUS MUSIC]

Here.

Goodbye. Goodbye.

Where are you going?

What?

I wrote everything I knew, as we agreed. I have no idea what else I can do for you.

You are coming with us.

I don’t want to waste time persuading Madame Makarova

to tell me everything she knows, and you can be very persuasive.

But there is a big musical soiree tonight. There will be a lot of important people.

And I look like… You knocked out my tooth.

I think we shouldn’t attract attention.

You bring up a serious problem, Yevgeniy Antonovich.

Don’t worry, there is a place at my factory

where you can freshen up and clean your suit.

[NO DIALOG]

Katia.

Are you all right?

Every time I think the dark times have passed,

new monsters tumble out of the Pandora’s box of his past.

How could he, Olga? How could he?

He loved her.

Oh, my dear.

KIEV. ZHADAN’S HOUSE

It’s as if he is losing control over everything

and, moreover, over himself.

I have never seen him like this, Liubov Vasilyevna.

Never in all these years.

I have, and it turned out an irreparable catastrophe.

I don’t want to go back to that hell.

Thank you for bringing it, Bogdan Yuryevich.

Where are you going now? Why don’t you go back to the salon?

Oksana, your favorite, doesn’t do tete-a-tetes with our guests anymore.

She is getting married.

But other girls will be happy to make your evening more entertaining.

Thank you, Liubov Vasilyevna. Have a good night.

Have a good night.

Thank you.

[PIANO MUSIC]

Cheers.

[BACKGROUND CONVERSATIONS]

Gentlemen.

A minute of your precious attention.

As you all know, our salon

is renowned for its hospitality,

warmth, and the most beautiful girls

who always have something

to surprise you.

[VIOLIN AND PIANO MUSIC]

Bravo!

Mademoiselle Gautier! Finally!

The unforgettable one!

[VIOLIN AND PIANO MUSIC]

Gorgeous!

Excellent!

Who is this?

Which one of them is Mademoiselle Gautier?

[BAWDY MUSIC]

Wonderful! They are just fairies.

I believe none of them.

[BAWDY MUSIC]

[BACKGROUND CONVERSATIONS]

Yevgeniy Antonovich, good evening. It’s always good to see you.

Martyn, my dear, get us in through the back door.

We need to talk to Madame in private.

Yevgeniy Antonovich, you know the ladies can’t come in at nights.

Especially on a night like this. If you only knew who are guests are!

You are right.

Ladies, you will have to wait here.

I believe Stefan Yanovich doesn’t need us to talk to Mrs. Makarova.

Can I ask you to drive me home?

Stefan Yanovich, do you mind if we will not wait for you?

Of course. I understand, Katerina Stepanovna.

Besides, you have something to talk to your husband about

before I come to your house to demand satisfaction.

Let’s go, Mr. Bezus.

[PIANO MUSIC IN THE BACKGROUND]

Oksana, seductress, where did Liubov Vasilyevna go at this late hour?

To Andrey Andreyevich’s, I believe.

- Zhadan? - Yes.

Yevgeniy Antonovich. I’m so glad you came.

Mademoiselle Gautier refuses to come out to the guests without you.

Let’s go there right now.

- Ivan, you? - You heard her. They expected me here.

Stop! Stop!

I’m beginning to like this evening.

Yevgeniy Antonovich! Yevgeniy Antonovich, sit down.

We have reserved the best seat for you. Sit down.

Oh god. Don’t tell me…

- Please make yourself comfortable. - Merci.

- Have a nice evening. - Merci.

Yevgeniy Antonovich, hello. What happened to you?

Mr. Furs, nothing serious. My job is rather dangerous.

Sometimes I have to deal with daring criminals.

Are you preparing something interesting for the readers?

Gathering material about best Kiev’s brothels?

You tell me why I am here. Your boy brought in the invitation.

It must be some mistake. I am a guest here, just like you.

I also received a personal invitation and am anticipating a beautiful surprise.

Haven’t you met that Mademoiselle Gautier?

As far as I understand, everybody here except for me has already had the pleasure,

and at least one third were lucky enough to get a chance to know her better.

I hope I will be the lucky gentleman tonight.

I was told she has already asked about me.

Bring more champagne!

I hope mademoiselle Gautier hasn’t made her appearance yet.

I will not forgive myself if I miss even one minute of her dance.

MADAME MAKAROVA’S MUSIC SALON

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]

Something is burning.

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]

Olesia! Olesia!

Wake up! Olesia!

Timofey, Olesia, wake up!

Why are you yelling?

Something is burning. The house is filled with smoke.

Get up, quick!

Come on, go there! The store is burning.

- Timofey. - What?

Bring water! Water! Dusia, go get the firemen, you hear.

- Lesia, get the buckets. - The buckets.

- Where are you going? Come on! - God…

Oh dear. Come on. Go! Quick! Don’t be like dead horses. Come on!

[BAWDY MUSIC]

Thank you.

Hey, you!

Call that girl, the arrogant one. Oksana, I believe.

[BAWDY MUSIC]

Have fun.

Wrap up that dog and pony show. I’m ready to come out.

Are you? It seems that the guests are having a lot of fun already.

Maybe you don’t need to make your appearance after all.

What do you want?

Yes, that’s right.

The salon belongs in its entirety to Mr. Bezus.

These papers confirm it.

I don’t understand why Bogdan brought them to you and why you came to me.

We had an agreement.

You gave me your word you would let me buy out my half.

We have been having a full house. Why, Andrey?

I needed it. I did it for my family.

Well, if it’s for your darling’s peace of mind,

I should probably welcome Bezus with bread and salt

and throw my cap in the air with joy.

You took my business away from me, Andrey!

It just happened so. Don’t take it personally.

It’s a done deal, and there is no way back.

Do you think you can do this to me? That it’s possible?

Let me remind you how it started, how our music salon started!

Remember who we were then, what we went through?

Wasn’t it our ability to stick together that helped us through it?

KIEV. ZHADAN’S OFFICE

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]

[BAWDY MUSIC]

The night is still young. Hey!

[BAWDY MUSIC]

Marichka! Are you pretending a mysterious naiade, too?

It’s not your strong side. No, it’s not. Come on.

- First time I see this... - Gentlemen!

Gentlemen, a minute of your attention.

I want to thank our wonderful ladies.

They were amazing, weren’t they?

[APPLAUSE]

Mademoiselle Gautier asked me to tell you

that she was impressed by you all, too.

So the profits from this evening

will be distributed in equal shares between the girls.

And now it’s time for the special event

we are all here for.

Mademoiselle Gautier is prepared to reveal her identity

and take off her mask!

Is it true?

Bravo!

Come on!

[APPLAUSE]

I tremble like a young boy.

I hope her face will be as beautiful as her body.

[PIANO MUSIC]

Welcome!

Grigoriy Vasilyevich, you were lucky enough to spend time with Mademoiselle twice.

Were you able to convince her to take off the mask?

Alas. Believe me, I wasn’t even thinking about it at the moment.

- This woman is full of passion. - That’s right.

Welcome!

Bravo! Bravo!

- God, my heart is jumping out of my chest. - Goddess!

Calm down, Mr. Bukhteyev. Don’t stand in the way of this bliss.

You didn’t exaggerate this lady’s virtues.

Quite the opposite, you have downplayed them.

[BACKGROUND CONVERSATIONS]

Oh my God, oh my God…

- Don’t just stand here. - Have they put it out?

- It’s all my fault. - Why is that?

I left a candle on the counter when we went there to make a mess.

Hush! Quiet, I said. You fool!

I didn’t do it on purpose. God, how shall I tell Father?

He will throw me out of the house.

- Oh God. - Not just you.

Girls, we need more buckets.

Go ask the neighbors. The house might catch fire.

Neighbors.

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]

[NO DIALOG]

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]

And after everything that we went through you just say “It happened so”!

Liuba, don’t get all sentimental on me.

After everything that happened, after that thing with Mrs. Gromyko,

do you believe I still owe you something?

Did you want me to give you the salon

as a gift as gratitude for your past favors?

It is my whole life! My whole life!

You don’t know, you have no idea what I had to sacrifice for it.

Weren’t you happy with it all these years?

Why do you need this salon?

Do you want to play dirty, Mr. Zhadan?

All right. I have an ace up my sleeve, too.

I have stayed silent for all these ten years.

I believed it my duty to protect you. But now I realize

I don’t have to keep the circumstances of Vera Gnatkevich’s death secret.

What the hell are you talking about? What secret?

I saw who killed her.

I saw it through that same peephole

through which you were watching her being humiliated.

It’s a bluff.

A bluff?

Even if you were the last man living,

I would never have cast my lot with a miserable, low, disgusting…

- Shut up! - …ugly vermin.

I don’t even hate you. You disgust me.

I can see you remember every word, too, don’t you, Andrey?

So, you will put the establishment in my name, and I will promise you silence.

You have time till morning.

I want to see all the papers on my table by then.

You forced me to do this.

Wait. Stop!

- Leave me alone! - You won’t tell anyone!

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]

[THEME MUSIC]