Original subtitles

VLASIK THE SHADOW OF LONELINESS

Unexpected and horrible death of Nadezhda Allilueva

has changed a lot in Stalin

and for Stalin.

Now he is forever a man whose wife took her life.

Though officially Nadezhda died after a severe illness,

he clearly understood, that the news may come out

of the Kremlin walls at any moment.

Besides,

there were two men who might have read her last note,

addressed solely to him.

These two,

Peterson and Vlasik,

continued their service in the Kremlin

not knowing what deadly threat was hanging over their heads.

Stalin will shoot Peterson during the peak of repressions,

in 1937–1938.

Vlasik, however, will live.

Only all this will happen later.

In 1933, he prepares a new home for the boss,

the famous Blizhnyaya Dacha near Kuntsevo.

The design provided a room for Sveta,

a room for Vasya,

and one for Sergey Kirov,

the First Secretary of the Leningrad Committee.

His close comrades had called him Mironovich.

After the death of Nadezhda he has become Stalin's closest man,

besides the children, of course.

Vlasik will write separately about Kirov in his diary.

Stalin loved and respected Kirov the most of all.

Loved him with touchy and tender love.

By the way, there was no room for Yakov at the estate.

Part 3

Greetings!

Halt!

State your business.

- Comrade Kirov is expecting me. - You can pass.

Lenya!

Are you not at work?

I see, neither are you.

Today is the office report day, so I am actually at work.

The office is reporting, how is this your problem?

Lenya, what is wrong? Why aren't you at work?

I do not work at the depot any more.

- What? - They wanted to send me to Penza.

Further from here.

I refused, so they fired me.

I know who ordered about Penza.

- Lenya, do you know what you're doing? - Do you?

You got cleared out of Smolny, and you are wandering here.

Please, I can't stand this any more.

Lenya, this is impossible, you...

Instead of being jealous and stalking me, you'd better

find a job.

What shall we live on?

I think you'll find someone

to take care of you and of your children.

Comrades Heavy Machinery Administration employees,

your turn to report by sectors is in 5 minutes.

Planners are reporting first.

Please proceed to the hall.

Comrade Kirov will arrive shortly.

He's been unbearable lately, he needs a job. Do you hear me?

All right, I'll see what can be done about it.

Boy, am I sick of them.

- Of whom? - The security.

Right. Okay.

- I'm going. - Yes.

Yes!

Have you heard about healing by the Russian stove?

Negative, comrade Stalin.

And you consider yourself a rural native!

Russian stove is the main medicine against every disease.

I wasn't then

even a Stalin.

I was

a Besoshvili.

Or not?

A Chizhikov!

Exactly.

It was my Party name then.

Chizhikov.

Tatka.

She also laughed when I told how I was a Chizhikov.

Long time ago.

This was my first exile.

To Novaya Uda village,

Balagansky county of the Irkutsk region.

I was not even 30 years old then.

But my back was already no good.

There, one old woman

was curing me with a Russian stove.

Right.

She wrapped me into her kerchief of sheep wool,

and sent me up to sleep upon the stove.

Think of it, an old woman,

a torn kerchief,

and a Russian stove

have cured me.

20 years.

I never felt any pain.

But the last year, oh my,

the pain's back.

So I've remembered a Russian stove.

It's a shame that Novaya Uda village

is so far away.

How is the construction in Volokolamsk?

Finishing building the house, comrade Stalin.

- You should speed up. - Affirmative.

And Vlasik,

your people smelled of garlic from afar, and now it is cologne.

It's unpleasant.

And what about this new invention of yours,

the special coach, maybe...

Tell me, Vlasik,

is your wife very mad at you?

What for, comrade Stalin?

Well, you spend too much time with me...

... at the job.

What are you saying, comrade Stalin? She is quite reasonable.

Look after her, Nikolai.

Take care of her.

Comrade Merzhanov! Where are you going?

I have to verify

that all directives of comrade Vlasik,

especially about the Russian stove, are fulfilled.

Vlasik does not repeat himself.

Are you going to calm down or what?

Who is this Vlasik, and why is he messing with my work?

I know Le Corbusier,

I know Gaudi.

Vlasik? Don't know!

Who is this man?

Well then, it's the right time to meet him.

Well, comrade Vlasik,

please show me

the place for this monster here

in this ensemble?

Listen, you, Miron from Rostov,

I do not care about your ensemble, I'll now

show you your own place.

Sasha?

Look.

We keep this, and this is to be cleared

- cause you see... - You...

Screw you, comrade Vlasik!

Faster, faster, faster!

Did they give rations today?

Why are you lying all the time?

Why are you lying? I used to work there myself!

Did you forget?

I know who gets which rations.

Buying me off with food.

What do you mean?

Nothing.

Come here.

Here.

This will be your room.

To stay when you visit.

Tomorrow they'll connect a phone for you, right beside the bed.

It will be very convenient.

Yeah.

And what is there?

- Mironovich? - Yes.

Tell me, are the Petersburg comrades

ready for rationing cancellation?

Always ready.

My report at the Party meeting is due on December the 1st.

This is good.

I thought of it.

I am ready to become the Secretary General.

But on one condition.

If the great leader will be the chairman of the government.

Look, you have not yet been appointed, and you put down conditions already!

- It is great here, dad! - Yes, much more than at Zubalovo!

- How so? - More room!

Uncle Sergey...

Let's go riding! Let's!

Quiet, Vlasik will hear you, and put you in the pantry!

- Let's go now! - The car is ready.

Right on, let's go!

Gotta make it like here.

Good view. Good job, Sasha, it's properly done.

Oh yes!

Then...

...to provide full view of the whole corridor,

and access ways to comrade Kirov's study,

we'll have to break down, in the eastern wing,

a part of the carrier wall, here, and here.

What are you saying? No one will allow us to do it.

What do you mean, allow? Break it!

May I? Your guy there...

Yours!

A bloody bear! Pulled races on ice!

With the kids in the car!

Oh, cholera! Miron, where are your eyes?

- Where is Stalin? - In the car!

Are you mad?

It was fun!

Comrade Stalin!

I request to discharge me over failure to fulfill my duties.

I have not prevented the deadly danger to yourself, your children,

and comrade Kirov.

I request court marshaling me.

Looks like you and I

did something wrong.

Yeah, we like er...

Okay, I'll talk to him.

The children should be taken home.

Medved!

Get the boys home and into a bath!

Yes!

Sergey, come with me.

Vlasik!

- Vlasik! - Let's go!

Hey, wait, cholera!

When are you coming?

I haven't left yet.

Okay. Are you inviting me for the New Year?

Certainly!

I'll go to Zagubie, hunt some game for the meal.

All right.

Mironovich!

Let's go.

Look after him.

Waiting for you with the instructions.

What do you think about Borisov?

He’s sensible.

Do we have to replace him?

Comrade Stalin, I'll get there, check how they mastered my instructions

regarding comrade Kirov's safety. Then I'll tell for certain.

So far it's too early to draw conclusions.

To draw conclusions,

it's never too early.

Trust my experience.

Tell me, Vlasik.

Do you believe in premonitions?

I believe, comrade Stalin.

Well, I do not.

Just...

...right here...

...there's a pinch...

...somehow.

Maybe the weather?

Comrade Stalin, may I?

- Escort you? - Where to?

Please go.

Where to, Vlasik?

Well, go,

smart ass.

Smart ass.

Vlasik!

It is a stove!

You have lit it already, rascal!

- Of course! - Hold it.

Push me up there, will you.

Vlasik.

Respect.

Thank you, Kolya.

- Do not disturb me until dinner. - Affirmative.

An old Jew told me,

Hey Vova, these days can't believe no one, even oneself!

Yesterday at a Party rally

I wanted to fart,

and pooped in my pants!

Volodya, you tell such vulgar jokes.

Oh darling, your laughter is so contagious.

Vulgarity is when

it's flat, a cliche, and primitive

up to nausea, and not funny.

- Very funny! - Here, it's right in!

Only, why at a Party rally and not at the barber's?

Because a Party rally is modern times!

Hello, hello!

Hello, dear!

Vitka, my beauty.

- Hi! - Hi!

Please meet my friends.

Nikolai,

Alexander,

Stenberg the artist.

Music theater artists Tamara and Kirill,

and the incomparable,

incomparable Angelina Vitkovskaya.

You can call me Vitka.

That's how my friends call me.

To the Red Cross and the trade union!

What, why?

Come on!

This is a Miron joke.

Grisha,

bottoms up!

Excuse me.

Left my wrap in the coat.

Sasha, with me.

Good one?

Good one.

Come here.

Got money?

- A 50. - Cough it up.

Kolya, what's on your mind?

That fox caught your fancy?

Watch it.

She's a snake, Kolya.

You are talking crap.

I want to buy cologne for Lyuda in the morning.

Don't covet at another man's pie!

He's a solid family man, by the way.

So what?

A wife is no wall.

Lyubov Orlova managed to move.

She's a star now.

A rehearsal is in ten minutes.

Nemirovich hates late comers and deprives them of parts.

And who Orlova had moved?

Did Alexandrov have a wife?

Alexandrov had Eisenstein!

- If it's for Lyuda... - Give me.

Then hold it.

It's time for my rehearsal.

What a pity!

Wow, like that, we...

Yes, a premiere is coming soon, and you are invited.

Are you coming?

I will.

Here you are.

- Thank you. - You are welcome.

- Good bye. - Good bye.

- Good bye. - Good bye.

See you later then.

Kolya, well, still want the 50?

What?

Oh... Let's go.

Comrade! Comrade, wait a minute!

- What is it? - I should ask you that.

I see you every day at the same time.

You must take me for someone else.

I am a working man, no time for daily visits here.

We'll check this. Show your documents.

Sure thing, here you are.

Follow me.

- What for? - For clarification.

What is there to clarify?

I was waiting for my landsman. Grisha!

Grisha, at last! I was waiting for you here.

- Hello! - Hello, dear!

Waiting for you, I say. Thank you. What brings you here?

Wanted to ask you.

I see, you hold a high position.

Come on!

How are your wife and kids?

She's a bit sick, all the rest is good.

I have a request for you.

But I see, you are in a rush.

Yes, a bit.

- A bit. - I'll call you later then.

- Okay. - Good.

- Bye. - Bye.

Kolya?

You've got regards.

From whom?

From Vitka.

She's asking.

When that brave Vlasik is going to attend my play?

Too much work.

You should remind about yourself.

I do not know, how you hussars do it?

You'd come with a bunch of flowers.

What kind of hussar am I? No time for shows, theaters.

I hardly sleep two hours a day.

Well, you better watch it. Those like Vitka,

they don't forgive ignorance.

Bye.

And don't forget about my Lyuda.

Visit her, she might need something.

- Okay. Need a ride? - Thanks, I'll manage.

Bye.

- Well? - Like a clock!

- Go on. - Look, Sergey, Vlasik.

He'll be back soon.

- If anything is wrong... - Everything is wrong.

Why, in the morning,

there was no car for comrade Stalin, as I have ordered?

My bad.

But he was at the "dacha" in the morning.

Not in Kremlin.

- We thought... - You were not commanded to think!

You were commanded to execute!

I gave an order that every day

comrade Stalin's car

shall be present at his doorway at different times.

No matter where he actually is.

Affirmative.

Have I explained what is this for?

Affirmative, comrade Vlasik.

Well,

what for?

To confuse enemies

and prevent a possible attempt.

Why the heck you are not executing?

Maybe you thought

you can goof off if I'm away?

- Go and work! - Yes!

I warn you for the last time.

Every day, at different times,

bring comrade Stalin's car to his doorway.

- Clear? - Clear.

I was passing by, hello.

Hello.

I say, Borisov,

is this true what they say that this Latvian girl

has a son from Kirov?

None of your business.

Looks alike.

Milda.

It's over.

I am not leaving my son, I’ll help as much as I can.

That's it, Lenya, I am back.

To you.

Forever.

What a beauty!

- Nice buttons. - This is new.

Chief nurse at my work gave it to me.

Her daughter grew up so fast, she didn't even wear this.

Such nice shoes!

I want this for Nadya, our niece.

When Kolya has a vacation in his depot at last,

we'll go to Belorussia, bring presents to our family.

Yes, Lyudmila Viktorovna, they got lucky.

Your husband and you are so generous.

Unlike my family,

as stringy as they come.

Well, here comes the landlord.

I'm going, Vitya must be awake now.

Look what your wife has obtained.

All new.

We'll go to Belorussia, bring presents to our relatives.

What is it?

My sister.

Olya.

Last month, from typhoid.

I'll ask for leave at work tomorrow.

Have to go.

Nadya is completely alone there.

Last year, old man.

Now, the mother.

I'll cook the supper.

You’re gorgeous.

Don't peek.

Come on, get out, loiterer.

Breakfast is served.

Coming, coming.

Coming.

All right, I'll go get a newspaper.

Yes.

My days are numbered, I am learning,

To keep life going, do I say

I must be sure in the morning...

That I'm seeing you today.

When, Sergey?

At four o'clock.

In the Smolny.

Of course I can.

Oh darling, I miss you so much.

I love you.

You know, I totally forgot.

We can't go to the cinema today.

Why so?

I...

I was offered a new job.

This is great!

Why did I only ask for leave at my work?

You know,

if you insist,

I won't go anywhere.

No.

It's very important.

Do what you need to.

Well, yes.

I do what I need to.

Hello. Don't kill the engine.

I guess it won't take long.

Just wait here.

Are you going to leave me in peace, huh? Vlasik?

What is it?

Comrade Stalin.

Urgent telegram from Leningrad.

Who?

Kirov.

Comrade Stalin.

Attention!

Where is the body?

In the morgue, comrade Stalin.

Vlasik.

- We go to the morgue. - Yes!

Comrades, mount up!

Right turn!

Forward march!