Original subtitles

VLASIK THE SHADOW OF LONELINESS

The news that the elder son of Stalin surrendered in the summer of 1941

quickly flew around the country.

The Germans were celebrating and dropped the leaflets

with Yakov's picture from interrogation,

encouraging the Soviet soldiers to follow the example of their leader' son.

It took some time for Stalin to recover although he didn't show it.

Soon enough Vlasik came to report to him offering almost fantastic take on it.

He said, these were not Yasha's pictures. It was someone else in disguise.

The photos indeed bore obvious signs of editing.

His jacket wad buttoned up backward, the shadows were not right.

He concluded that Yakov died before or at the time of capture.

The Germans found his ID and decided to stage a fake using a double.

Moreover, the sophisticated German propaganda machine

didn't present a single footage of Yakov in prison.

Vlasik proposed to send several scouting teams

to the area of the camp where they kept Yakov or his double

and finally find out the truth.

These scouting teams will keep coming to the German rear till Yakov’s death

during the escape attempt in April 1943.

This death strangely occurred right after the exchange proposal

made by the wife of Field Marshal Paulus who was captured under Stalingrad.

Shortly before the death of real or fake Yakov,

Vlasik's close friend Alexander Mironov died at one of these scouting missions.

Part 12

Oh, my goodness! Look at you, all grown up!

- You became a real beauty! - Hello.

Hello.

- Our little flower! - Follow me.

Zoya Fedoseevna, you are flattering me too much.

- You have some bad news to share? - No, we are fine.

Everything is ready and hot. Eat first, then have some rest.

Comrade Stalin is quite well. He just had a good meal.

Of course, he would come home, look around and sigh.

"Where is my little boss?"

- Bring me some water. Please. - Of course.

Your brother was here. Vasily Josephovich.

He became such an ace! Feast for the girls’ eyes!

What girls, Zoya Fedoseevna? He's got a wife and the kids!

Well…

- Where’s Galya? - What Galya? She was and then she wasn’t.

She was too jealous. She came back to her mother.

- Are there any other news? - Other news?

This Georgian guy came. Sergo.

He kept bringing flowers to your friend.

I think he even proposed her.

- Thanks! I’ll go to my room. - But the crepes!

I am not hungry.

What?

It’s okay.

What’s going on at home?

Yes, sure. Obviously.

I am probably lost. I didn't often come to...

Who are you, my beautiful child?

Vasya!

- Vasily! - Ta da!

Ta da! Yeah!

My little Belly Button!

Belly Button!

You came!

Come on! What? Come on!

What is it? I am sorry!

Sorry! This is my sister! My honey-pie, my sunshine, Svetlanochka!

And this is Lyusya!

Vasya, which one is Lyusya?

- Are you Lyusya? - I am not.

Then I am Lyusya.

He is Lyusya!

He is a play writer and my friend. We're writing now...

What are we writing? Oh, a screenplay.

And I am consulting him. Lyusya is a real talent!

Alexey Kapler. My friends call me Lyusya.

- And I am… - Svetlana.

A beautiful name. As beautiful as the girl bearing it.

Well, I see, you are getting along!

And we’re gonna dance some foxtrot…

Insomnia. Homer. The sails, stretched out.

I’ve read the catalogue of ships halfway.

This lengthy brood, this train of cranes,

That soared from Hellas up into the clouds.

Nina!

- Let’s go home. - Leave me alone, Karmen.

- Let’s go. - Leave me alone.

Vasya is my first love.

- Let’s go home! - No way.

- You are a fool! - My Vasya, my Vasya…

You are a fool!

Whom are you hanging with? He's gonna leave you!

Karmen, you are a boor!

All of you are boors.

So what if he leaves me?

Nina…

Go home, will you? Really.

Listen to your husband.

It is a right thing to listen to a husband. Go home.

You are a fool, Vasya.

The sea and Homer, all are moved by love.

Whom should I heed? Now Homer has grown mute,

Black sea, orating, nears me, resolute,

And thunders by my headboard, loud and rough.

- It is so beautiful. - Sveta!

Unfortunately, I didn’t write this excellent piece of poetry.

Comrade Stalin, I am sorry. Another paper for you.

Colonel Stalin is stealing my wife. Please exert your influence on him.

What is it?

Comrade Yaroslavsky,

the father-in-law of Karmen, the stage director,

delivered it personally. He asks to affect Vasya’s behavior.

Give it to me.

Bring this idiot back to her husband.

Send Colonel Stalin…

…to three-days imprisonment.

Ten days. Huh?

Fifteen.

And then add another five.

He is not to be appointed…

…to senior positions without my knowledge.

Go on.

- Everything's clear? - Yes.

Yes. This is right.

Wait for me, and I’ll be back if you really do.

Wait for me when yellow rains make you feeling blue.

- What is it, Sveta? - Nothing. It was just a feeling.

What feeling, Sveta? What was it?

I am older than you by... By frightfully many years.

Lyusya, you are older by 24 years.

And my dad was older than my mom by twelve years.

It is exactly a half.

But my mom died first. That’s what a poet wrote on her death:

“The death is treasonous and cruel.

It often spares those old and weak

and strikes instead those who are young and vital."

Sveta, what we do is wrong and very, very dangerous.

But what do we actually do?

You are right. Let's go to the planetarium, okay?

Yes!

That’s the apple tree…

…planted by Yakov.

Tell me, Vlasik,

you still don't believe in premonition?

And I...

I feel it with my heart.

Something bad will happen to Yasha.

Never ever lose your family, no matter what.

A man without a home is like a dog

without a master.

Shelterless.

And very angry.

As simple as that.

We broke their neck eventually, Vyacheslav.

But now we need the second front like never before.

And these bastards can’t just sit there and keep quiet anymore.

Shall we answer them, Joseph?

Whom? To what?

It came via the diplomatic channel.

The wife of Field Marshal Paulus reached out via the Red Cross.

She wants to exchange Yasha for her husband.

I am not a merchant, Vyacheslav.

I am not going to bargain. The war is the war.

Prepare a meeting with our weak-hearted allies.

We have the most compelling reasons

not to ask but rather to require their help.

Here. Okay.

- Please come in. You’ll work here. - Attention!

- At ease. - At ease!

15-minute break. Go out.

- Yes! - Yes!

Please meet Colonels Mukhin and Sedov.

- My pleasure. - My pleasure.

- My pleasure. - My pleasure.

- But why us? - Hello!

Because I saw your work. A detailed layout and maquette of the Kremlin.

It was very precise and almost lively.

It was the first time I saw something like that.

- Go on. - Hence, you can do this one equally good.

Besides, comrade Stalin personally asked to engage you.

Young man…

Can I call you that? I have bad memory for the names.

And my temper is bad as well.

How exactly my peer and I are going to do what you are asking?

With the help of these photos. Sedov!

Here.

Please.

- Excuse me but this is... - Yes, right. The aerial photography.

- And there are old books. Mukhin! - Yes, just a second.

- When do you need this? - Yesterday.

- Materials? - Anything.

- And… people? - Don’t worry, we have people.

And, comrades, I guess you understand that this is top secret.

Young man, I am old but I am not an idiot.

I am sorry! Can I call home? I have a...

Huh?

Oh, I understand. Thank you.

Don't worry. We already told your families that you went on an urgent work trip.

- Yeah. - Yeah.

Twenty…

Twenty… Yes?

- Good afternoon. - Four… Hello.

Did Alexei Kapler come to work today?

Alexei Yakovlevich is an Honored Artist,

- the author of "Lenin in October"... - I know all that.

Tell me whether your honored man came to work today.

Comrade Kapler has earned his right to come to the office when he wants.

Fifteen, sixteen…

- Good afternoon! Comrade Kapler? - Yes.

- Hello. - Please follow me.

- Good afternoon. - Hello. How can I help you?

I… You know…

I have an offer.

Go home now, pack your things

and go wherever you feel like.

Do not threaten me.

Svetlana and I have feelings for each other. I don’t want to go.

You don’t.

Even in this case, go home and pack your things.

Because you'll have to go anyway, whether you want it or not.

If you won’t change your mind.

Am I free to go now?

Yes, for the next three days.

Don’t come close to this girl. I’ll see to it personally.

We are not going to see the stars anytime soon, my friends.

Right… We’ll spend the whole war on standby.

At least you had a chance to fly and shoot down some Nazis.

And me…

Come in!

Comrade Colonel, may I speak? Senior Lieutenant Potapov.

- The center awaits for your report. - My report?

Comrade Potapov, this is my report!

That’s what you tell the center.

Yes!

Bad idea, Josephovich. He’ll rat on you.

Let’s go fishing tomorrow!

- We just sit here anyway. - But we don’t have poles, gear or hooks.

- And warms. - Don’t worry, guys.

We’ll have it all.

Ah… Tehran, Tehran…

What is it, over here?

The northern part of Tehran.

It is 2,000 meters above sea level.

- And this? - The southern part.

Sultanabad, Rei, and then the desert.

Comrade academic! Where are the underground facilities?

And, most importantly, where do they lead?

Downtown collectors are headed to east.

- Mukhin! - M-m?

- Then the highest points are here, right? - Yeah.

Well, look.

You know, comrades, that's it for today. Please go and rest. We'll wake you up.

- Dismissed. - Yes, sure.

- Have some rest. - Thank you.

Yeah.

Now, look.

- You put four snipers on each minaret. - Come on! The Muslims won’t let us.

- You put four snipers on each minaret. - Yes!

We’ll close the city for the whole meeting duration.

How do we prevent the overlap of different leaders’ routes in the city?

- Bring the academic back. - Yes!

- Comrade Col… - Hi! Where can I change?

- In a tent, there. - Let’s drink first.

Come on, pour out.

- Shall I throw? - Yes, do that.

Well…

What’s going on?

There’s nothing there.

- Just the small fish? - Yeah.

You’ve something better than shell?

- Sure. - Bring it on.

- I put it on eleven. - Make it ten. It sounds better.

And fetch the next one.

We’ll pick up the small fish later. And don’t…

They went to Selizharka River, 1.5 kilometers from the airfield,

for fishing. They threw shells and rockets to water, blasting fish

and picking it up from the shore with a net.

Eventually, Captain Razin died,

Colonel Stalin and Captain Kotov were badly wounded.

Come in, Vlasik.

Here. Read some news about your favorite.

That’s what we’ll do.

Sit down and write, Vlasik.

To the Commander of the Red Army Air Force,

Aviation Marshal comrade Novikov.

First. Immediately discharge Colonel Stalin

from his post of aviation regiment commander.

Do not assign him any command positions without my personal order.

Second.

Make an announcement that he is discharged due to his drinking and debauch

as well as to his bad influence upon the regiment.

Third. Report me on the order execution.

The People’s Commissar of Defense, Stalin.

That’s it.

That’s it.

Lavrentiy, dismissed.

- What? Anything else, Lavrentiy? - Svetlana.

She’s having an affair with Kapler, the playwright.

- Comrade Stalin! It's been settled. - I wouldn't say so, comrade Stalin.

I am just really worried.

Comrade Kapler is very responsible... He's teaching me stage speech.

Do you want me to teach you stage movement?

If he comes, please tell him that I was here...

Your Kapler will come in 5–10 years.

So use your chance and accept my offer while it's still valid.

Where is she? Where is she, I am asking you!

She’s in her room.

Svetlana!

Open the door, or I’ll break it down!

Svetlanka!

My sunshine!

Well…

Tell me, how?

How could you do that?

Tell me.

Tell me. He is…

…older than you by quarter-century.

- Moreover, he is a Jew. - Don’t you dare.

Don't you dare saying bad things about him.

Or I’ll go.

- I’ll go. - I wonder…

- Where will you go? - To Vasya.

Atta girl.

Come on, get up.

Get up.

Atta girl. This is a good… A very good idea.

To Vasya…

Here.

Vasya’s home is jail.

Unless he comes back to his senses.

I will put him there myself.

I swear.

You are a copy of your mother.

An exact copy...

...of your mother.

Make sure she doesn't miss her classes.

And, you know… Attend to your immediate responsibilities,

my dear! Otherwise I will make you…

My kids honored their father well!

It will be over soon. The Nazis are almost done.

- How is Vasily? - Not very well.

I kept asking the boss to let him right his wrong in action.

He finally agreed.

He’s been transferred from Zubalovo to Moscow. But he has no position yet.

If Vasya sees that his father believes in him, he’d move mountains.

As long as he doesn’t drink.

It is obviously up to you, Kolya, but it is hardly possible.

- Vasily is broken. - Well…

We’ll see. Follow me!

Well… It’s just the way it was.

Almost.

Right. The old gadgets were replaced with the new ones.

- From our allies. - M-m.

It works.

Yeah... I am grounded while other guys are killing the Nazis at this very moment.

Is it fair, comrade Vlasik? What do you think?

You don’t have to complain. You’ve had your share of the warfare.

Right. I have, compared to my elder brother.

By the way, could you tell me what really happened to Yasha?

‘Cause nobody tells me.

It is useless to ask my father. He won’t talk to me after the damned fishing.

Svetka, my sister… Svetlana Josephovna… She’s getting married.

She’s too busy to talk to me now. So maybe…

…you could tell me what happened to Yasha?

- No, Vasya, I can't. - I see.

Simply because I also don't know the truth.

I see.

If you can't, you can't.

You know, comrade Vlasik, let's have a bit of...

The Commander's order?

Grisha! Come here!

Grisha, here's the money. Run to the shop.

Bring me three bottles of vodka. Come back fast. You got me?

Comrade Vlasik, no means no, I can get it.

But you know what? You gotta understand me too.

I need a rest.

May I?

- Dismissed. - M-m.

- Does the boss know? - Negative.

Take him there.

Vlasik. Where is the master?

Gotcha.

Come on! Run!

Come on! Are you sleeping or what?

Keep your balance! Keep your breath!

Move it, I said!

Keep that pace!

Come on! Go! Go! Go! Don’t be sluggish!

Move your legs! Come on!

Hey, you! Stop goofing off!

- I am not goofing off, comrade Commander! - Go, go, go! Come on!

You are a beast! You are tougher than Kudeyarov.

- And who’s he? - Your countryman.

Nikolai Novik, the Belorussian. He’s stubborn as a mule.

Right. That’s us, the Belorussians. Send him to me after this.

Yes!

Don’t relax! Keep that pace! Stop goofing off! Come on!

Hold on, Lyudmila! How come you didn’t know where she went?

You know how old is she?

I know how old is our daughter. But you seem to forget.

Okay, I’ll come and I’ll handle this.

Comrade General! Major Novik at your service.

Ah, cholera!

Well… Where are you from, the countryman?

- From Boronovitse, comrade General. - You don’t say!

From this day on, you are my orderly.

Note everything, scout everything, remember everything, don’t talk at all.

And be quick to understand me.

Okay… 15 minutes. Civilian dress code, we’re going to town.

Yes, comrade General!

- I guess, this is our client. - What, comrade General?

You see? I told you.

She’s a beauty.

Just like me. And who's this goon?

At least he is not old. Remember him,

and find out everything about the parasite.

- Yes! - I’ll watch over my daughter myself.

Dad! Looking for me?

- How did you… - I am your daughter, after all.

Okay, let’s go.

Nadezhda Nikolaevna! The music.

Great.

- Vertinsky. - Yes.

My favorite!

- My favorite… - Hey, old bones!

Don’t even think of wooing my daughter.

I don't care how long we've been friends.

- I'll just... - Yeah...

Dad, come on! Uncle Volodya is very nice.

You see? Uncle Volodya is very nice.

Yeah, nice... I wanted to save an equally nice guy from prison recently,

but I couldn’t.

- Dad, let's go! - What?

What?

Dad, I don’t know what’s going on between you and mom

but there wasn't a day when she didn’t talk about you.

Nadyusha, I know...

I just can’t come back to her now. I did too much…

...harm to our mom.

Okay, you’ll figure it out. But don’t spy on me anymore.

No!

Dad, is it true? About the puppy?

Nadezhda Nikolaevna, forget your doubts. I’ll see to it personally,

and you’ll get the best breed.

Come on, Kolya! She did grow up so fast. True beauty.

You know, Volodya… Only now have I realized

- how much I love them. - Cheers!

That’s Churchill’s birthday.

Churchill was really upset that Roosevelt

chose to stay in the Soviet residence.

There was a collector right beneath the British embassy.

If the Germans got in there, no one knows what could’ve happened.

Our men guarded not just the land but the underground as well.

That was Vlasik’s deed.

Our academic didn’t make the slightest mistake with the maquette.

He figured it out precisely. Good job!

Listen, the allies did a nice job. We could learn from them.

Look how the British put their men. You see?

Here, here and here. Looks like an ordinary deal, right?

But they cut off all the potential shooting points.

- And what? - Yes, the allies are no fools.

While our soldiers were spilling their blood at the fields,

these… allies were figuring out

how they could take the better part of France.

Preferably in a way that we don’t see it.

They are the bastards, not the allies.

Okay, guys, we’ll do the rest later.

They'll finish watching soon.

Tell me, Kolya, will the allies open the second front?

What?

What? Don’t you see yourself?

They won't run away from us now.

And they’ll certainly open the second front.

However it doesn’t mean that they’ll stop play dirty tricks

behind our back.

Please, comrades…

- Come to the table... - It's winter, you gotta eat vitamins.

- We have more to discuss. - Vlasik works wonders.

- How much do these grapes cost? - You mean, at the black market?

What market? We don't have grapes over here.

Hence, he took a plane, he wasted fuel...

Lavrentiy, it is too much. Cutting the corners on comrade Stalin?

- I… - Where are you?

- Huh? - Come on in.

Come on.

Vlasik!

- I am sorry, comrade Stalin. - That’s okay.

- Tell them to bring more water. - Yes!

And there's one more thing.

I wanted to thank you.

Thanks to you and your men, among the others,

a very high level of security was ensured during our Tehran mission.

The fact that Roosevelt, for his own safety,

chose to stay in our legation for several days,

turned out to be very useful.

We talked with him a lot.

And as a result, this old smart Churchill fox

ended up outnumbered.