Digital restoration of image and sound performed by MOSFILM Cinema Concern
MOSFILM
First Creative Association Inter Allianz Film
AN UNFINISHED PIECE FOR MECHANICAL PIANO
Based on Anton Chekhov's works
Script by A. Adabashian, N. Mikhalkov
Directed by Nikita Mikhalkov
Photography by Pavel Lebeshev
Production Design by Alexander Adabashian, Alexander Samulekin
Music by E. Artemyev Sound by V. Bobrovsky
The Cast:
Alexander Kalyagin as Mikhail Vasilyevich Platonov
Elena Solovei as Sofya Egorovna Evgeniya Glushenko as Sasha
Antonina Shuranova as Anna Petrovna Voyintseva
Yury Bogatyrev as Sergei Pavlovich Voyintsev
Oleg Tabakov as Pavel Petrovich Scherbuk
Nikolai Pastukhov as Porfiriy Semenovich Glagolyev
Pavel Kadochnikov as Ivan Ivanovich Triletsky
Nikita Mikhalkov as Nikolai Ivanovich Triletsky
Anatoly Romashin as Gerasim Kuzmich Petrin
Natalya Nazarova as Vera Xenia Minina as Liza
Sergei Nikonenko as Jacob Serezha Guryev as Petya
Do you remember the Kalitins?
They had a daughter Ksyusha, a plump and lovely girl.
It was an even more disappointing story.
I was paying visits to them,
putting her mother to so much waste of coffee,
strolling with her along shady alleys. I was young and bashful back then.
- Hush. I need to think. - Check to the king.
So, once I stayed overnight in their house.
I stayed overnight, I fell asleep.
Suddenly, in the middle of the night
the door opened, and an old woman entered my room,
an 80-year-old deaf lady with an enema tube.
And she, I beg your pardon, gave me that enema.
I didn't struggle, thinking that such was their tradition.
In the morning it turned out she had come to the wrong room.
After that, I stopped wooing the girl.
- The funniest thing of all... - It's not funny. It's indecent!
Thanks. I was dying for one. I haven't smoked since the morning.
- Last winter, in the opera house... - Look at them!
...I saw a young gentleman crying, touched by good music.
- You think it's normal? - Absolutely so.
Then tell me why
ladies and gentlemen around him were smiling.
Why smiling?
- Porfiriy Semenovich. - I'm all ears.
Porfiriy Semenovich, this is where,
in such common people, high morality lives.
Herein lies the salvation of our ideals.
You stepped onto his foot.
In our times, people lived and loved differently.
We loved women as real knights.
Hold it for me.
We looked up at them as at higher beings.
A woman, Sergei Pavlovich, is a higher being.
- You are cheating! - Me? Cheating?
- What is this ponce doing here? - This one?
- Yes, this one. - You put it here.
- I? - Yes.
- Right. I beg your pardon. - Indeed.
In our times, we'd go into the flames
for the sake of a friend,
but what about now?
Now we have firemen to go into the flames.
Jokes aside, speaking about what I said yesterday...
I see national idea as some cloud
full of life-giving waters which will pour onto the field
where seeds of progress have been sown. And if...
Maman doesn't like such speeches.
Poor Russia, my kind land...
Come here, my dear doggie, come here.
Gosh, you are whistling like a crude peasant.
You are such a marvelous woman.
Will you make your move or not?
I'm bored. Let's finish it later.
When you're winning, you sit like glued to your chair,
and you are bored if losing.
Tut-tut, Anna Petrovna, kindly let us continue.
Otherwise I will consider you as having lost the game.
Very well.
In this case, your overall debt amounts to ten roubles.
When will I have the honor of receiving this money, my dear lady?
I can't wait to see the Gypsies coming here.
Nikolai Ivanovich, how I hate these jokes of yours!
Maman, tell him.
Shall I chalk it up or you'll pay there and then?
Serge, give ten roubles to this hapless creature.
But, Maman...
Really... When Papa was alive...
Really...
I'll go and have some wine.
I'll go and have some wine!
Nobility… They are even worse than peasants...
They drowned such a good chair! How unhealthful!
So, Porfiriy Semenovich, woman is a higher being?
Oh, yes.
You are a big propagator of women, Porfiriy Semenovich.
Yes, I love women, I look up at them.
Only to know you is enough
to adore all women in the world.
Gee! The Platonovs have arrived!
At last!
Hurrah! Hurrah!
- What do you think of Platonov? - Michel is a clever man.
I lost my cuff link while mowing. Where can it be?
I'll go and look.
You can't but respect Michel. 'tis a real pleasure to talk to him.
Yes, he is a very pleasant person.
Only a little bit hot-tempered and ironic, due to his young age.
Jesus, Mikhail has grown so rotund! Looks so bullish now!
And same with his wife - so small and plump. Like Roly-Poly!
Do you fancy for a cup of tea? Pray be seated.
At last out of home! The winter seemed to be unending.
We haven't seen no parquet, no high ceilings,
not even people for six long months!
How you doing? Not being too hard on your stepson?
Of course not. He calls me 'Maman'.
And we felt so bored during the winter.
We ate, we slept, we read books aloud... Too bad.
Not at all. A little bit monotonous, but we had a nice time.
Jesus, you two have grown so fat! What a happy lot!
We'll have fun today. The Gypsies,
and one wondrous surprise. With music.
Porfiriy Ivanovich, I can see you! How do you do!
Hi.
Well...
I can't believe my eyes! Is that really Serge?
Where is your long hair, your tunic and sweet tenor? Say something!
- I'm stoopid! - A bass!
A bass indeed!
- Oh, how hot it is. - Must be before the rain.
Misha, my dear Misha!
Oh, gosh... Sergei Pavlovich!
My dear man, why didn't you tell us?
You got married, and not a word about it!
Yes, just imagine! Got married in a wink of an eye!
- My congrats. - Fell in love and got married.
My congratulations! And best wishes!
Now you will get to know the best side of life.
One can only please her by getting married.
- She's crazy about marriages. - No, I just love
- a good order of things. - Oh, yeah.
How gratifying! Thank you very much!
I am happy, very happy, my friends!
What?
Ah... Just nothing.
- And what is this? - I was going to have some milk.
A certain young lady Tereschuk from Syzran
caught a raven with blue eyes.
- In what city? - Syzran.
But where is Sophie?
She is near the pond with Porfiriy Semenovich. They'll be here soon.
I'm not some Oriental pasha hiding his wife from people.
Salute to enlightened Slavs! Glory to our relatives!
Hurrah to general's wife!
Ah, poor physician in ordinary, I'm glad to see you.
You're in pink and shining, reeking of the morning wine!
- You know what... - You want to crack a joke? Don't.
Who fired a shot? Kolya?
- Fired at whom? - At me.
- He missed? - No, he shot me.
Oh, my dear!
- Father! - Daughter.
The fortunate constellation of colonel Triletsky.
How do you do, my dears!
I salute to you from Krupp's cannon. Oh, what a hot day.
My dear friend... Sasha! Long time no see!
Sit down! Sit down! It's an order!
- Are you in good health? - Yes.
And I'm always in good health. I've never been ill in my life.
Though, my heart would ache from time to time because of women.
But this sweet malady doesn't ask for any medicine.
Who left this broom here? Must be that oaf Mitya.
- Is my grandson in good health? - Yes. And bowing to you.
Already bowing?
- It's a figure of speech. - Ah, yes, of course.
My dear Anna Petrovna!
I've... Leave me alone.
I've bought a new hunting gun, a fine one!
We'll go and hunt for judcocks.
Oh, heavenly Diana! I adore women like you.
I swear I do.
And here is women's emancipation for you.
You kiss her shoulder,
and she smells of gunpowder and Hannibals.
Oh, heavenly Diana!
Your Excellency Alexandra of Macedonia!
You must have had a few already, Colonel,
cackling away like this.
I arrived at eight in the morning.
Everyone was asleep,
and I came stomping.
And then she came out, all so smiley.
We opened a bottle of Madeira. Diana drank three gobletfuls,
- and I - all the rest. - Oh, Maman!
- No need to go into details. - Oh, I feel so tired.
And here I am! Hi, everybody!
Hi, sis!
What's this? A hat? And what's this?
And who's there? How do you do, Your Excellency.
- Hi. - Hi.
Hi. Hi. Hi.
Well...
How you doing, Michel?
Who knows.
It's a long and uninteresting story.
Excuse me, sir...
Nikolai Ivanovich, I hate these jokes of yours!
Maman, tell him!
Nikolai Ivanovich, I hate it when you...
Nikolai Ivanovich...
Be off with you.
- Is your son in good health? - Yes.
I haven't seen him for a long time.
- He must be a big boy already. - Yes.
- A big boy? - A big boy, yes.
- Real big? - Real big.
- This big? - Very big, yes.
Father!
Colonel!
Now they give only Greek names to children.
- Colonel, don't sleep! - What?
Don't sleep!
I'm sober and awake.
Please, stop it.
Father, don't sleep here.
I'm not asleep, daughter. I'm fine, may God be blessed.
A comic, a clown, an ataman.
He's all these things.
Once he sewed up the pockets of my officer's tunic.
And then he filled my tobacco case with salt.
And here is my Sophie!
- Meet my wife Sofya Egorovna. - How do you do.
You stole my wife, Porfiriy Semenovich.
He showed the surroundings to me.
What a wonderful air!
Indeed, it's not Petersburg here. The air is full of ozone.
- When did you arrive? - Two days ago.
I'm exhilarated by our garden. Porfiriy Semenovich showed it to me.
- A marvelous garden! - Sofya Egorovna promised
you'll come to visit me on Thursday.
We'll come, all of us! You may rest assured.
My garden is even better than yours. There's a river and nice horses.
Should we go through Yasnovka?
- Through Platonovka. - But like this you'll make a detour.
Platonovka? Wait,
I used to know its owner. I know this village.
Now he must be not Misha anymore, but Mikhail...
- ...Vasilyevich. - Right.
Imagine - Michel knows everyone without traveling anywhere.
Sophie, there he is! Don't you recognize him?
I can't believe it!
Seven years have passed, Sofya Egorovna.
It would mean old age for a dog or even for a horse.
You are wrong. Horses normally live for as long as 18 years.
Oh... I and Mikhail Vasilyevich are old acquaintances.
Back then he was a student, and I...
Yes, we all thought he'd become some minister of special affairs
or another Byron. And I wanted to become an actress, do you remember?
It was seven years ago.
So, how do you earn for your living?
I'm just a school teacher, nothing special.
You? A teacher?
Yes.
I can't believe it! But why not someone bigger?
One phrase wouldn't be enough to answer your question.
But have you at least graduated from the University?
No, I quit my studies.
As simple as that.
But it doesn't mean you stopped being an individual, right?
Excuse me, I didn't quite understand your question. What?
I didn't express myself clearly.
It doesn't prevent you from being an individual
working in the field of women's emancipation,
general education and progress, see?
It doesn't prevent you from serving lofty ideas.
Of course it doesn't.
Maybe you think we degraded here.
But we work in the sweat of our brow.
I and Ivan Ivanovich work quite successfully
in the field of women's emancipation and lofty ideas.
Or, say, mister Triletsky is a doctor, a Darwinist.
And Porfiriy Semenovich is a good mower
and hygienist. He shaves peasants' beards real good!
His village is like Mariinsky theatre nowadays -
everyone has clean-shaven faces.
We receive Petersburgian newspapers,
and mister Petrin reads them aloud to us.
So we work without interruption.
Father, wake up...
Ah, I forgot to introduce my wife to you.
Alexandra! Keep sitting.
Please meet my wife Sashenka.
Yes, my wife. Civil duty, so to say, and procreation.
We multiply. I've a son, a heir of my ideas.
We're short of means, so he'll only inherit the ideas.
You'd better be off...
For God's sake, ladies and gentlemen.
As if it's not a summer day so full of joy.
Everyone's sitting with funereal faces.
I and Sofya Egorovna performed a whole comedy for you,
for God's sake, but none of you even smiled.
Look at them, so dull as a choir of Moravian teachers.
For shame, Misha.
He won't give people any peace.
You are wrong, Alexandra Ivanovna. Michel is right,
absolutely right! That's the way we should all be treated!
And it wasn't even enough! He is the only one here
who lives and breathes freely! He is like Denis Davydov!
We would've all withered without him.
You've said a mouthful, Sergei Pavlovich.
Well...
What is your opinion, ladies and gentlemen,
if Anna Petrovna gives us something to eat?
- Yes, Anna Petrovna. - Maman...
I'm sick and tired of him and his impudence.
Everyone can wait, and so can you.
You never feel filled.
Eating all the time.
I watched him on purpose and was amazed.
Two glassfuls of tea, a this big piece of beef
and five boiled eggs.
And after that he retired to his room with a pie!
Everything's wobbling,
everyone shouting, raising scandals, stomping!
Not a moment of peace since the morning!
What's this noise about?
Stop it! What's this noise about?
Hurrah! My wooer is here.
Yes, I insist on my words!
And I'll repeat this in public: you're like toads!
Tagging along with their father, being so disobedient
and donning these grotesque green gowns!
- Pavel Petrovich! - Look at them, Orthodox people!
Green lizards! Fools!
- Father, how rude of you! - Indeed!
- They even brought my nephew! - We couldn't leave him alone!
You nearly brought your mother, you fools.
And this is who is a real knight!
Unlike you all!
- How do you do. - How do you do.
My congrats upon your marriage, Your Excellency!
- Not me - Sofya Egorovna. - Oh, really?
Meet our cousin Petya. We couldn't leave him alone at home.
- Is the doctor here? - Yes.
Please tell him not to sneer at us.
He won't dare, I assure you.
You're a one...
How do you do, Pavel Petrovich.
Well, my friends, where is that young lady
I am so eager to meet?
Methinks you are that very young lady.
Meet Pavel Petrovich Scherbuk, our neighbor and friend,
- a real knight and our creditor. - Yes, the best friend
of His Excellency the late general.
- Allow me to... - No, thank you.
Don't feel offended, Pavel Petrovich.
We consider that to kiss a woman's hand is humiliating.
You won't kiss a man's hand, will you.
So, we are against all forms of inequality,
for belying any form of inequality is humiliation,
- while humiliation in itself is... - Young man, you are a lawyer
and only understand in humanitarian sciences.
Right you are.
You may indulge yourself in the illusion of freedom,
equality, fraternity and so on. While I am a convinced Darwinist.
For me noble blood and breed
is not just empty words. Not at all!
We received science, literature and arts
not from the hands of a cook's slimy son!
Don't you touch it!
In Kostovaty village there was hail size of a hen's egg.
- Gerasim Kuzmich! - How do you do, Pavel Petrovich!
How do you do. But we are talking here,
and you read things aloud. How indelicate.
So, by not shaking a cook's slimy son
or by not letting him sit at the same table with me
I'm thus protecting the most precious thing in the world:
I'm thus taking part
in the natural historical selection!
Ha, you forgot about humiliation! You forgot about it!
Quod licet Jovi, non licet bovi
What is permissible for Jupiter is not permissible for a bull.
A very interesting thought.
Come to our place, and we'll argue.
- Truth is born of arguments. - Thank you.
The Kalitins' dog hiccups all the time. Ugh, how ugly.
Father, for shame, don't sleep here.
I'm not asleep, honey, I'm awake.
I'm awake, don't worry, God bless you.
Mikhail Vasilyevich!
Mikhail Vasilyevich, I was looking for you.
I wanted to apologize before you for my behavior.
For my stupid tone and my questions. I'm so sorry.
Don't be angry with me.
I'm not angry. I was angry, but not anymore.
Where does this door lead?
To paradise. Pastures of Heaven.
Sorry, I said a silly thing.
I don't know where this door leads.
I'll leave all the same! Don't try to stop me!
I hate such jokes! It was all because of you!
- Because of me? - I'll tell them how old you are!
If you do, I'll tell them about you and Mitya Kalezin!
- Don't drink any more wine! - I'll leave this very minute!
What a discomfiture. We heard everything.
- But I didn't. - Let's go away from here.
- Do you remember the pier? - What? Let's go.
A girl with a guitar...
A steamship of an evening. What was its name?
In fact, there was no reason to get scared. We...
Its name was 'Samara'.
Why did you come? Why were you looking for me?
- Mikhail Vasilyevich... - What do you want?
And you don't remember the lake?
Or a dog under the bench? Or a school boy with a fishing rod?
Mikhail Vasilyevich, I... You took me wrong.
Or the mist streaming over the sand - do you remember?
Please, Mikhail Vasilyevich. Please...
Oh, my God... Imagine what could happen
if she saw us here together.
Oh, my God... Have mercy, Mikhail Vasilyevich,
please have mercy on me.
Our past was so beautiful and happy, and I...
Oftentimes I think about it, and...
But try to understand...
I... No, I don't regret about anything,
I often think about you and I always will...
But I'll remember the Misha the way you were -
in a panama hat, with a pile of books,
with your pockets full of tobacco.
But now you are Mikhail Vasilyevich, a teacher.
You are married. What about me?
I'm Sofya Egorovna, and I'm married, too.
I will surely take up some useful business.
Serge is very encouraging in such things.
And let the past remain in the past.
A student loved a girl, and she girl loved that student.
It's an old and ordinary story.
We shouldn't be misled by it.
Michel, wait! Where have you been?
Everyone is bickering without you!
Sophie! Sophie...
Sophie, it crossed my mind...
Say, Germany and Belgium are small countries
where people live close to each other.
That's why philosophical ideas spread real quick
from one person to another.
The same is true of Holland and England.
But, speaking about Russia...
In autumn or spring you can't reach a nearby town.
There is also Kamchatka.
- Or even Siberia. - Serge,
let us have some wine.
- What? - Let's have some wine.
My God, I'm so happy!
Voltaire, you and Maman -
I need nothing more in this life.
Except maybe Glinka. And nothing more.
Your Excellency!
We prepared a wire for the Gypsies.
Mitya ran to the railway station to deliver it.
Good. You may go now.
Mikhail Vasilyevich!
Mikhail Vasilyevich...
- Vasya... - I'm Petya.
- Whatever. Go and take a walk. - Yes. Go.
Mikhail Vasilyevich...
In winter, Porfiriy Semenovich proposed to me.
Jesus, we wait for the bliss of the summer,
and when it comes, we want it to be over.
You don't listen to me. I received a marriage proposal.
I'll be rich, I'll mow grass, donate money for your school
and pay all my debts to Petrin.
Maybe I really should resort to this vulgarity?
- Please do. - Come on, Michel.
To get married without love?
You really think so? You want to marry me off?
Running away from me.
We haven't met since winter, Misha.
You're such a joker. What's wrong?
Look, you are so smart,
kind and merciful.
Let bygones be bygones.
Let's remain friends.
Besides, I'm a little bit married.
What's the use of talking about your wife?
I can see everything. What happened between you and Sofya?
You parted as friends, too?
I know your sinful soul.
You'll perish without me, Platonov.
Oh, my Jesus...
Will we laugh or shed senile tears over these days
many years thereafter?
And then we'll sink into the earth,
our names disappearing in the thick mist.
At this junction, Yasha appeared out of the mist.
Your Excellency, everything is ready.
You interrupted our conversation, you fool!
I wish I didn't come.
But you ordered to report when everything's ready.
'A propos', it's the doctor who is a fool.
He set Petrin's newspaper to fire.
Be off!
You must be out of your mind.
You have me. What else do you want?
Ladies and gentlemen, kindly come to the house!
A promised surprise!
Kindly come to the house!
If, say, Richard the Lionheart
is all so brave, noble and honorable,
such traits need to be preserved.
For this he should marry a noble princess,
and his children will inherit all his bumps and convolutions.
While the maid's slimy children in his lineage
would put an end to nobility.
So, there we are.
Good. And what's under the shawl?
Ah, it must be the surprise!
How intriguing!
I can't feel any special smell. Don't you touch it!
Misha can confirm my words. Misha, our Kolya began to talk
- when he was 12 months old, right? - And Scherbuk
won't stop talking at the age of 60.
You know, I love children so much!
Ladies and gentlemen! This is what I decided.
I'll go to the village tomorrow morning
and will bottle feed the babies
whose mothers are away mowing.
Alexandra Ivanovna, will you join me?
- How interesting. - Do come.
Anna Petrovna, what about you?
When we awake, they'll be back from mowing
- Let's go to bed earlier. - Nothing will come out of it.
We are waiting for the Gypsies.
Jacob, have you delivered the wire?
Jacob!
What about the Gypsies?
I already told you a thousand times.
We sent the wire to their restaurant.
You reek of my perfume again, you rascal.
The rascal is Mitya. He drinks it and offers it to me.
Shut up. Where is Zakhar?
Around.
Find him and take this downstairs.
Mikhail Vasilyevich!
Be sure and bring your son here one day.
Alexandra Ivanovna told me wonders about him.
She is exaggerating. All children are the same.
Only parents are different.
Oh, no. Different parents beget different children.
Silence, everybody! Be ready for a surprise!
Zakhar, Jacob, unveil it!
Liza, surprise!
A piano?
Silence!
Zakhar...
I can't believe it...
Zakhar!
- She's fainting! - Sasha!
Let her stay in the open air!
Be careful… Sit her down.
What happened? Come, come...
I'm so sorry, Misha...
Come, come, Sasha. For God's sake.
Don't be like Natasha Rostova.
I got scared. It's hot here, and my head...
You should've stayed at home if your head is spinning, see?
And please take off this hat, I hate to look at it.
Good girl.
My dear Alexandra Ivanovna, let me help you.
Have some Valerian drops.
What are you standing? Go and help your sister!
What's wrong with you, fattie?
- What's this? - Valerian drops.
She doesn't need them. Guests should be treated with sherry,
and no Valerian drops.
Aha! Mystification!
A servant can't play the piano! The secret lies in mechanics!
I like your hat very much...
My darling girl...
Slimy servants can't play the piano! No, they can't!
Just look at this. Two thousand roubles for a swoon.
Ladies and gentlemen!
I need a moment of your attention.
Ladies and gentlemen...
My wife Sofya
will go to the village tomorrow
to help peasant mothers.
It's so wonderful! It's a real beginning!
So, I made up my mind... We men should follow this example.
I decided to give away
all my old suits and footwear to peasant mowers.
I can imagine them mowing in tuxedos!
Oh, I didn't think about it. It's funny indeed.
I'm no highlander. Have mercy, Anna Petrovna!
So, shall we accept this number?
We accept this number!
Misha, I'm so happy!
You're the cleverest, the merriest person in the world.
- I feel at peace being with you. - What a hot day.
Come on, people are looking. Keep your soft nothings for home.
Let's continue! Sophie, now it's your turn!
The bearer of this card should...
...ride on a pig around the house!
The Knave of Spades!
The Knave of Spades! It's my card! Where's my pig?
Serge, my friend,
tell Jacob to bring a pig which is not too gallopy.
You still here?
- No, I'm not. - Everything's ready.
Don't you touch it!
Spare me from this moron.
I don't understand what he's saying. Talk to him.
Very well. Your Excellency,
he ordained me to set out on a polar expedition
to the village and get a pig.
But while I go there and bring that animal here,
who will attend with all due manners at the table?
Not Zakhar or Mitya of course.
To hell with it all. Let it be Mitya.
- Who's the next to announce? - Michel.
No, ladies and gentlemen, no!
We must persuade him.
Let me do it. The bearer of this card...
Allow me to announce.
The fortune of the bearer of this card
is to come up to me and give me a kiss!
The Ace of Spades!
Let me buy it! I'll buy this card for any money!
Misha, you have the Ace of Spades. See?
Anna Petrovna, you and Misha will have to kiss!
Mikhail Vasilyevich! Please, give this card to me.
- Please! - It's not for sale!
Mikhail Vasilyevich, follow your fortune.
This card is not for sale!
Sofya, hold it for me.
For good luck!
Oh, Jesus... I'm so sorry.
Sophie, please don't.
Be careful, don't cut yourself.
Oh, I knew just as well.
- I don't know how it happened... - Jacob!
Jacob will take it away. Let me blow at it.
- I don't know how it happened. - Oh, poor pinkie...
Leave me alone!
All right. Though, my voice is not in good shape today.
Very well, ladies and gentlemen...
Very well...
It's just a childish trick, you know.
It was count Konyaev who demonstrated to me
this imitation - an elk's mating call. So, it was not my idea.
After all due preparations,
you will see before you a glade,
and standing there will be the lord of the forest.
Girls, can you give me a good whistle?
- Do you need the antlers? - Oh, no.
We'll do without them. I myself and the daughters will cope.
What do you want?
I need to see the doctor. I heard he's here.
I'm Mr. Peas, a clerk from a nearby factory.
I pulled off the boots for cleanliness sake.
- Pleased to see you, Mr. Peas. - Of course you are not pleased.
I myself am not pleased at being mister Peas.
- The doctor is downstairs. - Thank you.
What do you want?
I'm Mister Peas from the factory. I was looking for you, sir.
Here is a letter.
Hold it for me, please.
A seance of spiritism?
Wait, the patient Mrs. Peas must be your wife?
Why the letter? Why not just talking to me?
The letter - in case they wouldn't let me into the house.
I can't come today. Only tomorrow evening.
- Maybe you'd better come? - What?
Maybe you'd come? In a cart, with good horses.
I will be very obliged.
I understand, but, you know, mister...
...Peas...
I can't come today. Only tomorrow.
- Or even the day after tomorrow. - I see.
Doctor... Nikolai Ivanovich.
For the love of God, I'm begging you to come.
I see.
I beg your pardon.
You could've warned me that the doctor is busy,
and I wouldn't have intruded.
Now that he's angry, I'm afraid he won't come at all.
- This way, Mr. Peas. - Sorry.
May I leave it here?
Good bye.
Kolya, why didn't you go with him?
Spare me from your sermonizing, for Godsake.
Don't try to throw peas against a brick wall.
- Oh, Mr. Peas is leaving. - Kolya...
Maybe that woman is very unwell. For shame.
Don't you butt in. You're too small for this.
Don't you dare talk like this to my wife, you loafer!
You are the only physician in this district.
They are begging for something which is your duty.
You should respect every opportunity to help your neighbor.
- Very well. You want me to go? - Yes!
All right. But only after I have my supper.
You know what, Michel... Speaking about you,
you are not the most conscientious teacher
- that I have met in my life. - Oh, really?
Now you are blaming me? Oh, I'm so sorry.
So, my being a poor teacher means
you can ignore your patients?
Let them die while you're carousing and drinking vodka?
I didn't finish the university, and I know my place.
But you should live up to your education, mister doctor.
Ladies and gentlemen...
Ladies and gentlemen, I'd ask you to drink my health...
- Serge, where are you? - Coming!
The other day, I heard from the village constable
that earthquakes happen because of water evaporation.
The Germans discovered it, saying
it all can be prevented by metalloids.
Father, you'd better have some sleep.
Don't you laugh at me, Kolya.
Sleep is a wonderful mystery of Nature
invigorating people both physically and spiritually.
Maybe I don't die for so long only because I sleep so often.
Ladies and gentlemen, just listen to this:
Russia is an endless plain
along which a fearless Man is dashing
What a wording!
But who is that fearless Man?
Blue bloods, of course!
Everything which is the best the humankind owes
to the blue bloods! But what happens now?
We mix with all kind of riffraff and tavern scum.
Civilization is in danger! No ideas, no ideals!
The slimy ones will soon devour everything.
The slimy ones coming galore, God forbid!
Where are our first-class aristocrats?
Our Pushkins, Lermontovs, Gogols, Goncharovs, Turgenevs?
- Goncharov was a merchant. - Right. What?
Goncharov was a merchant.
The exception only proves the rule, young man.
Also the genius of Goncharov is rather questionable.
The catastrophe is nigh!
And in the face of this catastrophe,
while it's not too late, we must unite our forces
and attack our common foe!
And may I face the slimy ones
not as Pavel Petrovich Scherbuk, but as Richard the Lionheart!
And no standing on ceremony with them!
We must throw it into their mugs - go hence!
Bugs, stick to your place! Right into their mugs!
- Count me out. - Allow me to ask, why?
Because my father was a simple worker.
And there is nothing wrong in it.
If you have something against it, I can leave.
But everything here, what you drink and eat, was bought on my money.
The fireworks, the cannon, and the self-playing piano.
And you all exist only because I, a slimy one, thrive on.
You see, Pavel Petrovich?
You only teach others how to live,
how to believe in God or to rule over people.
But do you live or believe in God? No.
Say, you, Pavel Petrovich -
you are so proud of your blue blood.
But it doesn't bring you any fortune.
One should do business.
And you only roar like a mating elk.
You are so useless, my dear fellow.
As for me, a slimy one...
Just imagine someone calling me like this...
I am omnipotent.
My father was afraid even to come near this house.
But I sit in an armchair here,
discussing weather with Her Excellency.
Why are you saying this, Gerasim?
Shame on you.
You blame us that we have eatables offered in this house.
Gerasim Kuzmich, would you please put down the light.
The lamp begins to smoke.
I hate the draught and when the lamp smokes.
Kerosene was bought on my money as well.
It's very delicious. Very delicious.
Maman, I got so frightened!
Treat yourselves, ladies and gentlemen.
Mercy buckets.
I wasn't hungry, so I didn't even touch anything.
Anna Petrovna...
My dear, nevermind him, please.
- Please don't... - Oh, come on...
It's no use pretending. All the same for many years.
Should I look askance at some of my creditors,
I will be left without my estate.
It's either my estate or my honor. So I'm choosing the estate.
Gerasim Kuzmich is a great person. He can ruin us all,
but he is being so delicate.
Your health, Gerasim Kuzmich.
My God...
My God, what an ordeal...
What an ordeal...
You see, Sofya?
Poor Russia. Our kind land...
Leave Russia alone.
- I wanted to say... - What did you want to say?
What did you want to say?
You've been repeating this mysterious phrase for 15 years on end.
Enough is enough. We only talk and talk...
We talk about Russian soul, the good of people, hopes,
emancipation - till we are blue in the face!
You harangue about Russia,
Mister Scherbuk - about the slimy ones,
and Porfiriy Semenovich - about romanticism.
Flies die and the lamp smokes from our wisdoms...
We talk, we eat, we sleep, feeling all so candid...
Doing all this with European self-conceit,
though we remain on the Asian level.
I don't understand... How can you?
What you are saying is immoral!
- Immoral? - Yes.
Of course, to be aware of one's futility is immoral...
But to have fun in the village, bottle feeding babies
or giving out tuxedos to peasants
is moral?
- You're a ringing bell! - And you, too!
Only I ring on my own, and you're rung by God knows whom!
When did you graduate from the University?
Three years ago. And what are you doing? Nothing.
And you'll go on doing nothing for another ten years.
But I can't go and teach in a progymnasium.
I'm not starving, I've a long life in store,
so there's no need to hurry.
Stop it. Everyone is tired of listening to you.
Then don't listen to me, Sasha darling.
Your father is asleep, listening to no one,
and that's why he loves everybody.
What do you have against old man?
Except that you condemned all of us here, mister Chatsky.
Mister Chatsky is not seeking truth, but just having fun!
He has no servants to scold,
so he is scolding us!
Scolding us right and left!
What's going on?
They've brought the animal, Your Excellency.
What animal?
The one for which you sent an expedition.
A pig for mister Triletsky.
Down with philosophy!
Your fortune has arrived, mister Triletsky.
Great. The pig is here. Go ahead, my dear.
Look...
You think I'm some clown?
Do you all think that I'm some clown?
But what do you know about me?
What do you know at all about me?
Yes, I feel bored.
It's terribly boring to live in this hole
and not to be your own master.
To start when a dog barks at night, fearing you'll have
to go somewhere along a bumpy road,
in the cart driven by awful hags.
And only to think about diarrhea,
only to expect cholera, only to read about cholera...
Being absolutely indifferent to this illness
and towards people who are ill with it.
It's all so scary, shameful and abhorrent...
Oh, my Jesus...
It's so shameful... To live and to drink wine without any sense...
Knowing that nothing else will happen except such life.
Kolya, please, stop it! And you all - stop it!
Where shall I bring the animal?
Get out! For Crissake - get out!
- In fact, I wasn't talking to you. - Get out!
I brought the pig according to Her Excellency's orders.
I'm sick and tired.
What a paradox...
At the very same minute, a man is sitting on the sand
in some Southern country, thinking:
I'll get into my pirogue and go after some bananas
What a bliss...
Oh, God...
Forgive us sinners...
Recently I read a story, I don't remember in what book.
A short story, but a very good one. About a girl.
She loved a student, and the student loved her.
He'd read books to her, and she'd listen to him reading...
Of an evening, they'd sit near the river,
looking at the glimmering steamships passing by...
They would dream, sing songs...
They kissed and claimed their eternal love...
- Who wrote that story? - I don't remember.
The girl would tuck her hair behind her ears,
and she always smelled of the river waters.
They imagined life as a big, never-ending holiday
with a lot of space for both of them.
And they were happy.
Once the girl said she needed to leave
to Petersburg for a couple of days.
"Will you let me go?" she asked.
"I will", he said,
"only I'll be missing you"
At midnight, he took her to the railway station...
She embraced him tenderly.
He was clasping her hands, nearly crying,
not saying a word.
When the train had left,
he would look at the disappearing lights,
whispering: "My darling girl...
"My celestial girl..."
One day had passed,
then two days, five days. And then - one month...
She didn't come back. She never came back.
He would come to the station, drinking wine,
he would meet the trains, drinking all the time...
Then he calmed down, came to his senses
and turned into an ordinary person.
It's something in the vein of Gleb Uspensky
or maybe Leskov...
How indelicate of you. You upset everyone again.
Enough is enough! To the river! The fireworks!
Misha, where are you? Look how beautiful!
Wait, listen to me, Sofya, please!
Wait!
- Wait... - Please...
My darling celestial girl...
I'm lost, and I live with this, but you...
My dear Sofya, what has become of you?
Where is your pure soul, your sincerity, courage?
Where has it all gone? Wait!
- Very well... Sofya... - You must be crazy!
- Very well, Sofya.
My darling, tell me frankly, for the sake of our past,
why did you marry that man?
- He's a good person! - Never say things in which
- you don't believe. - He's my husband!
Why didn't you marry someone hard working and suffering?
Why did you choose that homunculus
buried in debts and idleness? Why, Sofya?
Please, Mikhail Vasilyevich.
Please, have mercy, don't ruin my life!
You may laugh at me,
no matter what you think about me, but...
There is nothing else left in my life, believe me.
Nothing at all...
Mikhail Vasilyevich!
I loved you more than anything else in this life.
My darling...
Nothing ever re-happens again...
It's an illusion to think that everything is in store for us,
that life is long and happy,
that you can live it roughly, more or less,
and then correct everything later.
This 'later' never happens. Never ever...
If only I knew this back then,
looking at the lights of the tail carriage...
Why didn't you look for me?
I was young and happy.
I believed in a long and happy life.
I believed into this 'later'.
'Later happens alligator'...
Oh, my God, I can't believe it.
I was so frightened when I met you in this house...
- Do you remember the pier? - Of course I do.
Sofie, you asked for a talma.
I've brought it. I was here not on purpose.
Oh, my God... How vulgar...
My God... How vulgar... vulgar...
If... Do you understand what's going on?
Do you understand?
My congratulations, Misha...
Maman! Maman, I need a horse!
I need to leave now and forever from this wretched place.
What else happened in this wretched place?
Oh, what a crazy night. Go and take a horse.
Thank you.
Serge...
- Mama Anyuta, how horrible! - What happened?
Tell me, how to I live now? Or maybe I shouldn't live at all?
I'm all alone again...
God, how horrible... Why all this befell me?
What happened? Someone beat you up or what?
Allow me to introduce myself: the foolish husband!
What?! Sofya? You saw her with Platonov?
My Jesus, Sofya...
Sofya...
My happiness, my bliss and my hopes...
Mother, send me to a mental asylum! I'm a madman!
I still believe in love, honesty and friendship!
And let them beat me with stones like a mad dog!
I'm a one-too-many person, nobody needs me.
Come, come, Serge...
Come, come... Blast that Platonov...
Everything will return to its old ways...
No one needs this softie and coquette of yours.
Platonov is a smart person. He knows she is only full
of false exultation, playfulness, and nothing more.
Everything will return to its old ways.
Sofya will stay with you,
Platonov - with me, and Sasha - with Platonov.
No one needs your Sofya, so calm down.
Maman... Maman... How can you?
How can you?
Jacob! Pack my things!
Zakhar! Mitya! Where the hell are you? Asleep?
When my father was alive, you did everything for me,
but now - only for my stepmother!
Bring out the chaise, and be quick!
The chaise!
The horse, where is the horse?
My hat!
Where the hell is my hat?
What do you want, Porfiriy Semenovich?
I want to tell you, Mikhail Vasilyevich,
that I hate you.
You're a scoundrel. You have ruined my life.
And you'll ruin more of them.
You're blaming everybody, but you yourself
bring depravity and unbelief.
What is most horrible is that fate didn't punish you for this.
I wish it would break you terribly.
What made you think fate didn't break me,
Porfiriy Semenovich?
Nothing remains unpunished.
You know, Mikhail Vasilyevich...
I only know that I don't care what you think about me,
oh you, honest person.
And I know why you are so honest.
Because you can't sin.
You condemn what you are not able to do because of your old age.
Is it clear to you?
Oh, my Jesus...
Good gracious...
We need so little to be happy...
Just to sit comfortably in a train carriage,
to drink tea near the lamp
and to discuss benign things with your fellow-passenger.
To go away forever, leaving behind you
the senseless string of years and deeds...
Oh, my God...
Now I know for sure: should you betray just once,
should you turn away from things in what you believed,
and you'll never break away from the chain of lies...
Oh, Jesus...
Oh, Lord, have mercy upon me,
give me strength and show me the way...
I've been waiting long for you, Mikhail Vasilyevich.
Mikhail Vasilyevich... Let's leave from here.
You resurrected me.
I've woken up after a leaden sleep. I'm happy.
All my further life will be my gratitude for this.
I have a plan! We will begin a new life!
Clear as the spring, lucid as the Sun.
We will work in the sweat of our brow, till we are exhausted!
We will eat our bread, away from all this dirt.
We will enjoy our work!
And our life will become
a triumph of justice, pureness and light.
You will teach children, and I'll be your helpmate.
We will wear simple clothes and eat crude food.
Only let us go away from here as quick as possible, Misha!
Here I am, and here is my hand!
I'm freezing after waiting for you here.
Mikhail Vasilyevich...
No, Sofya, it's all wrong!
It's all wrong, all wrong. I'm thirty five.
- What's wrong with you? - What?!
You're spying on me? Spying?
I'm thirty five! It's all over. Over. Sasha!
Alexandra!
I'm done for. Thirty five years!
- Misha... - What?
I'm zero, a nobody!
Zero! I'm thirty five!
By that time, Lermontov had been dead for eight years!
Napoleon had become a general!
And I attained nothing in this damned life!
Sasha!
You have ruined my life! I'm a nobody because of you all!
Alexandra, where am I? I'm a useless cripple!
Where is my talent, my strength? My life was wasted!
- Calm down! - What?!
You here, too - the keeper of the hearth
which is only full of cold cinders!
It's all lie and deceit! How I hate you
with your canaries and cabbage soups!
And, like me, you have no choice!
To see you every day, to hear your voice,
to hate you and myself, only knowing there is no choice!
Stop it!
You're a nobody! And I'm the same like you all!
You all gathered here, eh.
I'm disturbing you all, disturbing your sleep?
Very well - you'll live in peace without me!
Misha!
Misha! Misha!
Misha!
Misha! Misha!
Misha! My darling!
Misha, my dear husband...
Thank God you're alive.
It means I'm alive, too.
I love you so much, Misha...
I love you no matter what...
The whole Universe is you...
There's nothing that I fear, nothing that I can't bear...
Because no one in the whole world loves you so much as I do...
You are tired, Misha.
You will have some rest, and we'll be happy again.
And we will live a long, long life.
And we will be lucky.
We will see a new life, so pure and lucid.
We will meet new and wonderful people
who will understand us and forgive us.
For this, we only need to love. To love, Misha!
As long as we love,
we will live a long, long and happy life.
Sasha...
My dear girl...
My angel...
Why is everything like this? Why?
Let's go, my darling.
- Please, forgive me. - Come, come, let's go.
I fell down, I hit myself.
I didn't know it's a shallow place. I thought I'd drown...
Everything will return to its old ways...
The End
The film restored by:
V. Tamazin, I. Agafonova, A. Senkovsky, D. Kolomeitseva and others
Restoration produced by Karen SHAKHNAZAROV
© MOSFILM Cinema Concern 2020