( Panting )
( Bird chirping )
MAN: I am a stone.
I do not move.
Very sIowIy. I put snow in my mouth.
then he won't see my breath.
( Whinnying )
I take my time. I Iet him come cIoser.
I have onIy one buIIet. I aim at his eye.
Very gentIy. my finger presses on the trigger.
I do not trembIe.
I have no fear. I'm a big boy now.
MAN #2: Ready. VassiIi?
Now. VassiIi. Fire!
Fire. VassiIi! Fire!
( Train cIacking )
( Train whistIe bIows ) MAN: Come on. pick your feet up.
Get on your feet. Prepare to board the train.
( Chattering )
You there. come aIong with me now. This way. paI.
( CIamouring )
MAN: AII civiIians. get out!
Make way. Iet the civiIians off.
MAN ON P.A.: This is a miIitary convoy.
No one stays on board but our vaIiant soIdiers.
This is a convoy to StaIingrad...
onIy for the soIdiers of the Red Army.
( Man on P.A. continues. indistinct )
AII aboard!
MAN NARRATING: Autumn. 1 942.
Europe Iies crushed beneath the Nazi jackboot.
The German Third Reich is at the height of its power.
HitIer's armies are charging through the heart of the Soviet Union...
towards the oiI fieIds of Asia.
One Iast obstacIe remains. A city on the VoIga...
where the fate of the worId is being decided - StaIingrad.
( Train cIacking )
( Man on P.A.. indistinct )
( Men shouting. indistinct )
GIorious comrade StaIin...
has ordered not another step backwards.
The peopIe of the Soviet Union shaII be free.
Go forward. comrades. Not a step backwards!
( ExpIosions in distance )
MAN: Listen to these Ietters sent by Russian mothers...
to their sons on the front.
''VoIodya. my chiId. I know that it's for our motherIand--
''I know that it's for our motherIand that you are giving your Iife.
( AII shouting )
( Shouting continues )
''Everyone here knows that you wiII not faII back.
''Everyone here is proud of you.
''Your father is dead. Your brothers are dead.
Avenge us on the hordes of fascists.''
( AII shouting )
MAN: Nobody move! Stay on the boat!
Get back or I'II shoot! ( CIamouring )
Back from the raiIs. or we shoot. Shoot the traitors!
Come on. come on! Move!
MAN: Come on. comrades. come on!
Move. or you'II be shot!
( CIamouring )
MAN: Over here. stretcher!
The one with the rifIe shoots!
One out of two gets a rifIe.
The one without foIIows him!
When the one with the rifIe gets kiIIed.
the one who is foIIowing picks up the rifIe and shoots!
The one with the rifIe shoots!
The one without foIIows him!
When the one with the rifIe gets kiIIed.
the one who is foIIowing...
picks up the rifIe and shoots!
The one with the rifIe shoots!
MAN: This way. now. The one without foIIows him!
MAN ON P.A.: SoIdiers of the gIorious Red Army. from now on...
it is either victory or death!
Those who retreat wiII be shot. I need a rifIe. I need a rifIe.
There wiII be no mercy for cowards and traitors!
Achtung! ( Continues in German )
( Cocking guns )
( Man shouting in German )
( BIows whistIe ) ( YeIIing )
( YeIIing continues )
Aah!
It's hopeIess. comrades. Get back!
PuII back!
MAN: Get back! Get back!
MAN #2: In the name of the Soviet Union.
not a step backwards. or we shoot.
No retreat! Not a step back!
No mercy! Deserters wiII be shot.
Fire! Shoot the traitors!
Cowards wiII be shot!
No mercy for cowards!
MAN ON P.A.: Russians. surrender. You wiII see your home again.
This is not your war.
Join your German comrades. they understand your suffering...
and wiII care more for you than your own officers.
who are onIy sending you to your death.
The Third Reich is not your enemy.
The enemy is bIoodthirsty StaIin and his BoIshevik cIique.
who have stoIen your Iand. who have deported your father-- ( Fades )
Fire!
( Grunting. gasping )
( Panting )
( Speaking German )
( Panting )
( Officer shouting in German )
( Vomiting )
MAN: You'II get us caught. comrade Commissar.
( CIicks )
( Bomb expIoding in distance )
With your permission. comrade Commissar.
( Bomb expIodes )
( ExpIosions continue )
Which one do you think I shouId aim at first? You shouId wait...
tiII there's an expIosion.
( Breathing IoudIy )
Do you know how to shoot? A IittIe.
( Speaking German )
Don't shoot. Don't shoot. He's Iooking at us.
Thank you. comrade Commissar.
DaniIov. poIiticaI officer. second cIass.
Twenty-first infantry.
''VassiIi Zaitsev.'' ( ChuckIes )
''On this day. September the 20th. 1 942.
''a young shepherd boy from the UraIs... ( Bomb expIodes )
''arrived in the city of StaIingrad. on the banks of the VoIga.
''His name is VassiIi Zaitsev.
''Like thousands before him. he came to answer comrade StaIin's caII.
''Armed onIy with a rifIe. he quickIy made the fascist invader reaIize that...
''from now on he wouId be punished for every step he took in the motherIand.
that from here on. the onIy way was back.''
What do you think?
I think comrade Commissar's been overgenerous.
( Women screaming. men shouting )
WOMAN: Let me go! Let me go!
MAN: By order of comrade StaIin. no civiIian can Ieave the city.
Get back! ( CIamouring )
MAN: Stand away. or we wiII open fire.
( CIamouring )
( Woman screams ) MAN: Stand away!
MAN: Get back!
Get back or we shoot!
Back! Keep back!
MAN: Make way for comrade StaIin's envoy!
I carried out my orders.
I sent in aII of my boys.
But the Germans enguIfed us.
They have artiIIery. aircraft. tanks.
And me. what did I have? The sacred duty to resist!
I have to report to the boss.
Perhaps you'd prefer to avoid the red tape.
( Gunshot )
My name is...
Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev.
I've come to take things in hand here.
This city is not Kursk...
nor is it Kiev. nor Minsk.
This city is StaIingrad.
StaIingrad!
This city bears the name of the boss.
It's more than a city. it's a symboI.
If the Germans capture this city.
the entire country wiII coIIapse.
Now. I want our boys...
to raise their heads.
I want them to act Iike they have baIIs!
I want them to stop shitting their pants!
That's your job.
As poIiticaI officers. I'm counting on you.
You. what's your suggestion?
Shoot aII the other generaIs who have retreated...
and their chiefs of staff too.
M-Make some exampIes.
D-D-Deport the famiIies of the deserters-- Yeah. that's aII been done.
MAN: Give them hope!
Here. the men's onIy choice is between German buIIets and ours.
But there's another way. The way of courage.
The way of Iove of the motherIand.
We must pubIish the army newspaper again.
We must teII magnificent stories. Stories that extoI...
sacrifice. bravery.
We must make them beIieve in the victory.
We must give them hope. pride. a desire to fight.
Yes. we need to make exampIes.
But exampIes to foIIow.
What we need...are heroes.
Do you know any heroes around here?
Yes. comrade. I know one.
That's me!
''VassiIi Zaitsev.'' That's me!
No. you're not dreaming. It's your name.
We made the front page.
They haven't changed a word.
Do you have any idea what this means?
It's not the back page. it's not the second page.
it's the front page. BOTH: The front page!
They're going to reprint our articIe everywhere.
In the Caucasus. in the Crimea. even in the UraIs.
Tomorrow morning. StaIin himseIf wiII be sitting over breakfast.
reading my words. memorizing your name.
We're famous. VassiIi. Khrushchev Ioved the articIe.
He's promoted me to the generaI staff.
And you to sniper division.
WeII. that's good. It's very good.
It's very good. It's great. It's very great!
It's great! For both of us because we did it together.
( Laughing ) Together!
AIthough. admittedIy. I did aII the hard work. Oh. yeah?
You know. you're very Iucky I can't fight back. Why's that?
Because Khrushchev toId me to make sure nothing happens to you.
You're too important. I'm too vaIuabIe.
Yes. carefuI of my-- carefuI of my gIasses. pIease. They're new.
Sorry. sir.
I'm famous! We're famous! I'm famous! I'm famous!
MALE ANNOUNCER: VassiIi. the young shepherd from the UraIs.
kiIIed his 1 2th German officer today.
He used to hunt woIves. now he shoots fascists.
Today. VassiIi Zaitsev shot his 23rd German officer.
He is an exampIe to us aII.
VassiIi shot his 32nd German officer.
( Announcers continue. indistinct )
Count onIy the Germans you have kiIIed.
Today. VassiIi Zaitsev-- MAN: Here is the evidence--
1 1 dog tags retrieved by sniper VassiIi Zaitsev.
More and more men and women. fighters from aII branches of our armed forces.
voIunteer to join the sniper division and Iearn the skiIIs of VassiIi Zaitsev.
VASSILI NARRATING: I am a stone.
I am a stone.
I breathe sIowIy.
I aim at the eye.
( Breathes deepIy )
So it is you.
the great VassiIi Zaitsev.
My mother makes the best potatoes with bacon in town. Sounds good.
When she sees you. she won't beIieve her eyes.
How many today? OnIy two.
And the Iast one. why didn't you shoot him?
He was onIy a foot soIdier. Wasn't worth giving away my position.
( Radio. indistinct ) BIess you.
We know how much we owe you.
We pray for you every day.
Every evening. we Iisten to them taIk about you on Radio Moscow.
Thanks. You've certainIy managed weII down here.
My parents used to store furniture down here before the war.
Sacha. drop that right now.
It's Ioaded.
( Knock on door )
This way. comrade Commissar.
Thank you. comrade.
Good evening.
Comrade Zaitsev?
My God. where does aII this maiI come from?
From aII over the country. Mrs FiIipov. from aII over.
This one's from the workers of the Kouzbass.
They want to name their mine after VassiIi.
Right. Iet's start with the miners.
Come on. Iet's get to work.
DANILOV: Dear comrades from the Kouzbass.
Kouzbass. I thank you for your Ietter of praise.
Praise? R-A-I-S-E.
And... I hope that I can Iive up...
to your expectations-- A-T-I-O-N-S.
Expectations.
You're interested in German Iiterature. Mrs FiIipov?
( Knock at door )
MRS FILIPOV: It's aII right. it's our neighbour.
Right. where were we? Tania. we have guests.
DANILOV: Your offer to name--
I--
I-I recognize you.
He's VassiIi Zaitsev.
I saw your picture in the paper.
Thank you for everything you're doing.
And this is his friend. Commissar... DaniIov.
Tania is Iike a daughter to me.
She used to take care of Sacha when I worked at the factory.
She even taught him German. AII these books are hers.
Oh. they're yours? She studied German at the university.
Which university? Moscow.
Moscow. Moscow.
ShouIdn't we. uh--
Yes. Iet's continue.
Your offer to name your mine after me...
is... a great honour.
H-O-N.
Yes. I know. Honor.
Very good.
ShouIdn't we-- ShouIdn't we try and make the point that I'm not the onIy one fighting?
DANILOV: That-- That's exceIIent-- exceIIent idea. VassiIi.
We can take it even further though. Oh.
We can take it further.
Your battIe for the production of coaI...
is as worthy as mine.
There's no ''K'' in coaI.
Just-Just one ''L.''
DANILOV: Oh. teII me if I'm going too fast.
No. you're not going too fast. You sure?
I just thought is there any other improvements?
Why don't you get some rest? These Ietters can wait untiI tomorrow.
VASSILI: We shouId carry on. We're not tired.
Thank you. Mrs FiIipov. These peopIe...
took the troubIe to write to us.
Tomorrow. we may not be around to write back.
( Train whistIe bIowing )
( Man on P.A. speaking in German )
Major Konig. Herr GeneraI.
I was expecting someone...
eIse.
CertainIy not someone so prestigious.
I imagine you have your reasons...
for getting yourseIf invoIved in this heIIish situation.
My army is not designed for this kind of fighting.
Yesterday. yet again. I had to promote...
25 sergeants to repIace the officers shot down by their sharpshooters.
Those snipers are demoraIizing my peopIe.
This city is no more than...
a heap of ruins.
But the fuehrer's persisting.
He has made it a personaI matter between StaIin and himseIf.
We shouId trust the fuehrer's instinct.
He aIways managed to Iead us to victory.
We shaII be back home for Christmas.
How are you going to go about finding this young Russian?
I'II fix it so that he's the one who finds me.
VassiIi. VassiIi.
Come on. time to get up. What?
They have a probIem in the department store sector. They need us. Come on.
Look. VassiIi. he's hiding in the department store. Over there.
ANTON: So far this morning.
he's knocked off five officers. pIus two machine gunners.
Look. third fIoor. fourth window from the Ieft.
Fourth window from the Ieft.
See him?
Yeah. I see him.
There. you got him!
LUDMILLA: Great shot.
Let's go get his dog tag.
MRS FILIPOV: Goodbye. comrade Commissar.
Thank you for your hospitaIity. Mrs FiIipov.
You can borrow whatever you Iike.
I'm not sure what they wouId say to me at headquarters...
if I came back with an armfuI of Goethe and SchiIIer.
( ExpIosion in distance ) There's some Marx too.
You were assigned to civiI defence at the 1 2th district?
No. I voIunteered.
It's such a coincidence meeting you Iike this.
Comrade Khrushchev was teIIing me just yesterday...
how desperateIy we're in need of operators who speak German.
I can't. Our miIitia's responsibIe for aII the peopIe in this neighbourhood.
We're aIready desperateIy short of men.
We'II give you a dozen soIdiers for every one that speaks German.
I'd rather stay and fight.
Serving at headquarters is fighting. You'd be far more usefuI there.
You stay here. You cover us.
ANTON: AII right. We go.
Take care.
LudmiIIa. come on.
( Man yeIIing in German )
Check the stairway.
It's a trap.
I know.
Move back.
He's stiII here.
They're coming straight for us! LudmiIIa.
stay where you are. he's over there somewhere.
We have to get out of here!
Just stay where you are!
What are we gonna do?
LudmiIIa. stay where you are!
Fuck this. I'm going.
LudmiIIa. no!
What does this mean?
''The IittIe shepherd from the UraIs receives a new sniper's rifIe.
''a Mosin-Nagant 7.62. with its 3.5-power P.U. teIescope.
Pride of precision of Soviet production.''
I've seen that rifIe cIose up. Have you?
I've even touched it. I know him weII. VassiIi Zaitsev.
( Men speaking Russian )
LudmiIIa and Anton were kiIIed today. and it was my fauIt.
No. I'm sure that's not true.
There was a German sniper. I waIked them right into his trap.
DANILOV: What eIse can you teII me? He didn't reIocate.
A sniper who doesn't reIocate isn't normaI.
He was very good. It wasn't just his shooting. it was his instinct.
He was a step ahead of me aII the time.
That's because he knows everything about you.
His name is Konig. Major Konig.
They've sent him here to ki--
to find you.
At first we weren't sure if the information was reIiabIe.
It seems he's come aII the way from BerIin to stop you.
You've caused them so many sIeepIess nights. they sent their top marksman after you.
What do we know about him? He's a major in the Wehrmacht.
He's director of their sniper schooI in Zossen.
KouIikov studied under him at Zossen before the war.
He knows aII his tricks. From now on. he'II go with you everywhere.
A nobIeman from Bavaria who hunts deer...
against a shepherd boy from the UraIs who poaches woIves.
( ChuckIes ) It's more than a confrontation between two nations.
It's the essence of cIass struggIe.
I'm gIad you're so happy.
He had aII the advantages. Next time you'II be even.
No one shoots Iike you. VassiIi.
She's been transferred.
I'II see if they're ready for you next door.
HeIIo. You Iook very smart in your new uniform.
Make sure they don't take it back once you've finished.
Yeah. they probabIy wiII.
I've heard the rumour about the German. and I wanted to wish you Iuck.
Thank you. I'II need it.
From what comrade DaniIov teIIs me. you're going to win.
Hmm.
It's time.
( Russian music )
MAN: VassiIi! VassiIi! Come to my arms.
Look in my direction. ( Kissing IoudIy )
Put your cap back on. you Iook more heroic.
This way. comrade Zaitsev. I Iove this IittIe feIIow.
MAN: VassiIi. is it true that you voIunteered for the front?
How oId are you. VassiIi? Do you know what this dueI means for our country?
Is it true you kiIIed your first woIf when you were five?
Are you proud to be chaIIenged by the best sharpshooter in Germany?
The Germans are starting to shit their pants.
Go on. my boy. teII us how you're going to deaI with him.
Or rather. no. No. TeII it to the boss. One more question. pIease.
He Iikes good hunting stories.
Look at him with pride.
because he's Iooking at you.
The whoIe country is Iooking at you.
( Whinnying )
( Gunshot )
Forgive me. forgive me. Grandfather.
So. it's not the woIf that chooses the hunting ground...
but the hunter.
But I'm sure your grandfather taught you that.
Except in this case.
I'm the game.
KOULIKOV: However. today what we're going to do...
is Iure the woIf out of his Iair...
to where we want him to be.
You're the one whose Iife is vaIuabIe. You go first.
No. no. We take it in turns. Next time is your turn to go first.
and then it's you. VoIodya.
( Man yeIIing in German )
( YeIIs )
Son of a bitch! ( YeIIs )
These are new pants. I just took them off a captain from the 251 st yesterday.
Sixteen months I spent in Germany at the schooI in Zossen.
Of course. those were the days when we were friends with the Krauts:
when our Joseph and their AdoIph...
were waIking hand in hand.
From here to the wire. 1 60 metres. right?
One hundred and fifty-five.
Whatever. That'II make 'em send out a repair guy.
Let's reIocate.
Aah!
Hey. VoIodya!
After the Germans invaded us.
it wasn't the same atmosphere any more.
Threw my ass in prison.
What were you doing in Germany. huh?
Excuse me. says I. but it was comrade StaIin who sent me there.
Don't bring our gIorious Ieader into your treachery.
Confess. spy bastard! Confess.
And bang! Bang. bang. bang!
WeII. there wasn't a sickIe. but there was a hammer.
And bang. Knocked out aII my teeth.
That's right. boy. Have no iIIusions.
That's the Iand of sociaIism and universaI bIiss for you.
( CIattering )
VOLOD YA: Hey! It's your repair guy.
I got him.
It's about soup time. isn't it?
I'm going.
KOULIKOV: WeII. get a move on. VoIodya.
and try not to spiII it aII on your way back. you Marxist bastard.
( Chattering )
This is the enemy sniper activity reported during the past 24 hours. Herr Major.
( ExpIosion )
Two sentries shot in the train station sector.
One artiIIery observer in the Northern sector.
One Iieutenant from the 24th Panzer division in the factory sector.
Three teIephone repairmen in the workers' housing sector.
They aIso teII me we have just taken a prisoner who may interest you.
I hope he's stiII abIe to speak.
Excuse me. sir?
Nothing. Thank you.
KONIG: So. teII us. VoIodya.
which buiIding is he in?
There is no way I know that.
( Bombs expIoding. gunfire in distance )
He moves around aII the time.
He jumps from one to the next.
On which fIoor?
I don't know.
We'II see about that.
Undress him.
Put him in one of our uniforms.
( YeIIing in German )
( Man yeIIing in German )