Road To Life
Production Films MezhRabPom
Silent screenplay
N. Ekk, А. Stolper R. Yanushkevich
Photography V. Pronin
Artistic director N. Stepanov
Assistants: L. Voytovich, А. Stolper
Sound screenplay
N. Ekk
Yakov Stollyar
Music Yakov Stollyar
Sound operator E. Nesterov
Direction N. Ekk
Sound
recorded
on system
Tagefon
Floor given to
the popular artist of the Republic
Kachalov
Who are these scrawny bodies in lousy rags?
Where do these dirty, savage looks come from?
Which future is awaiting them?
What will become of them?
Street boy today,
tomorrow: enemy of labor, bandit!
During the world bloodshed their fathers perished in the tsarist jaws,
invaders tortured their mothers with hunger siege.
The early childhood left on their faces the wrinkles of anxiety.
They roamed around the cities
like a pack of nasty starving wolves.
What will save them?
Charity? Moral education?
They laugh at all that just as we do!
We know something better:
environment creates the man.
Having sounded the power of free universal labour,
the Republic of Soviets will give them a start in life.
We erect giants of metallurgy
in the unpopulated taiga.
We found the effective lever to the destiny of mankind.
We'll teach street boys
to make one's way out in the new world.
We'll remelt them into workers of the world edification.
1923
Be sure
"he's your fellow"
F S
Fomka Shark
Mikhail Zharov
Once upon a time there was on lap, A goblin with branches la la la
Goblin was well-known for what? For his low pitched shout la la la
His larynx was hearty and so what! He roared like a cow la la la
But did he have enemies la la?
his larynx was hearty so what? he roared like a cow la la la "SНЕ'S YOUR FELLOW"
LELKA SWINDLER but did he have enemies la la?
A goblin with branches That will be me! la la la MARIA GONTA
AND BE SURE Dear fellow citizens listen to me la la
FOMKA SHARK'S BEST ASSISTANT Theft is my skill and art, la la
From jail I won't go out. la la Reformatory misses me la la STREET BOYS' LEADER
Mustafa Dude
I'm singing on and on la la What will I do later on la la...
- Chauffeur, to Yakimanka! - Let's take a tram together.
Please, two roubles and a half!
Are you crazy or what, chauffeur?
Pass by!
Gee, stop! Hey, guys. Nowadays you know...
Who wants it?
Darling, come with me!
My galoshes! Give back my galoshes!
In my day people didn't speak like that.
Hey, mister!
So, coming with me?
And your husband?
Coming! Coming!
So, shall we go to Kursovoy?
But why, mummy?
My dear! My sunshine!
Chauffeur! Krimskiy Val. Chauffeur!
Madame!
You dropped one rouble.
Thank you! How clumsy I am!
- Thank you. - You're welcome! It happens.
My case! They've stolen my case!
Help! I've been robbed!
My God, Lidochka! What is it?
My case is gone!
- Who did they rob? - It's none of your business.
They didn't rob you, did they!?
I put it right here, turned back...
Мother -
Regina Yanushkevich
Father -
Vladimir Vesnovskiy
Son -
Mihail Dzhagofarov
Father! you know that our Kolka
is fifteen today!
Aha! A well-grown boy! He's now taller than his father.
Kolka!
Come back quick, mother!
Bring me an apple!
- How much are the apples? - One rouble.
- Expensive!
- Well, take a little more! - Ok!
And you, what do you want?
How much are the apples?
Hold him!
Let me go!
Buzz off!
Poor woman!
Bandits are growing up! Why bother cradling them?
They must be shot.
it's not their fault!
Your mother's coming! Go meet her!
Kolka!
We don't take the dead.
She's gone, Kolka, our mother's gone!
Father...
son...
... and mother.
After his wife's death
Kolka's father began
to drink very much
She's gone, Kolka!
Mother's gone, Kolka!
You understand?
Dad!
For the first time
Kolka
spent
the night
outside
Decree:
On the night of December 20th 1923 the arrest of street children is planned.
The arrest will be carried out by the teams of Komsomol volunteers
under the supervision of inspectors from the children's committee.
The help of the police and railway guards in the work of the teams is requested.
- Comrade Skryabina! - Quiet!
Comrade Portvinov, you'll stay at the door.
And you, occupy all the exits.
Children's
Committee
inspector
Skryabina
Maria
Antropova
Boys!
Sleeping in a bed is more comfortable.
Vaska
Bully
Aleksandr
Novikov
On your guard!
Dragnet!
Damn you all!
- Smash the cops! - The fuzz! Kill them!
- Kill the fuzz!
Let me go!
Smash the cops!
Comrade Martynov!
Hold him tight! He bites!
Get out! Get out of here!
Let me go!
Come on!
Anyway we won't stay with you.
Damned cops!
Come on!
Come on, don't stand in the way!
Quick, quick!
From joints, underground nests, caves and tumbledown houses
there were gathered that night
more than a thousand homeless children, crippled by the street.
In the Soviet Republic there shouldn't be
poverty-stricken and homeless children.
May there be young, strong and happy citizens.
A special commission
performed a big and complex task
selecting and distributing the street children.
What is your occupation?
I'm a streetwalker.
Give me her form!
Syphilis
- That's all for the girls! ... to the hospital ...
Let the boys in! ... to the hospital ...
Have you got any parents?
How long have you been hanging around?
Why don't you say anything?
What do you want?
Dope,
vodka and girls!
He said it!
Volkov - institution.
Oh! Mustafa Dude!
An old acquaintance!
- Hi! - Hi!
Madam Pasha, hello!
Hello, Mustafa, hello!
- Where hasn't he only been! - Who doesn't know him?
The leader of the whole gang.
- Mister Misha, hello! - Hello, hello!
What is your last escape?
12 times for theft.
Escapes: 8 Arrests: 15
Did you escape from Rostov's institution?
I did escape.
From Saratov?
I did escape.
Have you been in Serpuhov's prison in Moscow?
I did escape!
Where should we send you now?
I'll escape anyway!
To the reformatory then, lock him up!
(Mari language) Savatat kurjat
I'll escape, I swear!
Where are you going?
Let's go to that room.
- I won't go! I won't! - Let's go.
Come on, come on!
Here he is, Mustafa Dude!
Hello!
What do you want, comrade?
My son has disappeared.
Nikolay Rebrov
Is he here with you, comrades?
He doesn't appear on checklists.
Really?
Have a look in the rooms.
Come with me, comrade!
A cop's coming.
Let's ask for shag.
This guy took 130 and is afraid to play!
I'm a boy far from home, forgotten by people.
Forgotten, abandoned, long long while
I've been an orphan, with no smile.
So I'll die, I'll die They'll bury me
and nobody'll know the grave of me
And on my stone no music plays
just early spring KOLKA DISAPPEARED...
and nightingales
just early spring and nightingales
Comrades, do you consider...
Comrades, attention please!
do you consider that such difficult boys should be isolated?
I flatly refuse. In my opinion...
I say and I insist: such kids as Mustafa must be sent to reformatory.
Locking them up is no solution.
What do you propose?
Comrades, we must think what to do with these kids
who roam around, escape from any place the devil only knows how long!
Prison!? Another solution must be found!
Yes. We have to think about it!
In my opinion there's nothing to think about.
The commission then
decided to carry out an unprecedented experiment
Аh! Comrade cop!
(in Mari language) Hello, hello!
You're off your chump or what?
Saying hello to an empty room! Hey you, sissy!
Why did they bring us here?
For examination or what?
Hey boys! Look! Who's this?
Comrade officer, you may go.
- You're what! - Doctor!
Hey chaps, a doctor! Undress!
Here it is, undress!!
And pants, do we take them off?
You're a doctor, aren't you?
Okay, that's enough!
Come on boys, get dressed!
Get dressed, cheer up!
- Here it is now, get dressed!! - Come here!
- First undress, now get dressed!! - Come here. Come on.
Come on, cheer up, get dressed.
Sit down!
Undress then get dressed!
Look here, boys!
You're sitting here, just spoiling the air!
You don't want to go to orphanage?
No! Right, right!
You're good guys!
What's there for you in an orphanage?
And sitting here is also such a bore.
A real bore!
And, oh boys, it's so good to be free right now!
So!
Here's the deal!
A secret one!
In an ex-monastery I'm setting up a factory, a commune.
Join me. Who wants?
As volunteers.
We'll work together.
Woodworker, locksmith, shoemaker, mechanic, as you wish!
And you'll run the commune yourselves.
How's that? Full trust!
And you'll be free.
Who wants? Speak!
We know your communes! You'll pen us in a fucking dump!
You'll put cops everywhere. Which food? Thin broth, isn't it?
We'll be in prison getting on the cops' nerves!
Go to hell!
The commune's organizer Sergeev: Nikolay Batalov
Rack your brains!
As you wish!
You'll leave when you want.
Ok.
We'll go to your commune.
You persuaded us, doctor!
(Mari language) Effendi, good-bye!
The boys agreed to go to the commune
only to be able to escape on the way
Will there be many guards?
Go out!
- Hello, comrade Sergeev. - Hi!
- Your pass. - Good.
Will the escape succeed?
Well, boys, come on!
Come on!
What's the problem, boys?
Where is the guard?
There won't be any!
You're on your own initiative.
Come on!
Will they run away
or not
Run away or not
Run away
or
not
At the station
something incomprehensible happens...
Mustafa the thief
is entrusted with money
in order to buy food for the road
Come on!
Run away
or
not
Come in!
Gone...
Mustafa's here!
Skilful fingers are no cheaters.
- It's great! - Well done, Mustafa!
Well, Mustafa!
May it be the last time!
Fifty kilometers from the railway
the commune factory
Take it as a loan from the governement.
You'll work it off.
Comrades! Telegram from Sergeev's commune.
Mishka, more hot water NONE OUT OF ELEVEN RAN AWAY
Vaska, rub my back EXPERIMENT SUCCESSFUL SERGEEV
Boys, I will now cut out the last for boots.
This way!
Here's the last!
Well who wants to cut?
Come on! Have a try, we'll see!
Mustafa, keep your end up!
That's how the transformation by work
of pickpockets, purse-snatchers,
burglars, housebreakers, thieves
into locksmiths, turners, founders, casters began.
Thieves' skills so useful for work
weren't so easily forgotten
Mishka!
Someone swiped the spoons!
Really!
Yes.
- Sit, quick. - Faster, take places!
- Ginger, here! - Everyone has to gobble up!
- Give the spoons! - Where are the spoons?!
- Hey intendent, give the spoons!
Give s spoon, give a blade, So good is my babe!
Somebody swiped the knives, the forks and the spoons.
If we can't find them, their price will be deducted from your pay.
Spoon!
It's hot!
Who stole the spoons?
Give yourself up, Mishka!
No cops here!
It's Grishka Cross-eyed who swiped. I know that son of a bitch!
Snuffy's eating and you're blowing!
See what good fellows are here!
I want to have spoons for dinner! We won't cover anybody up, we'll find them anyway!
And in the evening
How much is this toy?
Fish, golden fish!
Fomka Shark's new assistant
Street boys' new leader
Kolka Whistle
Madame, step aside!
Do you have some cutlets?
Give me that green rubber band.
- Pirozhki, who wants pirozhki! - Come on, roll up! - Roasted!
Fish, golden fish!
Hold him!
He stole boots!
Beat him, beat him up!
Catch him!
- Where is he? - Behind the tent.
Here he is!
Look! They're running!
Beat him up!
- Bandits! - They all should be killed!
- What did they beat him for? - He stole boots.
You shouldn't beat a person. There are judges!
To judge what! Just hit him on the head with the weight, that's all!
Kill him.
- What did they beat him for?
Maybe he didn't steal for himself. Maybe he walks barefoot.
- Poor kid. - We must not pity them, but kill them!
He's not guilty!
Follow me, mister, to the police, you're charged with bodily harm.
Speaking! Where are you calling from?
- Step up here, comrade! - Go, he must be arrested!
Comrade chief, I held this citizen for grievous bodily harm.
Your papers.
It looks like I haven't got my papers on me.
Only this document.
Friend of children
Trading licence issued by M. Somnin
Hey you, friend! What a bastard you are!
Fathers and mothers!
And if your son, your dear one were hit?
If his face were hit against the paved way?
Would you shoot?
Would you kill?
Central executive committee Children's department
We want to go to the commune.
We want to make boots with our own hands.
- Move away! - Why did you gather?
Go away! What do you want?
- What's your problem! - Stop messing about.
Get lost!
They want to go to the commune!
They want to make boots with their hands.
You understand?
Ah those bastards! Good boys!
The fuzz got scared!
They flocked like an army.
Brave boys! Good!
Kolka brought us here.
He led us here to go to the commune!
Winter passed.
The commune grew and developed.
The workshops were working on a big and serious order.
The awl, the chisel and the saw...
... were giving a new birth to people.
It looked as if labour had won for good...
but...
the spring brought unexpected results.
The elements' fury affected the commune.
Raw material's delivery stopped, the production ceased.
Unwanted inactivity followed.
Rows began.
- We're like under arrest. - Not even a town around.
- Let's leave the place! - We wish we could work!
- Just hanging around. - We want to work!
We can't play cards, can't drink vodka.
No vodka!
And machines stand still!
Take the commune to the devil!
Right!
Silence!
Silence, d'you hear!
Comrade Sergeev!
We can't stay without work. The boys are making fuss!
Nikolay Ivanovich! Decide what to do!
Alright, boys!
I'll go to Moscow.
I'll discuss it.
Let's play!
- It's my money! - No, it's mine.
- I'll show you how to cheat. - You'd better look out! - Here you're.
For five days the boys have been making fuss
Why hasn't Nikolay Ivanovich come back yet?
What are we gonna do? Boys!
- Ginger! Why did you kill Snuffy? - It's our mutt.
Why do you care? You, midget!
They've driven us out miles from anywhere but we'll leave anyway!
We're here idle, becoming sissies.
Destroy the workhops.
Break everything!
Break everything into fucking pieces!
Come on!
Destroy the workshops! Everything!
Destroying your living!?
Live here yourself, you bugger!
Rascals!
Boys! What are you doing?
Can't you see they're destroying the workshops!
- Beat him! - Kick him in the teeth!
Let me!
Let me, I tell you!
And you came on your own to make shoes in the commune.
Hey you! ... swine!
What's been going on...
boys!
He killed Snuffy!
Well,
you sure made a great use of your time!
And I brought you...
a little present!
Look!
We'll be building a railway
from the commune to the station.
And you'll have full responsibiliy and care of it, boys.
- Did you understand? - Yes, we did.
- Shall we go? - Let's go.
- Mustafa... will be an engine driver! - Engine driver!
And Kolka will be a fare collector!
Fare collector.
I'll be...
a switchman!
Who doesn't want to work,
who wants make fuss,
let him...
... go now!
Well boys, I hope I've said it once and for all!
Boys!
Lift Nikolay Ivanovich up!
- What? - Lift up Sergeev!
Boys!
Here lie the tracks.
Nikolay Ivanovich!
The machines won't stand still anymore.
You, poor head of mine
Will still I bear you for long?
You, my fatal destiny
Will I still... live for long?
The underworld began to be concerned
Why did I come into existence? What did my mother beget me for?
THE BEST BOYS HAVE GONE AWAY In order to experience
the prison.
Mustafa's gone!
Kolka Whistle's gone!
Don't stand on ice, cos' ice will crack
Don't love a thief, He'll hit the sack
Hey, the soup is hot, and so is the kettle, Hey, tears are dripping...
AND... THE UNDERGROUND... ...on the handgrip. The thief'll collapse
CONCEIVED A BIG BUSINESS and will glide high.
You won't like that!
Hey, the soup is hot, and so is the kettle, Hey, tears are dripping on the handgrip.
Clients!
Hello, old chap! Come in!
Here we value our dear visitors
Here to drink, smoke and dance is highly considered
and to kiss
girls also
Visitors have come! Meet them!
That's how
in an abandoned forest workman's hut
the big business began
Workers! My respect!
Get out of my way!
They sure went for some walk!
To Nikolay Ivanovich,
my respect !
For fifteen days!
Fifteen days for drunkenness and shirking at work.
You drunken mugs,
where did you get pissed?
O Oh why, by what coincidence,
to me you're the only one to please and all the others I just tease?
They ripped my new dress up, And poked my right eye out
It was the first time, so no! don't scold me, mum, don't shout!
O Oh why, by what coincidence,
to me you're the only one to please and all the others I just tease?
Oh my! The woods are deep And dad is single though
But when he marries then Where shall mummy go?
O Oh why, by what coincidence, to me you're the only one to please?
Sing Gavrila!
More and more often the boys were slipping away.
The putrid wind of vice
reawoke old habits. Foma, play Gavrila!
Shark was triumphant
In this world there's two burglars I know. Gop tiry tiry boombee ah!
I'm the first, the second's Gavrila. - Gavrila!
Gavrila! that's right! Gop tiry tiry boombee ah!
He looks like me, I look like him Gop tiry tiry boombee ah!
as two shoes...
- ...from the same skin! - Right!
Gop tiry tiry boombee ah!
One day when we had some walk. Gop tiry tiry boombee ah!
scratching guitar and crowbar - Crowbar! Right!
In some room we had some look. rrrrara, rara-ffft!
Everything that was there... ffft! - We hooked!
...we hooked! Right! Gop tiry tiry boombee ah!
Here some copper caught us both Gop tiry tiry boombee ah!
Gavrila and me in that house. Gop tiry tiry boombee ah!
But when we ran away from him, Gop tiry tiry boombee ah!
Our heels only could be seen! Gop tiry tiry boombee ah!
The main members of the commune...
Mustafa! Kolka!
Visitors! Come on, meet them!
Hey! Here're some teddy boys!
Our hard workers came!
Meet the smart guys!
Come on, let's get plastered!
Come here!
Kolka! Youri Ginger!
Come in! Sit down!
Snacks are as it should!
- Let's raise our glasses. - And share some bottle.
Youra, finish your glass!
On the table there's an inkpot, In the inkpot there're two quills.
Farewell, papa, farewell, mama, I'm going to the Caucasus
- Dance, Mustafa! - Come on, boy!
- I dare you, Mustafa! - Drink, Mustafa, I dare you.
Play!
O oh by what... coincidence to me you're the only one to please
Pour some vodka!
Wait for my signal!
Come on, come on, come on!
Get ready!
Come on!
What's your name, аh?
Hands up, rascals!
You brought girls
to muddle the boys up!
Well, Mustafa!
You became a cop!
Hold the drunken bastards!
Here!
- Swine!! - Fucking cops!
Destroy fucking Shark's nest!
Drunken mug!
- You, dirty pest! - Hey, swine!
Destroy this dirty nest!
Swine!
Cankers! Cross-eyed mugs!
So you girls got drunk!
Congratulation, boys! You sure made a great use of your time!
A great use of your time!
The whole camp is
dead to the world
except the watchmen
I'm alive, daddy, Hello! We're building our railway.
Come to the opening.
I'll be the first engine driver on the first steam engine.
And I'll be...
... a fare collector.
And Mustafa will the first engine driver
on the first steam engine
And I will be a fare collector.
Welcome from the commune workers to the first steam engine!
And only by night
when the preparations had been made
for the tomorrow's celebration
of the new railway
Mustafa could go to the station
I'll come first on the first steam engine!
Good-bye, Mustafa!
song in Mari language
You!
You damaged the rail!
At the opening of the railway
Hello boys!
Hello comrade Skryabina!
- Hello! - They came to see us!
How's life?
THE WORKER'S DELEGATION IS HERE - It has never been so good!
THE WORKER'S DELEGATION IS HERE - Hello comrade Martinov!
- Hello boys!
- Here's our steam engine! - It'll bring us to the commune.
Kolka!
Nikolka!
Father!
Are we leaving soon?
Mustafa must come from the commune.
Something made him late!
We'll wait a little.
Ok.
At the commune
Nikolay Ivanovich!
Mishka!
- Vanka! - Oy!
At the station
It's time to go!
The opening of the railway turned into a mass festivity.
The commune workers and all the people around got ready to welcome the first steam engine.
Nikolay Ivanovich!
Fomka Shark's knife.
Boys!
Why aren't they coming?
The
first one
on the
first
steam engine
and his best friend
Kolka Whistle
They're coming!
Play!
Hurrah!
How can it be?
Mustafa
wanted to be the first engine driver!
To you who survived the hunger siege,
to you who received a new start in life,
to you the enthusiasts of the elimination of homelessness,
and to you, the first president of the сhildren's department,
the best friend of children,
to you, Felix Dzerzhinsky this film is dedicated.