Third Meshchanskaya Street (Menage a trois)
Story and Scenario by Viktor Shklovsky
Cinematography: Grigori Giber Assinstant director and sets: Sergei Yutkevich
Directed by Abram Room
Cast and characters: The wife, Liudmila (Liuda) - Liudmila Semyonova The husband, Nikolai (Kolia) - Nikolai Batalov The friend, Vladimir (Volodia) - Vladimir Fogel
Building superintendent: Leonid Yurenev The nurse: Maria Yarotskaya
Moskow was still asleep.
Meshchanskaya Street is sleeping.
And its inhabitants.
On his way to the city...
...Vladimir, a printer.
Moscow awoke.
The husband, Nikolai.
The wife, Liudmila.
Today is Saturday - don't forget to scrub the floors.
"My husband!"
He worked as a foreman on the Bolshoi Theatre.
In the printing plant of the Workers Newspaper.
"First you must arrange a place to live."
No vacancies.
Lunch.
The Moscow day was in full swing.
"Where are you going? There's a meeting now."
"I'd rather go home."
"You can't come in here! This is a private apartment!"
"Don't be shy, Volodia."
"It is Fogel, my old friend. We fought and froze together in the Red Army."
"I ran into him in the square."
"Don't stand on ceremony - the sofa is your kingdom."
"See - the screen has come in handy."
Fogel proved a skilled pressman at the newspaper --
-- and had now been at the Batalovs for three days.
The building superintendent.
"I've signed him in, but without the right to living space."
"Where does he work?"
"He works as a printer and lives on our sofa."
The morning of July 9th.
"It's just a radio and a few magazines."
"You've had a telegram."
"Hurry up" I'm off on a business trip!"
"I don't like to stay here while you are away --"
"-- People will talk a lot of rubbish!"
"You're joking, brother. No one will take her away from me."
"I'm not worried."
The 14th of July. Friends of Aviation Day.
On that day, Liuda for the first time --
"I have forgotten when I last went to the movies."
"You know -- you're attractive."
"Are you telling your fortune?"
"Do you want me to tell it for you?"
"We'll see what's in your heart."
"What about Kolia?"
"Does that mean --- ?"
A few day later.
"Stop! Don't move!"
"See what a husband you have! You can make us some jam!"
"What? Did time stand still for you without me?"
"How do you like our sofa?"
"Dinner is served."
"I've only just noticed how attractive you are."
"Isn't it true? Liuda is attractive."
"Kolia -- I have to tell you --"
"that your wife and I --"
"Try the jam."
"Go on, the jam will burn."
"Is it true?"
"It is true."
"If you like, I'll move out. After all, I have no right to living space."
"Volodia stays!"
"Then I'm going. You two live together!"
At work after hours.
"I'm a builder myself, but I've got nowhere to live."
The rains were beginning.
"After all, you've nowhere to go and we've got a free sofa."
All three together again.
What will happen next?
"I've got you boxed in."
"Shall we drink some tea?"
"Let me do it, and you run out and get some rolls."
And every evening --
"Come on, Volodia, let's go for a walk."
"I'm fed up with both of you and your confounded games."
With every day, their life was becoming more difficult.
"Put the tea on."
"What is it -- are you waiting for him?"
"You're not going anywhere!"
"My husband!"
"Do you want some tea?"
Two months passed.
"You know --"
"-- Liuda is pregnant."
"You must have an abortion. I don't want another man's child."
"Liudmila must have an abortion."
"Going halves on an abortion!"
"What were you both thinking about --"
In a private clinic.
"Number 3!"
"Number 4!"
"Your turn!"
"Number 5!"
"Next!"
"Is Semenova here?"
"Who is asking?"
"Her husband."
"Semyonova left; she got scared."
To Liudoshka, in fond remembrance.
"I am leaving --"
"It's alright -- I'll work -- I'll survive."
""Good luck, Liudmila Nikolayevna."
"I am leaving. I shall never return to your Meshchanskaya Street. Goodbye, Liudmila. "
"Kolia, it seems you and I --"
"-- are scoundrels."
"Well, Volodia, shall we have some tea?"
"Is there any jam left, Kolia?"
The End
Music compiled by Rodney Sauer and Susan Hall performed by the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra
Produced for video by David Shepard video editor: Bret Hampton
English subtitles transcribed by serdar202