Star Media presents
Yevgeniy Tkachuk, Yelena Shamova
Aleksey Filimonov, Vadim Norshtein
Sergey Marin, Igor Artashonov
Valentin Gaft, Vsevolod Shilovsky
Aleksandr Ilyin, Rimma Markova
Anatoliy Kot, Artiom Osipov
Aleksandr Lazarev Jr., Artiom Tkachenko
Oleg Shkolnik, Irina Tokarchuk
Yekaterina Kopanova, Valeriy Bassel
In ONCE UPON A TIME IN ODESSA based on “The Odessa Tales” by I.E. Babel
Directed by Sergey Ginzburg
Written by Maksim Belozor
Music by Vladimir Davydenko
Director of Photography: Eduard Moshkovich
Production designers: Nikita Chernov, Yulia Sobinova
and Svetlana Litvinova
Casting by Anastasia Leonova
Postproduction producer: Artiom Yeliseyev
Produced by Yelizaveta Troitskaya
Executive Producers: Vitaliy Bordachov and Vlad Ryashin
Release Yaponets! Release Yaponets!
Hello? Hello? Miss? Sergey Mefodyevich, what’s wrong with the phone?
Your Excellency, the problem is not the phone but…
What’s going on?
I beg to report… look out of the window.
What’s there? What is going on?
I heard about you. I just didn’t know
if they were talking of that very Yaponets or somebody else.
I heard about you too… and your tricks in Bessarabia.
Yes, I had some… Have you been at large for long? -Not really.
I was released together with Mokhov.
Do you remember Mokhov? Social Democrat.
Vania, eh? -Yep. -Is he with you now?
No. I invited him but he refused to join. He is high-minded.
That’s my father.
How did you get here, Grigoriy Ivanovich?
They caught me at the railway station during a raid.
But they are sure to release me. My ID’s all right. Just a few have a better one.
I saw some squawk brewing near the gate when being taken here. About you, isn’t it?
See? Osia's here.
I wish I never set my eyes on him.
Will you go there?
Why not? And why didn’t you give it to him when he was passing by?
Didn’t want to. Scared?
Who? Me?
I have a letter. For the Chief of Police. -Who from?
It’s written on there. But tell him read it fast – it’s starting to rain.
“…and release the said Mr. Moisey Vinnitsky,
“aka Misha Yaponets, immediately and without any talks.
"You have 15 minutes to take a decision; otherwise we’ll start the storm.
“Citizens of free Odessa”. That’s it.
Release Misha! Misha, we’re with you!
Execute Yaponets. Immediately. In the yard.
Contact the General Headquarters, call the troops in
and cleanse the streets from this scum.
Colonel, Sir, we cannot call anybody. The phone’s out operation.
Then send someone to the French. They stay two blocks away from us.
Colonel, Sir, the French won’t interfere. -Why not?
They don’t need it.
It’s Colonel Gelovani. Yes. What?
What?
Mum! -Liza! -But I want to!
Liza! You may not.
Oh, my God!
Then a cake and some Seltzer, eh?
Yes. Kostia, how long will we stay here? We were going to visit our dressmaker.
Just fifteen more minutes, Madame.
Nikolay Nikiforovich asked you to. It’ll be a surprise.
Merci. -What surprise?
Alas, I cannot tell you. I promised His Excellency to keep silent.
Colonel, Sir, was it Governor General?
Gentlemen, they have my wife and Liza.
These people… are they dangerous?
What people? Oh, come on! They are not dangerous at all.
And now a peach, mademoiselle?
A napkin would be better. My hands are all sticky.
Liza!
Bastards! If something happens to them…
Colonel, Sir, they demand to release all the hostages.
You must take a decision.
Liza, watch your step. -Merci.
Olga Nikolayevna, may I help YOU. -Merci. Sergey Mefodyevich, I’m glad to see you.
Konstantin, it was marvelous! -We’ll meet again. -Great!
Hi, guys!
Your aces?
Yeah, they are guys from our vicinage.
What next, Grigoriy Ivanovich? Will you join us? -Meaning?
Such an occasion must be celebrated.
I’ve got some business to do. Look, Yaponets, don’t gossip
about me round town. I’m here on hush-hush.
Of course I won’t. Sure.
Misha, who is this guy?
That one? Ah, an acquaintance of mine. You better tell me
which of you was that clever to bring Colonel’s wife
and his daughter here, eh?
Gersh gave us a tip.
Gersh! Tell me, Mayorchik… what'd you have done with them
if he’d refused to exchange them?
How do I know?
You’re real evil, Mayorchik. I even scare of you!
Hohol! What are you doing there?! -Ah, it’s gorgeous!
You’re who you are. And it’s not your fault.
I’m just… I’m not ready to live like this.
No, Tsilia, this is my fault. I’m guilty all around.
I’m incredibly guilty. But I’ll try, Tsilia…
Misha…
Do you remember talking about a house?
We already have it. It’s not ours yet but soon…
You don’t believe me, do you? I’m telling the truth, Tsilia.
Do you know where it is? It’s far away. Behind Fountain.
I’ve rented a villa. And a good one. Right on the beach.
There is a garden there. We may leave for it right now.
Do you know what I thought about?
I thought we would marry and go there then.
So? What say you? Do you agree?
Sophie!
Ouch… May I visit you?
Of course you may, Sophie! -Are you serious? -As often as you want to!
Hurray! It’s so great, Tsilia! Misha!
You may visit us with your Dad and with anyone you wish.
Tsilia and I asked Dad to rent a villa often. But he would say
they were either too far away or too expensive.
So, Tsilia? Do you agree?
Careful, or you’ll ruin the house!
Here we are. Welcome!
Hurray! -Sophie! -Liova!
“…And in this gentle, faint gleam, Parting her naked breasts, she nestled.
Like water in a fragile vessel, Her life stood calmly in the dream.”
Are you crazy?! What are you saying?
Misha, it’s Bunin!
Sophie, plug your ears with your fingers. He’s mad.
Misha, this is Bunin. And you’re vulgar.
If I hear stuff like that one more time I’ll show Bunin to you.
Misha, stop nagging at me.
He doesn’t understand anything in poetry…
Monsieur Averman, tell him to shut up, or I’ll…
Monsieur Averman, tell him that this is poetry!
Liova, there are many poems of a different kind. About the same subject but… decent ones. The Song of Songs, for instance.
Tsilia, tell you them at last! -Look, get out of here!
Liovchik! Guys, stop it! It’s so beautiful here! Why quarrelling?
Will you pour me some?
Nobody wants to make the revolution for free here.
Odessa’s proletariat consists of mobsters and petty traders;
they are all scum. Workers of the printing houses
refuse to print our proclamations for free.
And the agitators demand to be paid for their work.
Yeah, revolutionary consciousness in Odessa is low.
It’s impossible to start a revolution in this city without money.
The Committee sent a letter to Moscow with a request
to send us needed sum. We’ve already received an answer.
The money will arrive in Odessa soon.
And, in addition, a knowing and experience man was sent here from the Moscow’s Emergency Commission.
He’s been working undercover for a very long time.
So, Grigoriy Ivanovich, tell Comrade Yakir we will be ready.
I will.
So, you know Yaponets, don’t you?
Well… we met before a couple of times.
Do you think we can involve him in the active work?
I doubt it. He is a businessman.
That’s right. But he was imprisoned on a political cause.
We’ll have the weapons thanks to Yaponets.
But he demands money for them, and we don’t have it.
What did you expect? Yaponets is a gangster.
Of course we’ll get rid of the people like him soon.
But he’s useful for us at the moment. He has real power.
When our forces come he’ll help us to take the city….
Even if we have to pay him.
What’s going on? It’s unspeakable! Damn! All right, I’d keep silent
if they asked to sweat anybody else. But they want to sweat Gepner!
It’s inadmissible! -Gepner?
Yes! Gepner! It would be so improperly that people won’t understand it.
They will say that Misha came to Gepner and took a million.
Again? You can’t rob the same man at any time you wish!
A man is not an engine! He has nerves!
Misha, I don’t interfere in your accounting.
But it seems to me that Yovl Lazarevitch has been paying timely.
Yes, you’re right.
All the more so. The people will say that there is no king in Odessa.
Monsieur Barskiy! Who is that brave to be going to visit Gepner?
Kot.
Kotovsky?
He is a well-known person. He has reputation.
But you have reputation too! When the visitors start working
without a permit here, it’s a disrespect! When people get to know about it
they will be confused. They won’t know who the boss is.
When are they going to visit Gepner?
They’re going to visit him tonight.
Don’t you have pity on your wife?
I am telling the truth! This is all I have. Please, don’t!
Where is the money? -Easy, easy! Don’t be so nervous.
Yaponets? -Yes, this is me, Grigoriy Ivanovich.
Tell your guys not to take a pop rashly.
Misha, what’s the matter? Why?
You promised that I’ll live and I’ll breathe!
Yovl Lazarevitch, I beg your pardon. Let’s talk later.
What are you doing here?
I decided to pay Yovl Lazarevitch a visit.
But it turns out that he’s already receiving visitors.
Grisha, tell your guys to wait in the corridor.
Together with my guys.
Go.
Grisha, it’s not our custom to do like this.
One can’t rob people without a permit. It’s beyond our manners.
You say it to me? Am I really supposed to ask YOU for the permit?
There’s nobody else you can address.
You’re crazy, Yaponets. Who are you? You’re nobody.
Keep still, Grisha. You’re not in Bessarabia.
We’re in Odessa. And here in Odessa I am the one to decide
who can be visited and who can’t.
You took a wrong door tonight.
Leave the money. You can raise it somewhere else.
Misha, thank you! Thank you, Misha! Thanks God!
Stop it. Just stop it. The guys just confused the door.
Misha, maybe, we shouldn’t have interfered?
He is Kotovsky, after all.
Gulia, I’m the king, am I not?
You are. -This is why we shall either keep order
or shut the shop up.
Misha, we’ve never interfered in your business.
You’ve never interfered in ours. Just the opposite, you’ve always helped us.
Why spoiling this time?
What are you talking about?
Comrade Kotovsky was acting on our order
to expropriate the money. Why did you decide
to stand up for that bourgeois… what’s his name… Gepner? I mean it!
The underground needs money. -I don’t care. -About what?
About you lacking money.
If you lack money, then search for it. But somewhere else.
I don’t know about other places. But I’ll tell you something
about Odessa. Nobody will work here
as he chooses. This is my last word. No jokes!
No offends, Vania.
And tell Kot to keep his temper. Or it’ll costs him more expensive.
Bravo!
We can’t make Sophie behave with caution.
Come on! It’s ended fine, hasn’t it? -Why did we come here?
We need to live here for a while.
Wait. I don’t want it like that.
What now?
Misha, do you really like such kind of life? -What kind of life do you mean?
What? You’ve just been released from prison.
You could have been executed. And your guys…
Tsilia, you knew all about me. I’ve never pretended to be a rabbi.
Misha, let’s leave the country. Let’s go abroad!
Tsilia, don’t get on my nerves. Where can we go?
Do you want… me to regret? Do you want me to regret
following my heart?
Do you regret it now?
Well. You don’t understand. You just don’t want to understand it.
Tsilia, wait a bit. I’m working like mad. By God’s light,
It’s going to be all right with us. We’ll have everything, we’ll have a house
And nobody will dare touch us.
The city will be ours too. I promised that, didn’t I?
I don’t need the city.
Maybe you don’t need me too now? Just tell me.
I don’t get it – do you need me or you don’t?
I need you… unfortunately.
I’m sorry. Misha, here you go. I didn’t know!
What do you need a tailcoat for, Misha?
Ah, I need to visit some place tonight.
Important people will be there.
I’m no worse than them, aren’t I?
May I go with you? -Of course you may, Tsilia. But you’ll get bored there.
You’d better go home. Stiopa will see you home. -What?
Get off! I’ll see my guys for a short while and come back to see you right away.
OK? Tsilia? Is that all right?
It is. -Tsilia, do you know how dearly I love you?
No, you don’t.
Well? I’m as handsome as Apollo. Except for the nose…
It’s not a nose; it’s a sort of a plum.
Come on. The portrait is good. Very lifelike.
Don’t say that! -When did they manage to espy you, I wonder?
How can I know? -I’d cut the artist’s hands off.
Easy! Let it hang there. People just did their job.
All right, come! My heart demands a feast!
Gentlemen, would you like to take a photo to remember?
All right. Just make a good one.
Is that all? -It is.
My men will come to get it. -Sure. Good bye. Thank you.
Ladies and gentlemen! I beg you to kindly forgive me this little delay.
But have enormous joy today that, I hope, you’ll share with us.
I’m happy to announce
that Misha Yaponets is here among us tonight in this excellent hall!
Ladies and gentlemen! I’m sure you’ve already heard
that innocent prisoners were released lately from the dark prison chambers.
We’d like to specially thank Mr. Chief of Police for this.
On this joyous occasion, I offer you on behalf of Misha Yaponets
to give us as a sign of your generosity all your wallets and jewelry in favour of
of the exhausted working people. Thank you in advance. So, please!
Your wallet is very nice! And your rings too, please.
They keep me in Odessa. Thank you.
Naum Solomonovitch, good evening! -Hello.
And your watch, please. And the ring too.
Thank you. -I wish you good health indeed!
Thank you. Monsieur Pruhl, good evening.
It’s unbearable, Yasha! -What can I do, Mr. Pruhl? Thank you.
The necklace. What do we have here? Hello. I’m sorry.
So, what about dropping in somewhere to have a drink to celebrate the success.
Let’s go now, or the dragons will arrive any moment.
Misha! -What? -Wait!
Here you go.
What’s up? Is Tsilia here?
She was sitting among the public.
I wanted to take her to you. But she disappeared.
Misha, what’s the matter? -Seems I’ve had a nice fun indeed. Move!
My dear, my honey… you’d better go home now. Come.
Lionia, why are you loitering out there? Just give the tables a quick wipe
and close the bar! Misha, you’re getting married
and I haven’t congratulated you yet! My congratulations!
Thank you, M-me Basia. Will you drink with me?
Oh, no. It’s late already!
Why are you sitting here… alone like a bachelor?
As if you don’t have any wedding coming. Why aren’t you having fun with your friends
as it should be done before the wedding?
We have… We’ve already had fun. Ah, I see…
Rosa… Yasha, Ysha, no! Yasha, stop that! -Yasha!
He left you! -So what? He did. But I don’t care.
You’re silly thing. I can marry you. I mean it, I can.
I mean it. Don’t you believe me? It’s true.
Yasha, how can I explain it to you?
You’re a good guy. It’s just that…
I want nobody after him. I don’t want either to marry,
or to have any relations.
Leave, Yasha. Yasha, please leave. Yasha…
Such a joyous man says such sad words!
Shall I call Rosa? She missing you so badly
that it hurts me to see her.
No.
Don’t be upset, Misha. It’s going to be all right.
M-me Basia knows. I’m taking my leave.
Raya, why are you so clumsy?
Raya, add some feeling! Smile, at least!
Palchik! Palchik, come here! Palchik, let’s have some drink!
Bring us two cognacs.
No, Misha, I don’t feel like to.
Come on! Do sit down. -No, I…
I mean it. I’d better go.
Go.
Maybe, you want me to send some of our guys to you…?
Go, Palchik.
Yasha visited me.
I’ve guessed that.
I drove him away.
You shouldn’t have. You do see his state, don’t you?
Maybe you’re right. M-me Basia says when Misha stops paying
I’ll start serving the clients.
Why should I stop? I can pay you on. Without any interest.
It doesn’t work like that.
It does.
Will you come upstairs?
Misha, don’t shoot! It’s me, Izia!
Are you all right? -I am.
The hat’s done.
To hell with it. Mayorchik, what are you doing here?
I’ve been tailing you all night long.
Why?
I saw you were down in the dumps.
So I decided to keep an eye on you.
Mayorchik, you’re a real prophet.
Who shot at me? Who’s cheeky enough to?
The morning was so good. My shoes…
Everything started so well. I was released from the prison.
And then it got off on the wrong foot.
I came home but my father hit me in the ear at once.
Now the beach… Someone’s spoilt my hat. And Tsilia in addition…
Misha, I know about Tsilia. -How do you know?
I visited the Avermans.
What for? -I was there to see Sophie.
We may become related. I know you.
To hell with you! -Come on! What is going on at the Avermans’?
I came there and saw Tsilia. She was very sad and quiet.
Keeping silent?
She was. And then she said: “Liova”…
She said “Liova”? -Look, why are you interrupting me?! -Why are you dragging out?!
I’m talking and you’re interrupting me! -Just talk it out!
Why are you so nervous? -Just say it!
She said: “Liova, ” – And? - “You’re Misha’s friend, aren’t you?
“But he is a gangster.”
Did she really say that? -She did. And then she asked: “Do you love him”?
What did you answer? -I said: “Tsilia, he is my friend”.
And she? -She thought for a while and then she said:
“It must have been a mistake”.
Did she really say that?
First she was in thought and then she said that.
To hell with her! I’ll do without her.
You’re fool, Misha!
YOU are fool!
If she doesn’t love me then let it be so! You love me, don’t you!
Do you love me? -I do, I do! -That’ll be enough for me.
She only said it was a mistake, Misha.
I know women. Go to see her.
Of course! Not likely. I won’t go anywhere.
I’d better stay here… with the doves…
Tsilia! Tsilia, look at this! -What is it?
A man brought it and said it’s for Mademoiselle Averman. This is for you!
For me? Who from?
He said that the sender wished to remain incognito. Open it up.
Maybe it’s for you.
No, this is not for me. It’s… Open up! I’ll do it myself!
How sweet! Tsiltya! Maybe, it’s for me, after all!
No, it’s for you! -It is beautiful indeed.
Mere beautiful? It’s a dress right from Paris!
See? From the Bon Marche store!
It’s the best store in Paris! Try it on!
Oh, come on. I don’t even know who sent it!
Tsilie, does it really matter? Tsilie, try it on!
It is beautiful indeed.
Oh, by George! And it fits you perfectly!
I wonder who that stranger is.
I…
I thought you’d like it.
I thought that it was beautiful…
Lower your hand bit, Mr. Meyer.
Well… We need to do a bit lower here so that it wouldn’t wrinkle.
Like this. And it’s going to be no mere suit; It’s going to
be a real pleasure. -Can I take it off now? -You can. In a while.
We need to adjust everything. So that it would be to a T.
Stand still, Meyer. Don’t hinder Josifovich.
He is not, M-me Doba.
He can’t hinder Palchik, for Palchik knows what he’s doing.
Even Shaliapin himself didn’t hinder Palchik!
When in 1908 somebody stole the suitcase with his wardrobe
from the train, he came to me. Tell me, M-me Doba,
will Shaliapin order his suits to anybody and everybody
when he can afford to order them in Paris?
Look, Shaliapin! May I put my hands down?
Be patient, Mr. Meyer.
When my Yasha told me that your Misha was getting married,
and he’s getting married the daughter of Averman himself, I told to myself:
“Palchik, you must sew a suit for Mr. Meyer.
The best you’ve ever done.” Do you know what’s the most important
in building a suit, Mr. Meyer? I’ll tell you. The cut!
If one does cutting without knowing he’ll just be spoiling the cloth.
That’s it, Doba. -What? -Just end with this stuff.
Meyer, what are you doing? -I’m leaving. -Where are you going? Where...?
Where are you going?! -Don’t get nervous, M-me Doba. I’m already done.
Since you, Your High Excellency, are a man of decision,
so on behalf of all merchants in Odessa we are asking and begging you…
Mr. Governor General, Sir, once we learnt
that the villain had been captured and imprisoned,
we breathed a sigh of relief. Your High… Your High…
Excellency.
Yes. We gave a sigh of relief. We prayed the Lord
for your health. But our happiness didn’t last long.
Enough. I understood you, gentleman.
Vinnitskiy being free again is a result of cheeky
and immoral actions of his accomplices.
It’s a challenge, gentlemen, a challenge addressed to me personally.
And be sure that I have accepted it. You may go, gentlemen.
We’ll do away with that Yaponets and with all criminal scum
before long and we’ll do it in the most drastic way.
I give you the word of a combatant officer.
Thank you very much. Much obliged, Sir.
What’s wrong? What’s wrong with it?
A gorgeous sight!
Yeah, a gangster-style chic. And the vest?
What about it? It’s a great vest.
Misha, you can’t dress like this. It’s a bad taste.
I may throw it away if you want me to. I’ve got more.
I saw what you have. You should dress elegantly.
I’m elegant enough, am I not?
Dad may come in any minute. -So what? We’re an engaged couple.
Still…
There’s something wrong again… -No, it’s all right.
I still cannot believe you’ve agreed.
Do you think I can believe it?
It’s a bad idea. -Why, damn it?
If we spoil Yaponets’s wedding,
the residents of the city won’t understand us.
Nikolay Nikiforovich, it’s going to be a great celebration for the entire Moldavanka.
I don’t care for these sentiments!
Sergey Mefodyevich, Nikolay Nikiforovich,
do you realize that unrest will start in the city?
Very good! In this case Governor General will at last
have a ground to use the troops and clean
these Augean stables once and for all!
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