Star Media presents
Yevgenii Tkachuk, Yelena Shamova
Aleksei Filimonov, Vadim Norshtein, Sergey Marin, Igor Artashonov
Valentin Gaft, Vsevolod Shilovsky, Aleksandr Ilyin, Rimma Markova
Anatolii Kot, Artem Osipov, Aleksandr Lazarev Jr., Artem Tkachenko
Oleg Shkolnik, Irina Tokarchuk, Yekaterina Kopanova, Valerii Bassel
Once upon a time in Odessa, based on I.E. Babel’s Odesa Tales
Producer: Sergey Ginzburg
Written by Maksim Belozor
Music by Vladimir Davydenko
Cameraman: Eduard Moshkovich
Production Artists: Nikita Chernov, Yulia Sobinova, Svetlana Litvinova
Casting by Anastasia Leonova
Post-Production Producer: Artem Yeliseev
Executive Producer: Yelizaveta Troitskaia
Produced by Vitalii Bordachev and Vlad Ryashin
There will be no conversation
Following the Decree of the Council of People’s Deputies…
Where is he? -Who?
Gersh. They said he was here. Yura, he is such a man… He’s a legend.
I wanted just to look at him. Where is he?
He’s gone.
I order to Provision Commissar A.S…
Have a rest.
He’s big as a bear.
His strength is enormous.
If we didn’t kill the old man, he would have never worn out.
We shot five cartridges at him and he would not stop.
You are lying. He died and that’s all. All people are alike.
Not all. Remember? Whenever we were shooting, one would ask for mercy, crying…
And he kept silent. And you say they all are alike.
Yes, they are. I can see no difference.
Don’t feel sorry, Sasha. We are the power.
We are the state power, you should never forget about this.
You don’t understand.
You are not an Odesite. You simply cannot understand.
This old man is incredible. This is entire Odesa.
I was younger than three and I already knew about him.
Tell me as a Bolshevik. Does the future society need such a man?
I don’t know.
Maybe it does not.
Stop!
Who are you?
Give way, or I’ll shoot.
I swear to God, we have got an order to bury him.
Where will you go now?
I will go to Bessarabia.
I thought you would stay with us.
Good bye! Good bye!
People don’t want to forget about Gersh’s murder. They refuse.
Misha, they will go and cut their throats.
Hold them back.
We cannot tolerate this. My heart is crying. It is blooding.
Not only do my guys want revenge. Mazuta, Leva Katsap… What about the rest?
Hold them back, Tsigan.
We cannot fight the Reds. I will try to come to agreement with them.
Misha, you can buckle to them, but there is no way you can make agreements with them.
People ask for a gathering.
There will be a gathering. Soon. Tell them to wait. This is what I ask for. For a while.
Let’s go.
Do you have an idea? -We’ll see.
Good night, Sasha.
Misha…
I didn’t know that they would kill Gersh. I was against this.
Yeah, you have made a mess.
And you have no guard at all. You may have some company one day.
Okay, don’t be afraid, I am not here to kill.
What do you need?
I need to talk to you.
They won’t let you out. -Maybe.
Why are you asking for trouble? This is stupid.
Mayorchik, don’t get nervous. We’ve seen worse.
Actually, we have never been into such a trouble.
Yes, but he’s not just some gangster. You know pretty well, he has helped us many times.
And what he’s offering now is just…
What he’s offering is totally inadmissible.
Why? -Mr. Feldman your shortsightedness amazes me. Don’t you understand?
Yaponets is back into a corner. This is his only chance to survive.
Sasha, Sofia Pavlova is right. We have nailed them down, a few
more operations and there will be no gangster left in entire Odesa.
Be it not for Petliura… -Exactly, be it not for Petliura.
But Petliura is 100 versts from the city.
Grygoriy Ivanovych, what is your answer to Yaponets’s offer?
Are you for or against?
I am against. We cannot trust Yaponets. You don’t know criminals.
Trusting this ragtag is the same as burning our own fingers.
They will betray once they have an opportunity.
We need more people, to keep on the safe side.
What do you mean? We have thirty people here and we have machine guns, too.
We have two more apart from those two.
And one is in the attic.
So, even if we don’t fight off, but we can well kill many enemies.
No, Mayorchik, it depends on luck.
I completely agree with Comrade Kotovsky. -I have no doubt about this.
Well, I don’t know. I have told you about his offer, but you must decide very quickly.
Yaponets will be here any moment.
What? -Yaponets will come here?
Yes. I’ve promised him complete immunity.
Who gave you the right to promise him immunity?
If Yaponets comes here, we need to arrest him.
Sofia Pavlovna, I gave my word! Do you understand?
Sasha, calm down. Quiet, comrades. Yaponets won’t come. Think yourselves, is he an idiot?
Come on, don’t be nervous.
Comrade Stotsky, you have a visitor. He said you are waiting for him.
Am I disturbing you? Viva Revolution, comrades.
Let’s forget about the past.
I offer to forget what our people did and about your wrongdoings.
Everyone gains. I have 2.000 men and they are incredible fighters.
In your terms this will make a regiment. You won’t need to pay for the guns, we have guns.
We have a machine gun.
Okay, I told you and it’s up to you to decide.
Again, Petliura is near, 100 versts away from Odesa.
Are you going to be the commander of regiment?
Why? Don’t I look like one?
I will sew breeches like Grygoriy Ivanovych’s . And I will shave my head clean.
Yura, 2.000 fighters, there is something to think about.
They are not fighters, they are gangsters.
Why are you so stubbornly calling them gangsters…
Who of us are gangsters is an open question.
Comrade Stotsky, I am categorically against this crazy scheme.
Can we trust the cause of revolution to criminal scum?
Madam Sokolovskaya, don’t strain your glands, you’ll let catch cold. -What?
They heal long.
Okay, the deal is as follows. I’ve said and you’ve listened. That’s all.
The decision is up to you. I must go, because I have a very tight schedule.
Will you let him go?
Go, Misha, we’ll give it a thought. Let him go.
There was nothing to worry about.
Did they agree? -I would say so.
They are not stupid, just sly.
So? -So? We are not stupid either.
Stop beating about the bush. Can you give a concrete answer?
They will think about it.
What about us? -We are going to the sea. Let’s have a swim. Come on.
It really hurts me to hear this. Misha, excuse me, am I confusing things?
They are shooting my guys from machine guns and this is what you offer?
They will amnesty us. Everyone who enters the regiment will be forgiven.
I’m very thankful. What do I get from the amnesty?
Should I go under bullets with this amnesty?
You will be under bullets either way. They won’t give it a rest, Katsap.
They are leaving us no choice. That’s it.
Once they fight off Petliura, they will start again.
I don’t care. I will hide so well they won’t find me. But I will tear them with my teeth.
Okay.
I tell you, Misha, my people won’t agree.
Tsigan has never taken part in a war.
Of course, your word is more important, Gersh appointed you his successor.
But this is a special matter.
Mazuta, Monia, Stiff, what will you say? If you ask me…
The Reds won’t leave. We’ll need to live with them.
I don’t want to play the spaniel before them, but I am tired of hiding.
If we help them now, they will talk differently to us afterwards.
So, let the people decide. Don’t hold anyone.
If someone doesn’t want to join me, I don’t mind.
This is no good. Clients are all nervous and they carry guns.
Then they start to grasp my hands. General, why are they grasping me?
With all due respect, I will tell you this is not serious.
You should not grasp Dreer.
If General wants to get shaved, Dreer will shave him with pleasure.
Please, incline the head, we’ll shave the back of the head.
Brigade Commander, some guy wants to see you.
What guy?
I don’t know. He looks swagger. He says he’s an acquaintance of yours.
Bring him to me. -Yes, sir.
Best regards, Mr. Dreer. -My respect to you.
Grigoriy Ivanovich, it’s me.
Why are you here? -We need to talk.
Wait, we have not finished yet.
Of course, I can wait, but I must say when the foam is warm,
this is one thing, and when its cold, this is quite another thing.
My respect, Misha. Come to me, when you have a second, I’ll correct the temples.
Of course, Mr. Dreer.
Continue, once you are here.
Grigoriy Ivanovich, I wanted to ask about your opinion about my offer.
Well, I think you should not go to the army.
I told the same to the revolutionary committee.
Why? Grigoriy Ivanovich? Don’t they have room for me?
Because you are a gangster.
Grigoriy Ivanovich, I see.
And you are a church chorister. Grigoriy Ivanovich, I can only dream of the crimes you…
Shut up.
Yaponets, remember, you are not a friend to me.
You went against me, I haven’t forgotten about this.
So, don’t go to the Reds. Kotovsky will be enough for them.
This is a warm talk. So, you are the only one.
A hero and people’s avenger, should the rest stay in the cold?
I’ve warned you. -I cannot to take your time anymore.
Otherwise your head will cool down and shaving on cold foam is hard labor.
No, Sasha, you need to see this.
Hello. Hello to you.
Good day to you, comrades.
Sasha, get in and let’s go.
People have rushed to the regiment, it is already crowded there.
Giddyup!
Here, Sasha, these are the headquarters. We’ll start enrolling them.
Misha!
Misha, I am sorry. Bonjour, Misha. -Yonik.
I am sorry, Misha, but what do you think you are doing?
I am finishing the second mug of beer and they are doing nothing.
Misha, they must enroll the people, otherwise the people will get drunk soon, believe me.
Yonik, everyone will be enrolled soon. Have patience. -Misha, do it for me.
Okay, comrades. Don’t drink too much beer. Stop behaving like tramps.
You have covered everything here with you spittle.
You are not fighters, you are devil knows who.
Okay, guys, listen to me. Enter one by one.
Your surname? -Umanets, are you joking? Don’t you recognize me?
Pindos, tell your name and surname. This is the order.
Pindos.
Pindos, don’t get on my nerves. No nicknames, I said. Name!
Khristofor.
Surname? -Apostolokakis.
How? -How what? A. Po. Sto.
Sto. Wait, don’t hurry. Sto. Well?
Lo. Ka-kis. Apostolokakis.
Khristos Apostolokakis. -Yes. -Okay, go. Next.
Eager beaver.
Misha. -Ms. Basia. -Misha. -It hurts me to see all this.
Misha, don’t upset me even more. The situation under new power is totally unthinkable.
You have created such a chaos that I am all trembling like a bird.
Ms. Basia, Jews have always suffered.
Breathe evenly. You know that I won’t let you go down.
People will fight for people’s happiness.
So, pour beer with open heart. Lionia! Give me two mugs of beer.
What I can tell you about the beer is that beer is over.
How? -It’s because in this heat they gulp it like seagulls.
It is bad that there is no beer anymore.
Gulia, go to Santsenbakher’s plant and tell them to give you twenty barrels of Munich beer.
Or thirty barrels.
Tell them I will thank them personally.
Misha, you cannot imagine, this is such a trouble for my ill head that I will go now, okay?
Surname? -Dizhechka.
Okay, Marek, you’ve always been Muginshtein, what Dizhechka?
Muginshtein is my mother’s surname and my
father’s surname is Dizhechka, Mark Spiridonovich.
I want my father’s surname, is it clear?
Misha. I cannot to this. Step aside. Misha, I cannot do this, they don’t listen to me.
The bureau is writing. I want to introduce Petro Umanets.
Feldman. -Petro.
What’s wrong? Go back to work.
Yes, sir. Step aside.
Don’t push me. Come on.
Okay, let it be Dizhechka. -Mark Spiridonovich.
Mark Spiridonovich.
I tell you, when Petliura sees these aces, he won’t laugh.
Do you think so?
Sure. He will be scared.
Sure.
Quiet, I said.
Mom! Look, Moisha is so handsome.
I have seen him.
Quiet. Look, who’s come to see us. Misha, is that you?
It’s me. -Mykhailo, is that you? What have you done to yourself?
Misha, turn around. Look at yourself. Hello! -Don’t I look like myself?
Don’t rumple it. You should have enrolled to my regiment to fight Petliura.
Yeah, sure. -Why? -He has work to do at home. Have a sit, eat an egg.
Shurochka! Eat the egg, it’s golden.
They go to fight Petliura and mother will sit and cry. Here.
Why are you going to cry, Mom?
He can get wounded or killed. Don’t you understand?
What are you talking about? -I know what I am talking about.
Mom, please, I will more likely get killed here than there.
Mom, stop. He’s a commander. He will look into binoculars!
Get down I said. Binoculars-shminoculars.
Mom, I am a commander. In old manner, a colonel.
A Jew and a colonel? Nonsense.
Doba, please, shut your mouth.
A Jew on a horse is no Jew anymore. He’s a Russian already. Shura!
What? -Listen to me. -What?
Our Moisha is so well - educated, he can become a general.
And mine – a hetman.
Doba. Where is food?
Mary! Why are you sitting here? Give your father something to it.
Okay, Fira, Madam Spy, come down to eat.
Berl! Stop sitting on the roof, pigeon. Son, have something to eat.
No, I don’t understand. You invited everyone but me.
You don’t need this, son. You won’t eat this fried fish.
Why? -Because it smells onions and Jewish destiny.
Yes, Moisha, you are now supposed to have meals only at “Fankoni.”
Look at this noble man. It is incredible.
How are you? -So-so. -Is Solomon Yakovlevich same as always?
Misha, don’t get on my nerves.
And I’ve become a Red commander. -Really? You’re a fool.
Why? I am going to fight Petliura. Won’t you join me?
No, I will remain a criminal.
Sofa, why are you fussing here and there? It’s not nice.
What I have just seen! I have met Misha. Tsylia, can you hear me?
Not interested.
This is interesting. Do you know who he is now? He is a Red commander.
What? What commander? -A Red commander.
Sofa, stop talking rubbish. -This is not rubbish.
I met him, he was wearing a military uniform, a peak cap, and high boots.
So handsome. A real officer.
He could have stolen it.
No! He said he’s in the Red Army now. He’s going to the front.
How to the front?
You heard me. Mayorchik is going too, and the rest.
I knew about it.
What?
Well, that Misha has joined these people. Everyone is talking about this.
Felia, why did not you tell us?
I was in the market in the morning, you were sleeping.
In the market everyone is talking about this.
That Misha is a big boss now and he will go to the front to fight
Petliura or what is his name? Why aren’t you eating the soup?
It is cold now. You only spoil the products. I will bring you the second meals now.
Tsylia, he also told me he will come tonight.
Where is your father? How’s he?
Good. He and Sofa went to see our aunt. For the whole night.
Why didn’t you go with them?
I knew you would come.
So you stayed. -Yes, I did.
So, you have made your decision.
Yes. The steamers are running so far, but they say soon the ports will be closed.
When?
In a week. -In a week.
You can leave with us.
I will leave in the opposite direction in a week.
Misha, why do you need this? It is not too late. You can go with me.
I have roused the people. I cannot leave.
So what?
Well, we will leave and forget about everything. This is not important.
It’s not. And we won’t even recall about this.
And we will be happy.
Come on.
I can go now. Maybe later. I don’t know.
You should understand, I started all this. If I go now, people will not understand.
I want to change everything. I want to live normally like you said. How can I go?
Either you can wait for me, or… go and I will join you later.
There will be no later, Misha.
Guys, be quiet, Misha has come. Quiet. Misha!
Natan, make the light. Okay, battalion, attention! Cannot you stand still or what?
Mayorchik, make them stand still. What’s going on?
Why would I make them stand still? A leopard cannot change its spots.
You are chief of staff or what? -Yes, what… Stand still, everyone.
Misha, I am very sorry, but why do we need this?
Because you are soldiers. And you are standing like tramps.
But why do we need to stand still.
Please, forget this rubbish, there are no boys here. Only grown-ups.
I swear, I am telling you this after some contemplation, not without a reason.
Stop these manners. We are doing our best. And you know what we are capable of.
Quiet. Quiet. Sasha, tell a few words about this
situation, because you can see what kind of people they are.
Comrades Read Army men. -What?
Stop talking, you are in an array.
My surname is Feldman, I am the commissar of the regiment.
Therefore I ask you to listen to me carefully.
Since today you are Red Army soldiers.
This is a regular army. Therefore you must behave properly.
Again, I am very sorry, is not your father Feldman the dentist
on the corner of Torgova and Grachevska Streets. -Yes, my father is a dentist.
My goodness, I was going to see him, I have a toothache in the upper jaw.
I swear, the pain is so strong that I can’t sleep.
I see. -Tell your father that I am your acquaintance.
Yes, yes, I will tell him for sure. -Tell him, Yonchik will come soon.
Okay, I will tell him. Quiet, quiet.
Quiet. Feldman is speaking.
Soldiers!
Sooner than in a week you will have to face the enemy, well trained and very well armed.
And we must resist Petliura in a resolute manner.
Therefore rifles will be handed out to you tomorrow and the training will start tomorrow.
Shooting, marching drill and so on. We are pressed in time, comrades.
So… Misha, do we really have to talk about this?
Is everything clear? That’s all. Okay, come in.
Come on. Come one by one.
Mayorchik, tell me, why do I need it? -Because you are soldiers.
We have guns of our own. I am not going to carry this bulky thing, it weighs a pud.
Take it and don’t bark. -You are right. It is quite expensive.
I warn you all. If anyone sells his rifle…
God forbid you from doing this. I am telling you. I will personally check this.
Money has been paid for them. They are not mother’s toys.
Switch them…
They are no soldiers. Do you understand?
They are not. So? Did not you know about that?
Well, I did know. But I thought…
They are thieves. And they will remain thieves. They pretend in the daylight, but at night…
They’ve robbed two people in the street tonight.
They got rifles and one the first day seven rifles are lacking, they sold them.
Wow. What about Yaponets?
What about him? He is making efforts, shouts at them. He’s beaten one of them.
And what about them? -What? They make excuses, talk bullshit.
They simply cannot live otherwise. This is in their blood.
They will be killed like chickens at the front.
If they won’t kill one another after they get too drunk.
We must shut this creep joint. Do you agree?
No, I don’t.
You don’t understand the situation. -No, it’s you who does not understand.
The situation at the front is disastrous. Petliura is advancing.
All this population, holy peasants, kulak scum, they all support him.
They provide him with horses and provision. We are lacking people and ammunition.
So, we need Yaponets’s gang, I would even say we need it badly.
I don’t care if they get killed. They will cover this breech at least for a short while.
This buffoonery is disgusting.
I like it. They are joyful guys.
We need to go to the railway station to say farewell.
Yes. It is gratifying to know that all this scum will leave the city. Hopefully, for good.
Mayorchik, have you seen Tsylia?
Moishele!
Son!
Mom, why have you come here? We have already said good-bye to each other?
We have come to see you off. -You’ve already done this.
Meer, did you hear?
Okay, let’s do it quickly. -Moishele.
That’s all, Mom. -Mary, come on. -Quiet.
Thank you, brother. God won’t leave you.
Yeah? Okay. Take care of her. She’s good, even if a fool.
Misha, maybe I will go with you? -You won’t go anywhere.
No, Senia, forget about us for now. Maybe, you will join us upon our return.
Tell Berchik, if he continues to behave like a tramp, I will break his ears on my return.
Now go.
Well, son… -Well, father…
Good bye. Go if you need. Go.
Okay. You go now. Why are you tearing my heart? Mayorchik, take them away.
Yeah. Let’s go. -Let’s go. That’s enough.
Misha, there are not many of your people. We expected…
Who is this? -High.
Mishka! We’ve nearly missed it. -What have you nearly missed?
I am going with you. -What the hell?
I have will be writing to three newspapers, news from the frontline.
So, I am going with you.
Levchik, are you completely med? Sofa, take him away.
Misha, he doesn’t want to go. -Nobody asks him. -How’s that?
Take your suitcase and leave. Come on!
Misha!
Mayorchik, tell him I have been to Gubernia Committee. And I am a war reporter now.
What’s going on? -Leva wants to join us.
Leva is going to write. -Really? He is going to write what?
Look, stop this circus. Bring him away from here. You are just what we lack.
Let’s go, Leva.
Excuse me, are you Feldman? -Yes, I am.
I am Maisky. Explain to Mikhail Vinnitsky that he has no right.
I have a warrant. There is a signature. No, read it.
Wipe your ass with it. Excuse me, Sofa.
Misha, I told him. He would not listen. -Read it. It’s a warrant.
What’s this? -Read!
Misha, this is indeed an order from Gubernia Committee. -Yes. -So?
It is real. Here is the seal. He’s been included in the regiment
They should have sent him to a psychiatric clinic.
Look, what if he gets killed. Or crippled?
This is none of your business. Excuse me. Let’s go, Sofa.
Misha!
Let me enter the carriage. Mikhail Vinnitsky, let me in.
Let him go.
Let him go. Damn it. Go. Go if you like. -Leva!
You are a trouble. -Misha, don’t worry.
That’s all, Sofa. That’s all.
Leva! I’ll be waiting for you!
Sofa, don’t worry. I will take care of him. Tell me, how’s Tsylia?
She’s at home. Crying.
Crying? Yeah, right. Sofa, tell her that I…
Yeah.
Tell her that Misha… -Yeah.
Get on the trains.
Okay. I we are alive we won’t die.
Sofa. -Leva. Leva! I’ll be waiting for you!
I’ll be writing to you! -Come on. Get on the train.
Come on. Quickly. Get on the train.
It’s so good to sit on a soft seat. When will I have such an opportunity?
Yeah. I am traveling for the most part in convict cars.
This is what I meant. Why do you look so sour?
I have a serious talk. Five hundred people have not turned up.
I know. They got cold feet, scoundrels. -Misha, I have an order.
If there are any other cases of desertion, I have an order to shoot runaways on the spot.
Really?
I’m not joking. The regiment should reach the position in full. So, if anyone…
Sasha, if anyone runs away, I will take care of this.
You don’t understand the situation.
Stop it. It is you who doesn’t understand the situation.
If you start killing people, you will go to heaven to agitate God for the world revolution,
This is not a game. This is Read Army and the law of wartime should be applied.
I don’t mind. If anyone starts jerking around, I will punish him personally.
And he will remember. And I will shoot him if there is such need.
But only I can do this. For this is a specific kind of people.
And if you start doing so, they won’t understand.
And it is not Odesa. CheKa is a long way from here.
Is it clear? -Misha. -What else?
You need to take off the shoulder straps. -What? -The epaulettes.
These knickknacks, Tsar’s shoulder cord. The Red Army does not wear epaulettes.
The Army does not, and I do. Look, they are beautiful and shining.
You need to take them off.
What kind of power you are?
You look like tramps and you won’t allow others to look pretty.
Kostia, go across the carriages and tell everyone that there must be discipline.
If anything happens, I will punish them personally. Here, throw it away.
Why are you standing here?
Take the seats according to the tickets. Is this mine?
Yes. -Okay, that’s all. I need to have a rest.
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