PART TWO
NIKOLAI, AFANASY'S SON
THE THIRTIES
"Buried here is the body of God's servant Afanasy Ustyuzhanin"
The cannons were roaring
Our machine-gun spat gire
The bandits were degeated
We bravely pressed on
This is your homeland, son.
Nothing much, you might say.
But you'll never find a better one.
The time has come, O brothers
To do the butchers in
They didn't recognize me!
I stepped on some crap.
Why such poor shooting? Out of practice?
Why such poor shooting?
Out of practice?
- We were îust scaring you. - Scaring? Why?
Times being what they are.
All sorts of men roaming around.
- So you're here. - So I'm here.
Where's Nastya?
Hello, my kinsmen.
Many thanks for beating me and throwing me out of the village.
No bad without good.
Yes, I've learned a thing or two. And now, this here.
Here's your grandson... my son.
Alexei Ustyuzhanin.
We came to you
to build a new life.
Open up.
Where is Nastya?
Nastya died heroically in the revolutionary storm.
Go home. Home, I say.
I come to her again,
and she says, "No way."
Hey, guys, I wanna ask you...
Say, Nikolai,
have you seen my son Phil
in them big cities anywhere?
Hold on, will you?
First, let me ask you, fellow comrades...
What do you suppose our land Siberia is?
- Why ask? You're from around here yourself. - Try and find a better one!
A rough land, our Siberia.
That's right.
Rough, but not poor.
This magazine here has writing and photographs
about everything there is in our land.
Scientists say
that underground and in the marshes
great riches are hidden.
Oil, gas, metals, ore, gold and so on.
They've decided to develop our marshland.
Our village, Elan,
has a key part to play
on a world proletarian scale.
Here you see an English drilling machine
that was bought in England with gold.
They're gonna put it up next to Elan
and start pumping from the ground.
- Pumping what? - Everything that's there... to the bottom.
What if we fall down through?
What are you laughing for? He said to the bottom.
What are we Christians gonna hold on to?
They'll pump the good out and the shit will remain.
That's what you can hold on to.
Shush! Shush, I say!
Fellow comrades.
According to comrade Lenin's decree, all minerals, rivers, land, and forests
shall belong to the people,
who are the masters of the Soviet Land.
Our task is to develop Siberian wealth.
Tomorrow we start cutting
a road through the marshes.
A difficult but honorable task.
We'll haul the drilling rig
along that road
so it'll soon start pumping
from underground for the benefit of all Soviet people.
Any questions?
Raise your hands. Who's for it, who's against it.
Who's for it?
- Hands! - No.
If there's anything you don't understand,
just ask me. Don't be shy.
A curious question.
- Will we be paid for our work? - Sure.
- How much? - Enough to buy bread.
What if I'm used to butter?
Get unused. You once robbed the Khanty.
- Enough. - That's right.
- They're gonna pinch tails. - Whose tails?
- Yours! - Mine?
- Yes. - Yours and Yerofey's too.
You forget how you crawled at my feet over debts.
- We did? Okay, take your debt. - What is this?
Come on. Hit him!
Quit it.
Quit it, I say.
Stop it.
That won't do!
What are you pounding your gun on the table for?
- Wait, Pete. - Why's he pounding his gun on the table?
As for the road,
I'm signing up first.
How about that!
Where are we making it to?
You know my Dad's road, don't you?
Sure.
We'll continue building it further.
But it leads to the Devil's Mane.
Not îust to the Devil's Mane. It goes farther than that.
- People go nuts there. - They black out.
We're not going.
So what if we never went there before?
If necessary, now we will.
I'm for it.
Unanimously.
Thanks for displaying
a revolutionary conscience, fellow comrades.
We start tomorrow morning.
Olga, give that back!
What do you want, Spiridon?
We need to talk.
Don't worry, he's okay.
I want to ask,
what sort of heroic death
did Nastya die?
Alexei, step outside.
They burned her
near Argun.
White Cossacks.
She was captured together with the infirmary.
They doused her with alcohol in the freezing cold and set her on fire.
She lit up like a torch.
I'll never forgive you for Anastasia.
Oh, black raven
- Why are you hovering over my head - Don't oversleep tomorrow.
Well,
Kolya.
Now...
My son Phil
enrolled at an academy.
I bet he'll move up even higher.
He married a city girl.
Here.
Take a look.
Just look at him.
Who is this?
A chap who could have been your Dad.
My! I overslept!
Why didn't you wake me up? Didn't I ask you to?
I tried to, but you fought me off.
Is Spiridon here?
- He got sick. - He's îust faking, the contra.
So he's sick.
We'll cure him in a îiffy.
Alexei!
Just look at you.
And it flew inside there.
And the frog atop a hedgehog trotted on.
So you're skipping public work, Spiridon?
Yes, Kolya.
- Afraid to go to Devil's Mane? - Dream on. I'm not afraid of anything.
- I îust don't want to. - Stop messing around.
Look, people are waiting for you.
We're not îoking, Kolya. We're not going to that cursed place.
You're not, are you?
We are free men, aren't we, Artiom?
So you won't fulfill comrade Stalin's instructions
to build a bright future with your people
and strengthen Soviet power?
Artiom and I, we screw your Soviets! See that?
Stand up!
- Stand up, you contra! - Alexei.
He's against Soviet power. To the wall, you contra!
Hi, nephew.
So, Spiridon.
I'm arresting you.
In the name of Soviet power, right?
Sure, right.
- And I'm sending you to the city. - About time!
Bastard!
They'll tell you what's what.
Yerofey, let's go outside.
Yes, sir.
Didn't Vasya tell you to leave?
Alexei, you guard the arrested.
Make sure he doesn't fool around.
Well, nephew.
Not robbing the Khanty again, are you?
- For shame! - Yeah, the Khanty too.
That's robbery.
The forests now belong to the people.
Only the Soviet government manages them.
- There's more! - No!
- What the... - No!
You think your mama died of typhus fever?
She was killed.
Alexei, come to me.
Alexei.
- Uncle Spiridon, I'll shoot. - Go ahead, Alexei.
- Go ahead. - Dad.
- Go ahead. - Dad!
Are we allowed to pick berries and mushrooms?
- For now, yes. - Thank God. We'll survive then.
Look, here's more!
Daddy!
What?
- I quit. - What's gotten into you?
- What? - Fix me a drink.
- Spiridon. - Daddy!
- Spiridon. - Get away.
Oh, black raven
Why are you hovering
Over my head
- Pour me some. - You will never get your prey
You sent me down the river and made a man of me.
Now you go for a ride.
No, black raven
- I'm not yours - You'll thank me afterwards.
Why do you bare your claws
Kolya.
O birdie
You got it all wrong.
Why are you hovering
- Over my head - You've got a stump for a head, Kolya.
You believe I am
Your trophy
No, black raven
I'm not yours
See that he doesn't run away.
No way.
It's a long trip.
Three days and nights without sleep.
He knows I'm a good shot.
I thank you all.
I bow my head to you.
It's okay.
Misha!
Dad!
Wait.
Dad, what's with you?
What's with you, Dad?
The Devil's Mane is calling.
Right. It's from the Mane.
It's messing with us, guys.
Listen, Kolya.
Maybe we could build something else for socialism?
How about a road, but in a different direction?
No, the Devil's Mane it must be.
- No, not the Devil's Mane. - What do you mean?
I mean what I say.
Khanty never go there. They're scared.
And we won't either.
Play something cheerful, Arkady.
For shame, guys.
Socialism shines all over the country,
but here we have darkness and preîudice instead.
Why are you hiding?
Cool it, Dad.
I'm talking to you, Dad.
I'll shoot all of you
like contras.
Give that here.
What ignorance! God doesn't exist.
Guys!
Hey, give it a break. No more.
What break?
We've got to get to the Mane.
- No matter what. - Dad!
- Easy does it. - Dad.
Guys,
let him be.
Let him be!
- There's no God, and no devil either. - Shut up, you half-wit.
You're so ignorant.
What's so scary, you fools?
What's so scary?
It's only a swamp.
Nothing but a swamp.
Why don't you go there yourself?
- I will. - And come back too.
Nothing to it.
- Well, shall we? - Maybe it's not worth it, Pa.
It's worth it, Alexei. It's worth it.
Dad!
You'll make 'em all mad.
Oh, Lord help us.
Well, where's this Devil's Mane of yours?
Where's the Mane?
Soon, Alexei, soon.
No, you tell me where we're heading.
- North or south? - I didn't go to any academies.
But I know the way without your help.
Pa, why don't we go home now?
What will we say to the people?
We'll say we were there, saw it.
Then what?
Then we'll drive the mindless masses here and start chopping.
Where to?
Where to, Pa?
Forward, îust like in the song.
No, I can't tell lies.
I've got
to find out personally.
Okay, you go, but I'm not going.
- Yes, you are. - No.
Yes, you are.
Then I'll go without you.
I'm off, Alexei.
Pa!
What the...
No! Pa! Pa!
Pa!
Go away!
What's with you?
Alexei.
What's with you, Pa?
We'll never make it to the swamp, Alexei...
to Devil's Mane.
Why did I take so much upon myself?
I belong in the field hospital with the shell-shocked.
Pa.
So you're shell-shocked, big deal.
You'll pull through.
You figure we'll make it, Alexei?
We can make it.
Sure thing, Pa.
Of course we will.
Hey, Alexei.
Talk to me, Alexei, will you?
What do you think? What should we do next?
Nothing. Sleep.
We need to make a decision about the Mane.
Do we keep on chopping or not?
Chop.
Maybe we shouldn't?
I could go to the regional committee
and ask for help.
Tell them what's happening here, huh?
Go ahead.
I shouldn't have arrested Spiridon.
I shouldn't have.
He warned me about the Mane.
He was right.
He warned us, didn't he?
We must chop on through.
There's no way back.
Pa.
CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE GIVE THEM THE BEST
- Pa! - What?
Don't be so upset.
So you sent him to îail. He'll be fine.
He won't fall apart. He's not made of sugar, is he?
He, Nastya and myself used to catch fish together with our shirts.
We ran down the same trails barefoot.
You think it's easy for me
to give him a rifle butt in the back?
Pa.
Let's go back to the city. I want to go back to the orphanage.
I guess I'll boil some potatoes.
Pa!
Pa?
Let me go, Spiridon!
Where's Pa?
Pa!
Where is he?
Pa! Pa!
Alexei.
Pa!
Pa's dead.
You killed Pa?
Come back, Alexei.
- You hear me? - Get away!
It's no good hanging around orphanages.
- I'll leave here. - You can stay with us.
We won't abandon you.
I'll get you yet!
Pa!
Kolya, Kolya.
In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Pa!
KIEVSKY
GLORYTO THE RED ARMY
TAYA
THE FORTIES
ELAN VILLAGE
"Buried here is the body of God's servant Yerofey Solomin"
There he is.
Over there.
- Take him. - I'm afraid.
When he gets well, then you'll be afraid, you fool.
What's this?
Old man.
Hey, old man.
I know you.
You're the Eternal Old Man.
Eat what God's blessed us with.
Old man.
Hey, old man, is Elan still around?
Hasn't fallen to the ground yet.
Who do you want to see in Elan?
The Solomins, old man.
There are lots of Solomins. Which one?
Spiridon.
Spiridon's in îail.
- He's in îail. - He is?
He's been there over five years
for killing your father Nikolai.
I recognized you at once, Alexei.
You run away from the orphanage?
What's his term?
Ten years in îail plus five more of hard labor.
- Where's he doing time? - Can't be any farther than Siberia.
He still won't get away.
I'll get him when he gets out.
What are you staring at me for?
What are you...
Why don't you stay here?
Your homeland will give you strength and wisdom.
You nuts or something, old man?
I'm not gonna waste my sunny youth in your swamps.
Bye!
Maybe we'll meet again if you don't kick the bucket.
"Bolshevik Nikolai Ustyuzhanin
fell at the heinous hand of his class enemy"
You live in Elan?
- What? - I asked, do you live in Elan?
Yes.
I trudged 5,000 kilometers to get here.
- Swans? - Geese.
Geese.
ELAN VILLAGE
VOLGA - VOLGA
Then there's Sochi, then Tuapse.
The Black Sea is something.
In the evening, there's restaurants, music, women,
tango.
- What? - Tango is a type of dance.
Can you dance at all or not?
Want me to teach you?
Come here.
Come closer.
Closer. I'm supposed to hold you.
And you hold me. Like this.
- That's no tango. - Hey, I know what tango is.
- That's not tango. - Yes, it is.
No, it isn't. It isn't.
- Yes, it is. - No, it isn't.
You silly bumpkin.
Okay, teach me.
I know it's tango.
What are you grabbing for?
It's a dance.
Is that everyone?
I guess so.
Here.
As you know,
"On June 22, the Soviet Union was attacked by Nazi Germany."
- What? - Who attacked?
- When? - We beat them Germans once.
Don't you have a radio?
Yes, I do.
But it doesn't work.
We live on the edge of the world.
The war...
has been going on over two weeks now.
No luck I guess.
- Are you Guriev? - Yes.
Why isn't this oil rig in the registrar?
I don't know. We've been around over seven months.
Look, comrade,
we'll îoin you in five days on our motor boat. It's over there.
I can't allow it. Move on.
That barge of yours will take a week
to get to the recruiting center, plus a stop at every village.
And on my motorboat it's îust five days.
Stop delaying. Move it.
Look at us. Look, I say!
Look at me.
We climb trees because of that gas. We sleep there.
The guys are half-dead, but we keep on drilling.
I have my orders, and I'm carrying them out.
It shouldn't be done like this. It's not too smart.
- It shouldn't. - How many days do you need?
Three days. Three.
We're gonna drill day and night.
I can't allow it.
I've been waiting for this moment for 12 years.
There's oil here, understand? There must be.
An ocean of it beneath Devil's Mane, understand?
Oil... it's needed for defenses, for the war.
- You're sabotaging it. - No.
Battles are going on near Smolensk, understand?
Near Smolensk.
What?
Wait!
Wait! Wait for me!
Has Berlin fallen already?
Sign me up
for war!
Sign me up please.
You're underage.
Open your eyes. My birthday is...
soon.
Come on. Sign me up.
Go ahead.
Alexei!
Taya!
Will you come back?
Will you wait for me?
I'll be waiting for you my whole life!
The storm was wailing The rain made noise
Within the darkness Lightning flashed
And thunder rolled on endlessly
And winds were roaring in the wild
Ah, kids.
THE CAST
Afanasy Ustyuzhanin VLADIMIR SAMOILOV
Nikolai Ustyuzhanin VITALY SOLOMIN
Yerofey Solomin EVGENY PEROV
Spiridon Solomin SERGEl SHAKUROV
Rodion Klimentov MIKHAIL KONONOV
The Eternal Old Man PAVEL KADOCHNIKOV
Anastasia Solomina NATALIA ANDREICHENKO
Taya Solomina ELENA KORENEVA
Alexei Ustyuzhanin EVGENY LEONOV-GLADYSHEV
Vasily LEONID PLESHAKOV
Peter ALEXANDER POTAPOV
Philip IGOR OKHLUPIN
Yermolai NIKOLAI SKOROBOGATOV
Frol GEORGY SHTIL
Prokopy GENNADY YUKHTIN
Darya VALENTINA BEREZUTSKAYA
Manka ANNA-MARIA GRAVER
Ted MAXIM MUNZUK
Guriev KONSTANTIN GRIGORIEV
Commissar ALEXANDERYAKOVLEV
Cavalry Sergeant Maîor ALEXANDERYANVAREV
END OF PART TWO