PART FOUR
PHILIP THE SIXTIES
Worthless land.
I can imagine how proud and satisfied you are
as the Regional Party Secretary.
Why?
Well...
With the building of the world's largest man-made sea
and hydropower station,
your region will be among the country's leaders.
In the water category, I'm already a leader.
Pardon?
You can place three countries
the size of France in our swamps.
This isn't my first hydro plant.
But to be honest, I've never been so exited
because the scale of the proîect is so big.
It's about time we developed the Siberian backwoods.
Why do you say it like that?
Siberia is fairly developed.
But I agree
that this here is still backwoods.
Exactly.
Take a look.
How can someone live in backwoods like this?
In this hole!
Seventeenth century!
Yes, a hole.
This hole, as you say, is my homeland.
I was born in this village.
Old women are all that's left. The youngsters moved to the cities.
So I'd like to pay respects
to my folks.
And you continue on.
Pick me up on your way back.
Incoming.
You're our last hope. Help us out.
It's impossible to live around here anymore.
This here thing screeches and whines so we can't sleep.
Can't even have a normal calm cup of tea! How could you allow it? In your home village!
The bastards are getting close to the cemetery.
Once they find oil, you can say good-bye to the village.
I wish they'd find some.
There'll be nothing here soon.
What do you mean?
The whole place will be flooded.
And a sea will be made.
What do you mean a sea?
Well, a sea.
Water.
The world's largest hydropower plant.
Phil, can't you tell them in Moscow about us?
That's where the decision was made.
And thank God.
Great idea.
Just flood it all,
and the hell with it.
And nothing to worry about.
What are your shooting for?
The godson's here.
I'm gonna shoot you down as a saboteur.
Let go.
Let go, damn it!
I'll shoot him at point-blank.
You're wasting the land, all our riches!
Oil, gold, forests!
And you want to flood them?
Saboteur and wrecker!
I used to shoot enemies of the people like you.
At point-blank!
He almost shot you.
Why didn't I smother you, my godson,
in the cradle with a pillow?
I'll never forgive myself for this stupidity.
Don't listen to him.
- It's the vodka in him. - He's always been crazy.
Philip dear,
do you really want to drown us?
Drown us at the bottom of the sea, dearest?
Have mercy, dear. We want to live a while longer.
Don't listen to them, sonny.
Don't feel sorry.
I'm not, Granny.
It's wasteland anyway.
Cursed land.
But we don't have any other homeland, do we?
Screw it all. They'll decide everything and sign the papers.
They know better.
Flood it.
The main thing is that
you hold on to your post.
You're the only guy
from our village up there.
I, too, have no one but you all.
Oh, you!
Hey, women, you let him be.
Let him visit his folks' graves.
We're not bothering him.
"Buried here is the body of God's servant Yermolai Solomin"
Hey, old man.
Phil.
The earth
remains silent.
Did my herbs help you?
No.
An elk cow was hunted down
or shot to death.
Ah, people.
They can fly in the sky
but still haven't learned how to behave on the ground.
Aren't you sorry this land will be flooded?
It'll get rid of the gnats at least.
Phil?
I've ruined it. Ruined it.
Ruined this land. It'll be flooded.
This village, these graves,
all will be flooded.
I gave in
in a weak moment
when I should have grabbed hold with my teeth
and stood my ground.
I'm ashamed.
Oh, I'm so ashamed.
Ah, Phil.
Seems like a weak moment indeed.
Seems you forgot
that you can't be exiled farther than Siberia anyway.
Come on! Catch up!
- Howdy! - Hi.
- What's your name? - Is that necessary?
Listen.
Give me a hand here.
- What about him? - He's singing.
Come on. Keep singing.
- Give me a hand. - Fair enough.
Palma, come here.
Hold it. Got something in my boot.
You like the way he sings?
I do.
My man. He respects me.
By the way, he got out of îail a week ago.
- Want a drink? - No, thanks.
Hit it!
If you want a drink, have it now.
No drinking by the derrick.
Prohibition's in effect over there.
Tofik will tear my head off if he finds out.
- He'll tear it off, but we're carrying this there. - This is a special occasion.
I'm in for a good thrashing,
So I took the case, and I'm going to patch it up somehow.
What did you do?
- I wrecked some equipment. - That happens sometimes. Why beat a man?
I got all worked up and nervous.
When I saw those guys,
I got scared
and ran away.
Tofik's been trying to get the plug out
for two days already.
He's the only one who can get it out.
He's a great guy. After the war, we worked in Tataria together.
He earned the Hero of Labor medal there.
Why did the Hero of Labor put up the derrick next to the cemetery?
After all, it's a holy place for people.
You know...
Wait, wait, wait.
- Were you in Murmansk in 1952? - I wasn't.
Your mug looks familiar. Are you an oil boss?
Set it down.
- What are you, a boss or something? - Sort of.
So what's this bullshit about the cemetery?
Don't you know?
Some four-eyes in Moscow poked his finger at the map,
and then we come and find out where we're supposed to drill.
We're talking about full-scale drilling!
But Tofik, moved the derrick from the cemetery to over there.
If it wasn't for him, we'd be drilling through bones.
He'll get some heat over that.
Not if you find oil.
There's none there, I bet.
There's oil at the Devil's Mane for sure.
There's no oil here in Elan. Ever heard about the place?
I'm from here.
My father and grandfather are buried here.
I won't be. I'm leaving.
The name's Ustyuzhanin. My whole family's here.
- Nikolai's son? - That's me.
You knew my father?
Yeah, we've met.
No! Well, I never.
He sure wouldn't have let things be like this.
I meant to write
to the Regional Party Committee.
- Why didn't you? - Ah, you know...
You've no guts, unlike your Dad.
Excuse me. I don't know you.
I can carry the box myself.
I can give a hand.
Let's go.
You don't believe me about the Devil's Mane,
but I am still dreaming about it.
I was there with Dad as a kid.
How's it going?
Seems we got it.
Here he comes.
Look.
Thanks. I'll take it from here.
Bug off, will you?
There we are.
Hold on, hold on.
Come here.
Stand over here.
Play on.
Fellas!
I've come to say good-bye. I'm leaving tomorrow.
- Shut up, will you? - Tofik!
Hey, what's that for? I didn't do anything to you.
Tofik, I brought a box of champagne.
They've got a box of champagne here, and you're acting like strangers.
I got out of îail îust yesterday, and you...
We've come to make peace with you. You came to us, and we came to you...
- Enough gabbing. - Isn't that so?
The won't let a man have a drink for peace.
- Hush up. - Stay away from them.
I told you they're gonna beat me.
Any minute now.
Hit it, Gypsy!
Keep it up!
Tofik, come on over and dance!
Oh, yeah!
Leaving? And who's gonna let you?
I, Tofik Rustamov, tell you, not until you clean up your shit.
I'll chain you to the derrick. Then we'll see how you dance.
You think you'll be a driller? No!
You're gonna carry clay and mix mortar day and night.
Until you undo all your wrongs,
no food, no drink, no sleep!
Shut up!
Hello, Rustamov.
Philip Yermolaevich.
This can't be.
What a treat.
The region's first party secretary
at our proîect.
Hello, Philip Yermolaevich.
- Is it true the place will be flooded? - You know too?
The radio girls told me the secret.
The whole region is blabbing the secret.
Will our team be disbanded?
Not îust yours.
The 18th, 20th and 30th as well. The whole region.
You're îoking, Philip Yermolaevich.
No îokes. No more wasting the people's money.
This is a promising location! You know it yourself!
- Don't you believe me? - Not anymore.
Give me some oil from this land. A bucketful at least.
- I'll give you two bucketfuls. - When?
I don't know.
And I need it now.
At least a bucketful right now.
I can't. There isn't any now.
There isn't?
You know why there isn't?
Because you've allowed anarchy all around,
irresponsibility and boozing.
Whose fault was the accident?
Mine.
You're a liar to boot.
Well, did you make up?
I'm a level-6 driller
with 42 wells to my credit.
Time to calm down, Ustyuzhanin.
I've got a right to drink to my dad.
Well...
Drink with me, party boss.
To a man like him, I will.
- Where might I have seen you? - Don't you recognize me?
You're the spitting image of your mother Nastya.
Yes, the spitting image.
If you remember, you owe me a crate of champagne.
Time for me to go, Alexei.
I'm leaving.
- Bye. - Write me.
I can't write. I'm illiterate.
Hello, Gypsies, so early in the morning
Forgive me gor what I'm singing
Don't think that it's about you personally
I'm talking about all the Gypsies
I wish you happiness
To live happily
Happily with your gamily
With good people close by
You are a Siberian Gypsy
A Russian Gypsy
Hold yourselg with dignity in society
I ask nothing more og you
Pour out, my dear song
Use joy to charm hearts
Go away, my trembling sorrow
- Give the gull road to happiness - This is my taiga.
Open up your arms, my song
Afanasy's road.
Take me away to a starry place
Tell us that we brothers
Have only one mother
The beautigul land
Hello, Theodore Nikolaevich.
Hello,
Solomin.
What to you think you're doing, Philip?
What?
Last Wednesday we tried to find out
the reasons for the delays in the power plant construction
in your region.
And on that very same day... Have a seat.
On that very same day,
your regional paper featured an article
against
the construction
and, naturally, against
the decision that was made.
So,
you're sticking to your guns?
Yes.
- Philip. - Theodore Nikolaevich...
Philip.
We're old friends.
We've always seen eye to eye.
When you were a candidate,
I was the first to vote for you.
But now I know it was a mistake.
In wartime, I'd entrust a corps
or an army to you.
But I now see that some people were right.
You can't handle a region.
You don't understand
that it's also a matter of politics.
You're right. It is politics.
I was in Africa last summer.
The conditions are different there.
Poke your finger in the sand,
and oil gushes forth.
What does Africa have to do with this?
As I see it,
in this decade, oil will have
a bearing
on all international political issues.
You're in charge of a region,
not the foreign policy department.
Today they're becoming inseparable.
Otherwise,
we wouldn't be able to deal with national economic problems.
I'm deeply convinced of this.
Right after the revolution,
Lenin spoke of the need
to develop Siberia's rich natural resources.
For 40 years, we've been interrupted
by war, economic dislocation, rehabilitation efforts,
another war.
Now we can finally develop
our land.
But easier said than done.
We can't îust poke our finger in the sand
like someplace in Arabia to get oil.
You've worked on-site. You know we need machinery.
Yes, okay.
Just think of it.
Oil, gems, metals, gold, gas...
all underwater.
Why all?
A total of 130 square kilometers.
The northernmost man-made sea looks nice in reports.
But why on our water-meadows,
rich floodplains,
400-year-old villages,
large tracts of valuable lumber
and our main wealth, oil.
Thank God I've no grandchildren yet.
What would I say to them if they asked me?
Stay there.
Theodore Nikolaevich.
I'll come later. Start without me.
And what if there's no oil there?
- There is. - But they haven't found any.
They will.
We îust need to untie the hands of those
who have dedicated their lives to studying Siberia.
Without Moscow's blessing, they can't even put up a derrick.
- Too many babysitters. - This can be resolved.
As for the hydro plant...
Ted,
just think of the war,
and our marines.
We wouldn't have won if we hadn't taken chances.
You're a real daredevil.
Back me up.
You must.
That's the only way we'll win.
And what if there's no oil after all?
We can't be exiled any farther than Siberia.
Alexei Nikolaevich,
want to see the new core?
- What? - They pulled out a new core.
So what?
- What if they found oil? - Sure, right.
Just look at all this oil.
No oil around here.
You think this is Saudi Arabia?
Here it's îust one word... Elan.
You owe us a bottle, Alexei!
It's our last day of slave labor, so don't forget.
Can I come in?
Come on in.
- The third shift is over. - And?
- I've been doing grunt work a whole month. - And?
- Am I forgiven? - Well...
Am I forgiven by everyone?
Tomorrow you can go back to your former îob.
- So I'm forgiven? - Yes.
Then sign this please.
My resignation. I'm leaving.
- Leaving, huh? - Yes, leaving.
I, Alexei Ustyuzhanin, prospector... I have a medal...
a level-6 driller, did grunt work for a month.
Who gained from this? No one.
I can haul sacks if I have to, but if it's for nothing...
You want to discipline me?
- Why? The orphanage already did. - So, you're leaving.
Yes. But don't feel offended. It's îust that...
Okay, we'll drill at the Devil's Mane without you.
You're lying. I don't believe you anymore.
You don't have the guts.
You tricked me into leaving Tataria.
Sign it, please.
Oh, you do have something to write with. Okay.
- Thanks. - Leave, but îust do it fast.
Very well.
Tofik, my dear friend.
Now get lost.
I can tell you why you signed it.
I crossed your path.
It's that girl, isn't it?
Oh, Tofik.
Look, you bastard.
How long have you known Tofik Rustamov?
- Did he ever cross anyone's path? - Tofik.
Or offend anyone?
You can stay. I've never taken anyone's leftovers.
No, Tofik.
I'm going.
So what is this? You're leaving and I'm staying?
Why did you bring me here in the first place?
And what about the guys?
Hey, guys!
- He's leaving. - This is it, guys. Last payday.
- Petrov. - Right.
- What are you talking about? - Peter.
Alexei, I don't want you to leave.
Stepan!
- Alexei's leaving. - What?
Why, Alexei?
Don't listen to him. What are you talking about?
Alexei, maybe îust one more time?
Are you kidding?
To your places.
Take your places.
Here we go.
Dance away!
Can't you stay, Alexei?
How about it?
Come on over here.
Taya!
Why are you so dressed up and with a suitcase?
It's an early winter.
The swans are flying south, and so am I.
- So you're leaving? - Yes.
I'm bored, Taya, bored.
I came here to let out a gush of oil like Dad wanted.
- As for holes, I can drill them anyplace. - Of course.
Off to Sochi, dear?
Yes, Sochi.
I've come for you. Pack up, Taya.
What are you looking at? I'll take you with me.
That's how it is.
Go on.
- You're very kind, Alexei. - Huh?
You're very kind.
I might marry you.
You're nice. I like you.
Do you remember
what you asked me?
- What? - Why I'd never married.
I waited six years for you after the war.
You're lying.
Six years.
Then I got a îob on a ship
to try to find you in Sochi.
Yes.
But Salekhard is far away
from Sochi.
The opposite direction actually.
I've a confession to make.
I've never set foot in Sochi.
- Honest. - You're kidding.
I saw it in the movies, dreamed of it, but never had the time.
First the orphanage, then the war,
now oil drilling... poking holes in the ground.
It's a long way down there. I don't have enough money.
- Was that true, what you said? - What?
About waiting for me.
Yes.
Marry me.
I can't. And you won't have me.
Yes, I will.
- I will. - No.
I'm pregnant.
From whom?
Taya.
I'll take you the way you are without looking.
Is this your coat?
Come on. Pack up.
- There, take your things. - Alexei, I can't.
- It'll be fine. - Just a minute.
Well? Ready?
Good girl.
Pack up, Taya.
I'm not going.
I'm not going, Alexei.
I don't want you.
- Your child won't have a father. - You think you're the father?
No, no, Alexei, no.
I already have a baby,
and I don't need anything else.
And I certainly don't need you.
So there.
So you don't need me.
Only my country has always needed me.
And no one else.
Your luck, dear Alexei.
Looks like you weren't born with a silver spoon.
Okay, Taya,
God willing, I'll be okay. Take care.
What? You're leaving already?
You're a fool to let your chance slip.
Honey,
sweetheart,
leave quickly,
please.
Leave quickly.
- Where are you going? - No! It's no use.
Leave! The screw threads broke loose!
Get back!
- Everybody alive? - Yes.
Look at it.
Look at it gushing!
Alexei!
Alexei, dear!
Sasha!
Alexei!
Almost half of its territory is suitable for oil and gas exploration.
So why is it, that after investing so much
in the oil proîect in West Siberia,
and after looking at the geological map of the region,
we can't find the courage to say
that searching for oil and gas in that area is hopeless?
"The Elan site has yielded a gush of oil and gas.
Driller Alexei Ustyuzhanin died trying to stop the gushing. "
Even though it's sad,
let's face the truth
that there is no oil in West Siberia.
I, Tofik Rustamov, tell you, not until you clean up your shit.
I'm from here. My father and grandfather are buried here.
- I prefer champagne. - If we survive,
I'll get you a case of champagne.
Comrades.
Please forgive me. I'll say only a few words.
Here's a telegram.
It îust came.
Siberia does have oil.
Plenty of it.
Why so quiet?
There was an accident. A man died.
Who?
A Siberian,
a war veteran,
a master driller,
a simple working man.
Ustyuzhanin, Alexei Nikolaevich.
Let's stand up to honor his memory.
Beacon, Moon calling.
Answer me. Over.
Beacon, Moon calling.
Moon calling.
Send an armored carrier over here. Do you read me?
That's the end of them Ustyuzhanins.
None left in the whole world.
Lived as a non-man and died as a non-corpse.
No, it's not the end of the Ustyuzhanins, Spiridon.
It's his baby that I'm carrying.
- Oh my! - Hold me up!
Who do you think you are? I was a Red partisan!
So what?
Let me go.
They won't let us pass.
- Why not? - Too much gas they say.
My grandfather's three brothers and daughter lie there.
All my relatives!
Hold off. It's your life they're guarding.
I don't want this stinking life
if I can't go to my parents' graves.
What are you upset about?
My friends, I've fulfilled my promise to your village.
We've upheld our native land.
Just look at that power and beauty.
The graveyard needs to be demolished.
- Without delay. - Are you nuts?
Oil may burst out any moment.
Right here.
Come on, Phil. Take charge.
There may be an explosion.
Comrade Solomin!
- Can't we save it? - Comrade Solomin!
- Just let me... - Solomin!
Comrade Secretary!
Go on, you!
- Go! - Hold it, Frol!
"Buried here is the body of God's servant Afanasy Ustyuzhanin"
SIBERIA
THE CAST
Alexei Ustyuzhanin NIKITA MIKHALKOV
Alexei in the prologue EVGENY LEONOV-GLADYSHEV
Taya Solomina LUDMILA GURCHEHKO
Philip Solomin IGOR OKHLUPIN
Spiridon Solomin SERGEl SHAKUROV
The Eternal Old Man PAVEL KADOCHNIKOV
Tofik Rustamov RUSLAN MIKABERIDZE
Theodore Nikolaevich VSEVOLOD LARIONOV
THE END