Bravo! Bravo!
Comlng through.
l have the carriage ready. :lr.
Where's my slster?
Shamrayev went to the theater.
She'll be here any mlnute.
I'm gonna mlae thls old world.
lwlsh I had seen more of It.
No' don't talk nonsense.
Well' you've seen more of It than I have.
lthlnk they're here.
-Ma'arn. -Pollna.
-SIr. -Good evenlng.
-Kostya. -Hellol Mother.
Look at you.
-How I: he? -How am I?
They found It neeeeeary to vrrlte for you to come.
so I must be eerloualy Ill.
Konstantln?
Your mother tell: me you're not angry wlth me anymore.
Borls brought the magazlne wlth your new story In It.
That's very klnd of you. Thankyou.
Whlle Sorln ls restlngl why don't we play a game?
-Should I get the lotto setl Mama? -Yes. dear.
You have many fans In Moscow. Everyone's always asklng about you.
And dld you lllre the story?
I'm plannlng on readlng It on the traln backto Mosoow.
So you'll be leavlng soon?
Tomorrowl probably.
PollnaI how can I help?
lthlnkwe're ready.
Yes.
Borlsl oome.
We never played when you were here In the summer.
We usually play lotto when the long nlghts set In.
Thls Is my mother's old set.
It's a stupld game' but after a whllel you don't notloe.
Kostya. Shut the wlndow. It's drafty.
You should have heard the reoeptlon they gave me tonlght.
My God' my head's stlll splnnlng from It.
Are you InI Konstantln?
Nol Mama. If you don't mlndI I'm golng to work for a blt.
The stake Is 10 kopeclrs. You'll put In for me. won't you' Doctor?
Certainly.
-Have we all put In? -l'm In.
You ready? Here we go.
menty-two.
Konstantln's playlng.
He must be unhappy' poor lad.
Seventy-seven.
They've been havlng a go at hlm In the newspapers.
He can't seem to find his own voice.
Well' I believe In Konstantin.
There's something there. He thinks In Images.
Hls storles are strlklng. I'm affected by them. Aren't you?
Eight.
Elghty-one.
on. Papa.
One more time' from the beginning.
No' If I don't get home now' my father won't let me come back later.
I can't. There's too much work to do.
I'll see you tonlght.
Don't be late' and study your lines.
I love you.
Kostyal
I'm putting the puppets over here.
Want one?
Thank you.
Why do you always wear black?
I'm In moumlng for my llfe.
Why?
You're healthy. You have enough money to get by.
Llfe's a lot harder for me. I'm a schoolteacher.
I hardly make anything.
You don't see me all In black.
It's not about money.
Even a poor man can be happy.
Every day. I meet wlth nothing but lndlfference from you.
Stop It' Medvedenko.
I'm touched by your love.
ljust can't return It. That's all.
-Now' this Is a theater. -Masha.
The curlaln will go up at 8:30 sharpl when the moon ls rlslng.
-Excltlng. -Of course.
If Nlna doesn't get here soon' the whole effect will be ruined.
Godl she's already late.
Don't be lmpatlent.
You know what herfather is like.
l have one thing to ask you. I have one word to sey to you.
Champagne. Did I not ask for champagne
-thls momlng In my... Sweetheart. sweetheart.
-Dld I not ask for It last night? Sweetheart. we're out.
No, I wanted it upstairs in my bedroom.
Why Is my sister In such a bad mood?
Why?
She's bored.
Jealous.
She's already set against me and the play
because she's not acting In It' and Nina ls.
She already hates It.
Your mother adores you.
She also knows I have no respect for her theater.
She thinks she's dedicated to serving humanlty
wlth her secred art' but as far as I'm concernedI
When they take cheapl vulgar plots
and cheap' vulgar speeches and try to extract
some easily digestible morall
I want to run out ofthe exlt and keep on running
the way Maupaseent ran from the Elffel Tower
because Its vulgarlty was crushlng his brain.
-We need the theater. -What we need are new forms.
and If we can't have them' then give us nothing!
Borlsl
Come. Come here.
What's the gossip on hlm?
He's smartl actually.
Unpretentlous.
Kind of melancholy. Pretty decentl really.
Not even 40. but he's already a celebrfty.
Maybe a llttle full of himself.
These days. he drlnks a lot of beer and makes love to older women.
Well' when l was youngI l passionately wanted two things.
I wanted to get marrled. I wanted to become an author.
I never managed elther one.
Even the thought of her makes my heart race.
My musel my dream.
Please tell me I'm not late.
I've been worrylng all day. I rode like a madman to get here.
It's all rlght. We're alone.
Is that you' Yakov?
Yeah.
We'll start when the sun sets. Get everyone ready In their plaees.
-Is the moon rlslng? -Yep.
Arlse. falr sun. and kill the envlous moonl
who is already sick and pale with grief.
Why are you so nervous?
I'm not.
Well' I'm not afraid to perform for your mother'
but Borls Trlgorlnl he's so famous.
l'm embarrassed to act in front of him.
He looked young.
He Is young and accomplished' don't remind me.
Hls storles are lncredlble.
Welll hls storles are full of llfe.
In your playsl everyone's dead.
My goal Is to show life the way we experlence It In dreamsl
not the way It Is or the way we think It should be.
Yes, but nothing happens in your play.
It's all talk.
lthlnkthere should be a love story.
"A country place." they called It.
And I was standing In the back...
It's getting damp.
Go back before the play starts. Put on your boots.
I'm too hot.
You're too stubborn. Your feet will get wet.
You're a doctor. You should know better.
Look at that. We're gonna be slttlng In the woods.
You like her. Admlt It.
Who do you like?
MashaI please ask yourfatherto unchaln his dog.
Otherwlsel he'll be howllng all night.
Ask hlm yourself.
Shall I sit next to you' Doctor?
Darllng son. when do we begin?
In a minute. Please be patient.
Gentle son. upon the heat and ?ame of thy dlstemperl sprlnkle cool patlence.
Gentle Motherl
let me wrlng your heart If It be made of penetrable stuff.
Look here upon this picture.
You cannot call It "love." for at your age'
the heyday In the blood ls tame.
It's humble.
0 you honorable anclent shadowsl
whlch drlft among us
as night deeeends upon this lake'
lull us to sleep' and let us dream
ofthat which will come to be In 200,000 years.
In 200,000 years' there'll be nothing.
Then let them show us nothing.
Yesl let them. We're already asleep.
llonsI eagles and partrldgesl
horned deerl
sllent ?shes dwelllng In the water'
starfish, and those that cannot be seen
-wlth our eyes. -Thank you.
In a word' all llvesl all llvesl
havlng accompllshed thelr doleful clrclel
[?lamdld?lt
Alreadyl thousands of centurles have passed
since the Earth has borne one living creature'
and. In valnl the poor moon shlnes her llght.
Cold. cold.
empty. empty.
horrlbleI horrlbleI
most horrlble...
My thoughts ertectly.
Mother!
Sony.
Keep golng. Go on. Go on.
The bodies of living creatures have vanished Into dust.
and their souls have fused into one.
The universal soul.
-Slr. -lt Isl. ll
In my soul ls Alertender the Great'
and Caesar' and Shakespeare.
and the lowllest of leeches.
lthlnkthls ls supposed to be high art.
Mother!
Once In 100 years' I open my lips In orderto speakl
and my voice ls heard In this cheerlees emptlnees.
And no one llstens. And the devllI
the father of eternal matterI
detennlned to keep llfe from sprlnglng up In youl
causes a constant transm utatlon of atoms.
lee a captive cast Into a deepI hollow voldl
I do not know what waits for me.
In this stubbornI cruel struggle wlth the devllI
I can see clearly
-that I am destined to vanqulsh hlm. -It smells like somethlng's bumlng.
-Motherl -Yes' I smell smoke.
And untll that tlme...
Horrorl Horrorl
Horrorl
My powerful adversaryl
-the devllI comes closer. -I see.
It's a special effect.
I see his terrlble crlmson eyes.
-He Is bored wlthout man. -Put your hat back on.
-You'll catch cold. -NoI the Doctor
has tipped his hat to the devllI the father of eternal matter.
All right. that's It! The play ls ?nlshedl Enough. enough.
Curtalnl Curtalnl
Brlng up the curtain! Brlng down the curtain!
-Enoughl Nol enoughl -Why are you angry?
I'm sonyl I'm sorry' I forgot that wrltlng and acting In plays
ls reserved for the chosen fewl
I've defied the monopoly!
-Hev. Kostva- -What Is wrong wlth hlm?
What dld I do?
For heaven's sake' he wanted to please you.
And I was willing to listen' even to his ravlngsl but...
Hls claims to new forms. they're pretentlous.
Since when has the exhlbltlon of a morbid personallty
been a new art form?
Everyone wrltes what he wants and as best he can.
Well' then let hlm wrlte what he wants and as best he can.
Just tell him to please leave me In peace.
When Jupiter's angry, Jupiter's wrong.
I am not Juplter.
I am a woman, and lam not angry.
I'm disappointed that a young man should spend his time so foollshly.
Thank you.
You know' someone should wrlte a play about a schoolteacher and how he lives.
It's a hard llfe.
It's very, very hard.
Borlsl come. Come sit by me now.
You should have been here ten, even ?ve years ago.
We listened to music and singing all night long, almost every night.
Remember all the laughter and the noise?
And the love affairs... So many love affairs.
Guess who was the romantic Idol of the town.
None other than the Doctor.
You're handsome now, but then you were lrreslstlble.
Why dld I hurt hlm?
Konstantlnl
-l'll go and look for hlm. -Would you? Thanks.
Konstantlnl
Pollna.
-Mama? -Pollna.
Papa.
Excuse me.
It's nothing.
Don't worry. ljust felt a llttle sad.
Excuse me.
Konstantlnl
Come In.
Is our playwrlght stlll In hldlng?
Well, I can't ?nd hlm.
-Brava. -Yes. Brava.
Well, we all adored you. You were wonderful.
Such a face, such a marvelous volce.
It would be a shame for you to stay In the country.
You must go on the stage.
Well, that's my dream, but...
But what?
Allow me to Introduce you.
Borls Trlgorln.
No, no. Don't be shy.
He's a celebrlty, but he has a simple soul.
lrlna.
A pleasure.
I'm honored. I've read all yourwork.
You see? He's shyl too.
Konstantlnl
lrlna?
Thank you.
It was a strange play, wasn't It?
I didn't understand a word of it.
But I enjoyed watching It.
You were... You were so slncere.
And the scenery was so beautlful.
Are there ?sh In the lake?
Yes.
I can think of nothing more enjoyable
than an evening on the bank wlth a?shlng pole In my hand.
There you are.
I hope you're not ?atterlng hlm.
He doesn't know how to behave when people say nice things to hlm.
Excuse me.
And thorn was another tlme...
Thls was In Moscow at tho opera.
The celebrated Sllva sang a low c.
And...
But as luck would have It,
a bass from our church choir was slttlng In the gallery'
and all of a sudden, to our complete amazement,
we hear from the gallery'
.. Bra vol Sllva."
A full octave lowerl
lee thlsl
.. Bra vol Sllva."
The angel of silence has Just ?own over.
Well, It's time for me to go.
It's so early. We won't let you.
No, my father ls waiting for me.
Well, It's a shame. It'sjust a shame.
-Just for an hour. Really, stay. -No.
I'd really love to, but I can't.
I'm sony. Good night.
Poor glrl.
therally.
Her mother died and left everything to her father,
but when he dies, he's leavlng everything to his new wlfe.
Nlna won't get a cent. She'll have nothing.
It's scandalous.
Yes.
To be frank, her father Is a monster.
Well, I'd better move before I freeze In this posltlon.
Your legs are like stlff boards.
Let's get you some fresh air' you unlucky old man.
Madame?
Be a good man. Unleash that dog.
Can't do that.
I'm worrled thleves will get Into the barn.
I'm telling you, It was a whole octave lowerl
Ilke thlsl
.. Bra vol Sllva."
And he wasn't a famous slnger, Just a church choir member.
How much does a singer In a church choir make?
Maybe I've lost my mind, but I liked the play.
No one's here, are they?
Move over.
There was something about It.
A feeling of loneliness.
And then, when the eyes of the devil appeared,
my hands were shaklng.
Konstantlnl
Masha's looking for me everywhere.
Konstantlnl
I liked your play very much.
It's definitely strange.
And ldldn't hear the end' of course' but It made a strong lmpresslon on me.
You're a talented man. You need to continue.
You know' I've had a pretty Interesting llfe.
I'm content, but...
If I ever got to experlence the splrltual hlgh
I bet I would abandon my current llfe, leave It all behind.
Chase new highs,
never let myself get weighed down In this earthly exlstence.
Where Is Nlna?
She went home.
I should go to her.
Konstantlnl
Heyl Kostya.
Kostyal stay here.
-Konstantln. -No, I've got to get out of here.
Will you please go back to the house?
-Your mother Is very worrled. -Tell herl left.
-Waltl Konstantln. -What do you want?
-I know you're upset, and I'm sorry. -No.
-Masha, please. Listen to me. -l'm trying to help.
No, I'm saying that I understand. What can I do?
You can leave me alone.
Come on. Don't be like that.
I'm sony. Doctor.
Youth. Youth.
When people have nothing better to say, they say, "Youth. Youth."
It's a ?lthy hablt.
What's wrong? What's wrong, Masha?
Nobody knows how much I'm suffering.
I love Konstantln.
God.
The spells cast by this lake.
Well, what can I do, my child?
What?
Konstantln.
Why Is my son so depressed?
He's heartsch
My foot's asleep.
Masha?
Always in black, smokes, drinks vodka.
The schoolteacher loves her.
All rlght. Come stand next to me.
You're 28, yes?
I'm almost twice your age.
Come.
Sergel, which of us looks younger?
Well?
Which of us looks younger?
You do, of course.
There, you see? And why?
Because I work. I'm constantly doing something.
l experlence llfe.
You Just sit still In one place' not really llvlng.
Yes?
And I have a rule.
I never think about the future.
I never think about old age or death.
What will come in life will come.
I always hold myself straight and tall, and I'm dressed
wlth my hair comme II feat.
Would I ever go outside, even here to the garden,
In my working clotlles, wlthout my hair perfectly colffed?
Never.
And I stay out ofthe surll naturally.
That's why I look so good at my age.
ljust never let myself go like some people.
Seel Masha?
Look at me. See?
Light as a feather. I could play a girl of 15.
Guess whose father and stepmother have gone to Yalta for three days.
I'm yours until they've returned.
Isn't she adorable? Give us a turn.
Slm ply adorable.
Yes' and nicely dressed.
You're a clever glrl. Well, slt down. Join us.
I think we'll start wlth the croquettes, Ellgenle.
Yesl ma'am.
l ache all over.
But the Doctor here won't treat me.
You're an old man.
Even old men want to live.
Where Is Borls?
He's down by the lake' ?shlng.
Have you spoken to Konstantln?
I don't think he wants to talkto me.
You should reclte more from his play later.
I'd love to hear the ending.
Really? Why?
I think it was 1873 at the Poltava Fair.
She was amazing. Gave an lncredlble performance.
Qulte wonderful.
Do you happen to know what became of the comedian' Chadln?
He gave an incomparable Rasplyuyev.
Better than Sadovsky. You have my word' ma'am.
What Is he doing now, ma'am?
You keep asking me about people from before the ?ood.
How should I know?
How about some music after our meal?
-You'll sing for us' darllng, won't you? -No, no.
-Yes. -No, no. I couldn't.
Yes' yes' Just one song.
Absolutely not.
Slnglng ls hardly my forte.
Well, then perhaps Nlna.
Won't you sing for us?
I haven't sung like that In years.
It's hot. It's qulet.
No one does anything. Why does no one do anything?
-Well, I'm trying to read. -Yes, well, good for you.
I'm conslderlng golng Into town.
Pollna. You'd Join me, wouldn't you?
I'd be happy to escort you.
Then It's settled.
You'll arrange the horses to take us Into town
-I think It's a grand Idea. -Ma'am?
It's a good plan, but how will you get there?
Excuse me?
Well, forgive me, ma'am. but we're cartlng rye today.
Which horses were you thinking of using?
"Which horses"? How should I know?
Don't we have carrlage horses?
"Don't we have carrlage horses?"
Slr, wlth the greatest respect, you don't seem to understand
-a thing about fannlng. -No.
You don't seem to understand how to do yourlob.
-l'm sure we can resolve this. -No, no, no.
He pulls this every year.
Because every year, you lack any sense of how this farm operates.
-Don't lecture me. -Please.
I am golng to Moscow' and I'm golng today.
Would you please be so good as to hire horses In the village?
Well, I cannot conjure horses out ofthln alr.
Absolutely lncompetentl
Every year, It's the same excuses.
Well, If that's how you feel' I reslgn.
Every summer' I come down here, and I am lnsulted by you.
Then you can ?nd yourself another manager.
Flne. I'm golng Into town' and I'm not coming back.
Farewell. My deepest apologles
for being unable to magically conjure horses out of thin alrI
How hard Is It to ?nd a horse? My klngdom for a bloody horseI
Apologize to herl
Godl
What dld I miss?
lrlna ls upset, Pollna ls crying, and Shamrayev ls reslgnlng.
I'll offer to tranqulllze all of them.
What's that supposed to mean?
l sank low enough today to kill this seagull.
I lay It at your feet.
What's wrong with you?
Soonl I'm gonna kill myself In the same way.
Don't follow me.
-I don't know you like this. -I don't know you like this!
You look at me as If I'm a stranger...
Areyou embarrassed by me?
Well, latelyl you've become so...
You keep talking In symbols or...
I mean' look at that seagull. What does that mean?
Because' I'm sorry' Konstantlnl but I have no Idea.
Maybe I'm too simple to understand you.
What don't you understand?
My play was a ?asco.
Now you think I'm some lnslgnlflcant nobody
just like the rest of them do!
Sergel.
Let me come and live wlth you.
We're not young anymore.
Let's end our days together wlthout havlng to hide.
It's a llttle late to change my llfe.
It's because you have other women, rlght?
I'm not the only one.
You can't lnvlte all of us
-to come and live wlth you. -Pollna...
Don't cry.
I'm sony.
The actress'brother sleeps often, needs a haircut.
Porpetually unhappy.
The actress' son, wildly jealous, fame-seeker...
You're always wrltlng.
Yesl well, lam a man poseeeeed.
I must wrlte. I must wrlte. I must wrlte.
He's still upset about the play.
Well, I'm a llttle blt upset myself.
Due to an unexpected event, It seems we're leavlng today.
lwlsh I had more time.
It's not often I have the occasion to meet young, lnterestlng women.
I've already forgotten what It's like to be 18 or 19.
That's why the young women In my books and storles
don't rlng tnle.
I'd love to be In your shoes forjust an hour,
know how you think'
what kind of llttle creature you are.
Well, I'd love to be In your shoes,
to know how It feels to be a celebrated wrlter.
Well?
"Well.II what?
Are you coming?
Eugenle?
Somethlng nlcer for this evening' I think.
You wanted to be comfortable for the journey back.
Somethlng nlcer, I think.
The lavender?
What does it feel like to be famous?
What does It feel "he?
Feels like not being famous, probably. I never think about It.
Well, what about when you read about yourself In the newspapers?
What does that feel "he?
Well, when they're ?atterlng notlees, I like It.
And when they're rlastyl I'm depressed for a day or two.
If I were great like you, I'd dedlcate my whole llfe to my public.
I'd let them pull my charlot through the streets
because I'd know that It's the...
They're reaching up to me.
That's what makes them happy.
And In a charlot, no less.
So you're Cleopatra now?
To have that feeling'
I'd put up wlth family and frlends tumlng against me.
I'd endure poverty. I'd live on rye bread In a garret.
But In return, I would demand fame.
Real, resoundlng fame.
Have you seen Nlna?
She went to the lake with Boris.
Konstantlnl
I know every llttle Island. I've spent my whole llfe on this lake.
You live In a magical place.
I envy you.
Some people can barely crawl through their dulll obscure exlstencel
but you get a llfe that's brllllant,
Interesting, meanlngful.
You're happy.
Aml?
Here you are talking about fame, happlness...
To me, you sound a blt nalve.
Well, to me, you sound jaded and pompous.
All rlght.
Walt. Come back.
Walt.
All rlght.
Let's talk about my beautlful. brIlllant llfe.
How do I begin?
Day and night' lam haunted by a single, obseeslve thought.
"I must wrlte. I must wrlte. I must wrlte."
No sooner do l?nlsh one story'
then for God knows what reason' I have to wrlte another,
and another, and another.
What's so beautlful and brllllant about that?
It's a rldlculous llfe.
I'm talking to you. I'm getting all rlled up...
You see that cloud over there?
Looks like a grand piano.
I'm thinking' I must flt that Into a story sometlme.
"A cloud drifted by, looking like a grand piano."
I catch a whlff of hellotrope.
l Instantly make a mental note.
"Cloying smell, color of widow's weeds.
"Must referto that next time I'm descrlblng a summer's evenlng."
Go on.
Konstantln?
Go away!
-Beautlful day... -Go away!
We should get back.
Well, we are golng back.
Yes.
-That's what we're doing. -nght.
I should be able to relax on a lake' forget myself.
But even here, I'm never left In peace.
Well, we don't have to talk If you'd prefer to...
Konstantln ls constantly In his head, dreaming about his next work.
Well, when l was his age' many years ago,
when you're stertlng out, unknown and Ignored,
the work Is sheer agony.
But oven then, oven when you're a lesser wrltor wlthout any luck,
you stlll went to be part of the lltorery scene.
But when youte Inspired, achraiiy In the thick of creation,
doesn't that give you, just for that moment,
BorIsI
To pack, no doubt.
lwlsh I could stay.
Borls Alexeyevlchl
What's this?
Konstantin shot It.
BeautII'ul blrd.
Can't you convlnce herto stay?
Borls?
What are you wrltlng?
An Idea for a short story.
Ayoung girl who spent her whole life on the shore of a lake.
A lake that she loves,
where she feels happy and free,
And?
And by chance, a man comes along,
her.
And with nothing better to do...
Borls Alexeyevlchl
Foolish, foollsh boy.
I'll be honest with you.
If he had seriously hurt hlmself,
I couldn't llve another minute.
I am going to tear this love out of my heart.
Just going to rip It out by the roots.
How are you going to do that?
I'll get married
to Medvedenko.
l thlnkthat's overdolng It.
Islt?
Lovlng without hope.
Waiting for years for something that will never come.
You don't know what I've been feeling.
At least, when I'm married,
I'll have new troubles to blot out the old ones, rlght?
-Anythlng for a change. -No, no, no.
High school teachers not very smart.
-No, no, no! -But he's a good person, and...
-Well, he doesn't have any money, but... -No, no, no. Stay. Good boy. Good boy.
He loves me very much.
Don't look at me like that.
A lot of women drlnk. Just not as openly as I do.
Here's to you.
You're a good person.
I'm sony you're leaving.
Me, too.
I don't want to go.
-Then ask herto stay. -No, no.
Not while her son ls being a...
Not content with rulnlng his own life, he's hell-bent on rulnlng mlne.
He's challenged me to a duel.
Oh, no.
Why?
Because of my writing?
There's room enough for all of us.
Of course.
But he's jealous.
You must know that.
Not that It's any of my business.
Until next time, my friend.
Send me your books, and be sure to write a dedication.
And none of that "deepest regards" or "fond wlshes."
Just wrlte, "To Masha,
"who has no clue where she belongs
"or what she's doing on this Earth."
Excuse me.
Pick a hand.
This one means no.
I'm trying to decide whether or not to go on the stage.
lwish someone would tell me what to do.
Well, that's not something somebody can decide for you.
l have a little gift for you.
What Is It?
Something to remember me by.
I've had your lnltlals engraved on It,
and, on the other side, the title of one of your books.
That Is very sweet ofyou.
BorIsI
Give me two minutes before you go.
-Why lines 11 and 12? -BorIsI
Just two minutes In the solarium, please.
I once started to sing like that.
One of the assistant prosecutors said to me,
"You have a very powerful voice, Your Excellency."
Then he stopped for a moment, and he thought,
"Powerful, but horrlble."
Who was that that you were talking to? Nlna?
Yes.
Why do you keep hobbllng around everywhere
If your joints are achlng?
So what's that?
lt'sjust a...
Do you have any of my books In the house?
I need to look something up.
In the study. Comer bookcase.
You don't have to travel with us. Why don't you stay here?
You'll feel better.
No, no, no. Not with you going away. It's depressing here without you.
Well, what are you going to do in town?
Nothing much.
How Is the patient?
Heb better. Heb resting.
He's unhappy, you know.
I know he's unhappy. He shot himself.
I know he's not well. How do you thlnkthat makes me feel?
-All right, relax. -l'm going away,
and I still don't know why he tried to...
l thlnkjealousy's the main reason, but I...
So the sooner I take Borls away from here, the better.
It's not the only reason.
He's a young, lntelllgent man.
He's living In the country with no money of his own,
no clear occupation, no future.
He's... He's frightened.
-You're going to upset me. -Llsten to me, lrlna, honey.
He thinks he's unwanted.
Even here, he feels like a charfty case. Give him some money.
I see. If only I weren't so stingy, and If only you were living In town,
then we'd all be happy.
I'm the reason for your mlsery these past 20 years.
It's all my fault. Right?
I've only been mlserable the past 10.
My son ls capable of getting ajob on his own.
-A desk job or something. -lee him some money!
Let him go abroad for a bit, enjoy hlmself.
Golng abroad would cost a fortune,
and I'm not even sure I could afford a new suit for him.
Of course, I believe you.
Stop that.
You're a generous, magnanimous woman.
l have no money.
If I had money, I'd give ltto hlm.
I know. You're destitute. Generous, but destitute.
lam an actress. My costume bills alone
-are enough to ruin me. -I respect you.
Petrushka?
HelpI Someone, heIpI
Are you all right? Wake up. Help! Somebody.
It's all right, Mama. It's okay.
-He's... He's... -He's all right.
Uncle has these falntlng spells.
-lt's nothlng serlous. -He's all right.
You need to go lie down. Will you take him?
Yeah.
Oh' God. Oh' God. Oh' God.
Here's a riddle for you.
What goes around In the momlng on all fours,
at midday on two, In the evening on three...
And at night on your back. It's all right.
I can walk. I can walk!
Don't look at me like that.
Living In the country Isn't good for him, Mama.
For God's sake, why won't you give him some money?
I am an actress, not a banker.
Mama, living In the country gets him down.
I heard you.
But I...
The Doctor's late. I'm...
Will you change my bandage?
No one does It better than you.
Get the box with the dressings.
"If you ever have need of my life, come and take It."
You look like somebody In a turban.
Last night, Olga saw you walk by.
She wanted to know what country you were from.
Well.
There we go.
There we are.
It's practically healed.
Barely a week, and there's just a tiny bnllse left.
Now, promise me there'll be no more of...
Of this, while I'm gone?
Prom Ise?
Prom Ise.
ljust went mad for a moment. It won't happen again.
All right.
Sony.
You remember when you were working at the Imperial?
l was a little boy, and there was...
There was a ?ght In the courtyard where we were living.
Do you...
A washer woman In our building got badly hurt.
Do you remember that?
She was out cold when they picked her up.
You were always going In to see her.
You used to bring her medlclne,
and you used to wash her children In her washtub.
You don't remember that?
There were two ballerlnas living In our building at the time.
They used to come In and have coffee.
That, I remember.
They were so rellglous.
These last few days,
I've loved you as tenderly and as honestly as I did when l was little.
l have nobody but you now.
ljust don't understand why...
Why do you let that man have such a hold over you?
You don't know him, Konstantin. He's noble.
-"Noble"? -And you might not like
the fact that we're lovers, but you're Intelligent and cultured.
I'm sony.
But we're practically falling out over him,
and right now, he's In the garden with Nlna,
trying to convince her that he's some sort of genius.
You seem to take pleasure In belng horrlbleto me.
l have the greatest respect for that man,
and I will thank you not to speak of him like that
-In my presence. -But I don't respect him.
I'm sony, I can't.
They make me sick.
That's envy.
People who lack talent spend their time lnsultlng those who have It.
It's their consolation prlze.
Is that why you spend all your time
-lnsultlng me? -No.
-Because you have no talent? -You'rejust being a baby.
Why? Because I'm not taken In by either of you?
Yes, yes. My son, the radical.
Yeah, then go on, that's It. Run away.
Run awayjust like you always do.
Run off to your cozy llttle theater
and act In your pathetic, stupid little plays.
l have never In my life appeared In a play ofthat descrlptlon.
I do as many celebrated classics as I do sllly comedles.
This winter, I'm tourlng In Macbeth.
Are you one of the witches?
I'm Lady Macbeth.
Snlde llttle nonentlty. Get away from me.
You, you can't even write a wretched llttle comlc sketch.
Why don't you just go back to Klev and open a shop?
-Paraslte. -Mlser.
-Rat's nestl -Has-beenl
NobodyI You're nobodyI
Crybaby.
Please don't cry.
Please don't.
There's nothing to cry about.
He's going away.
I am taking him away.
And then she'll love you again, and It'll be all right.
There.
You're all right?
All right?
We're friends again?
I'm sony.
It's okay, Mama.
And you'll make up with Borls.
I mean, there's really no need to ?ght with him, Is there?
Mama, please. Please don't make me see him.
-All right, all right. -l'm... I can't.
All right.
I'll be by the lake until he's gone.
'Ifyou ever have need ofmy life, come and take It. '
How was your momlng?
lrlna? You upset?
I'm ?ne, my love. It's just time to go.
That's all.
Well, what If we...
What If we what?
What lfwe stay one more day?
Darling, why can't we stay?
Because, darling, I know why you want to stay,
but get control of yourself.
You're a little drunk.
Sober up.
You're capable of secrl?ce.
Be a true friend.
Please, be generous. Let me go.
"Be generous"?
What, are you that infatuated with her?
I'm attracted to her. I...
This could be what's missing in my life.
What?
The love of a little country girl?
That's how little you know yourself?
I can't stop thinking about her. Even now,
I'm talking with you,
-but It's as If I'm asleep. -No.
-Stop, please. -l'm possessed by the thought of her.
This could be my last chance at a love like this.
Please, I am begging you.
-Let me go. -No.
-Let me go. -No, no, no.
You can't say those things to me, Borls.
I'm just a woman like any other.
This Is your chance to be a woman unlike any other.
You're torturlng me. Please, you're scaring me.
I've never known love like this before.
When I was young, I spent every minute struggling to survive,
and now It's In front of me, a love I've never known,
and you want me to run away from It?
You have lost your mind.
I don't care!
Please, let me go.
My dear,
my darling, wonderful man.
My llfe's last page.
If you leave me even for an Instant,
I just won't be alive at the end of It.
My maglclan. My prlnce.
My klng In all his glory.
-Somebody could come In at any minute. -Let them.
I'm not ashamed of loving you, and I am not setting you free.
You are the most brilliant wrlter In Russia.
Your work has such Integrity and simplicity and humor.
Your characters are alive.
Do you realize that It Is Impossible to read you without getting swept up?
What? You think I'm ?atterlng you.
Look at me.
Look Into my eyes.
Am I lying to you?
I'm the only one who always tells you the truth.
Always.
You'll come with me, won't you? Don't abandon me.
l have no will of my own.
Never have.
I'm spineless, weak, submlsslve.
Is that what women really want?
Take me. Take me away.
Just don't relax your grip for an Instant.
You're mlne.
Of course, you should stay If you want to.
I can always go Into town,
and you could come In a week or so.
There's no hurry.
No, no, no, we'll go together.
Whatever you want.
Goodbye, my lady.
If anything was not as It should be, please forgive me.
Everything was just right.
Don't cry.
Our days are passing.
What's to be done?
Well, If we live, we'll meet again next summer.
Don't forget me.
Goodbye, ma'am, and may God bless you.
Remember me fondly. Here's a ruble.
It's for the three of you.
My lady, for your trip.
Thank you. Thank you.
lthlnk I forgot my walking stick. I know where It Is. Excuse me.
-Excuse me. -Don't be long.
Excuse me.
We're leavlng.
-l'm sorry. -lt's all right.
We'll see each other again.
I've made up my mind once and for all.
I'm going on the stage.
Tomorrow, I'll be gone from here.
I'm leaving my father. I'm leaving everything.
I'm going to start a new life.
I'm going to Moscow.
Slr, the carriage ls waltlngl
Stay at the Slavyansky Bazaar.
Let me know as soon as you arrive.
-l have to go. -Just another minute.
You're so beautiful.
Comlng through.
l have your carrlage ready, slr.
It's your brother.
Haven't we done enough already? Come on. He didn't ask you to stay.
I need to help Mama. I'm not leaving.
Please, let's go home, Masha.
-l'm staying the night. -Masha, let's go.
The baby's probably hungry.
Go yourself. The nurse will feed him anyway.
I'd rather spend the night.
Again?
-So you'll come tomorrow, then? -Yes.
Yes. Tomorrow.
I'm not blind.
Please don't.
It's all rldlculous.
UnrequIted love.
It only exists In novels.
You can't sit around always hoping that something will happen.
If you start to feel love In your heart, you've got to rip It out.
Who would have thought, Konstantin, that there was a proper wrlter In you?
And now, thankthe Lord,
you're starting to get money from the magazines.
What do you want, Pollna?
I want you to be nicer to my little Masha, please.
Leave him alone, Mama.
-She's a good girl. -MamaI
Women only require a kind glance
-now and then, Kostya. -Leave him alone!
-I should know. -Now you've annoyed hlm.
What did you have to bother him for?
Sorln asked thatwe make up his bed In here.
-He wants to be close to Kostya. -Yes, ma'am.
Thank you, Yakov.
Where's my sister?
Shamrayev went to the theater.
She'll be here any mlnute.
I'm gonna miss this old world.
lwlsh I had seen more of It.
No, don't talk nonsense.
Well, you've seen more of It than I have.
What city did you like best of all your travels?
Genoa.
Why Genoa?
the streets are swarming with people.
You drlft along with the crowd this way and that, back and forth.
lt'sgota llfeofltsown.
You become part of It, body and soul.
You start to think there really might be a universal splrlt,
like the one Nlna acted In your play.
Where Is Nlna now, Kostya? How's she doing?
She's all right, I thlnk.
I heard she'd been leading a somewhat untldy llfe.
It's a very long story.
Welll make It brIeI'.
Well, she left home
and went to live with Borls, so that much you know.
They had a baby, who died.
Not long after, Borls got tired of her.
He went back to his old ties, as you might expect,
or rather he never let go of them.
Having no backbone, he was able to bend both ways.
And what about the stage?
She debuted In a theater outside of Moscow,
then left for a tour of the provlnees.
She took on all the big roles, but she acted coarsely.
Tasteleesly.
Lots of shrleklng and big, ugly gestures.
There were moments when you could see her talent,
when she was crying or dying.
ltrled to see her once after a performance.
I waited at her stage door like a beggar,
but she won't see anyone.
lthlnk they're here.
-Ma'am. -Pollna.
-Slr. -Good evening.
-Masha. -You recognized me.
-You're married now? -Yes.
-You're happy? -l'm married.
-Kostya. -Hello, Mother.
Look at you.
-How Is he? -How am I?
They found It neeeeeery to write for you to come,
so I must be seriously Ill.
Konstantin, l have an Idea for your next story.
A good title for It would be, "The Man Who Wanted To."
Years ago, when l was a young man, I...
I wanted to become a writer.
I never did.
I wanted...
I wanted to be a good speaker. I was terrl ble.
I wanted to be married.
I never married.
I wanted to live In town, and now I'm dying In the country.
And there you have It.
Konstantin?
Your mother tells me you're not angry with me anymore.
Borls brought the magazine with your new story In It.
That's very kind of you. Thankyou.
Whlle Sorln ls resting, why don't we play a game?
-Should I get the lotto set, Mama? -Yes, dear.
You have many fans In Moscow. Everyone's always asking about you.
Ami did you like the story?
I'm planning on reading It on the train backto Moscow.
So you'll be leaving soon?
Tomorrow, probably.
Pollna, how can I help?
lthlnkwe're ready.
Yes.
Borls, come.
We never played when you were here In the summer.
We usually play lotto when the long nights set In.
This Is my mother's old set.
It's a stupid game, but after a while, you don't notice.
Kostya. Shut the window. It's drafty.
You should have heard the reception they gave me tonight.
My God, my head's stlll splnnlng from It.
Are you In, Konstantin?
No, Mama. If you don't mind, I'm going to work for a bit.
The stake Is 10 kopecks. You'll put In for me, won't you, Doctor?
Certainly.
-Have we all put In? -l'm In.
menty-two.
The ovation went on and on.
Elghty-elght.
Three baskets of flowers, two bouquets.
Thirty-four.
-And how about this marvelous ensemble? -Sunshlne.
If I know nothing else, I know how to dress.
Konstantln's playlng.
He must be unhappy. Poor lad.
They've been having a go at him In the newspapers.
Seventy-seven.
He can't seem to find his own voice.
There's something oddly unfocused about his writing.
Well, I believe In Konstantin.
There's something there. He thinks In Images.
Hls stories are striking. I'm affected by them. Aren't you?
Can you believe I still haven't read a word of his writing?
There's just never any time.
Eight.
Elghty-one.
menty-elght.
menty-slx.
Lockthe doors in case anybody comes in.
Don't worry. No one will come In.
I know your mother's here. Lock the door.
Fourteen.
-Come on. -menty-slx.
menty-slxl Walt.
Ladies and gentlemen, It's my game.
One away. I was just so close.
Your mother brought him with her?
You know, If I lived on a lake like this,
I might never wrlte again.
Nlna, don't cry.
5°.
you're a real wrlter now.
And I'm an actress.
We both jumped Into the ?re.
I dreamed of glory, and now look at me.
First thing tomorrow, I'm offto Yelets.
Booked there for the winter season.
Traveling third-class with the peasants.
Why wouldn't you ever see me?
lthought you hated me.
Hate you.
l cursed you.
lfyou had any Idea ofwhat my life has been like...
And none of that matters to me.
I don't have the power to stop loving you.
Even now...
. Now Ive had sueeess.
Without you, my life has been...
Please.
Stay here with me.
-Or let me come with you. -No.
-Nlna, what's wrong? -You shouldn't still love me.
Don't say that.
I'm so tired.
lneedarest.
I'm the seagull.
No, I'm an actress.
You know, he laughed at me.
He made fun of my acting.
When I started onstage, I...
God, I didn't... I didn't know what to do with my hands.
I didn't know where to stand.
I couldn't... I couldn't control my voice.
You have no Idea how It feels to be onstage
and know how badly you're actlng.
You're a wonderful actress.
No, I'm the seagull.
I'm the seagull. I'm the seagulll
No, It's not me. That's not me.
I've been walking and walking and thinking,
and I know now that, for us,
what counts Isn't dreaming about fame and glory,
but It's about endurance.
It's about knowing how to keep going In spite of everything.
Havlng faith In myself, that's helped.
But what If
l have no faith In myself
or any clue where I'm going or what I'm doing?
l have to go.
-l'm coming with you. -No.
-Well, then stay here, please, Nlna. -No.
Nlna, please, stay here.
-Stop asking me. I can't! I can't. -Nlna, please.
-I can't. -Why?
Becaqu love him.
Because I still love him.
I love him more than before.
l have to go.
Remember how good It was before?
Everything was so simple and clear.
Llons.
-Eagles and partrldges. -Eagles and partrldges.
-Homed deer. -Deer.
Horned deer.
Yes.
Don't give me that look.
You'll be scared, too, when It's your turn.
The only people who can fear death rationally
are those who believe in life hereafter,
because they fear retribution for their sins.
But you...
First, you don't believe.
And secondly, what slns?
You haven't done anything,
exeept spend 25 years In the Department ofJustlce.
menty-elght.
All right, I have to hand the cards out.
Sixteen.
Great.
Thirteen.
-Slx. -Thank you.
-I won. -You won?
Yep.
-Thlrty-seven. -Don't go so fast.
Oh, Papa.
Forty-?ve.
-Forty-?ve? -Flnally, some luck.
-Thls game ls rlgged. -Golng around again. Thirty-three.
-Lottol -Hold on.
Thirty.
-Elghty-one. -Elghty-one.
menty-two.
Slxty.
This one will be mine, slr.
We'll see about that.
Let's have another round, shall we?
Yes.
Thank you. Thank you.
Probably a little explosion In my medical bag.
Nothing to wony about. Happens all the time.
Just as I thought.
A small bottle of ether exploded.
-For... -My apologies.
Everything went black for a moment.
I thought...
Sit down. I'll get the drinks.
Borls, can you help me?
I just... I wanted to ask you,
there's an article In this magazine
that I'm curious to get your opinion.
All lives, all lives
aII lives,
haan accomplished their doloflri circle,
have died out.
Fourteen.
Already, thousands of centuries have passed
since the Earth has home one ang creature.
And In vain, the poor moon shines her light.