Letyat zhuravli (The Cranes Are Flying) (1957) Movie Script
MOSFILM
Wait. Wait, Squirrel!
Here, put it on.
Look!
Cranes like ships
Sailing up in the sky,
White ones and grey ones,
With long beaks, they fly!
Look, look, look!
You see...
You with your "cranes like ships".
bTHE CRANES ARE FLYING/b
Written by V. ROZOV
Directed by M. KALATOZOV
Director of Photography
S. URUSEVSKY
Associate Director - B. FRIDMAN
Production Designer - Y. SVIDETELEV
Music by M. VAINBERG
Sound by I. MAYOROV
T. KAMENEVA
Starring...
T. SAMOJLOVA as Veronika
A. BATALOV as Boris...
V. MERKURYEV
as Fyodor Ivanovich...
A. SHVORIN as Mark
S. KHARITONOVA as Irina...
K. NIKITIN as Volodya
V. ZUBKOV as Stepan...
A. BOGDANOVA as Grandma
B. KOKOVKIN as Tyernov...
Ye. KUPRIYANOVA
as Anna Mikhajlovna...
An Order of Lenin Film Studio
"Mosfilm" production, 1957
Who is there?
Wait!
Well, all right.
Say when, then.
Thursday, on the embankment.
Come on, that's too long.
Squirrel!
You haven't told me when!
Squirrel!
Squirrel, at what time?
What time on Thursday?
No, no, I can't make it.
I can't make it.
I'll be working.
- All right.
- Don't be late.
Squirrel!
- She's gone crazy over him.
- And he's over her.
That's love, my dear.
A harmless mental disturbance.
Grandma, why aren't you asleep?
Because it's time to get up, Boris!
Stop chomping!
Running around all night...
Are you jealous?
You haven't torn it, have you?
Your jacket's all right.
Outrageous!
It's noon and he's still in bed.
The boy deserves a good rest
on Sunday. He works hard.
That work of his will result
in a marriage.
That's when you'll be really jealous.
For Irina, her diploma comes first.
Look out, Uncle Fedya.
She'll be a full professor soon,
while you're still only a MD.
If children don't surpass
their parents...
...then the children are fools
and the parents are no better.
Thanks, Mamma.
This is Radio Moscow broadcasting
over all of the Soviet Union!
- What is it?
- What has happened?
We're at war! Boris!
Do you hear? We're at war!
Leave me alone!
Hi!
Boris is working day and night.
Are you waiting for him?
I'm not waiting for anyone.
Veronika!
In time of war,
one should not get confused.
One should hold on to
a normal life pace.
Take me.
I dream of dedicating to you
my first symphony.
Will you come to the concert?
Suppose the Army calls you up?
The Army? I doubt it. Hardly.
Why "hardly"?
The most talented ones will be exempted.
- Are you the most talented one?
- Me? Certainly.
Why are you following me around?
Aren't you ashamed?
I am.
I tried to keep away from you.
I know, Boris is my cousin.
But I can't help myself!
Wait!
- Wait!
- I'm going home alone.
Hey, slow down!
You just had an operation.
I'd better be in shape
for that field-pack.
They're not wasting men like you
in the Army.
There'll only be one exemption
here, and one of us'll get it.
They'd better give it to you.
You've got knowledge, experience.
And you've got talent.
Save your sketches.
My wife's already got my bag packed.
Well, as they say,
let's get our bayonets ready.
Stepan! Hey, Stepan!
Guys, give me a hand...
Stepan!
Excuse me, Sachkov.
- Where's the summons?
- Not yet. I can't wait.
- Are you off now?
- No, I've got those sketches...
- I see. Take care.
- Okay.
- Hey!
- Yeah?
- Have you told her?
- No, it's too early...
- You're right. See you tomorrow.
- Right.
- Let go.
- I won't.
- You're going to fall down.
- No, I won't.
- You'll rip up the blackout.
- It's a blanket.
I'm going to call the militia.
I'm sick of the blackout.
Give me the blanket.
- Let go. You'll fall.
- No, I won't.
Come on, Squirrel, cut it out.
Let me hang this up.
You didn't come to the embankment
today, but Mark did.
- He's very handsome.
- So what?
- Aren't you jealous?
- What?
- Aren't you jealous?
- I haven't got the time for it.
I won't have much time either when
I go to the architecture college.
You'll never pass the entrance exams.
- I will!
- I doubt it.
Cranes like ships
Sailing up in the sky,
White ones and grey ones,
With long beaks, they fly.
- Do you like my song?
- Very profound.
Oh frogs, you keep on croaking,
Why didn't you think of looking up?
You went on leaping, in mud soaking
That's why you ended eaten up.
- All right, you won, hero.
- I won, I won!
I won.
All right.
- D'you think you'll be drafted?
- Sure.
- You won't volunteer?
- I might. Why not?
No, you won't! I won't let you.
You know you'll get an exemption.
That's why you talk so big.
- Why do you think so?
- Everyone smart will be exempted.
Then the only ones to do
the fighting will be the fools.
I don't want to talk to you ever again.
Veronika...
...there's something
I must tell you.
I don't want to hear it.
And, please, don't call me
Veronika.
- Who am I?
- Squirrel.
Listen...
- What will you give me tomorrow?
- It's a secret.
If you give me something sweet,
I'll eat it up and forget about it.
Give me something
to remember you with.
Kiss me now.
When I'm with you,
I'm not afraid of anything.
Not even the war.
Though, I'm afraid of the militia.
- Veronika...
- You know what?
- Do you know?
- No.
I'll have a beautiful white dress
made for our wedding.
One like my grandmother had.
And a veil...
Very long and white.
And you should wear
your dark suit.
- And you and I will go...
- To a registry office.
- Is it a deal?
- It's a deal.
- You know I like this blackout.
- What's so good about it?
Hi!
- Stepan!
- Veronika!
- I've got a treat for both of you.
- Fine.
- What is it?
- It's a secret.
- Has it arrived?
- Yes, this morning.
- Why didn't you say so? Tell me.
- Well, go on.
You should've seen what's
going on over at the factory.
Make it short, will you?
I'm telling you:
There's so much excitement...
- Never mind that.
- Your folks told me...
- When do we report?
- Today at 5:30.
Look at those cherries!
Is anything wrong?
- They're nice!
- Army orders.
- No! For you?
- Me too.
We both volunteered...
When?
- You volunteered?
- It's army orders.
Wait! What about us?
Stepan...
No, I've got to go.
My folks are going to... So long.
Squirrel!
I didn't want to tell you
before your birthday.
- And now I have to go.
- Of course.
Boris!
Squirrel!
What is this?
White cranes flying...
I like that.
I'm going to be all right.
Do you hear?
And after that we'll live together...
a hundred years.
Go on now.
We'll say goodbye later.
Don't be late.
What difference would it make
if he went a day later?
What a nerve if he's still
with Veronika.
- Boris! Boris!
- Did Dad call?
He was furious.
Why didn't you tell anyone?
So that we didn't have any scenes
like that.
Get these prints back
to the factory tomorrow.
- Give them to Kuzmin, the engineer.
- I will, don't worry.
What are you putting in there?
I'm going out for a bottle of wine.
Grandma, do me a favor.
Just a minute...
- Will they send you to the front?
- Probably.
Grandma, here...
Wait.
Tomorrow when you get up,
take this to her...
- What is it?
- Her birthday present.
And help her.
After all, it's war...
Please, be kind to her.
And what if I die?
You don't have the right...
...especially now,
with so many secrets to protect.
- Well, suppose I do...
- Come on...
Quiet now, Grandma.
That's Veronika!
No, it's just Irina.
Thank heaven, you've come.
- Boris!
- Yes?
Come over here.
You're 25 years old
and you behave like a fool.
What are we, children? What is it?
Are we playing hide and seek?
Are you starved for adventures?
What kind of a man are you?
Where's Irina and Mark?
Irina is making coffee,
Mark went out for wine.
Coffee, wine...
What kind of send-off is that?
Irina! Bring that thing
from the medicine chest.
Boris, come over here.
- Where is Veronika?
- She'll be here.
- But where's she?
- She's busy.
She's supposed to be here.
Her fiance is going away.
I'm not her fiance.
- What are you then?
- Just a friend...
- That sounds suspicious...
- I don't mean that way, Dad.
- Then what do you mean?
- Look, give me a break.
Why do you put pressure on him?
- Here's the alcohol.
- Have it diluted.
I got some port wine.
Drink it yourself.
We'll have a more robust drink.
Well, are we all here?
Let's sit down.
It's Veronika.
Aren't you going to welcome her,
friend?
At last!
Is Boris home?
We're from the factory.
Please, come in.
I thought it was the fiancee.
- We've come from the factory.
- What about the presents?
- Sorry. This one's yours.
- Yes... Thank you.
On behalf of the Factory Committee...
Comrade Boris, you must fight
to the last drop of your blood.
Smash the accursed fascists...
...and we, in the factory, will fulfil
and overfulfil our quotas.
We've heard all that before.
You'd better join us
and drink to my son, Boris.
Well, I suppose...
...life in this world of ours
is not yet...
...what we would like it to be.
Now you're going to war, Boris...
- Let's drink.
- To you.
What about Grandma?
We saw my brother off last night.
My mother was crying...
- What about you?
- I was too.
- On whose behalf, the committee's?
- I wasn't thinking about that.
There's no one to see off in our
family, we have 3 girls and Mom.
It's somewhat embarrassing...
I feel left out...
Yes, and when they come back,
you'll really envy us.
The trouble is, not all of them
will be coming back.
For those who don't,
a magnificent monument...
...with their names inscribed in gold.
Irina, don't just sit there.
Fill the glasses.
And you folks in the rear,
fulfil and overfulfil!
Now, Grandma, don't forget.
Mark, stay with Dad.
He'll be all right.
I'll see you off.
About face!
Platoon, forward march!
Take it, Grandma!
- Boris!
- Mamma!
- I won't see him again.
- I'm sorry, Mamma.
Drink it. You'll feel better.
- Where are you going?
- To the hospital.
But you aren't on call now.
Varvara Kapitonovna,
I've got to see Boris...
He's gone.
- Gone? Where?
- To report for the Army.
- Oh, no!
- Come in.
- Where was he supposed to report?
- I don't know.
What is it?
It's from Boris. For your birthday.
There's a note inside.
- Where's the note?
- Why? Isn't it there?
It's not.
Maybe it fell?
Maybe he forgot in a hurry.
- Forgot?
- He'll write to you.
Where were you?
- Where's Boris gone?
- It's the schoolyard near the park.
Calm down, she'll be here.
It would be quite a job
finding someone in this crowd.
What are you doing?
Write to me. Write every day.
Didn't I tell you to ship
the cauliflower?
An airplane is high above,
Over the roofs it's droning.
It's my sweetheart sends his love
From his sky-high soaring.
It was used to be before
That he saw me to my door.
Now it's been quite a turn-off:
I'm the one to see him off!
Don't forget to write
your Army Post Office number.
- Cheer up, pug-nose!
- We'll wait till you come back.
Goodbye, Boris! Take care!
Fall in!
She will come.
Boris! Boris!
Dress!
Attention!
Forward march!
Boris!
That's my little chicken!
Boris! Boris!
Grandma... Nothing?
He hasn't written to me either.
- Any news?
- No.
Oh, this damn war!
We'll have to keep going somehow.
Have you decided about a job?
I'm starting at the war factory
tomorrow.
Air-raid alert!
Air-raid alert!
Hurry on to the subway.
I've got to finish this.
Go get your things.
- Where's the knapsack?
- It's over there.
I won't go without you.
If it gets bad, we'll run down.
Go on, now.
Be careful in the subway!
She's so frightened, poor thing.
Aren't you?
When I know that Veronika's
safe and you're with me...
...I'm not such a coward.
The filthy murderers!
We'll get back at you, you wait!
He's not writing to me.
Oh, he must have written.
It's just the mail.
All clear!
The air raid has been terminated.
Let's go!
Here's where I live now.
If you decide to work with us,
call me at the factory.
- I will.
- Goodbye.
Get down here! Come back!
What's the matter? Are you crazy?
I'm sorry.
Veronika, you can stay with us
from now on.
You can have Boris' room.
Mark will move in with Fedya...
That's it.
Mark, she'll need some attention
to keep her from brooding.
Irina and I are so busy
at the hospital.
I'll do what I can, Uncle Fedya.
I promised Boris.
- Is it agreed?
- Um-hmm.
Is this the factory?
May I speak to Kuzmin?
He was drafted, too?
Excuse me, has anyone heard
from Boris Borozdin?
If it weren't for this damn war...
...I'd be playing this
in the Tchaikovsky Hall.
For you.
Veronika!
Let's go to the subway.
- I'm not going.
- Don't be silly. Come on.
- Are you afraid?
- For you.
Come with me.
I'm not afraid of anything.
- Veronika, let's go to the subway!
- No, I'm not going.
- Stop it! You've gone crazy!
- I'm not going!
I love you.
No.
- I love you!
- No! No! No!
- I love you!
- No! No! No!
- I love you!
- Go away!
- I love you!
- No! No! No!
It's stupid to get surrounded like this.
- Stepan, quit whining.
- Who's whining? I'm not.
The captain said we might be
able to break out by tonight.
Yeah, that's what he says.
Sachkov!
Where'd you find that rookie?
In the incubator.
He's our reinforcements.
Now we'll break through for sure.
Is that a way to talk about
a married soldier?
I got yoked in my last year of school.
The result of too much of education.
You're funny. Laughed yourselves
right into a trap, I guess.
- Volodya, you really married?
- I said it to sound important.
- Borozdin!
- Yes?
You'll go on a reconnaissance mission.
You got to find the best place
for us to break through tonight.
- Turn in your documents.
- Yes, sir.
Hey, Sachkov! Take this, will you?
Why don't we rest?
And have a smoke.
Is she always laughing like that?
She probably thinks we're all dead.
Let me see that beauty.
Hey, that's the soldier's life for you!
- You're here, and she...
- And she what?
Hey, let me try that thing.
- Hold it, will you, Sachkov?
- Certainly.
Not bad for a first try.
Stop that!
- Aren't you ashamed?
- No, sir.
- Five days under arrest!
- Yes, sir.
- You both go on a reconnaissance.
- Why?
Turn in your papers!
Boris, here.
On account of her?
- I'd say she was worth it.
- She sure is!
However, we must maintain discipline!
You hear that? Discipline...
Stepan, keep this.
Be careful, don't lose it.
We...
We'll get married, Uncle Fedya.
Oh, I forgot.
There's some sausage left.
- Keep your head down!
- Stop ordering around!
Let's get out of here
before they get wise.
- If you're scared, run.
- Come on, you idiot!
Hey! Musician! Are you deaf?
Why the devil I've got tied up with him?
What's wrong with you?
Can you hear me?
- Go on. I want to rest for a while.
- Are you wounded? Hold on to me.
- Leave me alone.
- I tell you, get up!
Now hang on, hold tight.
This way's no good.
I'll have to carry you.
Come on, leave me here.
Are you still sore
because I punched you?
- You were just lucky, otherwise...
- Shut up, we'll talk later.
Here we go... Are you all right?
Hold on, friend.
It's only a little way to the woods.
We'll be safe there.
I'm winded. Let's rest a bit.
It's a little quieter here.
How are you?
It's hard to breathe.
Hold on, we'll have to
get you married yet.
Hey, buddy! What's the matter
with you? What's wrong?
Forgive me, friend, forgive me...
It's my fault... Forgive me...
friend...
Hey, somebody! Help!
Help! Help!
Can you hear me, Boris?
Are you hit? Are you hit, Boris?
It's nothing, I am just...
The Soviet Information Bureau
reports that...
...there were no important changes...
...on the front in the past 24 hours.
No news is good news.
Families evacuated with Plant 326...
...will be quartered
on Vosstaniya Street.
Comrades, report here, please.
- Irina, help me with the wounded.
- I'll get an orderly.
Everybody off!
Siberia!
We can't run much farther.
Poor Mother Russia!
Attention, please! Chief of Army
Hospital, Comrade Borozdin,
...please report to the military
commandant at once.
Maybe we'll find peace here at last.
Out of the way, the evacuated.
Your stove is smoking.
Oh, I'm sorry.
Save your dreaming till the war is over.
Where are you going?
To the hospital. I'm on duty.
She wanders around like a ghost,
all nerves.
The poor thing is waiting for a letter.
From whom? Her husband's not
up at the front like ours.
She's not waiting for any letter.
- D'you have the 2nd shift at school?
- Yes.
Cranes like ships,
Sailing up in the sky...
I can't get those silly verses
out of my head.
There she is!
- Who?
- The mail carrier.
If I can count up to 50,
there'll be a letter for me.
- One, two, three, four...
- Stop it, Veronika.
...eight, nine, ten, eleven,
twelve, thirteen, fourteen...
- Fifteen, sixteen...
- Veronika, this is madness.
- Nineteen, twenty...
- Stop it!
Forty-seven, forty-eight...
- Good morning!
- Good morning!
Sorry, nothing for you.
Here you are.
- Lebedeva?
- That's me.
- Paliukaitis?
- Nothing.
From my eldest.
From the Ukrainian Front.
I didn't know Boris.
But everyone says what a fine,
talented boy he was.
Was?
Listed as missing in action
doesn't mean he was killed.
Of course not.
I just didn't put it right.
- What's wrong, Veronika?
- I'm dying, Anna Mikhajlovna.
Come on, Veronika. You poor child.
I've lost everything.
You have your whole life
before you, Veronika.
I don't want it!
What's it good for?
You must forget the past.
It is human nature to forget.
I don't want to forget.
I don't need it.
But you can't go on tormenting
yourself for your mistakes.
I should do it. All my life.
You teach history.
You're a wise woman.
Tell me what's the meaning of life?
The meaning of life?
Maybe it's in...
- Did Tyernov get here yet?
- Not yet.
Wow, I'm really famished!
Try to be nice to Tyernov
when he comes, please.
He makes me ill.
I feel exactly the same way,
but after all he's my boss.
That gives you a reason
to lick his boots?
Please, Veronika, this can't go on.
You're always so irritable,
always criticizing.
Tell me,
how can I make you happy?
Just disappear.
Come in, it's open.
Come in!
Mark, pardon my invasion.
Not at all. It's a pleasure.
Here, let me take that.
Did you see the paper? The Germans
have advanced in the Caucasus.
Yes, it's awful.
But we'll show them
what we're made of yet!
Please make yourself comfortable.
It's warm here.
Your place is nice and cozy.
My wife and children are in
Tashkent, so I'm kind of homeless.
- Good day, Veronika.
- Hello.
- Where are you going, darling?
- To the hospital. I'm on duty.
Bundle up. It's very cold.
I admire your wife.
She's so honest...
She must be very happy with you.
- I was looking for you at the Philharmonic.
- Was there a concert?
No. But are you going
to the birthday party tonight?
I might.
- What are you giving her?
- What can I give her?
The war! Yes, this war.
It's nothing gorgeous, of course,
but tie a little trifle to it...
...and Antonina will be pleased.
It's wonderful! What do I owe you?
- It's really nothing, forget it.
- Thank you very much.
Mark, can you do me a favor?
- Is someone up there?
- No.
Could you get some drugs for me...
...from Fyodor Ivanovich?
Fine job, Irina. He'll pull through.
I hope so.
It would be downright mean
of him not to.
Irina,
you should have been a man!
I'm doing all right as a girl.
Veronika! What are you doing
here so early?
The clock was fast.
Poor girl...
I can't forgive her for
what she did to Boris.
New patients again!
I told them I have no more room.
I'm running a hospital,
not a barrel of herrings!
- Are these from Kalach?
- From Stalingrad.
Some from the front line,
others from the hospitals.
No place for us here, either.
Don't worry, they'll find room.
I'll take 80 men.
The rest will have to go
to other hospitals.
Let's see now...
Please give my regards to Sergey...
...Fyodor, Vassily, Aunt Maria...
...Agraphyona, Catherine, Barbara...
...Nikolai, Catherine...
- You already said Catherine.
- That's another one.
- Don't you want to explain it?
- They'll figure it out.
So, Zinaida, Antonina, Kuzma...
Nurse!
- What do you want, Vorobyov?
- Never mind. Nurse!
- He wants a potty.
- I'll give it to him.
Thanks.
That's beautiful music!
Turn it up a little louder,
will you please?
Shut up your music!
Turn it down! You hear me?
Who was that shouting?
- Who was it?
- I did, so what? I did.
- Zakharov, what's wrong?
- Leave me alone!
He's gone berserk. He got bad news
from home this morning.
His girl just got married to
a friend of his, bitch.
He hasn't had a bite to eat.
Try to see what you can do, nurse.
Those broads are worse than
fascists, aiming right in the heart.
You must try to eat.
It's the only way to get well.
I don't want to get well!
I just want to croak!
Get the doctor.
Calm down.
Calm down.
Please, calm down.
Because of a woman...
What a dumbbell!
Get the doctor!
Get the doctor now!
Quit that yelling!
Cackling like a bunch of hens!
Where will they take us now?
There're plenty of hospitals
in this wide world.
Guys, the chief is coming!
Bastards!
Quiet down!
You're a soldier in the Red Army!
Want to desert it?
You afraid that if we cure you,
you might go back in the army?
You're not being fair.
He got a bad letter from home.
I know.
That's just an excuse.
So what if his girl's left him?
Good riddance!
She's not worth a dime...
...if she gave up a handsome soldier
like this, a real hero...
...for a puny draft-dodger!
Right.
She's the one who's missed
her happiness!
And whatever she's got,
she deserves it!
What a petty soul!
Can a woman like that understand
the suffering you've gone through?
Killing her would be too good
for her kind.
You stood the most difficult trial.
You looked death in the face,
went to meet it yourself.
And she couldn't stand
the small test of time.
For women like that, no honorable
man can have anything but contempt!
For such creatures there is no pardon!
Bandage him!
Aunt Sima, bring him fresh
porridge and some hot tea.
Be good now.
Veronika...
What the hell kind of a mother
are you? Keep an eye on your kid!
And I'll be held responsible!
Daydreaming, you fool!
- Who are you?
- Mamma's boy.
- Where are you from?
- From Voroshilovgrad.
- How old are you?
- Three months and three years.
- What's your name?
- Boris.
- What?
- Boris.
- Why the fancy get-up?
- A concert in the hospital.
- A likely story!
- All right, all right.
- Is Mark here?
- So far yes.
I've been saving this for you.
Thank you very much,
Anna Mikhajlovna.
It's for a little boy we know.
It's his birthday.
I wish everyone were as
kind-hearted as you are, Mark.
The symptomatology of this type
of compound injury...
...depends primarily on changes
in the nodal structure...
- Interesting, but beyond me.
- Why, it's really quite simple.
They are not readily apparent
to the clinical practitioner...
...but in most cases
the etiology...
- What is this?
- What kind of a trick is that?
What do you mean, trick?
The poor child lost his parents.
I want my mommy!
You ought to have taken him
to the Foundling Center.
You go yourself to the Center!
- Rude child!
- I'm not, you're rude!
Now, don't cry. We'll go find
your mommy in Voroshilovgrad.
Now, now, be quiet.
- Poor baby, he wants his mommy.
- Look, here comes a goat...
Stop rattling. You're hurting my ears.
Here, play with the cover.
Don't you want it?
Oh, my God.
Here's a bagel roll for you.
Keep him quiet!
He's driving me crazy.
If we had some toys for him
to play with...
Irina, take him for a minute.
Hah, what next?
Stop crying, will you?
Let me take him.
Come on, my little one,
my little Boris...
I'll undress you and put you to bed...
- Have anyone seen my squirrel?
- Yes, Mark took it.
- Mark? Why?
- He's giving it to some boy.
My squirrel to a boy?
- Where's Mark?
- I don't know.
- Where's Mark?
- I don't know.
You're hiding something from me.
You know where he's, don't you?
Where's he?
He's probably gone to Antonina's party.
- What Antonina?
- Why don't you ask Mark?
- Who's she, tell me!
- Don't order me around.
Mark visits her occasionally.
Do you get it?
- You're saying this to spite me.
- Why would I want to?
Because I'm married, I'm loved,
and you're still a spinster!
Veronika, stop it!
Antonina lives near the food shop...
...in the little house next door.
Go over there and see for yourself.
Calm down. Calm down.
I should do something.
I should do something.
When Mark comes home, you'll
have a talk. But now you must wait.
Sure, I must wait... That's all
I've been doing all the time.
That's enough!
May our lips benumb.
Words are futile.
They so often lie perchance.
And only our eyes
Will never dare lie,
Forever true their parting glance.
My eyes are now sad and dark,
As though therein a candle was put out...
In Leningrad after my parties
we'd go for a ride...
...from one part of the city
to the other.
Arrange for a ride now.
There's a war on, Antonina.
Cars are worth its weight in gold,
the gasoline is strictly rationed.
Get any kind of car!
I beg you!
A fire-engine, an ambulance,
a truck... anything!
Let me hope where there's
hope no longer!
Just the two of us?
To the point of full abandon?
I'll see what I can do.
I love you!
Sorry, I don't dance.
I thought I'd tried everything...
...but I've never tried golden
chestnuts.
Look, a note!
- It's a birthday note for me.
- Congratulations!
Where's the squirrel?
Where's my squirrel?
Look, you mustn't think that...
There's a note here from
somebody named Boris.
My only one, happy birthday...
On this day you were born.
It's hard leaving you.
But it can't be helped.
It's war!
I must go.
We can't go on living the way
we did, enjoying ourselves...
...while death stalks our land.
We will be happy some day.
I love you, I trust you.
Your Boris.
Why are you so alarmed?
Go home. I'll be right back.
Why?
- Take your coat off.
- Thank you.
You know, all the Philharmonic
cars are being used tonight...
...and I must have a car.
You're Chief Surgeon, you won't
refuse me this little favor...
Transportation is our most
critical problem.
It was difficult for me too,
but I did my best.
I did my best. I went out of my way,
because you asked me...
- What I asked you?
- The exemption.
Now it's about to expire...
...and this time to get it
will be almost impossible.
- What d'you mean, exemption?
- The exemption for Mark.
You can be sure I handled
the whole thing discreetly.
Could Mark have done it
without informing you?
He even offered me money in your name.
I'm sorry.
I'm glad you're here, Uncle Fedya.
I wish you'd talk to her.
She burst in without being
invited, started a fight...
Shut the door.
Do you believe that anybody likes...
...having his son marching off to war?
What do you mean?
Or do you believe that for your
petty pleasures and well-being...
...others must lose their arms,
legs, eyes, jaws, even their lives?
And you owe nothing to no one?
You know I've got an exemption,
Uncle Fedya.
Tell us how you got this exemption.
Veronika, what are you doing?
It's all right. I'm going to rent
a room. And I'm taking the boy.
Perhaps someone else had better
rent a room?
Gladly. I've been wanting to
for a long time.
I wish you'd driven me out
in the first place.
You've been through a terrible ordeal.
Only one who had done something
worse could have condemned you.
Stay with us.
I can't.
I cannot hide behind someone
else's back. I don't want to.
Think it over.
Think it over.
Listen, where can I find
the Borozdin family?
- Which Borozdin are you looking for?
- Fyodor Ivanovich.
- Fyodor Ivanovich?
- Yes.
Fyodor Ivanovich is not in at the moment.
Are you from Boris?
No, I'm by myself.
I have to see Fyodor Ivanovich.
- Won't you sit down?
- Thanks.
Fyodor Ivanovich should be
here in a few minutes.
- May I go out?
- All right.
- Is he yours?
- Yes, he's mine.
He looks like you.
Are you a relative of the Borozdins?
Not really.
Well, I've done all the fighting
I'll ever do.
Going home?
Not yet.
Leningrad's still blockaded.
- Yeah, I'm in a spot.
- Why?
I guess there's no harm in telling
you because you're not the family.
But how do you tell a man
his son was killed?
- Where did it happen?
- Near Smolensk.
What do you want me to play?
I don't care.
Tell me, did you see him buried?
No.
I was put on a stretcher
and taken to a hospital...
...and he was with a friend of his,
Stepan.
Stepan...
I've got to find his girl now.
He was really in love with her.
I'm the girl.
Come to see us when you're
in Moscow, Volodya.
Thanks very much. I will.
The war's over.
It's strange, isn't it?
And you're still waiting?
I am. One must always
keep on hoping.
What's the use of waiting?
I saw it with my own eyes.
What did you see? You saw him
wounded? You saw him fall?
You didn't see him die.
But if he's alive,
why hasn't he written to you?
Anything could happen. Stepan
hasn't written to anyone either.
They know at the factory that
he was in some Special Operations.
Dasha promised to let me know
when he's back.
Boris is alive. He's alive.
Look!
The victors are coming!
Kolia, darling, you're back!
Boris!
Veronika!
Stepan!
The flowers... For you.
Well? What?
You see...
Well...
My darling!
Dear mothers,
fathers, brothers and sisters!
The happiness of our reunion
is boundless.
The heart of every Soviet citizen...
...sings with joy...
...the joy of victory!
We have all waited
for this happy moment.
We dreamed of it in the darkest
hours of our struggle.
But we'll never forget those who
lie silent on the battlefield.
Years will pass,
our cities will rise again,
...and our wounds may one day
be forgotten.
Let one thing remain in our hearts,
a cold hatred of war!
We deeply feel the grief of those...
...who cannot meet
their loved ones today.
We must all take a vow
to keep our promise...
...that sweethearts will never again
be parted by war...
...that mothers may never again
fear for their children...
...that our brave fathers may not
stealthily swallow their tears.
We have won and remained alive,
not for destruction...
...but to build a new life!
Don't just stand there. Give
the flowers to whoever they're for.
Thank you very much, sister.
Oh, what a darling!
What a chubby little darling!
Look, look, the cranes are flying
over Moscow!
THE END
Wait. Wait, Squirrel!
Here, put it on.
Look!
Cranes like ships
Sailing up in the sky,
White ones and grey ones,
With long beaks, they fly!
Look, look, look!
You see...
You with your "cranes like ships".
bTHE CRANES ARE FLYING/b
Written by V. ROZOV
Directed by M. KALATOZOV
Director of Photography
S. URUSEVSKY
Associate Director - B. FRIDMAN
Production Designer - Y. SVIDETELEV
Music by M. VAINBERG
Sound by I. MAYOROV
T. KAMENEVA
Starring...
T. SAMOJLOVA as Veronika
A. BATALOV as Boris...
V. MERKURYEV
as Fyodor Ivanovich...
A. SHVORIN as Mark
S. KHARITONOVA as Irina...
K. NIKITIN as Volodya
V. ZUBKOV as Stepan...
A. BOGDANOVA as Grandma
B. KOKOVKIN as Tyernov...
Ye. KUPRIYANOVA
as Anna Mikhajlovna...
An Order of Lenin Film Studio
"Mosfilm" production, 1957
Who is there?
Wait!
Well, all right.
Say when, then.
Thursday, on the embankment.
Come on, that's too long.
Squirrel!
You haven't told me when!
Squirrel!
Squirrel, at what time?
What time on Thursday?
No, no, I can't make it.
I can't make it.
I'll be working.
- All right.
- Don't be late.
Squirrel!
- She's gone crazy over him.
- And he's over her.
That's love, my dear.
A harmless mental disturbance.
Grandma, why aren't you asleep?
Because it's time to get up, Boris!
Stop chomping!
Running around all night...
Are you jealous?
You haven't torn it, have you?
Your jacket's all right.
Outrageous!
It's noon and he's still in bed.
The boy deserves a good rest
on Sunday. He works hard.
That work of his will result
in a marriage.
That's when you'll be really jealous.
For Irina, her diploma comes first.
Look out, Uncle Fedya.
She'll be a full professor soon,
while you're still only a MD.
If children don't surpass
their parents...
...then the children are fools
and the parents are no better.
Thanks, Mamma.
This is Radio Moscow broadcasting
over all of the Soviet Union!
- What is it?
- What has happened?
We're at war! Boris!
Do you hear? We're at war!
Leave me alone!
Hi!
Boris is working day and night.
Are you waiting for him?
I'm not waiting for anyone.
Veronika!
In time of war,
one should not get confused.
One should hold on to
a normal life pace.
Take me.
I dream of dedicating to you
my first symphony.
Will you come to the concert?
Suppose the Army calls you up?
The Army? I doubt it. Hardly.
Why "hardly"?
The most talented ones will be exempted.
- Are you the most talented one?
- Me? Certainly.
Why are you following me around?
Aren't you ashamed?
I am.
I tried to keep away from you.
I know, Boris is my cousin.
But I can't help myself!
Wait!
- Wait!
- I'm going home alone.
Hey, slow down!
You just had an operation.
I'd better be in shape
for that field-pack.
They're not wasting men like you
in the Army.
There'll only be one exemption
here, and one of us'll get it.
They'd better give it to you.
You've got knowledge, experience.
And you've got talent.
Save your sketches.
My wife's already got my bag packed.
Well, as they say,
let's get our bayonets ready.
Stepan! Hey, Stepan!
Guys, give me a hand...
Stepan!
Excuse me, Sachkov.
- Where's the summons?
- Not yet. I can't wait.
- Are you off now?
- No, I've got those sketches...
- I see. Take care.
- Okay.
- Hey!
- Yeah?
- Have you told her?
- No, it's too early...
- You're right. See you tomorrow.
- Right.
- Let go.
- I won't.
- You're going to fall down.
- No, I won't.
- You'll rip up the blackout.
- It's a blanket.
I'm going to call the militia.
I'm sick of the blackout.
Give me the blanket.
- Let go. You'll fall.
- No, I won't.
Come on, Squirrel, cut it out.
Let me hang this up.
You didn't come to the embankment
today, but Mark did.
- He's very handsome.
- So what?
- Aren't you jealous?
- What?
- Aren't you jealous?
- I haven't got the time for it.
I won't have much time either when
I go to the architecture college.
You'll never pass the entrance exams.
- I will!
- I doubt it.
Cranes like ships
Sailing up in the sky,
White ones and grey ones,
With long beaks, they fly.
- Do you like my song?
- Very profound.
Oh frogs, you keep on croaking,
Why didn't you think of looking up?
You went on leaping, in mud soaking
That's why you ended eaten up.
- All right, you won, hero.
- I won, I won!
I won.
All right.
- D'you think you'll be drafted?
- Sure.
- You won't volunteer?
- I might. Why not?
No, you won't! I won't let you.
You know you'll get an exemption.
That's why you talk so big.
- Why do you think so?
- Everyone smart will be exempted.
Then the only ones to do
the fighting will be the fools.
I don't want to talk to you ever again.
Veronika...
...there's something
I must tell you.
I don't want to hear it.
And, please, don't call me
Veronika.
- Who am I?
- Squirrel.
Listen...
- What will you give me tomorrow?
- It's a secret.
If you give me something sweet,
I'll eat it up and forget about it.
Give me something
to remember you with.
Kiss me now.
When I'm with you,
I'm not afraid of anything.
Not even the war.
Though, I'm afraid of the militia.
- Veronika...
- You know what?
- Do you know?
- No.
I'll have a beautiful white dress
made for our wedding.
One like my grandmother had.
And a veil...
Very long and white.
And you should wear
your dark suit.
- And you and I will go...
- To a registry office.
- Is it a deal?
- It's a deal.
- You know I like this blackout.
- What's so good about it?
Hi!
- Stepan!
- Veronika!
- I've got a treat for both of you.
- Fine.
- What is it?
- It's a secret.
- Has it arrived?
- Yes, this morning.
- Why didn't you say so? Tell me.
- Well, go on.
You should've seen what's
going on over at the factory.
Make it short, will you?
I'm telling you:
There's so much excitement...
- Never mind that.
- Your folks told me...
- When do we report?
- Today at 5:30.
Look at those cherries!
Is anything wrong?
- They're nice!
- Army orders.
- No! For you?
- Me too.
We both volunteered...
When?
- You volunteered?
- It's army orders.
Wait! What about us?
Stepan...
No, I've got to go.
My folks are going to... So long.
Squirrel!
I didn't want to tell you
before your birthday.
- And now I have to go.
- Of course.
Boris!
Squirrel!
What is this?
White cranes flying...
I like that.
I'm going to be all right.
Do you hear?
And after that we'll live together...
a hundred years.
Go on now.
We'll say goodbye later.
Don't be late.
What difference would it make
if he went a day later?
What a nerve if he's still
with Veronika.
- Boris! Boris!
- Did Dad call?
He was furious.
Why didn't you tell anyone?
So that we didn't have any scenes
like that.
Get these prints back
to the factory tomorrow.
- Give them to Kuzmin, the engineer.
- I will, don't worry.
What are you putting in there?
I'm going out for a bottle of wine.
Grandma, do me a favor.
Just a minute...
- Will they send you to the front?
- Probably.
Grandma, here...
Wait.
Tomorrow when you get up,
take this to her...
- What is it?
- Her birthday present.
And help her.
After all, it's war...
Please, be kind to her.
And what if I die?
You don't have the right...
...especially now,
with so many secrets to protect.
- Well, suppose I do...
- Come on...
Quiet now, Grandma.
That's Veronika!
No, it's just Irina.
Thank heaven, you've come.
- Boris!
- Yes?
Come over here.
You're 25 years old
and you behave like a fool.
What are we, children? What is it?
Are we playing hide and seek?
Are you starved for adventures?
What kind of a man are you?
Where's Irina and Mark?
Irina is making coffee,
Mark went out for wine.
Coffee, wine...
What kind of send-off is that?
Irina! Bring that thing
from the medicine chest.
Boris, come over here.
- Where is Veronika?
- She'll be here.
- But where's she?
- She's busy.
She's supposed to be here.
Her fiance is going away.
I'm not her fiance.
- What are you then?
- Just a friend...
- That sounds suspicious...
- I don't mean that way, Dad.
- Then what do you mean?
- Look, give me a break.
Why do you put pressure on him?
- Here's the alcohol.
- Have it diluted.
I got some port wine.
Drink it yourself.
We'll have a more robust drink.
Well, are we all here?
Let's sit down.
It's Veronika.
Aren't you going to welcome her,
friend?
At last!
Is Boris home?
We're from the factory.
Please, come in.
I thought it was the fiancee.
- We've come from the factory.
- What about the presents?
- Sorry. This one's yours.
- Yes... Thank you.
On behalf of the Factory Committee...
Comrade Boris, you must fight
to the last drop of your blood.
Smash the accursed fascists...
...and we, in the factory, will fulfil
and overfulfil our quotas.
We've heard all that before.
You'd better join us
and drink to my son, Boris.
Well, I suppose...
...life in this world of ours
is not yet...
...what we would like it to be.
Now you're going to war, Boris...
- Let's drink.
- To you.
What about Grandma?
We saw my brother off last night.
My mother was crying...
- What about you?
- I was too.
- On whose behalf, the committee's?
- I wasn't thinking about that.
There's no one to see off in our
family, we have 3 girls and Mom.
It's somewhat embarrassing...
I feel left out...
Yes, and when they come back,
you'll really envy us.
The trouble is, not all of them
will be coming back.
For those who don't,
a magnificent monument...
...with their names inscribed in gold.
Irina, don't just sit there.
Fill the glasses.
And you folks in the rear,
fulfil and overfulfil!
Now, Grandma, don't forget.
Mark, stay with Dad.
He'll be all right.
I'll see you off.
About face!
Platoon, forward march!
Take it, Grandma!
- Boris!
- Mamma!
- I won't see him again.
- I'm sorry, Mamma.
Drink it. You'll feel better.
- Where are you going?
- To the hospital.
But you aren't on call now.
Varvara Kapitonovna,
I've got to see Boris...
He's gone.
- Gone? Where?
- To report for the Army.
- Oh, no!
- Come in.
- Where was he supposed to report?
- I don't know.
What is it?
It's from Boris. For your birthday.
There's a note inside.
- Where's the note?
- Why? Isn't it there?
It's not.
Maybe it fell?
Maybe he forgot in a hurry.
- Forgot?
- He'll write to you.
Where were you?
- Where's Boris gone?
- It's the schoolyard near the park.
Calm down, she'll be here.
It would be quite a job
finding someone in this crowd.
What are you doing?
Write to me. Write every day.
Didn't I tell you to ship
the cauliflower?
An airplane is high above,
Over the roofs it's droning.
It's my sweetheart sends his love
From his sky-high soaring.
It was used to be before
That he saw me to my door.
Now it's been quite a turn-off:
I'm the one to see him off!
Don't forget to write
your Army Post Office number.
- Cheer up, pug-nose!
- We'll wait till you come back.
Goodbye, Boris! Take care!
Fall in!
She will come.
Boris! Boris!
Dress!
Attention!
Forward march!
Boris!
That's my little chicken!
Boris! Boris!
Grandma... Nothing?
He hasn't written to me either.
- Any news?
- No.
Oh, this damn war!
We'll have to keep going somehow.
Have you decided about a job?
I'm starting at the war factory
tomorrow.
Air-raid alert!
Air-raid alert!
Hurry on to the subway.
I've got to finish this.
Go get your things.
- Where's the knapsack?
- It's over there.
I won't go without you.
If it gets bad, we'll run down.
Go on, now.
Be careful in the subway!
She's so frightened, poor thing.
Aren't you?
When I know that Veronika's
safe and you're with me...
...I'm not such a coward.
The filthy murderers!
We'll get back at you, you wait!
He's not writing to me.
Oh, he must have written.
It's just the mail.
All clear!
The air raid has been terminated.
Let's go!
Here's where I live now.
If you decide to work with us,
call me at the factory.
- I will.
- Goodbye.
Get down here! Come back!
What's the matter? Are you crazy?
I'm sorry.
Veronika, you can stay with us
from now on.
You can have Boris' room.
Mark will move in with Fedya...
That's it.
Mark, she'll need some attention
to keep her from brooding.
Irina and I are so busy
at the hospital.
I'll do what I can, Uncle Fedya.
I promised Boris.
- Is it agreed?
- Um-hmm.
Is this the factory?
May I speak to Kuzmin?
He was drafted, too?
Excuse me, has anyone heard
from Boris Borozdin?
If it weren't for this damn war...
...I'd be playing this
in the Tchaikovsky Hall.
For you.
Veronika!
Let's go to the subway.
- I'm not going.
- Don't be silly. Come on.
- Are you afraid?
- For you.
Come with me.
I'm not afraid of anything.
- Veronika, let's go to the subway!
- No, I'm not going.
- Stop it! You've gone crazy!
- I'm not going!
I love you.
No.
- I love you!
- No! No! No!
- I love you!
- No! No! No!
- I love you!
- Go away!
- I love you!
- No! No! No!
It's stupid to get surrounded like this.
- Stepan, quit whining.
- Who's whining? I'm not.
The captain said we might be
able to break out by tonight.
Yeah, that's what he says.
Sachkov!
Where'd you find that rookie?
In the incubator.
He's our reinforcements.
Now we'll break through for sure.
Is that a way to talk about
a married soldier?
I got yoked in my last year of school.
The result of too much of education.
You're funny. Laughed yourselves
right into a trap, I guess.
- Volodya, you really married?
- I said it to sound important.
- Borozdin!
- Yes?
You'll go on a reconnaissance mission.
You got to find the best place
for us to break through tonight.
- Turn in your documents.
- Yes, sir.
Hey, Sachkov! Take this, will you?
Why don't we rest?
And have a smoke.
Is she always laughing like that?
She probably thinks we're all dead.
Let me see that beauty.
Hey, that's the soldier's life for you!
- You're here, and she...
- And she what?
Hey, let me try that thing.
- Hold it, will you, Sachkov?
- Certainly.
Not bad for a first try.
Stop that!
- Aren't you ashamed?
- No, sir.
- Five days under arrest!
- Yes, sir.
- You both go on a reconnaissance.
- Why?
Turn in your papers!
Boris, here.
On account of her?
- I'd say she was worth it.
- She sure is!
However, we must maintain discipline!
You hear that? Discipline...
Stepan, keep this.
Be careful, don't lose it.
We...
We'll get married, Uncle Fedya.
Oh, I forgot.
There's some sausage left.
- Keep your head down!
- Stop ordering around!
Let's get out of here
before they get wise.
- If you're scared, run.
- Come on, you idiot!
Hey! Musician! Are you deaf?
Why the devil I've got tied up with him?
What's wrong with you?
Can you hear me?
- Go on. I want to rest for a while.
- Are you wounded? Hold on to me.
- Leave me alone.
- I tell you, get up!
Now hang on, hold tight.
This way's no good.
I'll have to carry you.
Come on, leave me here.
Are you still sore
because I punched you?
- You were just lucky, otherwise...
- Shut up, we'll talk later.
Here we go... Are you all right?
Hold on, friend.
It's only a little way to the woods.
We'll be safe there.
I'm winded. Let's rest a bit.
It's a little quieter here.
How are you?
It's hard to breathe.
Hold on, we'll have to
get you married yet.
Hey, buddy! What's the matter
with you? What's wrong?
Forgive me, friend, forgive me...
It's my fault... Forgive me...
friend...
Hey, somebody! Help!
Help! Help!
Can you hear me, Boris?
Are you hit? Are you hit, Boris?
It's nothing, I am just...
The Soviet Information Bureau
reports that...
...there were no important changes...
...on the front in the past 24 hours.
No news is good news.
Families evacuated with Plant 326...
...will be quartered
on Vosstaniya Street.
Comrades, report here, please.
- Irina, help me with the wounded.
- I'll get an orderly.
Everybody off!
Siberia!
We can't run much farther.
Poor Mother Russia!
Attention, please! Chief of Army
Hospital, Comrade Borozdin,
...please report to the military
commandant at once.
Maybe we'll find peace here at last.
Out of the way, the evacuated.
Your stove is smoking.
Oh, I'm sorry.
Save your dreaming till the war is over.
Where are you going?
To the hospital. I'm on duty.
She wanders around like a ghost,
all nerves.
The poor thing is waiting for a letter.
From whom? Her husband's not
up at the front like ours.
She's not waiting for any letter.
- D'you have the 2nd shift at school?
- Yes.
Cranes like ships,
Sailing up in the sky...
I can't get those silly verses
out of my head.
There she is!
- Who?
- The mail carrier.
If I can count up to 50,
there'll be a letter for me.
- One, two, three, four...
- Stop it, Veronika.
...eight, nine, ten, eleven,
twelve, thirteen, fourteen...
- Fifteen, sixteen...
- Veronika, this is madness.
- Nineteen, twenty...
- Stop it!
Forty-seven, forty-eight...
- Good morning!
- Good morning!
Sorry, nothing for you.
Here you are.
- Lebedeva?
- That's me.
- Paliukaitis?
- Nothing.
From my eldest.
From the Ukrainian Front.
I didn't know Boris.
But everyone says what a fine,
talented boy he was.
Was?
Listed as missing in action
doesn't mean he was killed.
Of course not.
I just didn't put it right.
- What's wrong, Veronika?
- I'm dying, Anna Mikhajlovna.
Come on, Veronika. You poor child.
I've lost everything.
You have your whole life
before you, Veronika.
I don't want it!
What's it good for?
You must forget the past.
It is human nature to forget.
I don't want to forget.
I don't need it.
But you can't go on tormenting
yourself for your mistakes.
I should do it. All my life.
You teach history.
You're a wise woman.
Tell me what's the meaning of life?
The meaning of life?
Maybe it's in...
- Did Tyernov get here yet?
- Not yet.
Wow, I'm really famished!
Try to be nice to Tyernov
when he comes, please.
He makes me ill.
I feel exactly the same way,
but after all he's my boss.
That gives you a reason
to lick his boots?
Please, Veronika, this can't go on.
You're always so irritable,
always criticizing.
Tell me,
how can I make you happy?
Just disappear.
Come in, it's open.
Come in!
Mark, pardon my invasion.
Not at all. It's a pleasure.
Here, let me take that.
Did you see the paper? The Germans
have advanced in the Caucasus.
Yes, it's awful.
But we'll show them
what we're made of yet!
Please make yourself comfortable.
It's warm here.
Your place is nice and cozy.
My wife and children are in
Tashkent, so I'm kind of homeless.
- Good day, Veronika.
- Hello.
- Where are you going, darling?
- To the hospital. I'm on duty.
Bundle up. It's very cold.
I admire your wife.
She's so honest...
She must be very happy with you.
- I was looking for you at the Philharmonic.
- Was there a concert?
No. But are you going
to the birthday party tonight?
I might.
- What are you giving her?
- What can I give her?
The war! Yes, this war.
It's nothing gorgeous, of course,
but tie a little trifle to it...
...and Antonina will be pleased.
It's wonderful! What do I owe you?
- It's really nothing, forget it.
- Thank you very much.
Mark, can you do me a favor?
- Is someone up there?
- No.
Could you get some drugs for me...
...from Fyodor Ivanovich?
Fine job, Irina. He'll pull through.
I hope so.
It would be downright mean
of him not to.
Irina,
you should have been a man!
I'm doing all right as a girl.
Veronika! What are you doing
here so early?
The clock was fast.
Poor girl...
I can't forgive her for
what she did to Boris.
New patients again!
I told them I have no more room.
I'm running a hospital,
not a barrel of herrings!
- Are these from Kalach?
- From Stalingrad.
Some from the front line,
others from the hospitals.
No place for us here, either.
Don't worry, they'll find room.
I'll take 80 men.
The rest will have to go
to other hospitals.
Let's see now...
Please give my regards to Sergey...
...Fyodor, Vassily, Aunt Maria...
...Agraphyona, Catherine, Barbara...
...Nikolai, Catherine...
- You already said Catherine.
- That's another one.
- Don't you want to explain it?
- They'll figure it out.
So, Zinaida, Antonina, Kuzma...
Nurse!
- What do you want, Vorobyov?
- Never mind. Nurse!
- He wants a potty.
- I'll give it to him.
Thanks.
That's beautiful music!
Turn it up a little louder,
will you please?
Shut up your music!
Turn it down! You hear me?
Who was that shouting?
- Who was it?
- I did, so what? I did.
- Zakharov, what's wrong?
- Leave me alone!
He's gone berserk. He got bad news
from home this morning.
His girl just got married to
a friend of his, bitch.
He hasn't had a bite to eat.
Try to see what you can do, nurse.
Those broads are worse than
fascists, aiming right in the heart.
You must try to eat.
It's the only way to get well.
I don't want to get well!
I just want to croak!
Get the doctor.
Calm down.
Calm down.
Please, calm down.
Because of a woman...
What a dumbbell!
Get the doctor!
Get the doctor now!
Quit that yelling!
Cackling like a bunch of hens!
Where will they take us now?
There're plenty of hospitals
in this wide world.
Guys, the chief is coming!
Bastards!
Quiet down!
You're a soldier in the Red Army!
Want to desert it?
You afraid that if we cure you,
you might go back in the army?
You're not being fair.
He got a bad letter from home.
I know.
That's just an excuse.
So what if his girl's left him?
Good riddance!
She's not worth a dime...
...if she gave up a handsome soldier
like this, a real hero...
...for a puny draft-dodger!
Right.
She's the one who's missed
her happiness!
And whatever she's got,
she deserves it!
What a petty soul!
Can a woman like that understand
the suffering you've gone through?
Killing her would be too good
for her kind.
You stood the most difficult trial.
You looked death in the face,
went to meet it yourself.
And she couldn't stand
the small test of time.
For women like that, no honorable
man can have anything but contempt!
For such creatures there is no pardon!
Bandage him!
Aunt Sima, bring him fresh
porridge and some hot tea.
Be good now.
Veronika...
What the hell kind of a mother
are you? Keep an eye on your kid!
And I'll be held responsible!
Daydreaming, you fool!
- Who are you?
- Mamma's boy.
- Where are you from?
- From Voroshilovgrad.
- How old are you?
- Three months and three years.
- What's your name?
- Boris.
- What?
- Boris.
- Why the fancy get-up?
- A concert in the hospital.
- A likely story!
- All right, all right.
- Is Mark here?
- So far yes.
I've been saving this for you.
Thank you very much,
Anna Mikhajlovna.
It's for a little boy we know.
It's his birthday.
I wish everyone were as
kind-hearted as you are, Mark.
The symptomatology of this type
of compound injury...
...depends primarily on changes
in the nodal structure...
- Interesting, but beyond me.
- Why, it's really quite simple.
They are not readily apparent
to the clinical practitioner...
...but in most cases
the etiology...
- What is this?
- What kind of a trick is that?
What do you mean, trick?
The poor child lost his parents.
I want my mommy!
You ought to have taken him
to the Foundling Center.
You go yourself to the Center!
- Rude child!
- I'm not, you're rude!
Now, don't cry. We'll go find
your mommy in Voroshilovgrad.
Now, now, be quiet.
- Poor baby, he wants his mommy.
- Look, here comes a goat...
Stop rattling. You're hurting my ears.
Here, play with the cover.
Don't you want it?
Oh, my God.
Here's a bagel roll for you.
Keep him quiet!
He's driving me crazy.
If we had some toys for him
to play with...
Irina, take him for a minute.
Hah, what next?
Stop crying, will you?
Let me take him.
Come on, my little one,
my little Boris...
I'll undress you and put you to bed...
- Have anyone seen my squirrel?
- Yes, Mark took it.
- Mark? Why?
- He's giving it to some boy.
My squirrel to a boy?
- Where's Mark?
- I don't know.
- Where's Mark?
- I don't know.
You're hiding something from me.
You know where he's, don't you?
Where's he?
He's probably gone to Antonina's party.
- What Antonina?
- Why don't you ask Mark?
- Who's she, tell me!
- Don't order me around.
Mark visits her occasionally.
Do you get it?
- You're saying this to spite me.
- Why would I want to?
Because I'm married, I'm loved,
and you're still a spinster!
Veronika, stop it!
Antonina lives near the food shop...
...in the little house next door.
Go over there and see for yourself.
Calm down. Calm down.
I should do something.
I should do something.
When Mark comes home, you'll
have a talk. But now you must wait.
Sure, I must wait... That's all
I've been doing all the time.
That's enough!
May our lips benumb.
Words are futile.
They so often lie perchance.
And only our eyes
Will never dare lie,
Forever true their parting glance.
My eyes are now sad and dark,
As though therein a candle was put out...
In Leningrad after my parties
we'd go for a ride...
...from one part of the city
to the other.
Arrange for a ride now.
There's a war on, Antonina.
Cars are worth its weight in gold,
the gasoline is strictly rationed.
Get any kind of car!
I beg you!
A fire-engine, an ambulance,
a truck... anything!
Let me hope where there's
hope no longer!
Just the two of us?
To the point of full abandon?
I'll see what I can do.
I love you!
Sorry, I don't dance.
I thought I'd tried everything...
...but I've never tried golden
chestnuts.
Look, a note!
- It's a birthday note for me.
- Congratulations!
Where's the squirrel?
Where's my squirrel?
Look, you mustn't think that...
There's a note here from
somebody named Boris.
My only one, happy birthday...
On this day you were born.
It's hard leaving you.
But it can't be helped.
It's war!
I must go.
We can't go on living the way
we did, enjoying ourselves...
...while death stalks our land.
We will be happy some day.
I love you, I trust you.
Your Boris.
Why are you so alarmed?
Go home. I'll be right back.
Why?
- Take your coat off.
- Thank you.
You know, all the Philharmonic
cars are being used tonight...
...and I must have a car.
You're Chief Surgeon, you won't
refuse me this little favor...
Transportation is our most
critical problem.
It was difficult for me too,
but I did my best.
I did my best. I went out of my way,
because you asked me...
- What I asked you?
- The exemption.
Now it's about to expire...
...and this time to get it
will be almost impossible.
- What d'you mean, exemption?
- The exemption for Mark.
You can be sure I handled
the whole thing discreetly.
Could Mark have done it
without informing you?
He even offered me money in your name.
I'm sorry.
I'm glad you're here, Uncle Fedya.
I wish you'd talk to her.
She burst in without being
invited, started a fight...
Shut the door.
Do you believe that anybody likes...
...having his son marching off to war?
What do you mean?
Or do you believe that for your
petty pleasures and well-being...
...others must lose their arms,
legs, eyes, jaws, even their lives?
And you owe nothing to no one?
You know I've got an exemption,
Uncle Fedya.
Tell us how you got this exemption.
Veronika, what are you doing?
It's all right. I'm going to rent
a room. And I'm taking the boy.
Perhaps someone else had better
rent a room?
Gladly. I've been wanting to
for a long time.
I wish you'd driven me out
in the first place.
You've been through a terrible ordeal.
Only one who had done something
worse could have condemned you.
Stay with us.
I can't.
I cannot hide behind someone
else's back. I don't want to.
Think it over.
Think it over.
Listen, where can I find
the Borozdin family?
- Which Borozdin are you looking for?
- Fyodor Ivanovich.
- Fyodor Ivanovich?
- Yes.
Fyodor Ivanovich is not in at the moment.
Are you from Boris?
No, I'm by myself.
I have to see Fyodor Ivanovich.
- Won't you sit down?
- Thanks.
Fyodor Ivanovich should be
here in a few minutes.
- May I go out?
- All right.
- Is he yours?
- Yes, he's mine.
He looks like you.
Are you a relative of the Borozdins?
Not really.
Well, I've done all the fighting
I'll ever do.
Going home?
Not yet.
Leningrad's still blockaded.
- Yeah, I'm in a spot.
- Why?
I guess there's no harm in telling
you because you're not the family.
But how do you tell a man
his son was killed?
- Where did it happen?
- Near Smolensk.
What do you want me to play?
I don't care.
Tell me, did you see him buried?
No.
I was put on a stretcher
and taken to a hospital...
...and he was with a friend of his,
Stepan.
Stepan...
I've got to find his girl now.
He was really in love with her.
I'm the girl.
Come to see us when you're
in Moscow, Volodya.
Thanks very much. I will.
The war's over.
It's strange, isn't it?
And you're still waiting?
I am. One must always
keep on hoping.
What's the use of waiting?
I saw it with my own eyes.
What did you see? You saw him
wounded? You saw him fall?
You didn't see him die.
But if he's alive,
why hasn't he written to you?
Anything could happen. Stepan
hasn't written to anyone either.
They know at the factory that
he was in some Special Operations.
Dasha promised to let me know
when he's back.
Boris is alive. He's alive.
Look!
The victors are coming!
Kolia, darling, you're back!
Boris!
Veronika!
Stepan!
The flowers... For you.
Well? What?
You see...
Well...
My darling!
Dear mothers,
fathers, brothers and sisters!
The happiness of our reunion
is boundless.
The heart of every Soviet citizen...
...sings with joy...
...the joy of victory!
We have all waited
for this happy moment.
We dreamed of it in the darkest
hours of our struggle.
But we'll never forget those who
lie silent on the battlefield.
Years will pass,
our cities will rise again,
...and our wounds may one day
be forgotten.
Let one thing remain in our hearts,
a cold hatred of war!
We deeply feel the grief of those...
...who cannot meet
their loved ones today.
We must all take a vow
to keep our promise...
...that sweethearts will never again
be parted by war...
...that mothers may never again
fear for their children...
...that our brave fathers may not
stealthily swallow their tears.
We have won and remained alive,
not for destruction...
...but to build a new life!
Don't just stand there. Give
the flowers to whoever they're for.
Thank you very much, sister.
Oh, what a darling!
What a chubby little darling!
Look, look, the cranes are flying
over Moscow!
THE END