The Apostate (1987) - full transcript

"The Apostate"

Based on P. Bagryak's novel
"Five Presidents".

One, please.

I'll call you from the other side.

There must be some mistake.

Professor Miller was shot
in his office three days ago.

If you'll be so kind.

You're faced with three charges:

The murder of Professor Miller, assuming
his name, and concealing your own name.

The President is expecting you.
Follow me.

Come in.



If you'd like to warm up,
it's all there on the bar.

- I don't change my habits, Mr. President.
- A shame.

It's our little weaknesses
that make us human.

I'm listening.

As I've already told you over the phone,
Mr. President,

this is a matter of great
national importance.

A device, to be constructed
in the Physics Institute,

intended for the duplication of living things.

A living being, for instace, a human,

and I'll skip the details for now,

can be duplicated.

The result is two living things
exactly alike,

in unlimited numbers.

Duplicates. Emilia,
have you ever been interviewed?



No, never.

Make an exception for
the President and I.

What would you like to know?

Is it possible to explain to a
mere mortal the principles behind...

- that thing?
- Yes, although it would be difficult.

You, me, all of us,
we're all made up of cells.

The cells are made up
of molecules, and so on.

To a chemist, for instance,

a human is only a few grams of calcium,

a bit of copper, a bit of...
potassium, a bit of magnesium.

A dozen other elements.

The rest is water.

To put it in simple terms,
vulgarly simple,

Professor Miller learned

to decostruct a living organism
on a molecular level.

That's what the device at the
test site is based on.

That much I understand.

Then, in the course of the
research that followed,

he discovered, quite accidentally,
a way to reverse the process.

To recreate an organism.
Uncer specific conditions, naturally.

A molecular copy.
A double of the organism.

Excuse me, as I understand it,

this machine of yours,
or whatever it is you call it,

is capable not only of smashing
an organism to bits,

but making copies of each fragment,

and putting them back together
into exact copies.

It's a good thing Professor Miller
isn't here.

If he heard you talking about bits
and fragments, he'd have a fit.

But then... you're right, essentially.

General. Let's be serious.

I want to remind you of concepts

such as public opinion
and the judgement of history.

Belive me, these things...

- have meaning to me.
- I must clarify something.

Soldier doubles, an infinitely large
army, all that is only hypothetical.

Right now, the duplication process
is too costly.

So who did you have in mind
for duplication, General?

- Yourself, perhaps?
- No. No, gifted scientists.

But we have too many of those as it is.

I agree, we have too many scientists.
But I'm talking about gifted scientists.

- Truly gifted people.
- But they're unbearable.

We tolerate them because they're
useful, but...

I respectfully disagree.

Today, the side that wins a war is the one

that has more capable minds.
This is an axiom.

The Germans failed to understand
it back in the day,

and thus they deprived themselves
of the atom bomb.

How much would a scientist cost?

A leading scientist would cost
about a hundred and fifty thousand,

a renowned scientist... well,
I don't have an exact price.

At times his brain might cost
hundreds of millions.

The brain of a genious - billions.

But, as I said, there are very few
truly gifted people.

To start, we won't create
a lot of doubles.

We can control them without
announcing them to the public.

Although that has its own
share of difficulties.

These scientists, will they agree to this?

Mr. President, I sometimes wonder
if the fish sees the hook

before it's caught.

- Personally, I think it does.
- So it's a matter of the right bait.

Of course. Their main weakness is that
they're desperate to see results.

Recall the researchers that
infected themselves with viruses

in order to study them.

Incidentally, who will be
duplicated first?

You see, Professor Miller has
already tested the device on himself.

Tested? Already? Of his own accord?

Fortunately, we were able to eliminate
the results completely.

- Miller.
- Exactly.

- The same one?
- The same one.

- Does he happen to be a Gypsy?
- It's possible.

You see? Now everything's
alright, fortunately.

Except one thing.
Miller's dragging his feet.

He's intentionally, let me
stress this, intentionally,

delaying his final conclusions.

- His motives?
- The ones you mentioned.

The judgement of history, and so on.

But he's a major scientist.

World renowned.

The recipient of many
international awards.

We'll have to check who's giving him
these awards, and for what.

Have you tried to reason with him?

More than enough.

Today's Thursday.

In one week,
I want a full report

on all aspects of the problem.

Continue the duplication experiments.

- We'll settle the financial matter.
- I appreciate it.

Today... I'll pray all night.

Like Christ, you've risen
and ascended into the heavens.

Follow me.

First of all, allow me to express,
on behalf of the President,

and on my own behalf,
our deepest regret

regarding the foolish incident
at the airport.

But it's unavoidable,
the Lord disciplines those he loves.

However, the matter isn't as simple
as it might seem at first glance.

Our policemen might be dim-witted...

but we must take steps
regarding your legal status quickly.

After all, they possess a document
which states your body was cremated,

and an urn full of ashes.

Who did you go to such trouble for?

You, Professor. We're not
expecting anybody else.

But I'm not here. And I never will be.

"He was too wise, and therefore
inconsolable." Albert Einstein.

Said of Niels Bohr. Who refused to take
part in the development of the atom bomb.

I know. But these are different times.
Decisive action is expected of us.

And what do you expect of me?

We expect a miracle.

A miracle? Or a monster?

Don't be so harsh, Miller.

I respect your courage: you tried to
resolve a truly unresolvable situation.

But the thing you call "monster"
the thing that will save this country.

Guarantee its safety.

Hello, Professor.

I'd like to inform you that your assistant
isn't here on anyone's orders,

but because she was compelled
to be here, in light of the situation.

- Compeled by her heart and sense of duty.
- If you want to put it that way.

I think the two of you
will have some things to discuss.

Blessed is he who thinks
he can think for others.

You should fear God, General.

He will think I am no longer alive.

Or are you in a hurry?

La Rochefoucauld also said
that if you intend to deceive people,

you must deceive them for a long time,
like they did in Rome.

Now, let's not fight.

We need each other
more than you might think.

Damn.

I just can't get the hang
of proper table manners.

I'm a man of low breeding,
I can't help it.

What do you think, General...

Which Miller survived?
The real one or the double?

Prepare one billion.

- Why do you need that much?
- To show you I'm serious.

And so there's enough left over for my
grandchildren. Am I free to leave?

We're out in the open sea.

I strongly recommend that you let me go.
Or else...

I'll make a terrible fuss. I guarantee you.

I won't keep you.

I'll tell the President of our talk.

His reelection campaign is starting soon.

Security issues,

and your findings in particular,

will become extremely
important to the country.

Who's there?

Is this the Miller residence?

That's right.

But we're old people, sick and alone.
We don't open the door for anybody.

Where's your son?

Don't you know? He's gone.

Killed.

In his lab, during an experiment.

Toxic gas, that's what they said.

Excuse me, I have to go.
I have to feed my wife, she's sick.

Hello. You don't recognize me?

- No.
- I never got on the plane.

I was arrested next to the boarding ramp.

What are you talking about?
I don't understand.

Back then, at the airport.

I... this is Miller.

Nonsense. Miller was killed,
in his office.

He was cremated.

- What do you want?
- Nothing.

- Who was that?
- Nobody. Wrong address.

"Chapter Four: 'My son, despise not the
chastening of the Lord, neither be wary

"'of his correction, for whom
the Lord loveth he correcteth...'

"The Old Testament, Book of Proverbs,
Chapter Three"

Our ancestors will not forgive us

our barbaric destruction
of the ocean environment.

Our planet, the only habitable
planet in the universe,

exists so we may inhabit it,
not so we may destroy it.

If anyone attempts to convince
us of the opposite,

we have every right to oppose them,

not only with words, but with actions.

"Freedom" is not a meaningless word.

Freedom must be protected.

And that requires constant effort
in various fields.

It is our duty to remain levelheaded

and not to let our guard down...

There's an urgent phone call for you.

- Who is it?
- The President.

- Who did you say?
- The President wants to speak with you.

- On the phone?
- Yes.

Yes, yes.

- Hello?
- General, I can't stop thinking about

your ungodly duplication of people.
I pray that God will forgive my sin.

Excuse me, I'm not sure I understand,
Mr. President.

Hello? Hello? Can't hear a thing. Hello?

I have decided, so help me God,

to put an end to your malicious human
duplication experiments once and for all.

I don't understand,
you gave me your word!

Hello! Hello!

Hello!

The budding flowers of our nation,

the youth... gathered here today

cannot be lulled
by empty slogans

such as 'Save the ocean environment'

or 'Ban duck hunting'...

Inter-city call for General Doron
from the President.

- What?
- The President wants to speak with Doron.

- Where?
- On the radiotelephone.

- I'm listening.
- Congratulations, General.

Last night I signed the paper
to allot the funds for duplication.

You know what I mean. I urge you to
push ahead with human testing.

Keep in mind that we must have
results before the election.

- Yes, Sir.
- I'm counting on you.

Excuse me, Mr. President.
Where are you right now?

I'm outside the city.
You know the phone numbers.

Do you happen to be watching television?

What? Oh, no. In any case, good luck.

Our tradition of university education

has been formed, one might say,
for many centuries.

It is unquestionably rational,

balanced and efficient.

Immediate reform in higher education

will save the nation.

It is time to shake up the swamp
of university education,

stagnant for many centuries.

I admit, I am seriously concerned

by the infanitility of our youth.

Its social frivolity.

Its incapability to comprehend

the historical significance
of the present time.

I can proudly and confidently

call today's youth,
our younger generation,

the hope of our country.

Role models.

You are my teachers.

To members of the
artistic intelligentsia,

the producers of artistic labor,

I wish that they finally
break free of the Procrustean bed

of limited art...

into the vastness of free
artistic self-expression,

and turn their attention to
the actual problems

that concern contemporary society.

I would like to wish our humanitarians,

who have dedicated themselves
to literature and art,

that they move away from minutiae,

that they stop rummaging

in trash cans in the
back yards of modernity.

Their goal is not to reflect

the ambiguous side of reality.

Their goal is to depict,
in broad strokes,

generalized character

in generalized circumstances.

There's a call for General Doron
on the city line.

Who's calling?

Who is it?

- It's him.
- The President?

No. Professor Miller.

Miller.

Professor. I'm glad you called.
Thank you.

Professor. I'm glad you called.
Thank you.

Professor. I'm glad you called.
Thank you.

- I've been trying to reach you all day.
- I have only one question for you.

About the President?

I'd like to inform you, General,
that I've synthesized four new ones.

Right now, along with the original,
there are five presidents in the country.

Where are you calling from?

- From the underworld, where else?
- What's that? Where?

I told you. From beyond the grave.

Why would you joke like that?
Do you understand what you're saying?

Do you, General?

- You're risking much.
- So are you.

If you realize you can also
be duplicated.

- Miller, do you hear me?
- Yeah, yeah.

What do you want from me?

As you know, he's refused
to make the results of his work

available to the state.

He's washed his hands of it.

He fears it will be used
for military purposes.

Which Miller?

- I don't follow.
- Which of the two Millers, General?

I don't think anyone knows for sure.

Not even Miller himself.

Both thought they were the real one.

Why haven't you raised the alarm
when the second Miller appeared?

We could have protected ourselves

against the emergency situation
that brought us here.

What happened with Miller
was completely accidental.

- Is it possible there are still two?
- No.

One of the Millers has been...

eliminated.

- I saw the body with my own eyes.
- That's no proof.

If living humans can be synthesized,

why not dead ones?

- What for?
- There's something else that bothers me.

Why did he have to create four presidents

in addition to the one
that already exists?

I think he's lost his mind.

I can't think of any other
explanation right now.

It's come to my knowledge
that for each of you...

Professor Miller...

has prepared a matrix, for duplication.

And it's quite possible that
this very minute he's commencing

the execution of his plan.

His plan, or yours, General?

I understand, gentlemen.
You may suspect me of involvement.

That's your right.

And I can't convince you otherwise
right now.

You're free to arrest me, bind my hands.

Even eliminate me altogether.

But please bear in mind...

that I myself...

am not sure if I sit before you...

or my duplicate.

General. This is no time for jokes.

I'm not joking.

Gentlemen. I suggest we begin
discussing our decision.

For my part, I promise the High Council...

that our emergency measures...

will make use of the full might
of the state apparatus.

Miller will be found.

Dead or alive.

I would say the situation definitely
calls for decisive measures.

Liberalism and playing democracy
have led to dissemination...

Today five presidents, and tomorrow?

Chaos, inflation, disorder,

the disorganization of
industry and government.

I agree. The country is facing ruin.

This disastrous turn of events

must be countered with a unified,
powerful force.

And I think General Doron
is a suitable candidate.

Well. If there is no objection,

I'd like to thank everyone present
for their confidence.

What's he planning?

Revenge.

If he gets to the installation,
we're done for.

He'll destroy us all.

Quickly!

"Epilogue"

The Apostate

Based on P. Bagryak's
novel "Five Presidents".

Cast:

Miller -
Gregory Hlady

Doron -
Nikolai Yeryomenko

Chester -
Andrei Kashker

Maria -
Larisa Belogurova

Emilia -
Valentina Shendrikova

Linda -
Karina Moritts

The President -
Aleksandr Strunin

Father -
Vasili Kravtsov

Mother -
Yelena Kononenko

Written and directed by
Valeri Rubinchik

The End
? Belarusfilm, 1987