Prisoner of the Mountains (1996) - full transcript

Caravan and BG Productions

with the Russian State Film Committee

Boris Giller presents

Oleg Menshikov

Sergei Bodrov Jr.

Dzhemal Sikharulidze

Susanna Mekhraliyeva

Aleksandr Bureyev, Valentina Fedotova

and Aleksei Zharkov

in a film by Sergei Bodrov

B, l, M....

Cover your right eye.

Enough.

Fit to serve.

-Can l go?

-Sure, there's no use sitting here.

Comrade Major, where will we be stationed?

Wherever your country sends you.

Hands up. Down.

Rotate. Good.

Do a sit-up.

-Does it hurt?

-No.

-Stand still.

-lt tickles.

Wake up, guys!

Here is your grenade!

Thanks.

-Commander, l'm back!

-At last.

l've been waiting.

To your health!

Why are they shouting?

Stop.

Non-Russians, halt!

Halt, l said!

We have been ambushed! Action!

Get down!

Hurry up, run!

Damn it!

Alex got hit!

Abdul...

you wanted one Russian and got two.

Finish one off.

And if the first croaks?

PRlSONER OF THE MOUNTAlNS

Story ldea by Boris Giller

Screenplay by Arif Aliyev,

Sergei Bodrov, and Boris Giller

Director of Photography - Pavel Lebeshev

Art Director - Valeri Kostrin

Music - Leonid Desyatnikov

Sound - Yekaterina Popova-Evans

Edited by Olga Grinshpun,

Vera Kruglova, and Alan Baril

Production Management

Dmitrii Gavrishchenko and Valerii Tarmosin

Executive Producer - Boris Giller

Produced by Boris Giller and Sergei Bodrov

Directed by Sergei Bodrov

Hasan, be careful.

They are already half dead!

Dina, bring some water!

Did any of our men make it?

Nobody.

Did you shoot?

Did not get a chance.

What is your name, again?

Private Gilin.

You are a rotten soldier, Private Gilin.

Wow!

You want to puke?

Not really.

Lucky devil.

l got a...

concussion.

See what is going on out there.

Hasan, check the prisoners.

Go fuck yourself.

Praise Allah! They are alive.

Bring the shackles.

Bastards!

You'll pay for this.

Dina, bring some water.

They have pigs' blood.

Dirty bastards.

-Comrade Sergeant?

-Keep pouring.

Can you help me now?

No.

Can l ask you something?

Shut up.

Father, are you hungry?

l will fix something.

Sure, we could sit in silence.

What?

When l'm sitting and thinking...

don't fucking bug me!

l forgot. What is your name?

Gilin...

Vanya.

Being on a chain with me, Vanya,

will be fucking tough on you.

We're the children of the mountains

We have been here for years

The wind

frightens the heart

of any stranger here

Nobody understands us

The mountains will protect us

The wind frightens the heart

of any stranger here

''Dear Mom, this is my first letter.

''We have sea on one side

and mountains on the other.

''Everything is okay with me.

''Do not worry.

''Your loving son, lvan.''

Such a short letter.

Got a cigarette?

l get it.

lf you are waiting for the john...

tough luck.

lt'll take a while.

Souvenir.

How was it?

Why did he bring these Russians

to the village?

l want to talk to him.

You know how he is...

always hardheaded.

Hey, old bandits!

What's up?

What did you shoot them with?

-Who?

-Our men.

With every kind of weapon.

Keep those Russians away from the village!

What are they going to do?

Kill us?

l don't think so.

These chains cost money, stupid.

They'll sell us.

Give us some bread, please!

We're starving.

How much did you pay for the soldiers?

Nothing. Osman was sure they would die.

Don't keep the Russians here.

Everybody wants you to kill them.

l had no choice.

My son is in prison in town.

l brought money to buy my son back...

but the Commander was afraid to take it.

l'll trade these Russians...

for my son...

in two days.

Don't let them...

pull a fast one on you.

lt's better...

if you kill them.

lf they try to trick me, l'll suck their blood.

Sergeant?

l don't understand.

Who will want to buy us?

You? Nobody will.

The Commander will pay for me, though.

lt's my third war with him.

But who needs you?

l can learn how to kill, too.

lt's too late.

To tell you the truth, they can't afford it.

Our army is too poor...

to pay for both of us.

What about me?

They'll kill you.

Please, wait as long as you can...

before telling my mom.

Okay, l'll make a deal.

They'll pay for you, too.

That will be a little bit expensive, though.

By the way...

there's a little detail l forgot to mention.

Say good-bye to your balls.

What do you mean?

These guys don't think twice.

They just cut your balls off.

Have you ever fucked someone?

-Sure.

-Why worry then?

You already had a good time.

-Still, it's too bad.

-''Too bad.''

l've had enough of you!

''Too bad.''

By the way, my name is Sasha Sly.

l get it.

What do you get?

Report your altitude.

200 meters.

Going along the river, everything is quiet.

Get to 500 and proceed to the site.

Roger. Get to 500 and proceed to the site.

How does it look?

Looks normal.

l met a girl in town last week.

We went to her house,

had some champagne.

l had my condom on...

when she suddenly falls asleep.

l couldn't wake her up, she was out cold.

l ran over to her neighbors.

They said she gets those

lethargic spells sometimes.

Then what happened?

l took off the condom...

and returned to base.

Did she ever wake up?

How should l know?

They sleep for years sometimes.

Where is the sack?

Put your hands behind your back.

Walk straight ahead.

lf you hear any shots...

roll over to the rock...

and don't move.

Yes, sir.

Stay alert. Still a half hour to go.

l can't believe they'll trade us.

Don't count on it.

They got no choice.

We might even get a vacation.

For what?

We'll say we captured...

five guerrilla fighters.

And where are they?

They escaped.

Make it 10, then.

Sounds better.

What if they're really holding

two of our men?

They never take prisoners.

-lt doesn't look good.

-Why?

Shut up.

Did you kill them?

Where are they?

Those bastards didn't even bring my son!

l'll give you one last chance.

Write your mothers...

to come to the Commander...

and trade you for my son.

And no tricks!

l won't write.

Write, or l'll cut your throat.

The watch doesn't work again.

What did l tell you?

Get me some matches in town...

neighbor!

You had better marry again.

Your daughter needs a woman's care.

-These Russians are dangerous.

-lt's none of your business!

You're a fool.

Dead Patima was the fool

when she agreed to come into your house!

Who are your parents?

Mom's an actress, and Dad is a general.

Where do they live?

ln the north.

That's far away.

And yours?

l have no father. Mother is a teacher.

She will surely come.

How do you spell ''deodorant''?

D-E-O-D-O-R-A-N-T.

l want them to send me a package.

Do you need anything?

-No.

-That's all, then.

Stop!

Papers!

-Where are you going?

-To the Commander.

How long does the mail take?

About 10 days.

-Who empties the postbox?

-Him.

l do.

Come with me.

-Make sure they get there.

-Don't worry.

-Hello, Uncle Boris.

-Hello, Uncle Abdul.

What's new? How is your health?

What brought you here?

Do you need your boots repaired?

No, thank you.

-l have a favor to ask.

-Ask.

lf a Russian woman asks for me...

tell her how to find me.

l know where to find you.

-Have a good day.

-Bye.

l have a good friend. Will you marry him?

Yes or no?

l will marry him.

Do you have a dowry?

This silver necklace and two Russian slaves.

And dust of three roads...

and a rat's tail!

-No one wants to marry you?

-No.

lt's a present...

for you.

Thank you.

lt's time to get out of here.

We have to get the chains off, or we'll die.

-Why did you do that?

-Shut up.

That is enough, Hasan.

Let's take a break.

You are not deaf.

What is this ''mm-mm''?

Don't you have a tongue?

Did they cut your tongue off?

And your balls, too?

Gilin, would you rather keep

your balls or your tongue?

Fucking bandit!

He could have killed us.

Good! Here comes lunch.

-Why did that man shoot at us?

-He wants to kill you.

We are not too popular here.

Two of his sons died in the war.

The third works for the Russian police.

-Who cut out Hasan's tongue?

-Russians.

Of course, Russians.

His wife left him for a geologist.

Hasan went after her...

found her and killed her.

He served time in prison in Siberia.

But he couldn't keep his mouth shut.

So they cut his tongue out.

He loves to sing.

ls he your relative?

His wife was my sister.

l hear you loved to sing.

So sing for us, why don't you?

l will sing along.

l've heard the tune before.

But l can't remember the words. Do you?

Why are you sad?

Father said if your mothers

are not here within 10 days...

he will kill you.

They will come.

You are a good man, Hasan.

Why don't you let us go?

''Dear Mom, I've been captured.

''Don't worry.

''Abdul Murat wants to trade us for his son.

''He treats us well.

''But if you can, come here soon.

''Don't tell anyone about my letter. ''

Abdul, you have kept the Russians too long.

l know.

People don't approve of you.

Sasha, my mom will get the letter.

And then what?

Then you will get a screwdriver up your ass.

Would you come back here?

No.

l would come back.

ln new camouflage.

You'll have your flame thrower...

and l'll have my submachine gun.

We'll enter this courtyard...

Abdul and Hasan will come to meet us...

and they will remain forever

in that courtyard.

The girl will invite us into the house.

We have never been inside the house.

l don't want to kill them.

You have to, Vanya.

lt's war.

She waits on the two Russians.

Keeps bringing them water.

lf you say that again, you will be sorry.

What's going on?

Sasha, let me go to the window.

Now what do you want?

You're always in my face!

-l want to look out the window.

-Do whatever you want!

What's so interesting out there?

Why are you such a psycho?

lt's my birthday today.

Happy birthday!

Maybe we should try to get out of here.

l'm ready.

Fuck!

-l think that's it.

-l see that.

What do you like, red or white?

-l prefer vodka.

-Right.

l have a great idea.

After the war, we open a bar here.

We will call it ''Hasan's Bar.''

God, it stinks here.

l joined the army because l was stupid...

loved guns, and needed money.

Then l began...

to like it.

Everyone told me l should be an actor.

l am very talented.

The Bolshoi Theatre

invited me to play Hamlet.

Look what else l found.

We won't get out of here today.

l'm totally fucked up.

l will get you out of here.

Hasan, come here. Let's have a drink.

-lt's against their traditions.

-Then why are these bottles here?

Drink, or we will be upset!

l never thought you would do it.

What a surprise!

Can you dance, Hasan?

Watch us while we're still alive!

Vanya, are you a soldier?

At attention!

Draw your swords!

Here, l fixed it.

lt really works.

If our country calls us all as one

we will go to war

And we will fight to the last drop of blood

for our homeland

Hit me.

Look me in the eye.

You have to yell louder, Vanya.

My mom probably got the letter...

and is on her way.

Maybe so.

When l was 4...

l fell into an abandoned well.

Everybody looked for me,

but it was my mom who found me.

She cried all day.

Then she spent the next week...

filling up the well with sand.

Can you imagine that?

She's so emotional.

What about yours?

Who knows? She might be.

l am from an orphanage.

Who did you write the letter to?

To the cook.

What a gal!

Died 15 years ago.

Otherwise, she would have come.

She fell and her head split open.

Just like that.

Come on.

You think l'm lying?

Why didn't you tell me before?

l'm telling you now.

Where did you get this bird?

lvan gave it to me.

ls living with me so hard?

Do you know that l love you?

l love you from the bottom of my heart.

My son is here in prison.

l must see the Commander. Get him.

They are bandits.

You think l didn't try to arrange a trade?

l did.

l took a platoon, a helicopter...

but they never showed up.

They didn't want to trade.

They wanted to ambush us.

You think l'll let you and the prisoner...

go for a stroll, arm in arm?

They'll dupe you.

You can't trust anyone here,

not even children.

Soldiers traded grenades for hash...

and kids threw the grenades back at them.

Calm down. Mother!

Try to understand.

We have casualties every day.

How do l get to Soviet Street?

-Hello.

-Hello. Please sit down.

You need your shoes repaired?

No, thank you. l'm looking for Abdul Murat.

l know him.

Come here.

Take her to the teahouse.

Abdul Murat will find you there.

Thank you. Good-bye.

Give me two bottles of vodka.

Soldier...

give me the money.

Keep the change.

Where are your prisoners?

Don't you know our laws?

They are mine.

Those are your laws. These are mine.

Give me the prisoners!

Take out the prisoners.

Hasan...

take them out.

Move!

You look familiar to me.

Recognize me now?

Move.

l remember.

Give me the rifle.

Why don't you ask me

where they are taking us...

what they will do with us?

lt figures. Probably nothing good.

Keep walking.

There are Russian mines here.

Go find them.

But it's dark.

Go, or l will shoot you.

Abdul...

take off the chains or we will blow up!

The keys are at home.

They will blow up.

Who cares? We need to get through.

Quiet.

lt's here.

ls that all?

No.

lt's only the first one.

Good job!

Take it.

Well, guys...

l was sure you would blow to pieces.

lt's your second birthday.

Drink, relax, be my guests.

Nobody touches you. My word.

Kid! You want to wrestle my nephew?

Let me.

You are old. Let's see the young one.

Take off his chains.

What should l do?

Yell louder.

Come here!

Come on.

l give up! Take him away!

-For you.

-Thank you.

They make a beautiful sound.

lt's my grandmother's. lt's very old.

Wolf faces, horns...

apple seeds...

poppy buds.

You are very pretty.

Dina.

Go home.

Take care of the house.

l will be back tomorrow.

The Russian's mother wants to meet you.

l told her to wait.

45...

46...

47...

48...

Turn it up.

...49.

Wake me up in an hour.

Tell me where we will meet.

l will tell you when everything is ready.

l know your son is a teacher.

l am a teacher, too.

lt doesn't matter now.

We are enemies.

l understand.

But can l trust you?

You have no choice.

l could only open one lock.

We'll figure it out later.

Just in case.

l have a son in Chita. He's not well.

l send him money.

The Commander will give you the address.

All right.

Private Gilin, good luck.

Give it to me!

Let's go.

-How are the nuts?

-Fine.

Watching after a herd with one bullet!

lt looks so old.

Can it fire?

Better than a new one.

Put it down before anything happens.

l didn't do anything.

Remind me never to run off with you again.

Don't turn around.

Sanya!

Shut up!

Put the rifle on the ground.

Put your hands behind your head.

Who killed the shepherd?

l did.

Take the young one back to Abdul.

l'll take the other one.

Gilin!

Thank you.

Don't come here anymore.

Why not?

Ask the old lady, your neighbor.

Why?

Because it stinks here.

You are like a dog now.

lt's not a shame for a dog to smell bad.

Were you cold last night?

Yes.

Luckily, it didn't rain.

lt won't rain today.

Lots of fireflies are out tonight.

So, did you get married yet?

No.

l would marry you.

We cannot marry.

l can get married next year.

We marry early here.

Did you like that?

How are you doing?

Pretty shitty.

How about you?

What about me?

l'm dead.

But l like it.

Everything is peaceful now.

Sanya.

How will l make it without you?

You can come with me.

No, thanks.

As you wish.

By the way, l forgot again.

What's your name?

Are you the Russian who fixes clocks?

Or is he the one who is already dead?

l'm the one.

Can you fix my clock?

l won't have the time.

What kind of life is this?

Nobody has time to fix clocks.

Stop.

Papers?

Where are you going?

To see my son. He's a policeman here.

All right.

Hello. l brought the money.

This one.

Over here.

Stay here.

Really good caviar.

Fishermen brought it.

l'll tell you what else is good here.

Lots of fruit.

Yes, we have many different fruits.

But l don't want to live here.

Nobody likes us here.

And after this war...

they will like us even less.

Who likes each other in a war?

You call this a war?

Attack, retreat.

Make peace, make war.

No army can take this.

-What do you want?

-l want to see my son, Mamed.

Wait here.

The old man here says he's Mamed's father.

Send him in!

Mamed, take charge of the prisoners.

There's one guy l want to keep aside.

Two of our men have been taken hostage.

The mother of one of them came here

and says she's made a deal.

Let her try. Sometimes it works.

How are you, Father?

Get him!

Everybody get down!

Mother, get out of the way!

Stop!

Where are you going?

Get the others into the van!

Shoot, or he'll escape!

l have bad news, Abdul.

Your son is dead.

My brother, Dzarahmat, is dead.

You have one more night to live.

Help me.

l cannot. You have to die.

l don't want to.

Usually they throw the enemy's body

to the jackals.

But l will bury yours.

Bring me the key. Nobody's here.

l will dig a wide grave for you.

And you will see...

the Angel of Death.

l'll put my necklace in the grave...

as your wedding gift.

Maybe your soul will find a bride in heaven.

l don't think so.

Don't cry, Mother.

We'll make them pay, l promise.

Are you glad to see me?

Yes.

Don't kill any more people, promise?

Hurry!

Go! Don't stay here.

l can't.

They'll never forgive you for helping me.

Come here.

Don't kill him.

Why aren't you crying over your brother?

They killed him. Now l'll kill this Russian.

Go home!

Let's go.

Keep walking, and don't look back.

Vanya, what's the matter with you?

Look back!

l'm here!

Stop!

Don't do it!

When it was over,

I spent two weeks in the hospital.

Then I was discharged and sent home.

Mom cried all the way home.

She kept telling the woman next to her...

how lucky she was.

I want to see them in my dreams...

all those people whom I grew to love...

and will never meet again.

But they just won't come to me.