Torrid Noon (1965) - full transcript
On a hot summer day three boys are splashing around the river. One of them gets his hand caught in the stone masonry of a railway bridge. Many peasants, the passengers from the train, which stops nearby, and the crews of tanks taking part in a military exercise flock to the scene of accident. People drop out whatever they are doing; even the maneuvers get stopped to come to the help of a child. Action must be taken quickly because the water level is rising fast. The concerted efforts of all involved people help save the child. Thus a particular case, an extreme situation has served as a test of significant and insignificant in our life, which often happens to become transposed.
Hot Afternoon
Screenwriter
Jordan Radichkov
Director
Heskey law
Photographer
Todor Stoyanov
Music
Milcho Leviev
Soundman
Nikolai Popov
Attention, attention! In three minutes,
train # 704 will arrive at platform 2.
I repeat! Train # 704 will arrive in three minutes at platform 2.
~ Please, please...
~ Wait! Wait, I say!
What's going on? Why is it late?
Hello? Hello!?
Hello! Ah, Nina! Where's train # 704?
704 has long gone, it should be there by now.
~ Why isn't it here, we'll miss our train?
~ We'll see what's happening, General.
~ It's war games! If I'm late --- I'm shot.
I can't do anything.
What do you mean "nothing"?! Do you think
the train just disappeared? It's somewhere
on the way!? So you have to do something.
Eeeny meeny miney moe, catch a chickie by the hand...
Maybe this's all the tanks' fault. Under their
weight, rails can break. Can you imagine
such a burden --- two tanks?!
Oh, bullshit. No way. We all know that.
Well, no, we just talked about it, as a
possibility...better a tank rather a
broken-down engine and...
Oh, shut up! Chatterbox.
Yes, more than a half hour late! Really!
We'll send a search party.
On a hand truck.
What else can we do?! Hello! Hello!
Easy for you to say! "Take a train!"
And where do I find one?
Hello! Hello! We're here! We're waiting!
Hello! Hello!
Who it is? Huh?
What! What a disaster!? Hello!
I can't hear anything!
I don't understand! What?
Hey, guys, careful.
I can't believe we're doing this, Comrade Captain.
Where are you going? Where to?
Any sign of the train yet!
Hold it! Stop it!
Easy, easy...slow down!
Hey! Driver! If only your left turn signals
blinked! Look where you're going!
~ I wonder if that's related
to what happened...?
~ Oh, it's unlikely...
Rather, he was just rushing off somewhere.
Maybe there was a fire? And
they stopped to put out a train fire?
That happened last year.
Check that out!
Hey, well done!
We had to take water with us. In
this heat, you're drying out, right?
~ You're right, comrade.
~ Quite right.
That's right! Look to the right, Comrade Captain.
It can't be a train fire. What
would burn? Iron?
I don't like this! No way in hell...
Step on it, guys, please, hurry up.
~ Hey! Hey!
~ Hey!
Hey!
There's no one?
Hey! Is anybody around?!
~ Run down there, check the train.
~ Yes, sir!
Comrade! Hey, Comrade!
~ Hey, comrade!
~ Am I in Sofia?
~ Where are the travelers?
~ Where are they? And why did the train stop here?
~ That's what we're trying to find out!
~ What is this field?
~ Yes, a farming station...
~ What's going on?...
Empty, Comrade Captain. Only one passenger,
asleep --- and he doesn't have a clue.
So we left Sofia. We can go back to the main body, which is near the exercise site.
It was a battle...And now what?
Forget that. How could all the
people just disappear?
~ Today we were to cross the River Cherkasy.
~ This is the Cherkassy river. Now where are the troops....Ah! Here they are!
General!
Somehow I took a nap...and, apparently,
missed everything. What's going on?
This was the third day of military exercises,
during which we tested the capacity of our armed forces.
The General rode around in a helicopter, as if on a bike, crossing from one hill to another.
They housed the observation posts, and spotters
scanned every inch of the heavens.
Howling planes flew to pour their fire onto the position on the range.
Yesterday, during a counterattack, tanks
and artillery destroyed all the targets located at landfills.
In a Third World War no captives would have been taken.
Aircraft, tanks, and artillery don't take
prisoners, but sow death and destruction.
We are not threatening, but may our enemy be warned,
we would advance with weapons in both hands.
During the maneuvers, we shed a lot of sweat,
but during a real battle we'd shed less blood.
Gunners sweat --- the price of
freedom for this land.
Pilots sweat --- as protection for the land.
Their planes fly up rapidly,...
and warriors drop down, pelting ground
with men instead of rain.
In this hot, peaceful afternoon on the ground,
everywhere was drenched with sweat.
If the land still retains a drop of salt,
it would, most likely, be in human sweat.
Do you see how this peasant shirt was soaked?
Like just yesterday, there was no fighting.
The land quickly heals the wounds.
Comrade General, there were a lot of battles,
but the land with grass covers their wounds.
What can you tell us about wars, old man?
~ Good day!
~ Good day!
~ Comrade General!
~ What's your name?
~ Atanas.
~ I see you're limping? Your leg hurts?
Yes, in the old war. I took some hits...
we left no one alive.
~ Where were you wounded, then?
~ Before Tutrakan. It was a major engagement...
there on the ground...forest, wild...
artillery...So I say --- a terrible thing was going on there!
There, at Tutrakan, the fortress was...not the
only one! More! In general, we were there...
In short, we met a good man, who told us to eat some pears.
Well, we ate pears. Eh, eh...
And then, well, I'll say, and the days of heavy fighting...
There was a Pasha there, and the Dardanelles was shut.
So he...what was his name...it doesn't matter.
Several of ours were captured and taken under escort...
there were barefoot Turkish generals, corn, coffins, and graves...
Now we're in a hurry, man. We have to ford the Cherkasy River.
Someday we may meet again. On a quieter day.
Once again, we'll be back to listen your tales of bygone wars.
To find out all the details, as the Turks ran barefoot out of the Dardanelles.
~ Dismissed.
~ Yes, sir!
~ Fellow officers!
~ Comrade officers!
~ Carry on!
I can hear you perfectly. Keep on tapping. Over.
Stand by!
Comrade General, permit me to report!
On the bridge of the River Cherkassy there's a traffic jam. The crossing is suspended.
~ How?
~ Stopping the advance, Comrade General. On the bridge.
The tank column is on the bridge. The road's in gridlock.
How is this possible?!
What is this crossing of the bridge?!
To cross the bridge, they'll force me to...
~ Why did the train stop?
~ It was here and maybe it can help.
So what, in fact, did happen?
Why are all these people filling the road?
Comrade General. To understand this problem,
let me go back a little in time.
Only then can we understand how
to explain this pandemonium.
On this very day, three lads from the village of
Cherkasy played near the river. They caught a turtle.
This turtle was about to take a drink, and went
towards the river before they started maneuvers.
She didn't want to make stops along the way,
but without enthusiasm accepted an invitation to play in the meadow.
And it's not very pleasant to lie
belly-up in this heat, Comrade General.
In the thick of it, all life tends to hide in the shade.
And only a bird...do you hear?...chirped somewhere in the blue sky.
Tweet, a bird! And we --- we'll ride the buffalo!
A bug --- let him go on his way, to the river, since it's in such a hurry.
Tomorrow or the day after...sooner or later, it will come to its end.
No, no!
Hey! Come back! Come back!
Come back! Come back!
Hey! Wait a minute!
~ I don't think we have time. The rain will soon be...
~ Oh, the wind will disperse it.
Hey! Come on, beat it!
~ That's scary.
~ Come on!
Do it! Come on!
Hey! Get out of there! Your
head'll be cut off, for sure!
Wow!
Look at me! Look at me!
In this hot afternoon the river slept,
flowing dreamlike to the coast.
She was tired of rapid passage through the mountains, and now it rested,...
as do all rivers, because they know ---
one day they will reach their goal --- the sea.
And these boys just wanted to play with the river, Comrade General.
And for this it was necessary only to awaken her.
Although it is unlikely that anyone on Earth knows how to wake up a sleeping river.
Sea horse only know how to flutter their fins.
Tadpoles have fun splashing in the water, as they begin to grow legs.
And by the end of summer it will become an important frog.
A simple bird chirping somewhere around.
Chirping, birdie!
See what I do see now, a bird! You see, Comrade General.
Oh!
Under the bridge there is a such a big fish!
There are some like this, but it is hidden under the arch.
There she sleeps.
Oops.
We walk like a monkey in a circus when
they ride bicycles, going around boxes.
What a monkey!? You what?
The river was so quiet that slid along easily
and gracefully, as if on tiptoe.
She carefully carried on her back the boys.
They had just learned to swim, so the river had to be extremely careful.
Even a small wave can swamp their mouth, open from effort.
The smallest boy thought that the river
which quickly flows down the mountainside, gets tired of that speed.
And so then it dies down in the quiet valleys, and falls asleep.
Surely the summer river was sleeping!
A fish! A fish!
Catch!
Do it! Another one!
There's a hole. If we dive, we'll get a ton of fish!
For sure! But we'd be
swimming under water.
It's there. I just don't have enough air.
Hole! Hole! Ivan, there's a hole!
Yeah...A hole.
Stay there, and I'll pass by that side.
Here they are! Moving! Here's the belly of one of them!
Belly! --- Where is it?
~ Grandmother almost fell!
~ Yeah! I almost fell!
Oh! My hand!
It hurts!
Push!
Mom!! Mama!!
Hey! Hey!
Hey!
Hey!
Hey! People!
Hey!
Hey!
Stop!
Stop!
Run to the station! Get some people!
Hold on! Help's sure to come!
People will come! Hold on!
I'm drowning!
Where is he? --- Where?
Ah, there you are!
Stop crying! Where's the one who was with you when this trouble happened?
~ It's me!
~ What? It's you, not the other boy?
Stop!
Stop! Stop!
Hey! What is it? Stop!
Wait a minute! Stop! Brat!
~ What's up?
~ Some little tyke stopped the train.
Selling fish, I suppose!
~ Stand still! I'll show you...
~ Wait!
~ He's drowning! Sinking!
~ Who?
~ Aleko --- one of us boys!
Hey! Driver! What's happening? I must
know! A train!? What about our trip?!
~ Run, if you're in such a hurry.
~ What? You think me weak?
Hey, Misha! Misha, that water in the thermos is getting stronger!
Well, no, you're all done! Perfect!
It's OK! Look at all the people.
Everything will be all right.
~ How did this happen?
~ The support stones. His hand got jammed.
Marin! Marin! Fetch some scrap iron!
How did this happen?
Yes, you turn off this miracle.
Hey! Chick! Hello!
Come to me!
Yes, while still on the train I felt a little jolt, but who could hear...
~ They could raise the bridge...that would free his hand...
~ That's hardly feasible.
How many tons can weigh one bridge weigh? Why are you smiling?
Hey! It's not so easy for this tyke, and you're not helping, with your belly here...Come on, come on, move away...
~ There's nothing we can do. Whose child is this?
~ Ours. His father works in the field.
We have to think of something...It's raining in the mountains. The river can become more lively.
You're done? Of course! It's immediately obvious --- you're a brave young man.
But surely you're afraid of snails. And how! With such horns...
~ They're soft.
~ Oh, that, yes, but if they get angry, then with their horns...
they can hook you! You fly away a hundred meters!
Oh! Look there! How high you climbed! And not being afraid to fall!
~ It emboldened you. You seem adventurous.
~ We used to collect them...
~ And, well, then, maybe you ate them?
~ Yes.
Here, you see, I know all about it. And if you put it in your mouth, it starts crying.
It squeaks and make drool bubbles.
I know. Here, young man. We cook them.
~ With rice?
~ Yes, with rice. But you know it all, Aleko! That's it!
Stand back!
Stand aside!
As you see, firefighters intervened vigorously.
Well! Everything's all right.
So we all did our bit. You, generals --- with your manpower;...
machinists ---- to work the engines; shepherds - herding; and farmers --- plowing the land...
if all took such a responsible approach to their tasks, then surely wouldn't it make our lives better?
I'm sure that even if the Pope had passed by, he would
not be left behind --- he would read a prayer.
But in this heat, Comrade General, no Pope, no God...no one was in sight.
Aleko!
Aleko!
Don't, don't cry...Hold on, son.
Look how many people are around! Everything will be fine.
Does it hurt? It will soon be over. Hold on.
Look, look how many people....
You can handle this. I'm here. I'm next to you.
We are all here. Look how many people! Many, many...
People!
Get me my boy! Help!
Lord, soon the storm 'll break! Lord! God! Save him! Help!
Why have we come to a halt?!
Comrade Colonel! What is this comedy?
There's nothing we can do about it, Comrade General.
One child is preventing all our maneuvers.
Why is this child is in the water?
Why is he the water?
Comrade General, you must understand...
~ Colonel, report on the situation.
~ Comrade General, we were forced to stop our fording.
The boy's hand is pinched between the rocks. We're trying to break the join with a crowbar.
But in the mountains, it's raining --- there's concern that the water level will rise.
~ Let's block the river.
~ We can!
There's lots of us. We can do it.
While we're here --- everything will be in order.
~ Where's the fire marshal?
~ Here!
~ Come on. The pump is running?
~Yes!
Prepare the pump. The boy should stay safe.
~ Where can I find a compressor?
~ Up in the quarry there's a compressor.
~ Immediately bring it here. Major Sotirov!
~ Sir!
~ Bring it here!
Yes, Comrade. General!
~ It's necessary to fell trees. Use every tank!
~ Yes, sir.
Comrade Captain! Take a position!
Mount up!
We'll go, we'll get more tools! In this case, things will be more comfortable!
Everyone will aid the cause! Go!
~ I have a horse!
~ Excellent.
~ Good!
Let's try again.
Hey! Where's the axe?
Axe!
Come on!
~ We will win this battle, General!
~ There are lots of us! If necessary, we'll just drink the whole river!
~ If necessary, we'll raise our hands and the river!
~ Pull up your pants!
~ Oh, sir...
It's raining! Sometimes the rain water goes right up to the span!
The 42 meter sign washed away along with the railway bridge.
We have time.
You doing all right?
Just a while! You're doing well.
~ Lion-heart, I've been scared, too.
~ No.
~ A ride on a buffalo, I think. I, too, only it...
~ Shakes heavily.
~ Strong shaking, and it travels slowly.
Once, it threw me right into a thistle.
~ Can you imagine what it was like --- thorns in my feet!
~ I know.
And my mom made me keep feet in hot water. For a couple of days.
Then they became soft thorns. It was very hot.
~ Tears flowed from my eyes like a stream. But just now, we must be patient.
~ Right.
We must be patient. And we wait a little bit more. We'll stop the water.
Then we can ride in the tank. That --- that's great.
~ And they'll let us?
~ Who?
~ The soldiers.
Of course! Certainly they'll let us! They are my friends.
A car and a helicopter. Pilots are also my friends.
~ Only, so long as you're not afraid.
~ I won't be.
~ How will they know?
Tell them I won't be afraid! No, I won't be afraid!
Well, then fine. The helicopter will fly now.
Surely the general was thinking of the bird? The bird --- she chirps somewhere in the sky.
Let her sing her trills. General is thinking about how with a wave of her wing she could stop the storm that's coming at them from the mountains.
The bridge will raise its hands, but that will save the lad.
How many people are here! What's the old saying?
What is civilization? Corn --- that's what's civilization.
We all are born of mothers. And we were children.
Do not worry mother, we will stop the river and save the child,
fallen into the jaws of the monster.
Do not be afraid for the children! Earth is spinning just to the east, toward the sun! It seeks to avoid the darkness of its own shadow.
~ Thunder! But we're not afraid!
~ Not at all!
~ I love the brave. You want to serve with me?
~ Well, yes!
~ That's good.
Wow! You'll serve the General!
Comrade General! Your order is carried out!
Aleko! They'll cut off your hand! Don't give them your hand!
Will they cut off your hand? Don't cut it off, Comrade General...
since you can't be a one-armed soldier! Such a boy wouldn't serve under the General.
Won't you be a little boy in the general's service?
Surely our efforts will suffice? Surely the efforts of all mankind are enough to ensure that our children are able to serve as soldiers?
Or...not to serve.
But the throng, they're all here. See this motley crew of humanity gathered here today.
Together with the General, under which some already served, others ---are serving now.
And others --- are going to serve. And all of this story and the child seemed silly.
But it was so sweet as to be trite, so naïve!
Go on, go on...
You did well.
Well! Come with us! Get dressed!
Come on.
Oh! Even as we speak ---- we forgot the smallest.
Hey, kid, kid! What kind of man are we if we cry over a helicopter ride?
Just tell me --- we left you off! You see, we can do even more!
If necessary --- we'll do whatever we can for you! Not that that will stop the tanks!
So you see --- for us the Earth stood still! We grabbed the tail --- and it stopped.
Just like grabbing a tadpole's tail. But for now --- let it resume spinning.
Let this small fry swim in fun. After all, he has his legs
and he is waiting ---- but he won't wait long before he's an adult frog!
Screenwriter
Jordan Radichkov
Director
Heskey law
Photographer
Todor Stoyanov
Music
Milcho Leviev
Soundman
Nikolai Popov
Attention, attention! In three minutes,
train # 704 will arrive at platform 2.
I repeat! Train # 704 will arrive in three minutes at platform 2.
~ Please, please...
~ Wait! Wait, I say!
What's going on? Why is it late?
Hello? Hello!?
Hello! Ah, Nina! Where's train # 704?
704 has long gone, it should be there by now.
~ Why isn't it here, we'll miss our train?
~ We'll see what's happening, General.
~ It's war games! If I'm late --- I'm shot.
I can't do anything.
What do you mean "nothing"?! Do you think
the train just disappeared? It's somewhere
on the way!? So you have to do something.
Eeeny meeny miney moe, catch a chickie by the hand...
Maybe this's all the tanks' fault. Under their
weight, rails can break. Can you imagine
such a burden --- two tanks?!
Oh, bullshit. No way. We all know that.
Well, no, we just talked about it, as a
possibility...better a tank rather a
broken-down engine and...
Oh, shut up! Chatterbox.
Yes, more than a half hour late! Really!
We'll send a search party.
On a hand truck.
What else can we do?! Hello! Hello!
Easy for you to say! "Take a train!"
And where do I find one?
Hello! Hello! We're here! We're waiting!
Hello! Hello!
Who it is? Huh?
What! What a disaster!? Hello!
I can't hear anything!
I don't understand! What?
Hey, guys, careful.
I can't believe we're doing this, Comrade Captain.
Where are you going? Where to?
Any sign of the train yet!
Hold it! Stop it!
Easy, easy...slow down!
Hey! Driver! If only your left turn signals
blinked! Look where you're going!
~ I wonder if that's related
to what happened...?
~ Oh, it's unlikely...
Rather, he was just rushing off somewhere.
Maybe there was a fire? And
they stopped to put out a train fire?
That happened last year.
Check that out!
Hey, well done!
We had to take water with us. In
this heat, you're drying out, right?
~ You're right, comrade.
~ Quite right.
That's right! Look to the right, Comrade Captain.
It can't be a train fire. What
would burn? Iron?
I don't like this! No way in hell...
Step on it, guys, please, hurry up.
~ Hey! Hey!
~ Hey!
Hey!
There's no one?
Hey! Is anybody around?!
~ Run down there, check the train.
~ Yes, sir!
Comrade! Hey, Comrade!
~ Hey, comrade!
~ Am I in Sofia?
~ Where are the travelers?
~ Where are they? And why did the train stop here?
~ That's what we're trying to find out!
~ What is this field?
~ Yes, a farming station...
~ What's going on?...
Empty, Comrade Captain. Only one passenger,
asleep --- and he doesn't have a clue.
So we left Sofia. We can go back to the main body, which is near the exercise site.
It was a battle...And now what?
Forget that. How could all the
people just disappear?
~ Today we were to cross the River Cherkasy.
~ This is the Cherkassy river. Now where are the troops....Ah! Here they are!
General!
Somehow I took a nap...and, apparently,
missed everything. What's going on?
This was the third day of military exercises,
during which we tested the capacity of our armed forces.
The General rode around in a helicopter, as if on a bike, crossing from one hill to another.
They housed the observation posts, and spotters
scanned every inch of the heavens.
Howling planes flew to pour their fire onto the position on the range.
Yesterday, during a counterattack, tanks
and artillery destroyed all the targets located at landfills.
In a Third World War no captives would have been taken.
Aircraft, tanks, and artillery don't take
prisoners, but sow death and destruction.
We are not threatening, but may our enemy be warned,
we would advance with weapons in both hands.
During the maneuvers, we shed a lot of sweat,
but during a real battle we'd shed less blood.
Gunners sweat --- the price of
freedom for this land.
Pilots sweat --- as protection for the land.
Their planes fly up rapidly,...
and warriors drop down, pelting ground
with men instead of rain.
In this hot, peaceful afternoon on the ground,
everywhere was drenched with sweat.
If the land still retains a drop of salt,
it would, most likely, be in human sweat.
Do you see how this peasant shirt was soaked?
Like just yesterday, there was no fighting.
The land quickly heals the wounds.
Comrade General, there were a lot of battles,
but the land with grass covers their wounds.
What can you tell us about wars, old man?
~ Good day!
~ Good day!
~ Comrade General!
~ What's your name?
~ Atanas.
~ I see you're limping? Your leg hurts?
Yes, in the old war. I took some hits...
we left no one alive.
~ Where were you wounded, then?
~ Before Tutrakan. It was a major engagement...
there on the ground...forest, wild...
artillery...So I say --- a terrible thing was going on there!
There, at Tutrakan, the fortress was...not the
only one! More! In general, we were there...
In short, we met a good man, who told us to eat some pears.
Well, we ate pears. Eh, eh...
And then, well, I'll say, and the days of heavy fighting...
There was a Pasha there, and the Dardanelles was shut.
So he...what was his name...it doesn't matter.
Several of ours were captured and taken under escort...
there were barefoot Turkish generals, corn, coffins, and graves...
Now we're in a hurry, man. We have to ford the Cherkasy River.
Someday we may meet again. On a quieter day.
Once again, we'll be back to listen your tales of bygone wars.
To find out all the details, as the Turks ran barefoot out of the Dardanelles.
~ Dismissed.
~ Yes, sir!
~ Fellow officers!
~ Comrade officers!
~ Carry on!
I can hear you perfectly. Keep on tapping. Over.
Stand by!
Comrade General, permit me to report!
On the bridge of the River Cherkassy there's a traffic jam. The crossing is suspended.
~ How?
~ Stopping the advance, Comrade General. On the bridge.
The tank column is on the bridge. The road's in gridlock.
How is this possible?!
What is this crossing of the bridge?!
To cross the bridge, they'll force me to...
~ Why did the train stop?
~ It was here and maybe it can help.
So what, in fact, did happen?
Why are all these people filling the road?
Comrade General. To understand this problem,
let me go back a little in time.
Only then can we understand how
to explain this pandemonium.
On this very day, three lads from the village of
Cherkasy played near the river. They caught a turtle.
This turtle was about to take a drink, and went
towards the river before they started maneuvers.
She didn't want to make stops along the way,
but without enthusiasm accepted an invitation to play in the meadow.
And it's not very pleasant to lie
belly-up in this heat, Comrade General.
In the thick of it, all life tends to hide in the shade.
And only a bird...do you hear?...chirped somewhere in the blue sky.
Tweet, a bird! And we --- we'll ride the buffalo!
A bug --- let him go on his way, to the river, since it's in such a hurry.
Tomorrow or the day after...sooner or later, it will come to its end.
No, no!
Hey! Come back! Come back!
Come back! Come back!
Hey! Wait a minute!
~ I don't think we have time. The rain will soon be...
~ Oh, the wind will disperse it.
Hey! Come on, beat it!
~ That's scary.
~ Come on!
Do it! Come on!
Hey! Get out of there! Your
head'll be cut off, for sure!
Wow!
Look at me! Look at me!
In this hot afternoon the river slept,
flowing dreamlike to the coast.
She was tired of rapid passage through the mountains, and now it rested,...
as do all rivers, because they know ---
one day they will reach their goal --- the sea.
And these boys just wanted to play with the river, Comrade General.
And for this it was necessary only to awaken her.
Although it is unlikely that anyone on Earth knows how to wake up a sleeping river.
Sea horse only know how to flutter their fins.
Tadpoles have fun splashing in the water, as they begin to grow legs.
And by the end of summer it will become an important frog.
A simple bird chirping somewhere around.
Chirping, birdie!
See what I do see now, a bird! You see, Comrade General.
Oh!
Under the bridge there is a such a big fish!
There are some like this, but it is hidden under the arch.
There she sleeps.
Oops.
We walk like a monkey in a circus when
they ride bicycles, going around boxes.
What a monkey!? You what?
The river was so quiet that slid along easily
and gracefully, as if on tiptoe.
She carefully carried on her back the boys.
They had just learned to swim, so the river had to be extremely careful.
Even a small wave can swamp their mouth, open from effort.
The smallest boy thought that the river
which quickly flows down the mountainside, gets tired of that speed.
And so then it dies down in the quiet valleys, and falls asleep.
Surely the summer river was sleeping!
A fish! A fish!
Catch!
Do it! Another one!
There's a hole. If we dive, we'll get a ton of fish!
For sure! But we'd be
swimming under water.
It's there. I just don't have enough air.
Hole! Hole! Ivan, there's a hole!
Yeah...A hole.
Stay there, and I'll pass by that side.
Here they are! Moving! Here's the belly of one of them!
Belly! --- Where is it?
~ Grandmother almost fell!
~ Yeah! I almost fell!
Oh! My hand!
It hurts!
Push!
Mom!! Mama!!
Hey! Hey!
Hey!
Hey!
Hey! People!
Hey!
Hey!
Stop!
Stop!
Run to the station! Get some people!
Hold on! Help's sure to come!
People will come! Hold on!
I'm drowning!
Where is he? --- Where?
Ah, there you are!
Stop crying! Where's the one who was with you when this trouble happened?
~ It's me!
~ What? It's you, not the other boy?
Stop!
Stop! Stop!
Hey! What is it? Stop!
Wait a minute! Stop! Brat!
~ What's up?
~ Some little tyke stopped the train.
Selling fish, I suppose!
~ Stand still! I'll show you...
~ Wait!
~ He's drowning! Sinking!
~ Who?
~ Aleko --- one of us boys!
Hey! Driver! What's happening? I must
know! A train!? What about our trip?!
~ Run, if you're in such a hurry.
~ What? You think me weak?
Hey, Misha! Misha, that water in the thermos is getting stronger!
Well, no, you're all done! Perfect!
It's OK! Look at all the people.
Everything will be all right.
~ How did this happen?
~ The support stones. His hand got jammed.
Marin! Marin! Fetch some scrap iron!
How did this happen?
Yes, you turn off this miracle.
Hey! Chick! Hello!
Come to me!
Yes, while still on the train I felt a little jolt, but who could hear...
~ They could raise the bridge...that would free his hand...
~ That's hardly feasible.
How many tons can weigh one bridge weigh? Why are you smiling?
Hey! It's not so easy for this tyke, and you're not helping, with your belly here...Come on, come on, move away...
~ There's nothing we can do. Whose child is this?
~ Ours. His father works in the field.
We have to think of something...It's raining in the mountains. The river can become more lively.
You're done? Of course! It's immediately obvious --- you're a brave young man.
But surely you're afraid of snails. And how! With such horns...
~ They're soft.
~ Oh, that, yes, but if they get angry, then with their horns...
they can hook you! You fly away a hundred meters!
Oh! Look there! How high you climbed! And not being afraid to fall!
~ It emboldened you. You seem adventurous.
~ We used to collect them...
~ And, well, then, maybe you ate them?
~ Yes.
Here, you see, I know all about it. And if you put it in your mouth, it starts crying.
It squeaks and make drool bubbles.
I know. Here, young man. We cook them.
~ With rice?
~ Yes, with rice. But you know it all, Aleko! That's it!
Stand back!
Stand aside!
As you see, firefighters intervened vigorously.
Well! Everything's all right.
So we all did our bit. You, generals --- with your manpower;...
machinists ---- to work the engines; shepherds - herding; and farmers --- plowing the land...
if all took such a responsible approach to their tasks, then surely wouldn't it make our lives better?
I'm sure that even if the Pope had passed by, he would
not be left behind --- he would read a prayer.
But in this heat, Comrade General, no Pope, no God...no one was in sight.
Aleko!
Aleko!
Don't, don't cry...Hold on, son.
Look how many people are around! Everything will be fine.
Does it hurt? It will soon be over. Hold on.
Look, look how many people....
You can handle this. I'm here. I'm next to you.
We are all here. Look how many people! Many, many...
People!
Get me my boy! Help!
Lord, soon the storm 'll break! Lord! God! Save him! Help!
Why have we come to a halt?!
Comrade Colonel! What is this comedy?
There's nothing we can do about it, Comrade General.
One child is preventing all our maneuvers.
Why is this child is in the water?
Why is he the water?
Comrade General, you must understand...
~ Colonel, report on the situation.
~ Comrade General, we were forced to stop our fording.
The boy's hand is pinched between the rocks. We're trying to break the join with a crowbar.
But in the mountains, it's raining --- there's concern that the water level will rise.
~ Let's block the river.
~ We can!
There's lots of us. We can do it.
While we're here --- everything will be in order.
~ Where's the fire marshal?
~ Here!
~ Come on. The pump is running?
~Yes!
Prepare the pump. The boy should stay safe.
~ Where can I find a compressor?
~ Up in the quarry there's a compressor.
~ Immediately bring it here. Major Sotirov!
~ Sir!
~ Bring it here!
Yes, Comrade. General!
~ It's necessary to fell trees. Use every tank!
~ Yes, sir.
Comrade Captain! Take a position!
Mount up!
We'll go, we'll get more tools! In this case, things will be more comfortable!
Everyone will aid the cause! Go!
~ I have a horse!
~ Excellent.
~ Good!
Let's try again.
Hey! Where's the axe?
Axe!
Come on!
~ We will win this battle, General!
~ There are lots of us! If necessary, we'll just drink the whole river!
~ If necessary, we'll raise our hands and the river!
~ Pull up your pants!
~ Oh, sir...
It's raining! Sometimes the rain water goes right up to the span!
The 42 meter sign washed away along with the railway bridge.
We have time.
You doing all right?
Just a while! You're doing well.
~ Lion-heart, I've been scared, too.
~ No.
~ A ride on a buffalo, I think. I, too, only it...
~ Shakes heavily.
~ Strong shaking, and it travels slowly.
Once, it threw me right into a thistle.
~ Can you imagine what it was like --- thorns in my feet!
~ I know.
And my mom made me keep feet in hot water. For a couple of days.
Then they became soft thorns. It was very hot.
~ Tears flowed from my eyes like a stream. But just now, we must be patient.
~ Right.
We must be patient. And we wait a little bit more. We'll stop the water.
Then we can ride in the tank. That --- that's great.
~ And they'll let us?
~ Who?
~ The soldiers.
Of course! Certainly they'll let us! They are my friends.
A car and a helicopter. Pilots are also my friends.
~ Only, so long as you're not afraid.
~ I won't be.
~ How will they know?
Tell them I won't be afraid! No, I won't be afraid!
Well, then fine. The helicopter will fly now.
Surely the general was thinking of the bird? The bird --- she chirps somewhere in the sky.
Let her sing her trills. General is thinking about how with a wave of her wing she could stop the storm that's coming at them from the mountains.
The bridge will raise its hands, but that will save the lad.
How many people are here! What's the old saying?
What is civilization? Corn --- that's what's civilization.
We all are born of mothers. And we were children.
Do not worry mother, we will stop the river and save the child,
fallen into the jaws of the monster.
Do not be afraid for the children! Earth is spinning just to the east, toward the sun! It seeks to avoid the darkness of its own shadow.
~ Thunder! But we're not afraid!
~ Not at all!
~ I love the brave. You want to serve with me?
~ Well, yes!
~ That's good.
Wow! You'll serve the General!
Comrade General! Your order is carried out!
Aleko! They'll cut off your hand! Don't give them your hand!
Will they cut off your hand? Don't cut it off, Comrade General...
since you can't be a one-armed soldier! Such a boy wouldn't serve under the General.
Won't you be a little boy in the general's service?
Surely our efforts will suffice? Surely the efforts of all mankind are enough to ensure that our children are able to serve as soldiers?
Or...not to serve.
But the throng, they're all here. See this motley crew of humanity gathered here today.
Together with the General, under which some already served, others ---are serving now.
And others --- are going to serve. And all of this story and the child seemed silly.
But it was so sweet as to be trite, so naïve!
Go on, go on...
You did well.
Well! Come with us! Get dressed!
Come on.
Oh! Even as we speak ---- we forgot the smallest.
Hey, kid, kid! What kind of man are we if we cry over a helicopter ride?
Just tell me --- we left you off! You see, we can do even more!
If necessary --- we'll do whatever we can for you! Not that that will stop the tanks!
So you see --- for us the Earth stood still! We grabbed the tail --- and it stopped.
Just like grabbing a tadpole's tail. But for now --- let it resume spinning.
Let this small fry swim in fun. After all, he has his legs
and he is waiting ---- but he won't wait long before he's an adult frog!