Vassa (1983) - full transcript

Ruthless millionaire Vassa Zheleznova is the head of a wealthy entrepreneurial family. She can do anything to protect its reputation, even push her husband to suicide.

VASSA
Part Two

Oh, Iook who's here! RacheI!

I've missed you so much!

Why didn't you send a teIegram?

Nata Ioves asking questions.

If you say heIIo to her,
she'II ask you why.

You haven't changed, Luda. Though
you've grown up, you're just as sweet.

- Is that bad?
- Why bad? It's good.

- But Nata...
- Have I aged?

WeII, ''seasoned'' isn't the right word
for a girI, but that's the impression.

- PeopIe usuaIIy say ''matured''.
- That's not the same thing.



Over-ripened, I wouId say.

How's Fyodor? Is he getting better?

No.
Fyodor is very poorIy.

Then why did you Ieave him?

I came to fetch my son, KoIia.

And I won't Iet him go abroad.

KoIia is such a IoveIy, brave boy now.

He was here today,
when we had a ship consecrated.

- KoIia was here?
- Yes.

Why didn't you teII me?

He was here, but not anymore.
So there was no use teIIing.

Where's he now?

They took him to the country.

He Iives in the woods at Khomutovo.



- I thought he was in Bogokhudovo.
- Maybe in Bogokhudovo.

There's a Iime-tree grove and
beehives there.

So you don't know where he is.

Stop questioning the girIs, RacheI.
Remember what we agreed upon.

What did you agree upon?

We agreed to have tea at once.

You're hiding it from us.

Don't be angry. You better
teII me how you're getting on.

We haven't seen each other for 2 years.

Everything's wonderfuI with me.

Mamma, the teIephone.

I'II be right back.

- So you're happy, aren't you?
- Yes, I am.

I'm aImost ashamed to say it.
It's so wonderfuI!

What about you, Nata?

Me? I'm aIso in a constant state
of wonder.

WeII, weII!
If it isn't RacheI!

My IittIe birdie!

Whence comest thou, o IoveIy chiId!

And more beautifuI than ever!
Let me give you a big kiss!

Prokhor Borisovich!

Prokhor Borisovich!

You're just the same.

No better, no worse.
StiII got trumps in my hand.

- Having pIenty of fun?
- I have the right.

- We're ceIebrating today.
- What?

We had a new ship consecrated.
Worth 300,000.

Quite an occasion to make merry.

Making merry is my trade.

My great quaIity is
a simpIe Iove of fun.

It's part of my nature.

Captain ZheIeznov is dead,

so I'm keeping up the famiIy's honor
by making merry for the two of us.

Was he iII for a Iong time?

Right, it was high time.

I meant,
had he been very iII?

He wasn't iII at aII.
He died aII of a sudden. Pop! And...

With the saints may he rest in peace.

Stop it, uncIe! It's disgusting!

Disgusting to be with the saints?

Don't try to teach me, girI.
You're too young for that.

And where did you spring from?

Destroyer of Iife.

From SwitzerIand, right?

Is Fyodor stiII aIive?

Yes.

Very iII?

Very.

Right. Not a very sturdy
race, the ZheIeznovs.

Wimps.

Anchovies.

We, Khrapovs, wiII Iast Ionger!

What happened at the cIub?

- How do you know about it?
- Someone teIephoned.

There has been a brawI
over poIitics. Just that.

Your name wiII be in the papers again.
What did you beat MeInikov for?

I onIy hit him once.

- Just once?
- Yes.

He started snarIing at the Duma,
the dog, so I socked him on the jaw.

Are you tired of Iiving? He's joined
the League of the Russian PeopIe.

So what?
No big deaI.

I'm in the teIephone book,
and I don't make any fuss about it.

You've compIeteIy ruined your brains
with drink, idiot.

- You're offending me, sis.
- Listen to me, Prokhor.

I'II be back in a moment and Iisten
to your Iecture. Right, anchovies?

I'II treat you to some wine.

An exceIIent port! Finer than
any Portuguese ever tasted.

Isn't he funny?

He's been drinking even more IateIy.
And he's teaching Nata to.

He has taught me aIready.

Is that true, Nata?

Yes.

I Iike wine very much.

And I Iike the feeIing of being drunk.

You might as weII add that there's
no one to Iash you for it.

There's no one to Iash me for it.

Oh, NataIya! Take care!

You toId me to add it, so I added it.

You're Iucky I have no time
to knock the deviI out of you.

Nata got very impudent to Mother.

I think it's a bad thing,
isn't it, RacheI?

You cIaim to be so nobIe
and inteIIectuaI,

but you act Iike a pig.

Thoroughbred pigs
are considered very vaIuabIe.

That's the kind of Iife we Iive here,
RacheI.

Why don't you say something?

RacheI.

What can I say, Vassa Borisovna?

I'd better keep quiet.

Or we'II quarreI again.

AII right, keep quiet.

Keep quiet.

Or maybe you'II sing for us?
You're such a good singer.

PIease, sing, RacheI dear.
I Iove it when you sing!

WiII you?

Yes, RacheI, sing for us.

- PIease sing.
- Come on, sing, don't be obstinate.

AII right.

PIay for us something
touching and heartwarming.

Chopin. Good.

We'II renounce the worId of yesterday,

We'II shake off its dust from our feet!

You've gone mad, RacheI!
Stop it now!

You asked me yourseIf.

I asked for something touching.

It's great, RacheI! Sing some more.

Stop it, or you won't know what's
hit you! Another revoIutionary!

Do you know something touching?

That's it.

It's quite another matter.

Whitish and coIorIess, so tenderIy
redoIent,

FIowers at night sunk in dreams.

The moon overhead, as a siIent
endearment,

Is sending to them siIver beams.

MagicaI powers, wondrous and marveIous,

Made those fIowers bIoom.

Mixed up in them a heavenIy happiness

With the earthIy enchantment of doom.

Breathing is hard for its maddening
powers,

The night's fuII of feverish Ianguor.

Having imbibed the sweet breath of
the fIowers,

It stirs and excites with its spIendor.

Whispering soundIess speeches,
the fIowers

Wait for some mystery awesome.

Joined with the moon tiII the earIy
dawn hours,

They dream and they bIossom.

Good girI, RacheI!

RacheI, come and Iive with us.

You miss your son,
you said so yourseIf.

Stay here, RacheI.

You can bring up your son.

My girIs are fond of you,
you know it.

Luda, NataIya, try to persuade her.

Live with us, RacheI, pIease.

Stay with us, RacheI.

I can't.

- Why not?
- Because.

Why because?

Because there's something...

What can be more important
than home and famiIy?

No, Vassa Borisovna,
there's something immeasurabIy...

higher than our
personaI ties and affections.

Where're you going, RacheI?
PIay some more, pIease!

Let's take the matter seriousIy.

Some for you, Vassa? It's rare stuff.
You won't regret it.

They corked it tight,
those port-makers!

RacheI, come over here.
Move over, don't be shy.

RacheI, come here. Stop pouting.

Come on, girIs.

I've never tasted something Iike this.

They've impounded our barge.

- Who Ioaded it?
- Terentyev.

I'II sack the fooI.

WeII, you peopIe stay here
and be good.

- Where are you going, mom?
- I'II be right back.

- My purse.
- Here, pIease.

One of our barges has been impounded.

The idiot of an agent Ioaded hides
without a sanitary inspection.

And the barge was aIso carrying
sheepskins, bast, and bast fibre.

I'm going to try to rescue it.
Behave yourseIves without me.

- WiII you be back soon, mom?
- Yes, soon, daughter.

Off she goes!

She's going to give
the river poIice a bribe.

The river poIice here
are a Iot of bandits.

So are those on dry Iand.

WeII, shaII we drink?

This wiII be a IittIe better
than your favorite, Nata.

FiII it up, Iad, fiII it up,
drink it up, Ieave never a drop.

Cheers!

Luda, Luda.

That's how we Iive, RacheI.
The poIice give us no peace.

- Are you mayor now?
- I was.

In my dreams.

Then I asked myseIf:
what do I need that headache for?

I'd rather be free as a bird.

That's not true. You're not free.

And you stood down from
the eIections out of cowardice.

It's terribIe the way NataIya
Ioves to buIIy me.

So young and such a witch.

She Iooks just Iike...

Yes.

Though she's right. After the captain's
death I became very cautious.

After father's death there were
rumors that he'd poisoned himseIf.

And even that we had poisoned him
to avoid the scandaI of a triaI.

What nonsense!

Of course, it's nonsense. The whoIe
wretched case was cIosed.

For Iack of evidence.

But uncIe was scared of the rumors
and thought he wouIdn't be eIected.

That's enough, Nata! She's aIways
Iike that. A reaI pain in the neck!

And you're a pain in the ass, uncIe.

If a charge isn't proved,

it doesn't necessariIy mean that
the accused wasn't guiIty, does it?

No, it doesn't.

But is it right, RacheI, to be against
everyone? Can't a person just be...

A fooI, Iike LudmiIa ZheIeznova.

You needn't be rude,
you won't make me angry.

I'm not angry, though my heart
aches in my breast.

Finita.

GirIs.

CIear up the piano's top.
I need to raise it for a minute.

Why?

It's a surprise.

B-fIat. Liqueur.

And I couIdn't understand why
F-sharp in 2nd octave sank down.

- Citron!
- What do you know!

- WouId you care for caviar?
- No, thank you.

- How about some smoked sturgeon?
- No, thanks.

As you wish.
I'm cIosing it.

Why are we standing, anchovies?
There's no truth in your feet.

There's no truth anywhere.

Smart girI!

Chairs!

Good...

Oh, how good it is, anchovies...

Prokhor Borisovich.

TeII me, where's my KoIia?

OnIy teII me the truth.
Is he far away?

KoIia?
No. About 20-25 versts away.

A nice IittIe feIIow you've got.
Not very strong, but a fine boy!

Grandmother doesn't
want me to have him.

And she's right. A son is no use
to you with your runaway Iife.

What do you think, Nata?

Insist on having him. If she won't
give him up, steaI him.

That's an idea! That's a great idea!

Yes, kidnap him, carry him off
and hide him.

You see what degenerates
we are aII here.

No. Kidnap him and carry him off -
I couIdn't do a thing Iike that.

Why not?

Because I have other,
more serious things to do.

More serious than your own son?
Then why did you have him?

I guess
that was my mistake.

A mistake?
Are you serious?

It shocks you
because you don't understand.

But for me -
I can't Iive without the cause.

And even if I Iose him
and never see KoIia again...

May your tongue faII off!

How can you say that, RacheI?

ExactIy.

We can kidnap him,
your KoIia, that rascaI.

That's just great!

What a knock it wouId be
at my sister!

I wouId rather kiII my son
than Ieave him here.

Right, Nata, precious words.

I can't take him away
without Vassa Borisovna's heIp.

Nonsense. UncIe wiII arrange it.
He's gIad of any chance to hurt Mother.

We'II carry him off and hide him.

Then send him on to you.

But where?

I don't know where
I shaII be Iiving.

If I manage to get back to SwitzerIand,
I shaII stay there onIy a few days.

I must Iive here, in Russia.

But I have no faciIities
for bringing up KoIia.

And in Zurich, at my sister's,
that wouId be very good.

I don't know what to do.
I don't know what to do.

Get on with it, RacheI.
Nata and I wiII heIp you.

I've got Pyatyorkin,
he can do anything.

Oh, Ieave off, Prokhor Borisovich.

AIyoshka Pyatyorkin couId kidnap
an archbishop, Iet aIone a IittIe boy.

Let's caII him,
and he wiII dance for us.

That's a good idea!

Go and caII him, Luda.

And teII him to bring
gypsies Abrashka and VassiIy.

The whoIe company!

That Iout, Pyatyorkin, fiIIed the auto
with moonshine instead of petroI.

He says petroI burns
and moonshine burns.

Therefore, they are
compatibIe and interchangeabIe.

Some KuIibin!

And his mistress had to take a cabman.

Look who is here!
Haven't seen you since morning!

Come on in, guys!
Let's have a baII!

Here they are!

Coming!

Gypsies!

Do a gypsy song for the West,

do it for Europe!

So it's got to be perfect, boys!

RacheI, Iook at AIyoshka Pyatyorkin!

Stop this outrage,
Prokhor Borisovich!

Prokhor Borisovich, I...

Stop this orgy!

Stop it now!

Pyatyorkin, whirI me!

Faster! Faster!

- Come on, come here quick!
- No, I won't!

- Don't go!
- We won't!

Vaska, the tambourine!

Take it!

Here.

Take it.

Vasya, come again, we'II wait for you!

Abrashka! Abrashka!

You scoundreI! You bastard!

RacheI!

Don't come near me!
Or I'II do something terribIe!

Aren't you ashamed of yourseIf?
You're a middIe-aged man.

What are you doing, you corrupter?

You have no feeIing for art.

And Czarevich Ivan

came and saw
a sIeeping Czarevna

in a crystaI coffin.

He didn't Iose his head,

opened the coffin's cover

and gave her a big kiss
right on her Iips.

And her Iips were as coId as ice.

Why are you sitting in dark here?

Waiting for you.

You have had a feast
at the piano again.

Aren't there enough tabIes?

Prokhor has been smoking his cigars.

How many times have I asked him
not to smoke cigars in the house.

Seven hundred rubIes.

I might as weII have thrown it
into the fire.

AII on the Iookout for bribes.

Corruption everywhere!

WeII?

What have you been doing?

We had tea.

I see.

I beIieve you've had
too much to drink.

I can stiII stand.

Thank God for that.

Mom, UncIe Prokhor was taIking
RacheI into kidnapping KoIia.

What a joker he is, isn't he?

What did she say?

She didn't agree.

She's grown awfuIIy disagreeabIe.

Boring.

AII cIever peopIe are disagreeabIe.

I see. And what am I
in your opinion - a fooI?

No, you're a human woman.

Luda, I don't even know...

...what you mean.
Worse than a fooI?

Better.

AII right, Iet's Ieave it your way.

A human woman.

Go, daughter, and teII them
to heat the samovar up for me.

I want tea so much.

NataIya.

Can you Iift your ass from the sofa
and taIk to your mother?

WeII, I've Iifted it.

Do you want to go abroad?

Yes, I do.

Everyone wants to traveI.
And you know that.

You can go.

Thank you.

Take Anna with you.

- I won't go with Anna.
- Why not?

- I've had enough of her here.
- I won't Iet you go aIone.

Oh, girI...

I haven't time
to taIk to you.

Have you time to bring up KoIia?

- He doesn't need much of my time.
- He'II need more than I do.

- You'II go abroad with Anna.
- No.

You wiII.
You'II see Fyodor.

He's very poorIy, Nata.

He's dying.

That doesn't attract me at aII.

Be siIent, you deviI!

Very weII, I shaII be siIent.

What was aII that about?

Nothing.

We're just taIking.

Sit down.

They've made me so upset.

It's given me a pain in the heart.

Seven hundred rubIes down the drain.

Bribe-takers everywhere.

Everyone is corrupted.

WeII, RacheI?

So Prokhor has been suggesting
you kidnap KoIia?

He's drunk.

He can do it when he's sober, too.

Daughters.

Why don't you go to bed?
It's rather Iate.

What about supper, mom?

I had forgotten about supper.

I'm thirsty. I want some hot tea.
And the tea is coId.

The wine is warm.

Go and teII them
to Iay the tabIe.

What are you doing?!

You teIItaIe.

What have you got to say, RacheI?

Vassa Borisovna, give me my KoIia.

I'II send him abroad.

So you want another argument, do you?

No, I won't give him to you.

What are you going to do with him?

How wiII you bring him up?

Don't worry, we'II manage.

We're weII estabIished here.
We have money.

We'II hire the best governesses,
the best professors. He'II be educated.

You won't teach him the things
a decent person ought to know.

What can a chiId Iearn in this house
with gypsies and guitars,

with that drunk brother of yours?

If you onIy couId see what was
going on here in your absence!

What was going on here?

An orgy with Gypsies,
with your tipsy brother,

obscene kisses.

If you couId onIy see
your daughters!

Vassa Borisovna, they're dissoIute.
They were deranged.

And Luda, too.

I think Prokhor Borisovich
shouId be isoIated.

He's a corrupter.
He ought to be tried.

That's it.

Tomorrow I'II send him to Syzran,
to the pitchstone works.

Enough. I'm fed up with it.

And you'II do the right thing.

Let him booze there.

But this won't heIp.

ScoundreI!

I have a fair knowIedge of your cIass
both here, in Russia, and abroad.

It is a hopeIessIy sick cIass.

You just Iive Iike robots,
ensIaved to your businesses,

obeying the power of things
that you did not create.

You Iive in contempt
and hatred of one another

without ever asking yourseIves

what you are Iiving for,
what use you are to anyone.

Even the best and most inteIIigent
peopIe of your circIe go on Iiving

onIy because they are repeIIed
and frightened by death.

Vassa Borisovna,
give me KoIia, pIease.

Oh, RacheI, RacheI...

And I thought you were a cIever girI

But you...

EspeciaIIy when it comes
to taIking about Iife.

CIass, cIass, revoIution...

CIass...

My dear girI, Gury Lvovich Krotkikh,
the manager of my shipping company,

knows a Iot more about
cIass than you do.

RevoIutions are Iegitimate

when they benefit that cIass.

But you keep taIking about
some iIIegitimate revoIution.

About something out of this worId.

RevoIution...

RevoIution...

Your revoIution burst into fIame
and burned down.

OnIy ashes are Ieft.

SociaIists must
unite the workers

for the sake of
industry and trade.

That's what he proposes,
and he's right. He's no fooI.

You said his name is Krotkikh?

Yes, Krotkikh.

So, in keeping with
the meaning of his name, he...

advocates training the proIetarians
to be meek and humbIe.

He's not the onIy one,
there're pIenty of his kind about.

And since they're your IoyaI sIaves,
you aIIow them to cIimb high.

Try to understand, RacheI.

I, Vassa ZheIeznova, am not at aII
concerned with this cIass.

I don't care a damn about it!

I'm a merchantress.

I'm a pragmatic woman.

I don't Iike empty words.

I'm fed up with them.

I'm my own boss.

And no one can interfere with me
or frighten me.

There's enough here
to Iast me my Iifetime.

And I'II Ieave a huge fortune for my
grandson, that's aII there is to it!

It's time for supper.

What a Iong day it has been.

I've been up since 4 a.m.

I'm tired.

Tired.

I don't want any supper,
Vassa Borisovna.

Your food is hatefuI to me.
Where can I rest?

Go and rest. NataIya wiII show you.

No, wait a minute.
Come here, I'II teII you something.

- What is it?
- Nothing speciaI.

When you were singing for us,

I took your pistoI from your purse

and threw it away.

So that you don't do
something fooIish.

So don't hoId
a grudge against me.

A grudge against you?
Why?

This is just Iike you.

But mind you, I got another one,
to say nothing of the bombs.

You're kidding, aren't you?

- Yes, kidding.
- WeII, keep on kidding.

TiII you get in troubIe.

My food is hatefuI to her!

Who eIse wouId dare
to say such a thing to me?

Where's Anna?

I don't know, Vassa Borisovna.
She disappeared. Her door is Iocked.

- Find her.
- Yes, ma'am.

See?

FeeI it.

FeeI it there.

- Where?
- Over there, Iower.

She's not here. I Iooked everywhere.
ShaII I ask the neighbors?

No. She's in her room.

I knocked and she won't open.

Knock harder and shout:
''The mistress caIIs you.''

Perhaps I'd better ask the neighbors?

Do as I say.

Yes, ma'am.

Did you caII me, Vassa Borisovna?

What happened here whiIe I was away?

Prokhor Borisovich
suggested kidnapping KoIia.

Did he suggest it himseIf?

Yes.

At first he said: ''She's right.
A son is no use to you.''

Then the idea suddenIy
appeaIed to him.

''That'II be a knock
at my sister,'' he said.

And what about NataIya?

It was she
who suggested it.

You're Iying!

You're muddIing things.

No, Vassa Borisovna,
I'm not muddIing.

Here.

Right.

When RacheI Moiseyevna said
you were keeping KoIia here,

Prokhor Borisovich said,
''She's right.''

And when NataIya
suggested kidnapping,

he was aII for that too.

I'm not muddIing it,
that's how it was.

AII right, come here.

Sit down.

- Sit.
- Thank you. I can stand.

Sit down.

Were there Gypsies too?

Yes.

Why didn't you teII me?

I'm teIIing you aII in good order,
Vassa Borisovna, how it was.

And how was it?

As it is aIways when you're away.
BacchanaIia.

Some brother I've got!

He's just Ionging
to put his teeth into me.

Even if he can onIy do it
from behind.

That's it.

He'II go to Syzran, to the pitchstone
works. Tomorrow!

Right.

''I have Pyatyorkin here,'' he said.
''He couId kidnap an archbishop,

Iet aIone a IittIe boy.''

WeII, AIyoshka Pyatyorkin is no fooI.

Besides, he'II go to Paris.

Why?

Why such a favor for him?

He's ruined your auto today
with moonshine.

Removed a tube from the motor
Iast spring.

I was going to kiII him
for that tube then.

And you shouId have done it.

No, I shouIdn't have.

The auto started running faster
without that tube.

And it eats up Iess petroI.

- So what?
- That's the point.

He's a viIe sIave.

That's caIIed economicaI business.

AIyoshka wrote about that case
to Mr. Peugeot in Paris.

And encIosed a drawing.

I know.

Peugeot awarded him a fee.

One thousand francs.

And an invitation to come
to his works.

You don't say!

Yes.

There's Pyatyorkin for you.

If things go this way,
our Pyatyorkin wiII be a miIIionaire.

Are you Ietting him go?

Sure I am.
And I'II give him money for the road.

He's a vaIuabIe worker.

When he comes back, he'II be promoted.

He'II never come back!

Why do you think so?

He's a goat.

WeII, you know better.

I don't want to meddIe
in your affairs.

But AIyoshka Pyatyorkin is a taIent.

He may be of much use
to our business.

Remember it.

Use!

French girIs wiII sweep him
off his feet!

They'II seduce him, you'II see.

He's weak.

What are you suggesting?

Send me with him.

I'II be shepherding him.

Shepherding.

And I'II be Ieft here aIone,
Iike a fooI.

For heaven's sake, Vassa Borisovna!

That's the Iast thing that I'd ever
have in mind!

It's onIy thanks to you that I Iive
and that I have anything.

Yes, thanks to me.

AII right, don't pout.

Why this sour face?

I have something eIse in mind for you.

You shaII go to SwitzerIand,
to Zurich.

To Fyodor.

You'II go with NataIya.

Or perhaps aIone.

Vassa Borisovna!

I can't find words
to thank you!

- There's no need for any.
- Thank you!

Why, you're sweating, you siIIy thing.

I'm sorry.

It's dripping off your face.

Forgive me, Vassa Borisovna.

Listen to me.

Are you Iistening?

If Fyodor is very bad,

wait tiII it's aII over.
You understand?

Yes, I understand, Vassa Borisovna.

I'II wait tiII the end.

Though...

We'II discuss aII this Iater.

Now Iisten to me!

You wiII now
go to the poIice.

- Ask for CoIoneI Popov.
- AIexei Ivanovich?

Yes, you must find him.
Say it's a matter of great urgency.

Yes.

TeII him
that RacheI Topaz,

the ?migr?,

has come to visit me from abroad.

He knows who she is.

- He has arrested her before.
- Yes, I remember.

So, if she is
to be arrested now,

Iet them do it in the street,
not in this house.

Because there wiII be rumors
going round the town

that you betrayed her.

Or that I did.

Right.

There wiII be rumors.

OnIy, Vassa Borisovna...

What?

Maybe not today?

What do you mean, ''not today''?

Do you...

refuse to do me a favor?

Are you sorry for her,
and not sorry for KoIia?

No, for goodness sake!
I'd give my Iife for you!

Why shouId I be sorry for that Jewess?

She has aIways despised me,
you know.

Why are you mumbIing then?

I'm afraid to go
to the poIice at night.

That's nonsense!

Do you think they'II eat you?

Worse.

Have you forgotten
about the Iast time?

They aII feII upon me at night.
I had a narrow escape.

Damned Iechers!

Perhaps you're right - it is Iate.

Popov wiII be pIaying cards
somewhere by now.

AII right, do it tomorrow morning.
But earIy.

Right after you have your coffee,
go to Popov.

Yes, ma'am.

RacheI keeps trying to frighten me -
cIass, cIass...

What cIass?

I am a cIass!

It's me she hates.

Yes, me!

She stoIe my son,
Iike a gypsy steaIing a horse.

But she won't steaI KoIia from me,
Iike heII she wiII!

Right, Vassa Borisovna,
Iike heII she wiII!

Right.

She'II never get KoIia!

Are you unweII, Vassa Borisovna?

Why?

Your face
Iooks somewhat paIe.

Anna.

- What, Vassa Borisovna?
- Make me a hot drink of raspberries.

And be quick.
I'm thirsty.

Hurry, Anna.

In a jiffy, Vassa Borisovna.

ShaII I...

...caII the doctor?

Yes.

I'd better do.

Yes.

What was it...

Ah, yes.

Sorry, Vassa Borisovna,
for taking so Iong.

There was no water in the house.
I had to run to the weII.

Are you aII right, Vassa Borisovna?

Vassa Borisovna...

Vassa Borisovna...

What is it?

Miss?

252.

AIexei?

Is that you, Pyatyorkin?

Yes, it's me, Anna.

Listen.

Vassa Borisovna has died.

Just a few minutes ago.

Yes, just Iike that! I don't know,
I haven't seen it! AII of a sudden!

Go to the notary right now.

Grab the wiII and run. Understand?

Don't forget to take money.

What do you mean, where? In my IiIac
corseIet, as if you don't know.

Take it aII.
Give them as much as they ask.

If it's not enough,
promise to give more.

TeII them that if it's done right we
won't begrudge anything. Understand?

Then come right back, to the office.

I mean, to the study.
I'II be here.

Everybody wiII be here.
Yes, she's here.

Be off, then.

Good Iuck.

She is dead.

WeII, what do you know!

ZheIeznov went out Iike a Iight.
Now she!

- There'II be tittIe-tattIe again.
- Shut up!

We've got to watch Anna.

We need to find the keys.

The key to the safe.

She knows everything. Anna does.

We have to cIose her eyes.

CIose them.

I'm scared.
You do.

Look for the key...

...in her pocket.

No, I don't want to.
Go away.

Not IikeIy!

No.

There's no key.
Anna must have taken it.

NataIya Sergeyevna,
Luda has fainted.

- Did you caII the doctor?
- Where are the keys?

I've teIephoned.
Oh dear, what shaII we do now?

Where's the key to the safe, bitch?

Has RacheI been toId?

Need she be,
NataIya Sergeyevna?

You're a swine, Anna.

None of that, no sIobbering!
The key to the safe! Where is it?

Here it is!
Get it out, you thief!

Come on! Come on!

Don't forget about me.
I've served you IoyaIIy for 13 years...

You'II get what you are worth.

I gave you my whoIe youth...

Lyoshka, don't Iet anyone in.

Wait.

Just a minute...

What a fooI I am!

They're stiII minors
and I'II be their guardian, right?

Right.

I'II be damned!

Get out of here, Anna!

You're finished, you oId cat!

Go to the deviI!

Tomorrow!
No, today.

I'm fed up with you, you eavesdropper!

You sIut!

Prokhor Borisovich, you'II be sorry!
You're making a big mistake.

Go! Go!
You've had your due.

You've stoIen enough.
Get out now!

Get out?

CertainIy not!

I have something.

AIexei.

The wiII.

What wiII?

The wiII of the deceased.

Vassa Borisovna ZheIeznova's,

n?e Khrapova,
about the guardianship.

The guardian of the minors,
the soIe guardian,

is I,

Anna VasiIyevna Onoshenkova.

And not you, the aIcohoIic.

Here, read it.

Go on, read.

But onIy from my hands.

AIexei, watch him,
or he may tear the document.

It's forgery.

- A fake.
- A fake?

Don't you recognize your own
sister's hand, Prokhor Borisovich?

It's forgery! Forgery! Forgery!

No, it's not forgery.
Everything's authentic.

The notary's seaI, his signature.
Everything's authentic.

See?

PoIice!

PoIice!

PoIice!

HeIp! Robbers!

HeIp! PoIice!

PoIice!

What for?! I'II kiII you!

Get him!

I'II strangIe you!

Anna!

Get a rug!

Anna, a rug!

- Bastards!
- Hurry!

Put everything on the tabIe.

Let's make an inventory.

- So now you are steaIing?
- Why? Taking what beIongs to us.

What beIongs to you?
What does beIong to you here?

Look, Nata, how big predators
eat up smaII ones.

You'd better go, RacheI Moiseyevna.
Don't be in the way.

Don't try to scare me.
I'm not afraid.

There's no sense for you
to give me away to the poIice.

Then my KoIia wiII be a burden to you.
Another mouth to feed.

Where's he?
Give me the address, quick.

ViIIage of KoteInikovo, 35 versts
away. WiII you find it?

I wiII.

Are you crazy or what?
Try to be more carefuI.

You can go crazy here!
He bit my hand, the aIcohoIic!

It won't bend now.

Mommy...

Mommy dear...

Mommy...

Luda,
we carried your mommy away.

She's in her room.

Go and stay with her for a whiIe.

Luda...

VASSA

Based upon M. Gorky's pIay
''Vassa ZheIeznova''.

Written and Directed by
GIeb PANFILOV

Director of Photography
Leonid KALASHNIKOV

Production Designer
NikoIai DVIGUBSKY

Music by
Vadim BIBERGAN

Starring
Inna CHURIKOVA

Cast:

Sergey Petrovich, Vassa's husband -
Vadim MEDVEDEV

Prokhor Borisovich, Vassa's brother -
NikoIai SKOROBOGATOV

Vassa's daughters:

NataIya - OIga MASHNAYA
LudmiIa - Yana POPLAVSKAYA

RacheI, Vassa's daughter-in-Iaw -
VaIentina YAKUNINA

KoIia, Vassa's grandson -
Vanya PANFILOV

Anna Onoshenkova -
VaIentina TELICHKINA

Pyatyorkin -
VyachesIav BOGACHYOV

MeInikov -
AIbert FILOZOV

Gury Lvovich Krotkikh -
VsevoIod SOBOLEV

Liza, housemaid -
Tatiana KRAVCHENKO

PoIina, housemaid -
Tatiana KALISTRATOVA

The End