Vostochny koridor (1967) - full transcript

Belarusfilm

Eastern Corridor

Script by Ales' Kuchar,
Valentin Vinogradov

Director
Valentin Vinogradov

Cinematography
Yuri Marukhin

Art Director
Ievgenii Ignatiev

Music by Mikael Tariverdiyev,
Eduard Khagagortyan

Director V. Rybariev
Cameraman D. Zaitsev

Sound by S. Shukhman

Costumes A. Gribova
Make-up L. Yemelyanov

[w. German accent] The enemy is sending
into the partisan battle well-trained,



fanatical, communist schooled
fighters

who shrink from no act of violence.

State Cinematographic Symphonic
Orchestra conducted by E. Khachaturyan

More than ever before
it is a question of

to be or not to be.
Producer I. Filonenko

Starring: R. Adamaitis, V. Nekhorosheva,
L. Abramova

This war no longer has anything to do
with knightly conduct

or with the agreements of
the Geneva Convention

Starring: V. Pliut, G. Glebov,
E. Rysina

V. Titova, B. Markov,
V. Kashpur

The troops are therefore empowered and
are in duty bound in this war

to use without mitigation even
against women and children

any means that will lead to success.

Starring: N. Barabanov, B. Babkauskas,
V. Akuraters.



Also starring...

Field Marshall Keitel.

He's playing again.

They are bringing someone.

Now they are coming even
in the morning.

So we meet again.

Now we're all here together.

We would like to know

what happened then?

Open up!

What has happened?

A thing or two...

Who is this?

This is my sister, Lena.

She asked to stay the night here,
after she quarreled with her beau.

Do you want something to eat?

No!

Let's sleep.

Make room for me, women!

I'm so cold.

So good!

Why are you shivering?

No, it's nothing!

You're strange today

I'll go and light the stove

and cook something

It will be warm in the morning.

As you wish.

Ivan Lobach is a rat.

Ziazulia, you suspect everyone!

Even yourself!

Who will believe this?
How will you prove it?

He was shot.

Shot?

He's from the woods.

He ran away.

You are a brave girl,

you know about discipline.

He'll be back in the city.

Yours?

- When did he come?
- Just now.

Let's go out.

I haven't heard anything.

Handsome boy.

Hairy. This means he's lucky.

Who is he:
from the woods or from the police?

Well, neither.

He's a scoundrel.

You're a fool, Zhenya!

Go to him.

- Come on!
- Let's go to the porch.

Oh, leave me out of this.

Is there anything to drink?

Why are you quiet?

Have you gone mad?

Get up!

- Zhenya ...
- You've been sentenced.

Turn around.

Our Committee needs to discuss
one matter.

People in the woods are besieged.

They are starving.

They need bread.

The Birulia group from
the grain elevator

suggests seizing the grain

and transporting it to the woods.

To do that we need to contact
the 'Motherland' brigade.

There is a suggestion:

to send

Dubovik

and Lobach.

You need to leave today.

You'll arrange the meeting on your own.

The operation will be supervised

by Dubovik.

He didn't show up to see me off
to the woods.

What's happened to Dubovik?

Member of the underground Committee
Dubovik

voluntarily joined the great Germany
[paper is in Belarusian]

He will be speaking at the depot
on the 25th

asking his associates from
the city and the woods

to give up their weapons.

I'll kill him.

[with German accent]
This is one of

the leaders of the
underground movement

Oles' Dubovik.

[Read with German accent]
'Avoid beating Russians.

The Russian values his honour.

If he is beaten
he never forgets it.

Thrashing is regarded as
uncultivated in Russia.

The Tsarist system was and still
is so terribly hated because

flagellation and
execution by hanging

were daily occurrences.

The Bolshevists realizing this clearly,

have strictly forbidden
beatings

and death by strangulation.

In a propaganda lasting for years

hangings and beatings were described
as the highest measures of barbarity.

Today Soviet propaganda even
makes use of the hanging of bandits

in order to put the Germans

on the same level as
the Tsarist regime'.

From the 10 Commandments for German
soldiers in active service.

Give it to me!

[with German accent]
We haven't ill treated him

and we haven't tortured him.

You see, he is alive
and in perfect physical

and spiritual health.

We have talked to him using
the language of

facts,
mere facts.

After we presented
all our arguments

and we have to say that
we haven't concealed anything from him,

he had to abandon his comrades.

He admitted defeat

and calls on his associates from
the city and in the woods

to lay down arms.

Please, don't be so quiet!

Say something!

Please, don't be so quiet!

Ivan, dear!

Where did you arrange
to meet him?

In the Holy Spirit Cathedral.

Greetings from a dead man.

Easy, old man,

I am not a child.

Let's discuss things.

I was at the depot.

I wanted to kill him.

Why didn't you do it?

They made him wear an overcoat
so we couldn't see...

Bastards! They beat him up and
injured his bladder!

His trousers were all wet.

He can't talk anymore.

But others can.

- Who?
- Give me your hand, old man.

You'll go with me.

I won't give you my hand.
But I will follow you -

to check.

Wait here!

[in Belarusian]
Editorial Office

Are you all on your own?
Is the Editor at home?

Yes, he is. That's his door.

- Is he alone?
- No, a guest from Berlin came to visit.

Listen here, old woman!
Not a word!

- Who's there?
- I have a message for Mr. Sopun.

Are you Mr. Sopun?

Mr. Editor!

I'm from Fiodor Meleshka's troops.

Nice to meet you!
[speaks with Belarusian accent]

He's an old friend of mine.
I used to visit him often.

Your face looks familiar to me.

Probably I have seen
you there.

I've brought you an
article for your newspaper.

The partisans have killed
a couple of our boys

from Samaakhova
[Belarusian troops created by Germans]

Oh, that's a pity.

We shall write about it.

Mr. Meleshko invites you to
visit him.

Unfortunately, I can't.

I will write him a letter.
Please, leave that article on the table.

Where's Dubovik's letter?

In the newspaper.
It's printed in the newspaper.

No, not that.

- The one he wrote himself.
- The original?

It's in the safe.

Please, give me my trousers.
The keys are there.

- Is it Dubovik's handwriting?
- Yes.

You're lying! This is not
his hand! Who wrote this?

Who's this?

This pale moth

is the Editor himself.

We need to take him

to the woods.

Perfect!
I'll do it myself.

Run!

Farewell,
my joy,

my life,

I know, you go away

without me.

So I have to stay

alone.

I will not
see you

for a long time.

Dark is the night

So you don't believe
that I'm going away?

No.

I am going away.

Do you remember

that day in May

when we went to swim
in the river

and when we were sitting on
the sand

on the fine,
yellow sand

You are beautiful,

especially
when you're taking a shower

and trickles of water are
running down your skin.

And yet I will sculpt you.

You told me that
five years ago.

But I don't see
any masterpiece.

Do you want me to do it now?

You'll never do it.

You get physical pleasure
from lazy contemplation.

Don't mix laziness and contemplation!

A lazy person is sleeping, while
a contemplative person is creating.

Oh, you've created some mess
all right...

If not for me,
you'd be in prison a long time ago.

Your brawls with the Germans...

And what would you like?

You want me
to daub their stupid uniforms

like you do?

Well...

It's time to go.

There's someone to see you.

I know very well
myself

Why you, girl,
are alone

Ziaziulia was captured.

He is in Professor Sobol's clinic.

They guard him.

Why have you come?

Are our addresses still safe?

You know Dubovik's handwriting

[talk with one another in German]

General, Sir,
I beg for your forgiveness,

This is my husband,
he is ill.

Go to sleep.

This is a really unpleasant situation.
I beg for your forgiveness once again.

My dear!

I feel so bad,
I'm so lonely...

And I have these nightmares...

A man riding a white horse

with a red fur hat on his head.

What could this mean?

Something bad will happen.

Give me Mom's dream-book.

White horse means troubles.

Red hat means...

What does it say?

Red hat means DEATH

This is your horse
and your red hat.

No, no.
Something bad will happen.

Who is that man on a horse?

Ivan.

Your Shukhman is with the army
and you...

What about me?

With that one...
That policeman...

Don't you dare to reproach me!

You know that I do it
for the child!

Why do you need that?

Ivan...

is a completely different story.

Go away.

'In Minsk, in his own office,
partisans killed

the important German agent
Fabian Akinchits and

Baranovichi's Commandant
Friedrich Fench.

Partisans are systematically eliminating
the authorities in regions

responsible for sending Soviet citizens
into German slave labour'.

From communique.

Look better! [in German]

Do you know her?

No.

Do you work at the grain elevator?

Probably she does.

What about this one?

That's our mechanic
Biriulia.

Has he threatened you?

Yes.

Give me your gun.

I don't have a gun!

What are you doing?
What do you want?

Wait!

Sonny! Take pity on your
sister! Give it to them!

So, bandit!

Maybe you'll remember now?

It's in there...

In the beehive...

But what happened to Dubovik?

How was he captured?

I only know that

with Dubovik

you disappeared as well,
Kit.

I didn't reach Prudishche village.

I was captured.

For 3 days they had been banging
my head against the steel safe.

But I didn't split

and then I lost consciousness.

But even then I didn't give
them any names.

And then one morning

they came.

You seem to have regained
your consciousness, Sir.

Here you go, Sir,
there is some paper

and a pencil

I'm leaving you all to yourself, Sir,

together with your doubts.

This is your last chance.
Keep it in mind, Sir!

ID card

- Hello, Kit!
- Ales'!

When I had sclerosis for
the first time,

I thought

'What a misfortune!

I can't bend down, I'm dizzy!'

But when more serious diseases
started to manifest themselves

I started to think back to that nice
little illness almost with tenderness.

It was only sclerosis,
nothing too serious!

I was dizzy.

Big thing! My head can go
on spinning as long as it pleases!

It's even pleasant.

If only my liver stopped hurting...

Ah, even that, let it continue....

If I had a hope to live!

A person with one hand thinks
he's lucky in comparison

to a one-legged person.

The one-legged guy thinks of himself
as of a handsome man, Hercules

compared to a person
without legs,

the one, who puts a board
on four squeaky wheels under his butt.

A human being is capable
of putting up with everything...

Except one thing,

as all the torturers
of the world

know very well.

- We're from the grain elevator.
- I know.

We were in contact with
Ziaziulia.

- Now it will be me.
- Aha.

They need bread in the woods.

There's a lot of bread.
But how can we take it?

Biriulia and the lads tried ...

We will try again.

Hey, come over here!

- Where did you get those tins from?
- Dear sirs, I haven't stolen them.

Come closer, don't be afraid!

- Is he with you?
- He gave me the tins.

The German. Franz Sergeevich.

- Have you bought them?
- No, he just gave them to me.

He told me he would drive me
in his car.

Well, I will go.

- Where are you going?
- I'll ask permission from my Mum.

Oh, there's no need to ask!
Go on, take a ride!

Thieving scum!

I will scream! [speaks with Byelorussian
accent]

There are Germans all around here,
the whole car of soldiers.

Calm down.

There are no soldiers
in that car anymore.

You are in safe keeping.

What do you want from me?

Was it you who betrayed
mechanic Biriulia?

I swear, I haven't betrayed him.

Do you agree to help
the Soviet authorities?

I could get you

makhorka and soap.

We need access to the grain elevator,
Supplies Director.

We have finished loading;
everything was quiet.

Give that old man here!

You promised to release me at the port!
You lied to me!

Calm down, pop!

Good luck!

Time to sail away.

Take me back to the city
immediately!

I have done everything!
80,000 kg of bread!

You told me that I need to accompany
you to the port and that's it!

You lied to me!

You have no right to do this!

They'll start the pogrom on Wednesday.
The newcomers will be destroyed,

the Hamburg Jews.

- Warn the people in the ghetto.
- Is that all?

Wait, Goldberg!
Our man will come with you.

Help him to get
that scientist out from there,

Grommer.

Maedchen! Kommen Sie her!
[Girl! Come here, please!]

Ask her if she is really Grommer's
daughter and where I can find him.

Du bist Grommers Tochter?
[Are you Grommer's daughter?]

I have so much explosive

amassed in here,
that I could blow up

the whole world!
- Are you so strong, old man?

Yes, I am strong, very strong!

But how can I quieten that Hryts'ko?

- Who is that?
- A policeman.

I am hiding from him here.

He comes,
lights up the matches

and sticks them into my head.

Well, what about this thing?

Wouldn't it be good to deal with
Hryts'ko?

No...

No, take it away, please.

I wouldn't want
my explosives to kill

anyone.

That is why I didn't give them to
the German army

and I won't give them to you either.

People have been warned.

Listen, Goldberg, you told us
that he was a scientist

while he....

seems to be just ...

I do not want
to be in it with anyone...

So what, you want him to fight
for you?

Do you want me to fight for you?

I do not want to be responsible
for the actions.

Do you know that you have been taken
here to be destroyed?

Young man, have you
asked yourself

why these craftsmen
should be destroyed?

You do not know Germans so well,

it is not economically efficient.

We will be kept in the ghetto
till the very end of the war.

You are an obtuse old man!

For today a pogrom is planned and
all of you will be drowned.

This is for sure.

In an hour there will be soldiers here.

Girl, run from him! He is insane!
You will perish!

Vater, wir mussen nicht mehr warten!
[Dad, we can wait no more!]

[continues in German] We have go to the
Commander of the ghetto immediately

and say to him that
Professor Sammer is here

under the name of Professor Grommer.
- No.

What do they say?

They don't want to go.

You will take the boat to the sand spit

and we will wait there
till it gets dark.

Well, let's have a bite.

Stop!

Stop, you fool!

[in German]
Help, help, partisans!

[distant voices; speaking in German]

[? a prayer in Hebrew]

Oh God! You see the pain

Dear God, [???]

?our pain

????

?? your daughter Roh

????

????

And still, there is
no such fear

that can justify

and set free a human being

from the responsibility

in the face of time.

When a human being is dying
there, outside,

surrounded by the compassion
of his own people,

he can even feel the tears of rapture
well up in his eyes

and he will die almost happy.

It was easy for me,

when I was trusted.

No,

we could not trust!

I... I have lost

all the connections...
I was left all alone.

I have lived for a week
in the ruins.

Hunger made me come out.

No, Ziaziulia,

it was not like that.

I gave my consent.

I thought, well, a piece of paper
is not worth much.

I decided to use it and to go
to the woods,

but not to work for them.

So that others would not suspect
me, they promised

to arrange my escape so that
other people could see it.

I noticed you
when you were still in the street.

No. You didn't look like you were
living in the ruins.

I understood right away that you were
not there by chance.

Why didn't you let people outside know
that you signed a consent?

There they do not believe it.

Lysyi was in my hands

but he's outside.

You still don't trust me.

Lobach Ivan.

One of the cell's walls is the
eastern side of the corridor

During the day, there is no guard there.
And this is exactly the point.

Ziaziulia thinks we can risk it.

- We need explosives.
- There will be explosives.

How do we get them over to them?

- I will try. - Do they search you?
- Yes.

- So how will you do it?
- Little by little, in my belt.

Pour, pour more! Freda, is that you?
I have recognized you!

One more gulp!

You destroyed my father and me.

Die like a dog!

'In the two years of guerilla war
partisans eliminated

30 generals,
6,336 officers,

and 1,520 airmen;

derailed 3,000 trains,

destroyed 476 airplanes,

378 cannons,

895 depots and warehouses'.

From communique.

You know him, General,

he was arrested for starting a fight,

that guy with the beard, a sculptor.

I decided to pay him special attention.

I think he can be useful
to us.

Why, well, Baron. I agree
with your suggestion.

But I demand that you
see things even more broadly.

We do not know them well enough,

those beer makers, artists,
rentists...

mothers with many children...

They have never had a gun
in their hands,

But this is
a very special enemy, Baum,

even more frightening.

[in German] They are here,
Mr. Commander.

- Did they bring Iegor?
- Yes, Sir!

- Are they allowed to come in?
- Yes.

[in Russian] - What is this?
- Your portrait.

- What is this?
- Your stomach.

- And this?
- These are eyes.

Ok, these are eyes. But where
is the face?

Why would you need a face?

So how is it?
A stomach instead of a face?

Am I so fat?

Oh no!

Art has to be truthful and
understandable.

Well, see, Mr. Baum,

were these times different, I would
have made you with a face.

But now it isn't necessary,

as there is no face.

- What do you mean?
- Just this. There isn't.

I can't send this to my wife and
children. They won't recognize me.

Don't worry. They'll
recognize you alright.

This is you, indeed.

Well, there is some resemblance,
after all.

But, please, understand,

everyone wants to see himself
rendered

in a beautiful, pleasant manner.

- Isn't it beautiful, Mr. Iegor?
- Quite amusing.

Truthful and
understandable.

There are no differences between us now.

It is difficult to tell
who is the prison commander

and who is the prisoner.

And yet, I can send you
to the gas chamber

while you can't.

You can be sent there anyway.

Yes. By your guys.

However, by our guys as well...

As well...

What will you take there?

How will I look?

Well, certainly naked.

What's wrong with you?
Where's your father?

You can rejoice.

He died.

We can be saved. I have a plan.

Get 50 German marks

buy or steal some dirty overalls

or something similar

and fill its pockets with rags

soaked in gasoline, oil

so I can smear it on myself.

Answer me quickly,

are there many Jewish workers in
the labour colony?

How do you exit from here?

Do they count or check you?

I'm not so bad yet!

I can move my legs!

If they start beating me up

they'll damage my face,

and then it's too late.

Ah yes! And bring the note

to the mechanic from
the eastern casemate.

I'll call the guard

and you will
tell him this.

Freda!

A mug, a soap and a black band.
Quickly!

Is your name Freda?

- Yes.
- How do you know Russian?

My mother is Russian.

- Are you from the Jewish labour
column? - Yes.

What are you doing here?

I clean the corridors.
I teach the Commander Russian.

You could do something for us.

You'll have the documents
and the apartment.

The Commander locks everything up
and leaves.

But sometimes he doesn't lock up,
and then I remain a master there.

- What about the keys to the cell?
- They are always with him.

Try to take an impression of the keys.

Has Ziaziulia set the date already?

Not yet. We transfer the trotyl.

We managed to smuggle
a couple of guns into the cell.

- Have you established a connection
with Ivan? - Yes.

Yes, with the help of the girl
from the Jewish labour column.

How is he?

At 5 he was taken to interrogation.

The girl says that he was without
his coat and hat.

Tell the guys

that the railway from Gomel to
Brest was blown up in one night.

In Minsk Generalkommissar
Kube was killed.

It all went well.

All 11 mines exploded. They
won't be able to rebuild that factory.

More than 50 tanks were repaired there.

Lyuda, the General's been arrested.

You need to leave, go into the woods.

I have a request.

I would like to see my husband.

- Iegor, sweetie!
- I've been waiting.

I've arranged everything.
They will only fine you.

They say, you are working.

I have brought you something to eat.

Gromov, Kniazev, all the painters
send you their greetings.

Lyuda,

I have become an ugly person,

an awful one.

You look like the Apostle Peter.

Apostle Peter...

Frau Lyudmila, can I have a word?

Yes, with you.

Please, this way.

Take off your clothes.

Mr. Baum...

Yes, Mr. Iegor?

Please, let me go visit my colleagues.

To get drunk...

Kupalinka, Kupalinka

The night
is dark

And where is
your daughter?

My daughter is
in the garden

Look, he's sleeping already.

Listen here, sonny,

Take the rifle and leave!

After they come to their senses,
they will go after you.

Why not?

We'll see you off, as it should be.

And you'll deal with him in the ruins.

I can't, brothers.

Lyuda is there.

She is picking the
flowers there

Iegor, dear!

Why did poor Lyuda
have to get involved?

Well, is she Turkish?

She's Russian!

Hey, brothers!

Do I look like the Apostle Peter?

No...

I look like this one...

Mr. Baum?

General,

unfortunately,

with that guy,

we have wasted

our time.

He is simply a Russian drunkard...

She didn't tell him
anything about what she was doing.

I am sorry, Baum,

but it seems to me that
on the front line

it would be easier for you...

Your sentence is very hard...

I knew about my sentence while
I was still free...

While a person is alive,
there is always a way to help.

You dog! What do you want from me?

More of my blood to drink?

One of the cells gets ready to flee.

No one has managed to do that yet...

There are many sick people there...

If they succeeded, this would
have supported them alright.

Have you finally resolved
to go with us?

Leave me alone!

Give me a normal war!
Without the hostages!

So that no one kicks you
in the bladder,

no one sews up live rats
in your guts...

Kitov!

Come out with your things!

I'm tired...

Come here!

Why aren't you working?

Take a bucket and carry peat
to the boiler room.

Zhenya!

Zhenya!

What happened to you?
Were you ill?

Yes. I was ill.

Why are we standing here?
Let's go in!

No!

I can't think clearly!

Someone needs to go to the
Calvary

without meeting the Germans.

Who is that person?

Me...

I didn't have typhus...

I ran away from prison.

Just now.

How long ago was it?

I don't remember.

Quickly! Take off your clothes.

They're looking for
some woman down there.

I won't be able to get out...

Put on some lipstick!

My dear! Calm down!
You're shaking all over!

Take little Misha and go with him.

We'll meet at Calvary.

Lena...

Go!

Schneller! Schneller!

Go further! Go further!
[in Polish]

Quick! Quick! [in German]

Here. There.
Sick?

Sick? Here!

What should I say?

Say that you are healthy.

- They destroy those who are sick.
- It can't be true.

I was told that the healthy ones

are sent to Germany,

while the sick ones remain here.

I have diabetes.

Are you healthy? Then here.

You? Here.

- Are you sick?
- Say that you're healthy.

- Healthy or sick?
- I have diabetes.

Sick ones go there.

Hurry up, hurry up!

You? Hurry up!

I am sick.

Well, lads,

if we succeed, let's meet in 3 days,
as we agreed.

Freda!

Have you brought the key?

I'm asking you,
have you brought the key?

Ivan, you won't be able to walk...
Your legs...

I will, sweetie.
Just open up.

There'll be no other chance.

I know you have the key
in your hands.

Do it!

Smear my face.

Give me the gun!

'Our army has freed the village of
Stozhyshche,

the first one on Belarusian soil'.

From communique.

The End