A Mosfilm Studios production
The Moscow District Court
has studied
Civil Case No.2. 688/6:
Lidia Miroshnikova vs.
Fyodor Miroshnikov.
The aforesaid parties
were married in 1967
and have one child,
Ivan born in 1969.
The plaintiff requests
the Court to
dissolve the marriage
on the grounds that
her husband loves another woman.
The defendant does
not contend the suit.
- Give me a hankie.
- I don't have one.
That's very kind of you.
I have one.
I'll be waiting for
you at the bus stop.
We'll go to the Zoo and
the Planetarium.
Okay, Mama.
Good-bye.
Your mother is an angel.
I'm sorry it turned out
this way, old boy.
Relax, Dad.
I hope we'll be seeing
a lot of each other.
She's got class.
D' you really like her?
Natasha! Come over here.
This is my son, Ivan.
This is Natasha.
Pleased to meet you.
Congratulations.
Your dad's told me
a lot about you.
I can just imagine.
Nothing bad, old boy.
Take care of him.
He has an ulcer.
My mom brews herbal tea.
I can copy the recipe for you
on the q.t.
Thanks. That'll be great.
I have to go.
- Come visit us, Ivan.
- Sure.
My dad, a construction engineer,
soon went off to work in Africa.
I finished school and began
my adult life.
THE MESSENGER
Based on a story
by K. Schakhnazarov
Starring
Fyodor Dunayevsky
Anastasiya Nemolyayeva
Oleg Basilashvili
Inna Churicova
Featuring
Svetlana Kriuchkova
Alexander Pankratov-Chorny
Vladimir Menshov
Alevtina Evdokimova
Evdokia Urusova
Vladimir Smirnov
Tell us, young man,
when did Kiev Russ adopt
Christianity?
Kiev Russ?
You don't know that, either.
I've never been good at dates.
Why'd you decide
to become a teacher?
My mother teaches history
at a technical school.
She said: "Apply
to a teacher's college.
"So few boys do.
You'll have a chance."
We're short of boys,
but not that hard up.
I see. I just didn't
want to argue with her.
- Six clubs.
- Whist.
You don't have a single trick.
- I pass.
- What? Play!
That's stupid, Mikheyich.
Shut up, Ivan.
We're playing for stakes.
I want to get a job
at the vegetable store, Bazin.
Your dad works there,
doesn't he?
Yeah, he's a loader.
Could he put in a word for me?
I'll ask him.
Why there?
D'you like carrots?
It's close to home. I'll be
called up soon anyway.
Why'd you lie to your father?
"Congratulations on being accepted.
"What a surprise.
"Awaiting great discoveries.
(Singed) Papa"
I wanted to make
him feel good.
Feel good! You dunce!
Darwin wasn't much at first,
either.
But he didn't hang out
with bums all day.
It's time you got a job.
I'm going to work at
the vegetable store.
Bazin said he'd help.
Your friend Bazin is an idiot.
It's easy to call a person names.
Listen to his history paper:
"The peasant serfs
"were angry when they
found out
"about the Tartar invasion."
Were they supposed
to be happy?
You just said that to hurt me.
You're always trying to hurt me,
just like your father.
You enjoy tormenting me.
You're cruel and heartless!
If I were Dad,
I'd have left you, too.
Why d'you hate me, Ivan?
Stop crying!
Stop, or I'll burn the house down!
I found you a job.
- Nothing less than a Minister?
- Practically.
As a messenger
for "Cognition" magazine.
I always dreamed of being
an errand boy.
You're really lucky, then.
Fill out the application
and write your autobiography.
Including your family,
schooling-
- Can I sit here?
- Yes.
All done? Let's see it.
"I was born in Languedoc
Province in 1668, the son
"of an impoverished,
though ancient, "noble family.
"My father, le duc de- "
De Brissac.
"- fought in M Laval's regiment
and was wounded
"by a spear during the siege of
Montfer... ferrat,
"while hoisting the king's
standard.
"I resided in the family castle
until the age of 17.
"Thanks to my mother,
Baroness de Monjou,
"I received a decent
education.
"Now, desirous of serving
my country in battle,
"I wish to be enlisted
in His Majesty's
"Blackguard company."
Rewrite it.
- I was just joking.
- So I see.
This is Ivan, our new messenger.
Hey, he's not bad.
I'm Zinaida Pavlovna.
I'm Stepan Afanasyevich,
the editor.
I'm Ivan Panteleimonovich.
You mean your father's name
really Panteleimon?
- What's wrong with that?
- Nothing.
I want to remind you that
a messenger's duties are:
sorting and delivering letters
and running
business-related errands.
He is not to be sent
out for cigarettes
or purchases.
Got it, old boy?
- What's so funny?
- That's what my dad calls me.
There's something of a father
in each of us.
Of course, but he doesn't
live with us now.
- I'm sorry.
- For him or for us?
Here's your first assignment.
Take this article
to Prof. Kuznetsov.
He's a big name in education.
Ever see "School Chums" on TV?
Get going! He's waiting for it.
Bazin!
Why aren't you at school?
I'm excused from P.E. I'm going
skate-boarding.
- Come on.
- I have to deliver this.
You can deliver it later.
Watch out!
Faster!
Head towards Mosfilm!
PROF. S. P. KUZNETSOV
- Who d'you want to see?
- You.
I've been in love with you since
the 1st grade.
I started school in Leningrad.
It wasn't you, then.
Actually, I have a ms
for Semyon Petrovich.
A crazy guy's brought you
a manuscript, Papa.
Send the scoundrel in.
He's kept me waiting 3 hours!
I'm not a scoundrel.
Take off your shoes.
- My socks, too?
- You can leave them on.
Give me some slippers.
- Who're you?
- A messenger.
I wasted 3 hours because of you.
Here's your manuscript.
Show him out, Katya.
I'm in no hurry.
I'd appreciate a cup of tea.
- You're crazy.
- What's so crazy?
I'm hungry and asked for
a cup of tea.
- What's wrong with that?
- Actually -
Take him to the kitchen
and pour him some tea.
- You're all right.
- What d'you mean?
- You've a good figure. Nice legs.
- I take after my mother.
- I'd like to meet her.
- She'll be in later.
I had this real
cool teacher.
She was stacked.
One day she ran
a science film
for our physics class.
I was in the last row.
She sat down beside me.
It was dark. I got excited -
And moved closer.
She acted like she didn't notice.
When I put my arm
around her, she said:
"See me after class,
Miroshnikov."
I did.
Her breasts were heaving.
She fell into my arms.
Imagine that.
I had a crush on a teacher, too.
He was very handsome.
What happened?
I wrote him a letter, but he
never answered it.
I'm a girl. I couldn't
throw myself at him.
Sure. What d'you do?
I'm a freshman at the University.
I could've been, too.
I scored 100 at the entrance exam,
but decided I'd get some
work experience first.
I didn't want to go to school,
either, but my parents-
My parents never interfere.
I'll come
for the manuscript tomorrow.
I won't say good -
bye to your father.
You're right. He's simmering.
Listen to this, Ivan-
Thy glass will show thee
how thy beauties wear,
They dial how thy precious
minutes waste;
The vacant leaves
thy mind's imprint will be
And of this book this learning
mayst thou taste.
The wrinkles which thy glass
will truly show
Of mouthed graves
will give thee memory-
- Did Pushkin write that?
- No, Shakespeare did.
Once, Prof. Rosenfeld said:
"This is your third attempt
to get into acting school.
"Each time you do tragedy, when
"you've a real talent
for comedy."
Did you want to be an actress?
Yes, but your father said:
"Don't knock at a locked door."
I was in love with him.
We had an office party today.
They asked me to recite.
I didn't want to,
but I pulled myself together.
I recite "A Woman is Being Beaten".
It's by Voznesensky.
At first, there was silence.
Then an ovation and flowers.
Everyone congratulated me.
Men offered to take me home.
A colonel even invited me
out to dinner.
But I came home alone.
The Earth is visible below
Through the round porthole.
We miss it as a son
Will miss his mother,
For it's our one
And only one.
And all the same,
The stars are cold,
Though they are near us.
And just as in
The darkest hours,
We wait for light and dream
Our Earthly dreams.
We dream not
Of the launching pad,
Nor of this light-blue
Stillness,
But of the grass
Around our house.
Of all the green,
Green grass.
Are you crying?
No. Go on back to bed.
What'd you do at Kuznetsov's?
Why?
He called this morning and
said not to send you again.
- I said there's nobody else.
- What'd he say?
He said, it was too bad we had
such punks on the staff.
- What'd you say?
- I said, "He's just a cog in the wheel."
You look like a corpse.
What'd you do there?
His daughter fell in love
with me. Now he's scared.
You're a fast operator.
And smart. Kuznetsov's
an important man.
Why're you sitting around?
Go pick up the photographs.
Then get the ms
from Kuznetsov.
It's stuffy in here.
Open the window, Ivan.
Buttertoes is the word.
Do I open it?
Never mind. Are you okay?
What d'you think? The paper
punch landed on my head.
Who put it up there?
I've been looking for it
for 3 weeks.
Being brained by this -
It could draw blood.
Yeah, if it fell from high up.
- It could even kill you.
- I doubt it.
If someone hit you full-force?
Let me see it.
Sure, if it were full-force.
Hello, Oleg. What crash?
Our messenger fell off
the windowsill.
Imagine, the paper punch
landed on his head.
Yours is small. Ours is
an office-size.
Not a scratch.
Okay, I'll be right down.
Go for the ms, Ivan.
I've come for the manuscript.
Come in. You're just in time.
We're having dinner.
I won't let you go without
a meal.
Hello.
Pull up a chair.
Serve our guest, Katya.
This calls for wine.
Is today a holiday?
You now have the honor
of meeting
a typical representative
of today's youth.
A mix of nihilism and brazenness.
He's a fascinating specimen.
- What's your name?
- Ivan.
You might've thought to ask
that before.
Well, Ivan,
Well, you know me.
And Katya.
This is my mother, Agnes
Ivanovna.
My wife, Maria Victorovna.
Everything becomes part of
an act.
Clowning as a principle
of life.
They know it all.
- Why're you ribbing him?
- It's a matter of principle!
Our generation wants to know
what we lived and fought for.
Who will take over
the edifice we erected?
Why should that trouble you?
I'd like to know
by what principles you intend
to exist in society?
I'd like to have good pay,
a car,
an apartment in a good
location, a dacha -
And a cushy job.
True, earthly possessions
are necessary.
There's nothing wrong in that.
But you don't get them
for nothing.
One must work hard,
acquire knowledge -
Then you'll have earned
that flashy car.
Sounds pretty grim. I guess
I'll do without the car.
Right. It's the only way.
Not at all. If I seduce your
daughter and marry her,
I'll have it made.
You have connections
and money.
You'll find me a cushy job
and buy us a condo.
Right, Agnes... Ivanovna?
A condo! Did you hear that?
Out! Get out!
Get out, you punk!
Wait, Ivan! You were great.
He'll complain to the office.
No, he won't. Here's
the manuscript.
- Where are you going now?
- To the office.
Give me your phone number.
I'll call you this evening.
All hell's broken loose.
I like you.
- What's up?
- I'm going home.
How about a double date?
The one on the left is yours.
- What'll we do?
- Go to a movie.
- Hey, Bazin!
- Wait a sec!
By what principles d'you
exist in society?
Who will take over
the edifice we erected?
- What edifice?
- Don't play dumb. Answer me.
By what principles
do you exist?
My main principle -
is to serve the humanistic
ideals of mankind.
Good for you! You and the girls
go to the movies.
- May I please speak to Ivan?
- It's me, Katya.
How's your father?
Okay. He cooled off
after a while.
Mama thinks you're eccentric.
Don't worry.
My dad won't complain.
Why should I worry?
I wouldn't want you to get
into trouble.
Thanks. What're you doing
tomorrow?
I've classes in the morning.
How about a date?
Okay. When do we meet?
Row over Mayakovsky Sq. by 5.
Okay. So long.
Stepan Afanasyevich -
What's your most
cherished wish?
That the barometer not fall
below 740 mm in Moscow
Region.
- Why?
- The fish bite better.
My wish would be
to marry a Japanese.
Why a Japanese?
They're first in technology.
Couldn't I interest you
in a Georgian?
There's this fella I know -
Why can't you be serious?
How about you, Ivan?
I wish Communism triumphs
throughout the world.
By the way, we're to send
one person to do
a day's work at the vegetable
warehouse.
You're elected, Ivan.
- Not bad at all.
- Merci.
What'll we do?
- How about a kiss?
- Anything else?
Are you chicken?
No, but I've got my principles.
So do I.
- Why'd you ask for a date?
- So's we could kiss.
Are you mad?
I was only joking.
Okay.
How about a movie
or a cafe?
I'm sick of them.
Want me to show you
a leopard's den?
Why'd you bring me here?
It's the leopard's den.
This is a quarry. How'd
a leopard come to be here?
It ran away
from a travelling circus.
- Did you see it?
- No.
What makes you think it's here?
I heard it was killed here.
How could it live here?
Look, see its tracks?
Come on, let's go.
All together now!
Everyone clap!
- Coffee or ice cream?
- I don't want anything.
I know a joke.
A plain crashed. A monkey was
the sole survivor.
The investigators questioned it:
"What was the pilot doing
when the plane crashed?"
"Oh, Lucienne, Lucienne!"
"What about the stewardess?"
"Oh, Jean, Jean!"
"What were you doing?"
- Is that your crowd?
- Yeah.
- What do they do?
- Study, work -
I have to make a call.
The phone's over there.
Why d'you snort
like a horse, Bazin?
When'd I snort?
All the time.
You say something stupid and snort.
My girlfriend's invited us
over.
- Don't you like it here?
- I do, but it's her birthday.
Okay, come on.
Are they all into karate?
Igor studied in Japan when
they lived there.
What kinky dresses.
That's not what they're
wearing in Paris.
Were you in Paris?
I spent the summer in Belgrade.
Nina's dad is posted
in Yugoslavia.
But were you in Paris?
No, I was not in Paris.
Are you at school, Ivan?
Nobody'll have me.
I've served 5 years.
- Where?
- In jail.
Five long years.
Got any pure alcohol?
- No.
- Any toilet water?
There's French perfume.
I don't like French perfume.
Okay, let's have it.
Open the door, Ivan!
Are you okay?
Why'd you do it?
Were you mad on account
of your friends?
I'm going home. So long.
Where were you?
- Don't you feel well?
- I'm nauseous.
It's probably food poisoning.
- Should I call an ambulance?
- No, I'll be all right.
- What'd you eat?
- Ice cream.
Why, you smell of perfume.
- Were you out with a girl?
- I was out with Bazin.
Is "Madame Rochas"
a good perfume?
Excellent, but
very expencive.
- Want to give someone a gift?
- I already have.
- Where'd you get the money?
- I won it at cards.
You mean you play
for money?
No. Bazin's Uncle Rothschild
died in America.
You and your jokes.
Go to sleep.
Good night.
How are you, old boy?
I'm fine, Dad.
Why'd they go to the country?
Papa's working on a book.
Everybody's writing.
They should try football.
I can just picture him
playing football.
It's not a sight
for the weak - hearted.
Sorry.
Remember what you told me
about your teacher?
- The one you had an affair with.
- Me? An affair?
It was you who told me.
Yeah, I remember it now.
But bear this in mind,
sometimes I can say anything -
D'you play the piano?
- I used to take lessons.
- Play something,
and I'll sing.
What'll I play?
Just anything.
That doesn't inspire me.
Why don't you begin?
There once was a goat,
Not a snake, not a stoat,
But a real billy goat
With a long, shaggy coat -
What's going on?
Come, Mamma.
- What's the body count?
- It's pretty awful.
Actually, we didn't do
anything wrong.
Not actually.
I'll be going -
Could you spare a few minutes
of your valuable time?
I have come to the conclusion
that your company
is extremely detrimental
to my daughter.
Man-to-men,
I request you to cease
all social contact with Katya.
That's impossible, sir.
How's that... sir?
Your daughter and I love
each other.
I admit it wasn't right of me
to conceal the truth from you
for so long.
Now that you know, I ask you
to give us your blessing.
Wait. Have you decided
to get married?
Our relations have gone too far.
As a decent man, I request your
daughter's hand in marriage.
You what?
Katerina is expecting.
- What?
- It's true.
When'd you have time to?
- What do you expect to live on?
- Hardship doesn't faze us.
I understand...
but you're so young.
Do you plan on going
to college?
That's not an end in itself.
I trust you don't intend to
always be a messenger.
- I write poetry.
- Ever publish anything?
Not yet.
- Are your poems any good?
- I can recite one for you.
"A monument I've raised
not built with hands,
"And common folk shall keep
the path well trodden
"To where it unsubdued
and towering stands -
Not bad, though it does
remind me of something.
Perhaps it's
the old-fashioned style.
- Care to hear another one?
- No, thanks.
- I'll be going, then.
- Yes. Drop by any time.
- Why not invite your parents over?
- By all means.
And may I call you Papa?
Well?
No problem.
We had a nice chat.
Don't worry.
I'll call you this evening.
Is Ivan there?
How could you?
Why'd you do it?
- Who was that?
- Nobody special.
Could you tell me where
the Language Department is?
It's in the Humanities building.
French 7 is already out.
Hi, Katya.
I decided to take a walk.
It's such a nice day.
Then, what, Ilya?
I'm dying to know.
Well, Mitya and I went in.
They were sitting around,
all of them sober -
Why's this bird standing here?
- Want us to get rid of him?
- No, he's my cousin.
He arrived from
Vitebsk yesterday.
Yeah? He looks weird.
I know. He fell off a thresher.
So long. I'll show
him the University.
- Why'd you come here?
- To apologize for yesterday.
Okay, I forgive you.
There's something else
I want to say.
- I'll be good. Honest.
- Don't act like a baby.
You messed things up so.
I had a terrible time
with my parents.
- I'll apologize to them.
- By no means.
I told them I was expecting
your child.
- Are you nuts?
- What else could I say?
What'll we do now?
- Have a baby.
- How?
You're a man. You should know.
Are you chicken?
No, I'm with you.
You mean right now?
Why wait?
I've a lecture at 2 o'clock.
Right here? With people
passing all the time?
- Where, then?
- Where we can be alone.
Let's go over there.
This isn't bad. What d'you say?
Rats! Now what?
Are you a man,
or a piece of shit?
Think of something!
I need a pad, Bazin.
- What for?
- I just do.
My aunt's here
from Tallinn with her kids.
- They're driving me nuts.
- Are Serge's parents at work?
His dad broke a leg.
He's at home.
How about the basement?
I've got the keys.
What a rat hole.
D'you think I'm a loose woman?
Of course not.
Well, I am.
Did you ever?
You know, with a woman -
No. Did you?
- No. Just petted.
- Me, too.
- D'you like me?
- Yes, a lot.
I like you, too.
Sometimes I can't
understand you, though.
This beats everything!
Making out in public!
You bitch!
- Wait, Katya!
- I hate you!
There's a letter
and gifts from your father.
It looks good on you.
"I was in the savannah
"and saw the Masai hunting.
"The chieftain gave me a spear.
"He's really powerful.
And smart.
"I'll be home on vacation soon.
"Regards to Mother.
Write me. Papa."
I take it this is the
spear in question.
He always liked toys.
They sparked his imagination.
Why'd you do that?
Ivan? I thought it was Stepanov.
Hello, hero. We weren't
expecting you.
I want to apologize for what I said.
Relax... Katya told us all about it.
Let bygones be bygones.
Here's a man for you, too, Katya.
I'd like you to meet Ivan.
He's the most unique of all
of my daughter's friends.
He recently said
he wrote poetry
and recited a poem by Pushkin.
Imagine, I nearly fell for it.
That was stupid of me.
Young people today are an enigma.
We must communicate with them.
The day's fast approaching
when we'll cease
understanding our own children.
You're complicating things.
They're just spoiled.
Their life has been too easy.
It's trite, but true.
My father whipped me
until I was 17.
For all the good it did.
Take my son, for instance.
He's a good boy, a sportsman.
It's hard to find fault with him.
But he loves to drink milk
out of the can!
It's those yellow cans
of evaporated milk.
I ask him
why he drinks it undiluted.
He says, "I like it."
It's the same old song:
we had it hard, so why
shouldn't they?
Today's youth is heroic.
I watch TV and know our youth.
But he goes on drinking it
from the can!
Why does it rile you so?
To hell with the milk!
I want to understand him!
Why does a big, burly fellow
punch a hole in a can and -
When I talk to him,
he won't answer.
He listens, says nothing and
starts sucking that can!
He doesn't want to study,
he's sloppy about his job.
I thought he wanted to become
the judo champ. But no.
"Why spend so much time
working out, then?" I said.
"What for?"
So he picked up the empty can
and... scrunch.
"You can't do that," he said.
Calm down. You're exaggerating.
I want to understand him!
I want to know what I fathered!
If he said: "I don't want
to live your way -"
I'd understand. But he accepts
the good things and is silent!
He's at a difficult age.
He'll outgrow it.
Isn't that so, Ivan?
Yes. We'll sow our wild oats
and be just like you.
Perhaps even better than us.
You must press on.
We'll press on.
I hope you'll excuse
my paternal egoism
if I ask my daughter
to sing for us.
Lovely!
Sing "The Nightingale"
for us, Katya.
I don't feel like singing.
- Why not?
- I just don't!
I'll sing it.
Can you sing?
I was in the school glee club.
Nightingale,
My nightingale,
Sweet-voiced nightingale.
Whither are you winging?
Where shall you
Sing the night away?
Nightingale,
My nightingale,
Sweet-voiced nightingale.
Fly away,
My nightingale,
Far, far away -
Can you tell me
what you want out of life?
What you wish for?
- Let him answer me.
- I'll tell you what I wish for.
I want to be irresistible.
I want to drive a fast sports car,
wearing a long red scarf,
to drive men wild.
- Why, Katya -
- I will sing for you, after all.
- Some other time, perhaps?
- You wanted me to.
There once was a goat,
Not a snake, not a stoat -
Stop it!
Don't come to see me.
And don't call.
It's all right, Katya.
Company's gone.
Let's go home.
I can't, Papa.
I just can't.
Everything will be all right.
It'll be all right.
Come, it's late.
Why're you wearing a coat?
Are you cold?
D'you have a wish, Bazin?
What d'you wish for?
- I wish I had a coat.
- Is that all?
Winter's around the corner,
and I don't have a coat.
I wore a jacket last year
and always caught cold.
Can't your folks buy you a coat?
My dad's playing alimony.
Ma won't give me a kopeck.
She says I don't need money.
She's sick in the head.
Stand up.
It's all yours. I'll be
called up soon anyway.
Wear it and wish
for something great.
Written by
Alexander Borodyansky
Directed by
Karen Shakhnazarov
Director of Photography
Nikolai Nemolyayev
Production Designer
Konstantin Forostenko
Music by Eduard Artemyev
Sound Recordist
Vitaly Shemelkin