MOSFILM STUDIOS First Creative Association In the name of those who live, and who is nevermore, and who will live thereafter... Mikhail Sholokhov THEY FOUGHT FOR THEIR COUNTRY Vasily SHUKSHIN as Petr Lopakhin Vyacheslav TIKHONOV as Nikolai Streltsov Sergei BONDARCHUK as Ivan Zvyagintsev Georgiy BURKOV as Alexander Kopytovsky Yury NIKULIN as private Nekrasov Ivan LAPIKOV as sergeant Poprischenko Nikolai GUBENKO as lieutenant Goloschekov Andrei ROSTOTSKY as corporal Kochetygov Nikolai VOLKOV as private Nikiforov Nikolai SHUTKO as the cook Lisichenko Screen Adaptation and Direction Sergei BONDARCHUK Director of Photography Vadim YUSOV Production Designer Felix YASYUKEVICH Music by Vyacheslav OVCHINNIKOV Assistant Director Vladimir DOSTAL Edited by Elena MIKHAILOVA Featuring: Evgeny Samoilov Nona Mordyukova Innokenty Smoktunovsky Angelina Stepanova, Irina Skobtseva Lidiya Fedoseeva 1942. July. Time to make a stop maybe. You bet. We have covered about 30 km without no stop. Half a bucketful of spring water for each wouldn't hurt, what do you think? Regiment, march on! The war had reached even this farmstead lost in the endless Don steppe. And that's exactly how you read your son's letters: you read bit by bit, and you drink bit by bit. But I'm not a slow type, I'm too impatient for this. Give me the bucket, or you'll burst. Nikolai, you receive letters from your son, but what about your wife? Are you widowed? I don't have a wife. We broke up. How long ago? Last year. I see. What about your kids? You've two of them? Yes. They live with their mother. You deserted your wife or what? No, she deserted me. On the day when the war was proclaimed. I came home, from a business trip... And she was gone already. She just left a note, and that's all. She walked out on you because of another guy? I don't know. Means, she did have a lover. Women are bitches. You're such a handsome guy, an agronomist, good salary and everything, can't ask for more. And that whore didn't even pity her children. Peter! Gimme a smoke. You've been to the medical unit? - Yeah. - And so? - Nothing. - Why go there then? Just looking. For any familiar faces. There is such a cute lassie there. - Did she fall for you? - 'twasn't my intention. Oh, come on, don't give me that. You polished your boots and medals not for nothing. Of course, there are guys with more medals… Stop it, you oaf. I had no such intention. Just strolling about. The grub you cook for us isn't enough for stamina. I'm so hungry, I even stopped dreaming about my wife. You're right. Hey, you rolled the cig thick as a finger! Return half of it. I can't roll thin cigs if tobacco isn't mine. - Give it back. - Take it easy. What a bum you are, eh. And from my own tobacco I make thin cigs. So, what kind of dreams you see then? Lean dreams. All kind of crap, crappy like your porridge. Don't grieve for her, Micola. You'll settle this after the war. What means is that you have kids, they are the core of life, they'll have to restore everything after this war, and it's a real serious war. Women, you know, are such an impossible lot. They would tie themselves into a knot to get what they want. A obstinate animal, woman is. I know their kind, they are so full of tricks, may they be damned. I'll tell you a story. It happened before the war, on May 1. I and my friends other combiners threw a party, with our wives and everything, with a lot of accordion music. So, for a warmer, we all had a drink, including myself and my wife Nastasia Filippovna. And there was also that single lady, a good dancer, gypsy style. I admired her dancing, and nothing more, no intentions below my waist. But my wife Nastasia Filippovna... Nastasia Filippovna... Peter Lopakhin. Did you have a nice sleep, mister Streltsov? Ask some grub from the cook. I've a headache. I see... Depression caused by our army retreating, plus heat and headache. Let's go and take a swim. We're setting off soon. Hi. Hey, let's go to the river, we'll scrub you clean. Look, Micola - what a tractor! The engine is real powerful. See - what a trailer! This tractor can tow three combines at a time! Start it up. Come on, it'll take ages here. Why don't you take a swim, Nekrasov? I have malaria. You're so gloomy, Nikolai. What's the reason? I can see no reason for being happy. Oh, no reason at all? Come on, you're alive and in one piece, buddy. Look what a sunny day, a real blessing. You're a veteran, have been warring for almost a year, but you've emotions of a greenhorn. You think, Germans beat us and that's all? You think it's the end of the world? of the war? You are like some cheap character from a vaudeville, plus flirting with women even in wartime. It's a shame you didn't come with me. There's a lady doctor there, a real knock-out. I'm serious. Her beauty's knock-out potential can be equaled to a six-barreled mortar. So, she is real dangerous, be it a soldier or a commander. I only know that we're living through a catastrophe, and we can only make guesswork about how great the catastrophe. We've been on the march for five days, we'll soon reach the Don River and then Stalingrad... Germans smashed our regiment. And what's going on with the rest of the army? We're marching and marching... Marching to nowhere. So don't give me that crap about being alive, about the sun shining and lilies floating, it makes me sick. And I'm not some cowardly doggie with his tail between his legs. You said, they beat us? It served us right! Means, we should war better! And stop whining in my presence. - I'm not gonna wipe your tears. - I don't need it. And spare me your pathetic speeches. Better tell me - when are we going to war properly? Right now, right here, in this steppe! I've reached such a degree of anger, you spit on me - and I'll hiss and splutter, so angry I am. Come here, or I'll drown you! Just you wait, you bow-legged devil! Hey, what are you carrying, Slavs? Crawfish. - Where from? - From near the dam, must be springs there, the water is real freezing! - How many? - About one hundred, small ones. Way too many for the two of you. I'll go and fetch a bucket and some salt, agreed? It's a deal. Good afternoon. Can you lend us a bucket and some salt? We are going to cook crawfish. - You says, some salt? - Yes. Not even a piece of dung for you guys. Why are you being so unkindly to us? Don't you know why, you shameless one? You are going yonder across the Don? And who is going to war here? Maybe you expect old women to take to arms and protect you from Germans? You are letting down your country! Shame and damnation upon you! You says, salt? May you get boiled and oversalted in hell! Go away! Aren't you furious, old woman. You don't deserve my kindness. You wear a medal. Was it for catching crawfish? Leave my medal alone, old woman, it's none of your concern. Everything concerns me, my falcon. I was breaking my back all my life, was a diligent tax-payer and helped my country. And you're running away like scared rabbits, leaving the land to plunderers, can't you understand that, you empty head? I know, I know. - But you're wrong. - Don't you teach me. You're talking like this because none of your family is warring. None of my family? Go and ask my neighbors. My three sons and my son-in-law are warring, and my fourth son was killed in Sevastopol. Now you see? I'm not so hard on you, because you're a stranger. But if some of my sons showed up, I would belabor them with a stick and say in a motherly way: if it's war, then war like a real soldier, instead of running from enemy all across the country, don't be such a disgrace upon your old mother. I'm sorry, I'm sorry. 'Meady' words that I was treated to, eh. Hey, wait, soldier. But be sure and return it. I'm not so proud not to accept it. Thank you, old woman. Such a nice old lady, so talkative and very hospitable. Her sons are warring, too, so she offered me to have her potluck, - sour cream and everything. - And you? I'm not some rogue, to eat old ladies' sour cream. It depends on how old the lady is, eh. Better tell us about 'your' lady. Why didn't you accept food from her? When you return the bucket, do ask for some sour cream. Oh, hold me, comrades, I gonna swoon from this heavenly smell. I'm dying for some good icy beer. Fresh from the cellar. People dying from heat, in cars with no canvas tops. Imagine we're in some Moscow restaurant, eh. Say, at the ‘Intourist' hotel... Smells of dill… and of crawfish soup... We can do without beer. Hey, their eyes are popping out already. Why leave in the daytime? It's bare steppe, German planes will turn them into macaroni. Maybe they're leaving because it's urgent. Hey, and I can't hear the sappers' hammers. Our crawfish give us a farewell smile, goddamit. Comrades: we have an order to defend the height behind the farmstead, at the crossroads. We should hold on until reinforcement arrives. Is the task clear to you? Of late we have suffered heavy losses, but we kept the banner of our regiment. And we must uphold its honor. We must hold on until the last. It's good to engage under the banner, but to retreat would be a shame. What do you think? Will we manage? We have to. One can end a cripple digging earth likes this. What do you think, Micola? It's all right with me. Only explosives and not a spade can rip such an earth, During all this time at the front I alone have done as much earthwork a wheeled tractor would do in spring season. No number of 'work-days' can describe our sweat! Cut that talk. Zvyagintsev! Micola, eh... That bitch. The 'guests' are coming… Kochetygov, dig deeper - do it like Maiboroda. And use thyme for camouflage. To the left, Makar! Now! Damn, it jammed. Come on, come on... Kochetygov, wait till he comes closer. We did them. Their blitzkrieg failed. We did them. Let them come again - and we'll do them again! Shoot the infantry men. Assault! Follow me! Hurrah! Micola... Pals! Falcons, assault! Show them hell! For our Motherland! Forward! Dear me... Hey, combiner. The losses so enormous, don't even tax your brain. So much bread destroyed... Those infidels... Nikolai Streltsov, before they took him to the hospital, said to keep an eye on you. He said: "Take care of that nincompoop Zvyagintsev. "God forbid he'll get killed". So, I'll be always here for you. Care for some crust? Give me one. Take two. Oh, my... Stop torturing yourself. Better talk to me. Stop muttering. And don't you dare talk to yourself, I forbid you. - You're not my commander. - You're wrong, buddy. I am your commander, and instead of thwarting you should try to please me. How come you're my commander? Use your brains, the ones under your helmet. Only fragments are left from our regiment. Another battle like this, and there will be only three of us - you and I and the cook Lisichenko. And in that case I'll be the commander, and I'll make you oaf the staff commander. So, cherish our friendship. Commanders like you don't exist. What makes you think so? Regiment commander should be serious, using serious words. You mean I'm such a fool or what? You're a blubberer and a jester. Have you ever grieved at all? I am grieving, right now, why? You don't look like a grieving person. I simply don't demonstrate my grief. So, what is your grief like? Well, my grief is normal as normal can be. Germans have probably seized my hometown, where my wife and my old father live, and where is the mine where I worked. And many of my friends are dead already, is it clear to you? Now you see what kind of person you are? Still joking, amongst all this grief. Micola Streltsov was a serious person, he thought the world of me, and I thought the world of him. He was so serious, his wife even walked out on him. Your heart is full of coal dust, miner. All you can do is dig coal and shoot clumsily from your long rifle. You're an empty person, all you have is your looks, nothing more. Antitank rifleman is a serious profession, not for your character, because, Peter, you are so… Hey, hey... Come to your senses, you, Anika the warrior. I have dozed off. You fell asleep, like an old horsie in harness. You're strong like a horse, - but the drowse is stronger. - Right you are. It may happen to me again. If you see me nodding, Peter, please poke me on the back, and don't spare me. I'll poke you with great pleasure, with the butt of my rifle. Have a smoke, Ivan, to chase away sleepiness. You look pitiful when you're sleepy, like, you know... ...and even worse. It's your last tobacco, I can't accept it. Gosh, we don't even have tobacco! Come on, smoke. Give it to me. Let me have a couple of draws. Smoke, Ivan, enjoy it. What a beautiful vista! What a nice vantage ground. Let me give you a hand, Peter. The future commander should be above all this digging. Great, Ivan. We'll beat them infidels from here, we'll beat them till metal shavings fly from their tanks, till their bodies become meat and hair! You're so brave, after battle. Yesterday, the sight of the tanks made you pale. I always grow pale on seeing tanks. You would go: "Cartridge, cartridge", as if I don't know my job. You were like a nervous lady, eh. Hey, you, pious Ivan, what all this feeble picking about? Earthwork, like lovemaking, is about deepness! You should penetrate! And because you can't penetrate, Ivan, you didn't deserve your wife's letters. She has nothing to remember you by. Gee, Ivan... You're such a bad mouth! You should watch your tongue. What's the matter? You came to a point like a hunting dog. Stay here and protect the interests of our country, and I'll pay a visit to that house yonder there. - What for? - I'll reconnoiter. If the officer asks, tell him it's nature's call, terrible cramps and so on. And even maybe dysentery! Girls, look - a soldier! Glasha, dog my cat, why haven't you harnessed the horse? Your jade will have enough time to get you across the Don. Salute. - My name is Peter Lopakhin. - Salute. Is it the stables here or what? No, it's the dairy. We getting ready to go away. Our farmstead will be burned down, if the battle begins. Oh, yes, your farmstead will come to harm, but we shall defend it with all our might. May God help you. What about some milk or butter coming our way? You should talk to head of the dairy. That freckled girl. - And who are you? - I'm the groom here, for three years already. I do haying, I look after horses. I was even promised a bonus. Dear Glasha, you are so appetizing. Like whipped cream, you know. So appetizing, I would stow you away at one go. Yummy cream, - maketh my mouth water. - Well, so what? Oh, don't be so shy, eh. The girl looks fine, but she isn't mine… What's the secret of such nice forms? - Fresh milk? - Enough. Take the milk can, and let's go away. And butter you can have afterwards. But we have no time. Stop it, or I'll cool you down. Oh, what an angry girl. - Come here... - What? Stop it, or I'll shout. Where are you? Have you frozen into the ice or what? Come out! Harness the horse quickly! Will you cross the Don or stay on this side? I'm asking, just in case. We'll be leaving now, soldier. You can go with us. No, not yet. But if it comes to that, where shall we meet, Glasha? I don't think we should, really. But if you want it real serious, we'll be in the forest, across the Don. We aren't going to leave too far. I see. I'll come to her. No. The sergeant will be mad. I wish I wouldn't go, but I'm so drawn to her. Oh, Glasha... If it were not for the war, I would spend all my life with her, at the cow's udder, - pulling at the teats. - Whose teats? Nevermind. I'll go. One should be crazy to refuse from butter, - to give it away to enemy. - Butter? Of course go. Air raid! Not a reproach you'll hear from me, Your portrait I return to thee… One is down! Gee, it was full of bombs! See? If only all our gunners worked like this. Hold it. Look, they're heading our way! There they go. Three, four - shoot! Cartridge! Come on, shoot that bitch! Cartridge! What's wrong, Peter? Are you wounded? Hell, no! He is bloody dead. Bloody dead. This is the way we should deal them! You're a real ace, Peter Fedotych! At ease. Lopakhin - report yourself to the lieutenant. Atta boy, Lopakhin. You saw how I dealt him? He was standing on his fours, shaking his head, saying: "Fedya, have I died already?" And his eyes popping out with fear, the smell of stewed turnip all over him, 'cause, I guess, he had a yellow streak. Nekrasov, are you alive there? Sure thing. Congrats. You showed class. Here. - Drink some. - What about you? Come on, drink. Thanks. - Your first plane hit? - Yeah. The lieutenant colonel called me asking who hit down the plane. I think a medal's on the way. Good. It's all right with me. Well, you may go. Germans will start an offensive soon. Tell Borzykh: it will be a fierce battle. Germans don't know how many of us here. They think, it's a whole division. You've nice belts, eh. It will be a real hot day, so watch out. We should hold the river crossing for our troops to pass. So, Siberian man, still invulnerable to bombs? Nothing can take me, until death takes me. So, where is your famous 'shanezhki'? In Omsk, in the kitchen where my wife is. What day is it today? Sunday. She bakes 'shanezhki' today. So, you're invited. Nah, thanks. Way too far away. I'll have to do without 'shanezhki'. Yeah, far away, so far away... Better you treat me, to some tobacco. - Come on. - You ran out of yours? No, I didn't. Someone else's tobacco is more delicious. If I hit down a plane, I would give all my tobacco to fellow-soldiers. The lieutenant warn us to watch out. And he knows what he's saying. You know what he reckons? That German tanks will head at our positions. Yonder there is a good place for them to concentrate and then to move out. The lieutenant said: "I lay trust with Borzykh "and you, Lopakhin". So, we shall hold on till the last, Akim. He lays trust with us for a good reason. We are veterans all right, most of us communists. And the lieutenant is a good guy. He's a nice lad, yeah. But will our neighbors hold on? They will, there are more of them. Well, good luck Akim. Same to you. That's a pretty thing! How do you do. How do you do. Thanks for dropping by. Now go on on your way. I wish I said what I think about all this, but I use epithets only dealing with women. Kindly tell me: who the hell put you down into this pit? And what are you gonna do? Where's the kitchen? What we gonna grub today? No one put me down here. I dug it and entrenched myself here. I can't stay all alone at the kitchen. So I betook myself here. Oh, really? You think we won't stand without you? Exactly. You've said a mouthful. There's no relying on you, Lopakhin. What if you waver? So here I am. Tell me, and no beating around the bush, what we gonna grub today? Cabbage soup. How on earth? It's simple: cabbage soup with mutton. A bomb fell near the bridge where the sheep were grazing. I butchered one wounded sheep before it died in torments. I stole some cabbage in a most villainous way from the kitchen garden and made a soup garnish. I'll war a bit, supporting you guys, and then I'll make soup and will it bring here to you guys as you please, see? So, everything is under control, Peter. Because lassie loved Peter her mother would beat her... So, are you pleased with me, hero? Speak up. My dear namesake... Peter... Spare me these sentimentalities, Peter, and better give me a grenade. Of course I'll give you a grenade. Here you go. Great, it may come in handy. You fuse it and throw it at them creeps. - It's all right. - Thank you. Well, Sasha, pull up your pants and get ready. How is your spirit? Good. In our hazardous profession good spirit is everything. Cartridge. What poor shooters they are. Who ever trained them? Smooch-smooch to such trainers. Hey, they'll leave us jobless if they go on like this. Did you see that? Hey, why are you so grey in the face? I'm grey in the face from such life. There he is! Shoot him! Cartridge! Kochetygov! Cartridge! Hey, you, son of a gun, are you going to war or not? Why didn't you shoot? - I? - Yes. Never stop shooting them. I want them dead, and no captives! Shoot them before they raise their hands and surrender!.. I'll step into his wretched blood knee-deep, or even throat-deep! End of Film One Mikhail Sholokhov THEY FOUGHT FOR THEIR COUNTRY Part Two Oh, my Lord, keep me. Oh, my Lord, don't let me die... Oh, my Lord... To have driven a person to such a state... I'm not a communist, of course, and not forbidden to be religious, but nevertheless, 'tis not good, I didn't look good at all. In drastic moments people do silly things. Death is not your dear aunt, she's a formidable bitch feared by communists and non-communists and all other common people. Just you wait. Hey, he is drunken, that dog! Now I'll get you down… You, dirty whistler. Let's go... After failing to seize the Don crossing, the depleted German troops stopped attacking and lay in wait. In the evening, Russian units in defense were ordered to cross the Don. Our life is such a mess... Kochetygov's job... But he himself is dead. His mother will know... How she gonna live now? When such kids like him are being killed before my very eyes, I feel like crying. If I die, it's nothing: I'm an old dog who saw life. But when such kids are dying... Stop lamenting. Yes, the lad is dead, but so are many others. You can't lament for all of them. Let's go, we must catch up with the guys, god forbid we'll fall behind. I'm dying for a smoke. Have patience. Patience, patience. Russian soldier is very patient, but his patience isn't made of iron, eh. I've seen so much hell today, my patience is bursting at the seams. Is Ivan Zvyagintsev dead, too? How should I know? - But you saw him fall down? - Yeah, but I didn't feel his pulse, I don't know. Maybe 'twas not him? Maybe 'twas someone else? You could have been mistaken. No, 'twas him. 'twas Zvyagintsev, I'm sure. A shell exploded, and he collapsed, I don't know, though, if it was lethal. Nurse... Where have you come from? I wish I could have some more vodka... No, you can't, you can't, my dear. Thank God you came to. It was a real hell, all this bombing. I'll try to take you to the medical unit. Tell me, where I was wounded? You were wounded... ...everywhere. Did I lose my feet - or what? - You didn't lose your feet. But they're a bit riddled. Don't talk, it makes you weak. I'll take you to doctors, they'll bandage you and everything. I guess, you'll be then sent to a hospital in the rear. They'll put you into order. War loves order. So, I'm all wounded? Order, ha... And you call this order? Hold on, my dear, please, hold on! We'll move on now, we've almost reached our destination, do you hear me? Oh, why do they recruit such jumbos! Tell me, why? I can hardly haul you. You must be weighing 6 pounds! Ninety three... - Ninety three what? - Kilograms. My weight before the war, but not anymore... Look, daughter... Leave me here... I'll manage myself... I'll manage... I'll take some rest and will go on... My hands are not damaged, so I'll keep crawling... Don't talk nonsense. Why all men always talk nonsense? What can you do? What? I'm just a bit tired. I'll catch my breath, and we'll go on moving. Don't worry, I saved even bigger guys than you. I've managed even worse cases. I look small, but I'm real strong! Hey, hold your horses. - This place is mined. - I can see no warning signs. There is a men's cordon, and there are stakes, see? - Move to the right! - He is wounded? Yeah. Our lieutenant. Poor guy, to be jolted, on such a road. Did you hear that, Lopakhin? A minefield surrounded by some little stakes! 'Welcome to our testing ground'. You can bump into a telegraph pole but a short stake won't stop you. When we cross the Don, we'll be safe. That's a pretty kettle of fish - we ran away from Germans and nearly stepped on our own mines! Such things happen every now and then. You think you are safe and there is no danger but then - bang - and you're dead. There was such an accident in our village... Will you shut up? Accidents, my foot. With such momentum, you're good to be used as a ram. No, it's because the path is awful. Hit the ground! Oh, shucks. Hey, Lopakhin, where is the sergeant taking us? To the Don. No, I mean, - to the bridge? - No, to the water. How are we gonna cross the river then? We'll sail on our snivels. Stop being so irritable. You are so irritable, all the time, will you stop being irritable? We all come through hell. I'm irritable because you talk nonsense. What wrong did I say? You know very well Germans are bombing the bridge. - I know that. - Then why asking whether we gonna use the bridge? I'm sick and tired of your stupid questions, give me a break. And don't you step on my heels. Hang lamps on your heels, you, baby girl. Now you'll get a sock in your ‘lamps'. - Keep the distance. - I'm keeping the distance. I said, stop stepping on my heels. - Stop rubbing yourself against me. - I'm not. Yes, you are. Are you afraid to get lost or what? See? You're being irritable again. I'm not afraid of getting lost. But to cross the river without using the bridge, well, it makes me nervous. You can swim, you know, but I can't. Will you ever shut up? I can't shut up, because soon we'll reach the Don and I'll die then. Before I die, I need to give vent to my feeling. There is even such a rule, for those dying. Stop whining, Sasha. It'll be all right. Are you deaf or what? I said, I can't swim! How I gonna cross the river? With all this gear, even good swimmers may drown. And I'm carrying two pounds of cartridges! I know, I know I'll drown. Why should I carry all this crap? And suffer during my last minutes? I'll throw all of this away. I gonna drown naked, it's more pleasant like this. Relax, you won't drown. Shit doesn't drown. Great. You're right. Means you won't drown, but I will. Damn, you're such a headache! We'll reach the Don, and I'll give you my safety razor. I'm not such a twerp as you are. Shave yourself as you please and remember the heroically drowned Alexander Kopytovsky. The raft! Now give me your razor! Nah, now I'll need it myself! I'm alive, alive! I saw the raft, and it's like to be born anew! Not a reproach you'll hear from me, Your portrait I return to thee. Don't keep my letter and forget my name, Because I love you all the same... We didn't make it. The lieutenant has died. It was a real deluge last night, but the earth is still dry. Our lieutenant's last trench... Yeah... Let's have a smoke? I'll go and report to the sergeant, and you stay here and have a smoke. Comrades... Soldiers... Sons... Look at this heavy mist around us. It's hanging over all our country, this black grief... It can't be dulled neither in sleep, nor in the daytime, this black grief... We should remember about this at all times: right now, when we bury our comrade, our regiment's last officer, and thereafter, too, when someone will be playing an accordion, during moments of rest. We should remember how we retreated, sons, but we fought to the last. Only a handful of us is left, but we won't be ashamed to look people in the eye, though, with a heavy heart it will be. I'm the oldest of you, it's my fourth war... But I do believe: our regiment will be replenished with new people, and soon we'll retrace our steps, moving to the West. And our stride will be heavy, so heavy, as to make the earth shudder. And, maybe, comrade Lieutenant, you will hear our footfalls... They're bombing our cars full of ammunition. What a pity. So, it will be remarshalling? Yeah, time to say farewell, what do you think? - Farewell to whom? - To each other. What are you talking about? I can't believe you're saying this. We can't break our rifle in two. We'll stay together. Wow. Without me you'll die from boredom. You need to tease someone all the time. Depends on people you fall across. But I'm patient. I badly need some rest. I'm not like Lopakhin, I'm not made of iron. I have these bugs, you know. Maybe caused by sadness. I thought you're Russian, by you're some piece of shit of unknown nationality. - Why? - You are from Kursk region? Yes. Lebedyan village. Tell us about your secret disease. It's not funny at all. My ailment is called 'trench disease'. What do you mean, Nekrasov? Something like this, eh? It's not what you think, you stupid ones. It's not corporeal disease, it's brain disease. Brain disease? Impossible for you to have brain disease, Nekrasov. There is no ground, see? No ground for such disease. Come, tell us about your disease. Yes, Pasha, tell us. Well, you know... Do you remember remarshalling campaign in spring? We made a stop in Semenovka village. The house was packed with 150 men, everyone sleeping in most impossible positions. And - man - it was so stuffy. I woke up, I needed to take a leak, but somehow I thought I was in a dugout and that I needed to walk up the steps. So, I climbed on the step of the stove-bed where an old woman was sleeping, she was maybe 100 years old, all wrinkled like an old mushroom. Stop it. Go on, Nekrasov, go on. We're full of understanding, except one fool here. So, you can imagine what that old hag thought. Here I am, standing before her, and that crumblie, that old mangy witch, got real scared and started begging and lamenting: "oh, you, sinner, what's on your mind?" And she kicked me in the face with her felt boot. And I said: "Old lady, "forgive me for crissake, and be quiet. "And stop kicking, because, God forbid, "your old footsies will fall out of their joints. "I'm sorry to have disturbed you", I said, "I'm not gonna touch you, pest upon you". - And so I climbed down. - From the crumblie? From the step, you fool. And I thought: Oh, my God, what's wrong with me? God forbid someone heard that dialogue. They'll drive me mad by their jokes. But, thank God, everyone was fast asleep, and I came to no disgrace. But since then every night I imagine I'm sleeping in a dugout or something like this. So, this 'trench disease'... ...is it contagious? God forbid, after talking to you I'll start climbing onto crumblies? You idiot. Why? Not even pestilence will take you, let alone spiritual disease like I have. You guys are young and can fight without interruption, 'cause you're healthy, but I'm not. I'm too old for this. I miss my family. I have four children. And, you know, it has been 12 months, and I'm forgetting their faces. Worst of all, I can't even remember Masha, my eldest daughter, she is fifteen. A very smart girl, the best in school. As for my wife... I'm lost for words here... I already forgot the smell of her armpits... It's real moving, the kids and everything, real moving... I talked to commander of the 34th regiment. He said we should go to Talovsky village, where there is the hq of our division. I took the liberty, asking him what will happen to us now. He said: "don't worry, old man. "Since you kept the sacred banner, "your regiment will not be disbanded, "but replenished with soldiers and officers. "We'll send you "to a most important sector of the front". A most important sector! Do you guys know what it means? At least, my lungs were not damaged. And my legs? How serious is the wound? Will I be able to walk?.. Or I'll end an invalid? You may tear my pants open, but don't you touch my boots. They didn't come easily to me, and I've had them only for one month. It's nice boots. With leather soles... And the bootlegs, too, made of genuine leather, not some cheap tarpaulin. So, don't you dare touch my boots. - Don't you teach me. - But it's my boots! Right. Forget about them. I can't take them off. Look, try to do this, pull carefully, I can tolerate. You bald son of a bitch! You, dirty devil! What do you think you are doing? I've finished already, don't swear, you're bleeding. Let me turn you... Go away, you parasite, you, shabby camel, you, plague in glasses. Mangy, stinky moron, people's enemy, that's what you are. Have you finished, epic Ilya Morumets? Shame on you, you are an elderly man... I bet, your only livestock before the war was a toad, and it lived under your porch, and it was starving, starving. Go hence, you stupid quack, you two-legged plague. Bear with me, bro. I hope you won't cut off anything needful. One can't trust you doctors. You were tolerant for so long, soldier, now be tolerant a little more. And don't fear, we'll keep you in one piece, we don't need what is not ours. My God... Why are you staring at me, comrade woman? Haven't you seen naked men? I'm nothing special, you know, It's not an All-Union agricultural exhibition for you, and I'm not some stud-bull brought here for demonstration. I'm not interested in your private parts, I'm a doctor. Please lie still and stop talking. What an undisciplined warrior you are. Doctor, sorry, I can't see your rank because of the lab coat, but can you give me some alcohol? Hold on, hold on, soldier, it's for your own good. Then what about some soporific? Don't begrudge medicine to people! So, does it hurt so badly? Can't you bear with it? I warned you that you'll have to bear with it. What's the matter? You have such a nasty character? Comrade doctor, you are picking in my body as if it were your own pocket. And it leaves one with nothing else to do than moan and howl like a dog. - Does it hurt so much? - No, it doesn't hurt at all, it's tickling. I have been ticklish since I was a child, that's why it's so unbearable. I positively refuse to stay here! To hell with all this! I can't take it any longer. Take me away from here, take me back to the front, away from here. Where is my boots? Put them under my head, for me to be on the safe side. Everyone is stealing boots here! But you have to deserve such boots, to wear them where death is, and to snip and tear is what any fool can do! Oh, my God! It hurts so much! Lopakhin, Lopakhin, it hurts so much! We'll encamp here for the night. No, we better not. We better rest a bit, and get to the hq before the sunset. Do you hear me, sergeant? We haven't had a crumb for one long day. And they have a nice kitchen at the hq. Cut this talk! I can't present you to the colonel the way you are, is everything clear? We'll spend the night here. By the sunset you should look impeccable: mend your uniforms, repair your boots and everything, and polish your weapons until they're shining. You should mend your pants, Sasha. You look like a martyr in heaven. Martyrs is what we are, or even worse. As an ex soldier, Chairman, you should understand our situation. Don't be such a limited person. But I can't help you. We aren't asking for much. I can't help you, sergeant. It seems, all is useless. Lopakhin, do something. You just write a writ. Maybe we'll find some provision. I'm telling you: the barn is empty. Stop pawing my leg. I'm no lassie for you. Also my leg is insensitive - it's an artificial leg. Let's go. Three kilograms at the most. The lads are starving, we're in a desperate situation. Cheer up, Poprischenko! Rely on me. I'll handle this. What's on your mind? Something illegal? Everything will be legal, I promise. I'll be the only party affected. I'll have to loosen my moral principles. I'm a hopeless sinner, but I'm ready to sacrifice myself. - What do you mean? - You'll see. Chairman, can I ask you for one minute? Look, you're a good pal, as I can see, and I'll be honest with you. We are badly in need of grub, - right? - Right. And you can't help us with provision. - Then help us in smth else. - What do you mean? Any well-off women living in your village? Sure. It's a big village. So, bring us to such woman's house. I hope she doesn't look like a crocodile, I hope she looks like a woman. You need someone not older than 70? 70 is way too old. I'd prefer someone younger. I see. - Permission to proceed? - Permission granted. Only I'm afraid you'll let us down, Lopakhin. - Why? - Well, you know, you have to be a superman, for a woman to feed 27 soldiers. It demands a great effort. I'll take the sweat. Your portrait I return to thee... The other boot is even in a worse state. Let me attach a strap-belt to your shorts, and your pants we'll burn down, eh. Guys, the hostess is coming. Holy cow. My God. This is the end. It's useless. I'll go to the Chairman now and dust him up for playing such a trick on us. - Take it easy. - Look at her, Lopakhin, she's like a walking statue! A woman is always a woman, and she's even lovely. Her looks gives me the shivers. She is the spitting image of that woman's statue I saw in Moscow at the agricultural exhibition. - So what? - You're too small for her. You're a grown-up person, and you don't know what every woman knows? What do you mean? A small flea is the most passionate! Did you read ancient history, sergeant? No I didn't. I'm just a carpenter, you know. Why asking? There was such a commander, Alexander of Macedonia. So, he, as also later the Roman commander Julius Caesar, had a motto: I came, I saw, I won. I stick to the same slogan, and I'm not afraid of this statue. Permission to proceed, sergeant? Permission granted, for we are in a hopeless situation, you know. But, I fear, you won't die a natural death… I'll be all right. Your cows have did a real job of it… Natalya Stepanovna... Good observation post, mister general. Shut up. The man is sacrificing himself for our sake. Petr Fedotovich, hand me the buckets. Natalya Stepanovna, I'll go to the sheepcote... Oops. Hey, fellas, feeling hungry? She swallowed the bait. He's a real hero. So what he's so small. As the say, small flea - much stink. He is like that ancient military commander. Did you read ancient history, Nekrasov? Honestly? No. Too bad, Nekrasov, too bad. There was such a commander in olden times, Alexander... Damn, I forgot his name. - Alexander... - Suvorov? No, not Suvorov! Alexander of Macedonia was his name. So, he treated his enemy in the following way: I came, I saw, I fun. And that s.o.b. would have so much fun, his enemy couldn't come to his senses. What was his nationality? You mean, Alexander's? He had his own special nationality. - How? - Yes, his own nationality. We should be quiet. If we can't sleep from hunger, we should pretend. I can't pretend. My stomach is growling too loudly. How is it possible, not to feed a warrior? I bet, they are all ex kulaks here. Lopakhin, are you asleep? No. - Don't you fall asleep. - Don't worry. 200 grams of vodka would be good for you right now, but where can we get it, in this goddamned village? I'll do without vodka. - You are going already? - No time to lose time. Good luck, Lopakhin. Alexander of Macedonia, small flea, darn you! I'll go to the Chairman now, we won't leave without breakfast. Take it easy here. I'll be back soon. He's not a flea, he's Alexander of Macedonia! The king of all nations and women! We were left hungry because of that damned 'king'. Good morning, Natalya Stepanovna. Good morning. Please, forgive me, Petr Fedotych. What a bad bruise. I'm afraid, your friends heard all that noise. Forget it. A bruise becomes a man. Though, you could have been more careful. But let's forget about it. Just a boyfriending incident. You says, boyfriending? You think maybe soldiers' wives have no shame? Speak lower. So, I had to prove with my fists what kind of woman I am. Sasha... - My aide. - This one? Sorry for asking, but what kind of person your husband is? Is he tall? No, he is of approximately your size, only a bit bigger in the bone. I bet, you were harsh on him? No, we lived peacefully. He is a hard-working quiet man. He's in the hospital now. Maybe they'll let him go home? I'm sure they will. On what occasion you prepared this gorgeous spread? - It's not logical. - Why not logical? At night, your sergeant, that red-haired old man, came to the chairman and told him everything, how courageously you guys fought. At dawn, the chairman came to my house and said: "We were wrong, Natalya, "we were wrong thinking "that they are runaways. "They are real heroes..." - Oh, come on… - Look... We shall give away everything to you, only don't let Germans come here. And how long are you going to retreat? It's time to balk! Forgive me my harsh word, but you guys are such a disgrace! Means, I tried the wrong key to your heart? Yes, the wrong key. Well, well, nevermind that… I'd call this, Your portrait I return to thee... I'm so unhappy… A brand new division... Check it out. All spruced up, with not a scratch... Everyone as bright as a button, as if they came to a parade. They are freshers. One day of hell like we saw, and their glamour would be gone. Nikolai! Nikolai Streltsov! My dear friend, where have you come from? I was shouting to you... Peter... I'm so glad... You can't even imagine how glad I am. Come, let's sit down. I'm difficult to talk to. After that bomb exploded... ...I can't hear anything. But you are deaf, Kolya... So... Why did you run away from the hospital? - Why did you run away? - I didn't run away. - I walked away. - Hell, why? Kolya, you fool. You need medical treatment! What do you mean? I stopped bleeding in the ear. So there was no need to stay in the hospital anymore. Our regiment was in a difficult situation. Only a few of us are left, that's why I couldn't stay in the hospital, see? I couldn't but come back. So, I came back, to fight shoulder to shoulder with my comrades. So what I'm deaf, right, Peter? Right, right. Oh, my Jesus. You poor thing. I'm glad to be here again with you! To Stalingrad! Uncover the banner! Soldiers! Soldiers! Our Motherland will never forget about your exploits and your sufferings! Thank you very much! Thank you! The victory will be ours! We shall bring the banner of our great army the liberator to Berlin! Do you hear this? May our love towards our country live in our hearts as long as we live. May our hatred to enemy always shine on the tips of our bayonets... Mikhail Sholokhov Translated by Svetlana Chulkova