All language subtitles for The 19th Century Georgian Chronicle [1979] (sub.da.ricavare, anche FR).ENG

GEORGIA-FILM

THE 19TH-CENTURY
GEORGIAN CHRONICLE

Screenplay by
R. KVESELAVA

A. DZHUGELI
A. REKHVIASHVILI

Get up, son.

Get up.

You're here at last.
The entire village is waiting for you.

They put all their hopes upon you.

Well, how are you?

I'm all right.
How do you feel?

I'm better.

But I can't get up yet.

I sit and look in the window.

The doctor's advice is to watch
the tops of the trees sway.

He says it soothes your nerves.

Go take a rest, son.
You must be tired after the road.

Go.

You've come?

You look good, Niko.

Dear Mikel.

Do you think we can
save our forest?

I'm a doctor.

I don't know much about these things.

Let her take it before going to sleep.

Though the best medicine for her now
is your arrival.

Niko, don't let the doctor
go home empty-handed.

You see, Niko,
that's what humans are like.

They won't believe
in gratuitous treatment.

What's the matter, son?

Didn't I bring a suitcase in here?

You had nothing in your hands.

I might have left it
in the carriage.

Don't worry, son.

Nothing gets lost in our parts.

This is what Mikel left.

I'm going to the teacher.

What was in the suitcase?

Nothing, Mother. Nothing.

Who can it be so early?

Who is there?

It's me, Niko.

I didn't expect you so soon, that's
why I didn't recognize you right away.

When did you arrive?

Just now, and went straight to you.

And here's your classroom.

Everything's here as it had been.

Once it was so noisy here.

I'm having guests
from a neighboring village now.

Here's our Niko.

We'll be back soon.
Excuse us.

The sooner you go to
the administration, the better.

I'll go there today.

That's good.

Why do your guests
sit at the table with rifles?

They think that today you have
to carry a rifle even at home.

Unfortunately,
they may be right.

Who knows.

All the documents are here.

Letters, replies.

Your father and I have been
collecting them for years.

You know that we've
got nothing but the forest.

And if we lose our forest,
we'll lose everything.

These documents are mostly
about natural, moral rights.

But those rights are the foundation
of all other rights.

That's how it has always been.

Yes, that's how it has been.

I'll give you a letter to one
official. He will help.

And now say goodbye to my guests.

I persuaded them
to wait for your return.

Niko will go to the
administration today.

You don't have to worry, believe me.

We'll see him off
according to our custom.

All right, we'll stay.

Everything will be all right.

Don't worry.

You see, I can't
even see you off.

Take care of yourself.

Don't worry.
I'll be back soon.

Take some money.

It might be useful.

I'll only spend it if need be.

I got to go.

I'm off.

God help you, son.

You who rule
over land and sea

And have authority over
governments and monarchs,

Heed and grant our plea.

Support Your servant Niko.

Saint George, our protector,
bless him.

What do you want?

May I see Eradze?

There he is.

Are you Eradze?

What do you want?

Come with me.

We found Niko's suitcase.

I can't carry it to the house.
It fell apart.

Where did you find it?

By the river.

They must have lost it
while crossing the ford.

I wonder what's in there.

Look, these are books.

And I wondered why it was so heavy.

We should dry them up.

You can't see a single letter.

The water washed them off.

This one seems to be intact.

"Bell".
"From the Other Shore".

"Bell".
"From the Other Shore".

Herzen's letters.
I'll take it home.

I'm going to Niko's mother.

To tell her that
we found the suitcase.

Excuse me, did you
come from Batumi?

No, not from Batumi.

I'm sorry, then.

Excuse me.

You must be looking for my father.
You've been here before.

Do people live here, too?

Yes, they do.

I was told to come to the chief,
but there's no one here.

I see it's your first time here.

Take a seat, dear Niko.

I'm listening to you, dear Niko.

Set forth here are the rights
of our village for the forest

And a complaint about the concession
that plans to cut it down.

Dear Niko.

I haven't met your father.

But my poor brother
knew him very well.

Unfortunately, it didn't help much.

Alas, neither your father nor my
brother is with us any longer.

Bring the case of Niko Bernadze.

Youth, youth,
where are your joys?

Time is passing.

Would you like a drink of water?

No, thank you.

I love those cactuses.

I inherited them
from my poor brother.

Unlike other plants,
they're very undemanding.

They need less water
and less oxygen.

I've discovered a very
attractive quality of this plant.

Immobility.

There you go.

Stay for a while.

We'll look into it now.

What exactly are you
interested in about this case?

In the meaning of the resolution
your late brother had passed

And which is to decide
the fate of our village.

Find that paper for me.

Indeed, there is such a resolution.

Have you paid attention
to what's written on the side?

I did, but couldn't make it out.

No wonder,
it's in the director's handwriting.

Who ever can make out
the director's handwriting?

Voznadze is in charge of this case.

Invite him here.

Have you paid attention
to this addition?

No, I haven't.

But you should have.

Read this here.

The case is to be complied with
if one operates with the facts,

But it is not to be
complied with.

How do you understand this?

It's hard to explain it verbally,
but I can reply in writing.

It's urgent.

The reply will be ready
by 12 o'clock.

You can go now.

Unfortunately, it's not so simple
a case as I thought before.

And the signature? Have you ever
seen a seal put without a signature?

Can the fate of a village really
depend on just one signature?

You're an educated man, so you
know that our foremost duty

Is to observe
order and lawfulness.

Firstly, can an unsigned paper
be considered a document?

And secondly, is there any word here
about your forest being a reserve one

And not subject to exploitation?

Our main document is
the fact that we live there.

And our ancestors' remains
are resting there.

And today, when the fate
of the village is being decided,

The voices of the dead are to be
counted with those of the living.

Why are you so nervous?

Sit down. Sit down.

I must return to the village
with the answer.

If the forest does not belong to us

It won't belong to those who want
to appropriate it, either.

Excuse me, would you like
some hot water?

No, thank you.

Excuse me.

I just saw everybody hurrying
somewhere. Where were they going?

When someone from a foreign
company arrives,

Everybody goes to meet him.

It's strange that there's no one
in the city but us now.

Have you been here before?

Only as a child.

Where are you from?
Where do you live?

In a village beyond this mountain.

How is your teacher lotam?
What is he doing now?

Nothing.

He barraged us with complaints,
you call it nothing?

Let's go, your documents
are kept elsewhere.

Here are your documents.
But this is a copy.

We must find the original.

Wait here, I'll be back soon.

Nothing has changed here.

All is quiet. Did anyone
complain about the forest?

Surprising how you sensed it.

A strange young man
showed up.

Has he already come to see you?

He has, and he's to
come back for the answer.

What answer?

That young man is not
in his right mind.

He claims that together
with the villagers

We must also count the voices
of their ancestors, the dead.

He's some kind of romantic.

They're not serious people.
We shouldn't be afraid of them.

Sometimes it's the opposite.

No such thing would
occur to a normal man.

Those dreamers are
the most dangerous people.

I see he has scared you.

I got an impression
that he can stir up people,

Or even worse,
set fire to the forest.

What exactly did he say?

Nothing more than what I told you.
But his face was saying a lot.

Who is he?

It would be interesting
to look at him.

He's a student, Niko Bernadze.
He studies in St. Petersburg.

Those people are dangerous.

Let's keep him under surveillance.

Excuse me for bothering you.
I've got some business to discuss.

I'm listening.

Hello.

I thought something
might have happened to you.

We've been warned
that guests are coming

And, unfortunately,
you have to vacate this room.

But where shall I go?

I can put you up in another room.

There's only one man living there.

You can choose any place.

This is a good place.

Thank you.

Who was that girl?

What girl?

The one you walked with
through the deserted streets.

She lives here.

What do you mean, lives?

I know everybody here,
but I've never seen her.

I have to go.
I have some business.

Show that student in.

They're looking for you.

Sit down. Sit down.

You look tired.

Why don't you sit down?
Sit down.

Why didn't you come on time?

Perhaps you're not well?

Perhaps.

It's all right. It's all right.

You should live
a diversified life.

Diversity is the best
medicine, believe me.

I also happened to be in a state

when you take the unreal
for the real,

or even vice versa.

Alas, your case has not been resolved
yet and I can't tell when it will be.

We must wait for the Chamber
Director, who is not here now.

I got your name
on top of my list.

And your case is here
on top, too.

I'd like to remind you again

If it's not decided
in favor of our village,

It won't be in
your favor, either.

How was your case decided?

Badly...

At last.

Is it good that
it was decided badly?

At least we know now
what to do.

What did they tell you?

They said we have to wait
for the director.

We have as our guest
a representative of the company

that will be exploiting
this forest.

The representative is pleased that he
got acquainted with you, our nature,

And he calls upon everyone to
actively participate in the business,

on which our common
good depends.

Folks, you know
that every good undertaking

Does not bring the desired
effect right away.

It takes work, it takes
patience and perseverance.

Everything that exists on earth,
exists for man.

And a forest, too, of course.

Therefore, we must use it.

If we don't fell the trees,
the forest will perish.

If the forest perishes,
man will perish, too.

Anyway, it's a complicated matter.

Meanwhile, some of the local
residents are slandering us,

Trying to defame our cause,

Trying to confuse and mislead you.

Where has he gone so quickly?

He won't get away.

Let him go deeper in the forest.

What if he runs away?

Those three, are they reliable men?

They would do anything for money.

And this forest seems to never end.

Perhaps we should have just
scared that student?

No one knows
how this thing may end.

The people in these parts are
dangerous. They don't forgive blood.

Yes, but these people
will be much more dangerous

If they're headed by such
crazy men as this student.

Let me go.

What do you want from me?

Excuse me for appointing
this place for our meeting.

There's a matter I must
discuss with you by all means.

The four men
that were here recently.

Do you remember them?

How could we not?

Very serious people.

One had better not
quarrel with them.

One of them paid
attention to your daughter.

He wants to hire her.

I think it's a good thing.

How can I let her go alone?

You'll be moved to a better position.

You shouldn't have any
doubt about it.

Do you know that this student rogue
wouldn't leave your daughter in peace?

Nobody knows
how it may end up.

She was walking the deserted
streets with that suspicious student.

And people saw them together
at the old fortress.

No, no, I can't decide it
without my daughter.

It's you who have to decide it.

Soon they'll be here again,
and your daughter must be ready.

Don't do anything so that
I wouldn't be able to help you later.

Come here.

He won't get out of here.

- Could they know we didn't kill him?
- What if they don't believe us?

We'll take his clothes to them.

That's a good idea.

O Lord, help my son.

Well?

Now burn all this down.

Can you tell me where Niko lives?

Niko isn't in the village.

Where is he?

Niko is in town.
Come inside, you're all wet.

In town?

Where are you from?
Come in the house.

No, I must go.

Wait. wait!
What do you know about Niko?

Maybe you saw
that girl in your dream?

In my dream...
What are you talking about?

Why did you let her go?
Why didn't you bring her to me?

I don't know.

She appeared so suddenly,
and disappeared as suddenly.

Something has happened to Niko.

He's in trouble.

My heart feels it.

Let's wait one more day.

Everybody's waiting for Niko.

Go and look down the pit.

It's too dark,
I can't see anything.

If they find him alive,
they will hang us.

If they find him dead, the
village will take revenge on us.

Yes, there's no escape.

Who is that?

A woman.

What does she want here?

Where has she gone?

Maybe we imagined it?

All three of us?

Here're her footprints.
She went that way.

What is this house?

An abandoned windmill.

She's in there, she couldn't
hide anywhere else.

Then what are we waiting for?

Get out of here.
Get out of the forest!

If he finds that pit,
it'll be our end.

I didn't mean to kill him.
I don't know how it happened.

What shall we do with the one
in the pit?

Hush. Someone is coming.

You keep imagining things.

If they catch us,
they'll stone us to death.

We can get away from people.
But we can't hide from God.

God will forgive everything.
We must escape from people.

Niko!

Niko!

Niko!

Niko!

Directed by
A. REKHVIASHVILI

Director of Photography
G. SHENGELAYA

Production Designers:

A. KAKABADZE
D. LURSMANISHVILI

Music by
V. KUKHIANIDZE

Cast:
Niko - M. SALUKVADZE

Office Chief -
R. CHKHIKVADZE

lotam - V. TSULADZE
Niko's Mother - Ts. MEDZMARIASHVILI

Doctor - T. MAGALASHVILI
Girl - D. KHARSHILADZE

The End