Original subtitles

Boris Ivanovich is absent now. What is your question?

Leonid Bichevin

Alexander Bukharov

Maria Andreeva

SILENCE

"USSR. Ministry of Railways. Railway Department of Vyborg"

- 7.62. - I have never understood suicide.

The war is over.

Live and be happy. Who is he?

Vladimir Gubanov,

a combat veteran, a communist, he's ours, from Ostrovnoe,

that's why they called us.

- Did he leave a note? - No.

- Any family? - A wife and 2 children.

- What do colleagues say? - It's a shock for everyone.

- Noone knows why he did it. - Noone knows...

He brought it from the front.

There's nothing interesting for the press here.

It's necessary to inform the widow.

Thanks.

Militia captain Kazantsev.

May we enter?

The door was open.

We have bad news for you.

Your husband died.

He shot himself.

Bastard!

He is the reason.

My mother told me long ago to leave him, and I was still hoping for something.

- Should we call the neighbours? - What for?

- Anything else? - Where are your children?

They are

in the village with my mother.

Sorry.

That does not look an ideal marriage.

Yes.

It's interesting, what would my wife say.

No, everything is all right with us,

It seems, her husband was a gambler. Most likely, he played cards.

Something here is strange.

Sergey,

ask the neighbours, if someone saw or heard anything.

If their children are with the grandmother,

why is everything turned upside down in the room?

May be, he did something with the children?

I don't know.

Guys from the port.

- What are they doing here? - They came for me.

Really? What have you got with them?

They don't like my face.

Shave more often!

Take care, these guys don't joke.

Woman!

Sorry.

They will call the whole day.

Did they belong to your husband?

- I want to stay alone. - They've got no grandmother.

Neighbours haven't seen children since Saturday.

Where are your children?

Issue a wanted notice.

- No! Please! - Then sit down and speak up.

Good afternoon.

- Do you sell the dress? - Yes.

My aunt gave me some money for the prom dress.

First I wanted to sew it myself, then saw your advertisment.

Please, come in.

To the right.

How is it?

I think, you are too young to wear this.

Do you think so?

Let us cover a little bit here

and take in the waist.

All right?

It takes just 5 minutes.

Do you think I'm beautiful?

You're very beautiful.

Not like you.

My mother had big breasts.

Maybe, I'll have the same.

Men like when they are big.

And she had wide hips. Probably, after childbirth.

And you have almost no breasts.

But still, men are looking at you.

It's not about the figure.

Well, better to say, not just about it.

And then, about what?

You're very pretty.

They will look at you as well, don't you worry.

Take off the dress, just 5 minutes.

Everyone stay where you are!

Be quiet! Stand next to your table!

Take, is it yours?

- Hello, dear Lev! - Hello!

Who played here on Saturday? Not your rabble, but real gamblers.

As usual.

Was this one here?

I asked you.

The guy was on the losing streak, he wanted to quit, but he wanted to win back.

Did he win back?

Don't you say! He had nothing to bet on.

He tried to borrow, but who'd give!

Did he lose much?

Decent sum. One can get a knife in the flank for it.

Who did he owe?

Was it you?

Clear! Handcuffs!

What for?

He was found this morning with a bullet in his head.

- Did you get what for? - Have you seen my hand?

I never had a gun in it!

Did you maim it not to go to the front?

- It was an accident at work. - Let's go, cripple.

- I didn't do it! - I know you didn't. He did it himself.

But his children disappeared.

- Children? - Children.

Stop, what about children? Why would I touch his children?

He himself returned me the money.

How come? Himself?

I don't know.

Someone rang on my door, I opened it and - whoa!

There was an envelope on the floor.

Fibs.

No, never, here it is.

Everything till the very last copeck.

Have you seen the person who returned it?

I haven't.

- May I have the envelope back? - This is a piece of evidence.

- Captain, I cooperate! - Get out of my sight.

The money was returned before suicide - why shoot?

The devil only knows.

Good evening.

We feel so much sorry

for you.

- Comrade Bondarenko! - Yes?

It's Gubanov's wife.

Come in.

Make some tea.

She's sitting here for 3 hours, not saying a single word.

Maybe, someone tried to make her husband kill his chief, repaying his debt.

He refused, and they took away the children.

When I was a boy, a shop was robbed in our street.

The cashier could have identified the robbers,

but they kidnapped her child.

When they were caught, she allegedly did not recognize them.

The thieves were released, but she never saw her son.

Vera,

you should tell us everything.

Maybe, it's not too late.

We need to know, who and why wants to get rid of Bondarenko.

Well.

Form a squad to check basements, attics and the forest.

If needed, call upon all the manpower and reservists.

Yes, captain!

I think they'll return the children - she did everything.

If they were planning to do it, the kids'd have been home.

Two locks.

I wonder if he was storing gold here.

Bondarenko Boris Ivanovich.

He was dealing with railroad supplies.

Two weeks ago

the department started a check.

He was accused of fraud.

- Did he steal government goods? - Not leaving the office.

First he sent the goods to the sumps to store them long,

and then disposed some of them as damaged or rotten.

He darkened the windows. Looks like he was afraid of something.

He was unlikely to do it alone.

Something

or somebody.

Bondarenko practiced boxing.

You don't say! It's quite unlike him.

Do you know who else was a boxer?

- He is absent. - Still, we'll have a look.

You probably dance together as well.

Isn't your wife jealous?

Bondarenko Boris Ivanovich - do you know him?

Let me think.

From 1936 to 1940 you toured with him in Finland.

Staged fights for Russian settlers.

You make questions

and then answer them.

Are you sure you need me?

- Bondarenko was killed today. - Indeed?

Was it his killer you arrested today? Good job, captain.

Children disappeared.

Do you think they can be at the port?

The port is not a place for children. It's dangerous here.

Still, we'll have a look. Do you object?

Usually you don't ask for my permission.

Let's go.

The writer never went away.

Such guys never stop.

They will break their head to have the last word.

They can't be here.

Too many people,

too much is at sight.

Anyway, why should Lavrentiev kill his ex-buddy?

Bondarenko could have been caught stealing,

ask Lavrentiev for help,

then not getting it, start to blackmail him.

With what?

With their common past.

I saw the file on the 1941 fire.

Again messing around in the archive?

Yanina didn't close the door. And what was there?

Nothing of importance.

That fire was useless.

The guys perished for nothing at all.

The file is empty, somebody has taken away the documents.

I know.

Do you know who did it?

Me.

Finnish police reports. Some remaining part.

Do you think I never tried to find something here?

Finnish.

At least there's nothing about Lavrentiev here.

Wedding fight - 18 arrested,

illegal abortion,

meetings at the post office.

The borderguards walked along the coastline twice.

If they found something, they would have reported.

So, it's good. Maybe, the children are still alive.

That's good.

They just came to the hangar

to ask who played

with whom.

What did you tell them?

- So did you keep silence? - Yes.

- And did captain just walk away? - Yeah.

So, let's do it like that.

I ask again,

but think better before you open your mouth, ok?

What did you tell them?

I said

that one who shot hilmelf

had played and lost.

To whom did he lose?

To me.

Do you like it?

I'm standing here and thinking: I'm too drunk.

Who's that fairy?

Today there'll be some dancing at the club,

we wanted to go with a friend, but she fell ill.

Will you go? You'll be my companion.

It's a high privilege for me.

Then I'll come back for you in an hour.

All right.

Do you open, not asking who it is?

Will you come in?

I will.

Did you drink?

Want some?

Vanya doesn't like when I smell of alcohol.

How could these two worlds be reconciled?

One is growing from the primal folk roots,

the other is rust,

fretting away the metal.

But who's Nina?

A woman.

It seems, the main character likes her.

"It seems"?

We don't know for sure if he does, right?

Everything is complicated.

But maybe they could live a long and happy life.

Are you bored?

We met at the competition last year.

You tore your stocking then.

Right.

I've got something here.

Do you want some?

Come on!

Star!

My husband was shell-shocked.

He was suffering from headache.

He felt anger.

Started to get annoyed.

The reason was not important. It could be just a small thing.

He moved from words to action.

I locked Vanya in a closet

People felt pity, but couldn't do anything.

He was a war hero.

Did Lavrentiev know about that?

We worked in the same building with him.

Well,

I have to go.

Vanya is home alone.

Children disappeared.

Lavrentiev may have something to do with it.

Comrade Ganin!

Comrade Ganin!

Alexander Alexandrovich!

Dress up and follow us!

Where?

Dress up and follow us!

Do you want to say something before we start?

- I'd like a cup of coffee. - And in fact?

What fact? What is in the file?

Where have you been yesterday night from 9 to 12?

At home.

- Any witness? - 3 bottles of wine and brandy, it seems.

But I can make a mistake.

This morning we got a complaint from the citizen Ptitsina.

An act of sexual misbehaviour was committed against her.

I don't know any Ptitsina.

Was she raped?

According to the testimony of the victim, you led her to the dark part of the park,

threatened and made her undress.

- It can't be so. Who told you that? - She said it herself.

- She could not. - Why?

Because it's not the truth.

- May I? - Yes.

Get undressed.

What's that?

- It was a talk. - To whom?

It doesn't matter.

I also need the trousers. And the underwear.

Take them off.

Help him.

What the hell? Don't you have enough grown-up dames?

I swear, I didn't touch her!

Medical report says the contrary.

You'd better think how to explain it all.

Take it, cover up.

Why do you think she pointed at you?

I don't know.

What?

Lavrentiev.

What does he have to do with it?

He wanted me to leave the town, and I didn't do it.

They could have raped her and made her write the complaint.

Well.

I took the complaint and got your evidence.

Now investigation starts.

Search for the witnesses and so on.

You'll give me a written undertaking not to leave town.

Talk to her, let her retrieve her complaint.

Thank you.

Give him something to dress.

Finns should have document copies from the archive, that burnt down in 1941.

Can we inquire what was there?

Finns are unlikely to give such information to us.

And if we narrow down the task? Lavrentiev, Bondarenko - just 2 surnames.

Stay away from Lavrentiev.

- Do you want to find the children? - I do.

I don't want to inspect your entrails at the morgue tomorrow.

Give me Bondarenko's things taken from his office yesterday.

Noone will testify against Lavrentiev because of fear.

If we find somnething, we will press him.

Get out of here.

Yanina!

Have we got a phonebook?

Bring it here.

PHONEBOOK. VYBORG. 1947

"Woodworking shop"

Anna!

Anna, are you here?

Anna,

do you hear me?

"Woodworking shop"

Caught stealing.

Oh, Boris.

You've always been a pansy.

And what is there in that building?

The dormitory of the working youth.

It's funny.

There was voluntary fire brigade once.

As boys, we went to see how they were training.

They let us ring the bell

of their cart.

Well, I've been living for 40 years in this town,

so many people changed since that time.

I hardly know anyone.

Streets are different as well.

So, everything is changing, right?

- Right. - Have you been here before?

So,

are you taking me for an idiot?

Which business did you have with Bondarenko?

Normal business

and not your stinky Finnish soap.

We dealed with tanks of petrol and alcohol,

such things didn't even come to your mind.

You fidget around that damsel,

afraid of any step beyond.

Even the pen pusher wipes his boots on you.

Oh, you're so stupid.

So stupid!

You decided to gamble on Bondarenko, right?

- He has always been a coward. - Yes, he showed the white feather.

But before

everything was ideal - our scheme was working for a whole year.

Waggons came, and we sent them to the sumps.

Due to red tape the information got lost, we just took everything away.

Bondarenko enjoyed it and started to drop his guard.

Twice he hastened, questions arose at the department,

and they sent an inspection to him.

He began to twitch

he would give me away, and I had covered the tracks.

I didn't do anything with my own hands,

so that they could not take me, did you teach me that?

Who killed Bondarenko?

A wife of some unlucky gambler, and why? God only knows.

- Am I a good pupil? - No.

You're stupid.

Criminal investigation soon will express interest in all of you.

- Guys don't know anything. - Guys don't and you do.

No, if they take you, they never let you go.

I trusted you.

- That's why I don't want you to get there. - Well, no!

Criminal investigation department sent an inquiry to Finns.

They'll revise all the cases.

Telegraph operator, a friend of mine, told me.

You won't last long.

Hello!

- Did you talk to your neighbour? - No, she wasn't home.

I found some shells, shot out of the same gun Bondarenko was killed with.

There are fingerprints on it.

They belong to Lavrentiev's driver.

- Guys from the port call him "Beanpole". - This is the link.

- To the driver not to Lavrentiev! - So press this driver and he speaks!

Beanpole was shot yesterday night at Bondarenko's flat.

Comrade Kazantsev, it's there. Please, pass.

We just called you I forbade to touch anything.

Well-well-well!

- Did you go to his flat? - It's the same mess there.

- Was he running away? - And he should have been here by 7 a.m.

We were to have a briefing.

- Captain, what happens now? - Nothing happens.

Mind your own business, comrade Lysenko, and we'll do the search.

I should have listened to you, Alexander, and seize the bastard right away.

Comrade Lysenko!

- I'll ask you a couple of questions. - Yes.

What's that?

What happened?

He came half past one last night and said I had to leave.

First to Finland and then further. He had the documents ready.

They were waiting for him at sea, the ship was leaving.

- Did anyone see him here? - I don't know.

- Where's Vanya? - He sleeps in his room.

- He must have heard. - I told him I broke a bottle.

Let's go.

Train for Moscow leaves in an hour. Take Vanya and leave.

- They'll catch us. - They won't, if you go now.

- Where are we going? - To Moscow.

Later where you want to go.

- Wait for me by the gate, I'll come soon. - All right.

Go!

I didn't kill my husband.

There was a witness, a local fisherman.

He saw Vanya at the boat house that morning.

Vanya?

He was nine.

He wanted to defend me.

Lavrentiev made the witness retrieve the statement.

That's why he blackmailed you.

Did my father know about that?

He was working on that case.

Thank you.

Give me your hand.

Do you know what I want to say?

You did it neatly.

What happened?

He took the gun, I had to act.

His limbs have almost stiffened.

He died about 10 hours ago.

It seems, you shot a dead man.

You'll go to prison.

It was self-defence.

Really? Did he try to kill you with a pillow?

He could have a gun underneath, I was unaware.

Where's the mistress?

I don't know.

I thought I could leave.

Calm down.

He told me he would kill you if I spoke the truth.

Lavrentiev?

- No, the other one. - Beanpole?

It was him who took away the children.

Did he tell you?

He said he puts me to the others if I scream.

It's all over.

Forgive me.

- Who's your favourite today? - This one!

Where are his things?

Beampole,

as far as I know, worked at the port security.

There is sawdust on his boots. And bird dung.

Any news from Finland?

In 1918, after Finland got independence,

Lavrentiev became a member of Skyddskoren.

It's a security corps.

They made a massacre all over Finland.

Killed those who wanted to go to Russia, mostly Russians.

Local police knew but turned a blind eye on it.

Of course, when Vyborg became ours again,

Lavrentiev feared his past'd be revealed,

sooner or later.

That's why he set the archive on fire.

Soon everything will change here.

Yes.

But not the beer bar.

I hope so.

Do you know where she is?

No.

Alexander.

Really, I don't.

I don't know.

To leave Leningrad because of a damsel.

Meet another here, go to prison for her.

Alexander, does life teach you anything?

I will insist on inconsistency of evidence, then you'll have a chance to avoid prison.

While the investigation is going on, you should stay in town.

Clear?

I was not going to do it.

I have to finish

the novel.

So, you'll stay here for a long time.

Captain!

Well,

hello, comrades kids.

- Let us meet your sisters. - Yes.

Yes?

You'll have three of them now.

And another one is to come out soon.

Do you want a ride?

- May I drive? - I'll let you drive as well.

My dear. Bring me my things.

Well, let's go.

Come to me, my dear.

"That was my summer of 1947.

Maybe I didn't write the novel of my life,

but here, in this small settelment on the edge of the country,

I started to taste life,

so common

and so fragile, once again".