Original subtitles

ANNA KARENINA

BASED ON THE NOVEL BY LEO TOLSTOY

AND "IN THE JAPANESE WAR" BY VIKENTY VERESAEV

EPISODE 7

MANCHURIA, CHINA, 1904

Why isn't the Red Cross flag up?

Well, we lost it, sir.

I know. Why haven't you found it yet?

- Find it by morning. - Yes, sir!

Another wouinded, sir.

- Bullet to the chest, splinters. - Bring him to the operating room.

Your serve, Anna!

Again!

Prince, you're playing badly on purpose!

Play properly.

Believe me Anna, I'm playing my very best.

- It's just not going well. - Your turn.

Alexei, keep score for us!

Dolly,

your visit to us...

you're the only lady friend Anna has left nrow,

is it because you still love and want to help her?

- Am I right? - Yes, of course.

Nobody feels the burden of Anna's position more deeply than I do.

That is understandable.

I am to blame for this position, which is why I feel it.

I'm afraid it's because you feel the blame

that you exaggerate.

- Her position in seciety is difficult... - It's hell in society.

But here you are quite happy, and free.

I can see that Anna is happy.

Perfectly happy.

This isn't easy!

Thank you.

Yes, l see that she's happy.

But can it last?

The die is cast. We are bound for life.

We have a child.

We may have more children.

But by law my daughter is not mine,

but Karenin's.

We may have a son one day.

And legally, my son would be a Karenin.

He would not be heir to either my name or my estate!

However happy we may be, or many children we may have,

they will all be... Karenins.

- Yes, I see that but... - I've tried to talk to Anna about it.

It only irritates her.

She doesn't understand.

And I cannot speak plainly to her.

I - I am happy in her love.

I have my work, I am happy and contented.

We need nothing more to make us happy.

Yes, I see.

But what can Anna do?

A divorce is required just to petition the Tsar for legitimization.

And that depends on Anna.

Karenin agreed to a divorce. And I know he would not now refuse

she need but write to him.

I know it would be painful for her.

But it's so important. She has to get over her...

sensitivity.

It's her and her children's future happiness!

I will talk to her.

Why doesn't she think of this herself?

I will definitely talk to her.

For her sake and...

for mine.

Thank you.

- Yashvin! - Catch it, Lavrenty!

You were beaten hands down!

Obviously Anna, obviously!

- Your turn to huff and puff next. - We've finished.

What shall we do now? It's 2 hours until lunch.

Let's sttroll the garden, go boating, show Dolly the river.

- What do you think, Yashvin? - Anna, I'll do anything with you.

Whatever you like!

Why, thank you.

I think Dolly would enjoy a walk. Then we'll see about boating.

- Quite right! - Here, Lavrenty.

- Come on, Dolly. - Anna!

Alexei is so pleased that you came.

He's very taken with you.

What were you talking abrout? I know you had a talk.

It was about something I wanted to bring up with you myself.

About whether you could change and improve your position.

Divorce you mean?

You know how I look at it, but... if possible, you ought to get married.

You know... the only woman who stayed in touch with me at all in St. Petersburg

was Princess Tverskaya. Don't you know her?

Quite frankly a debauched woman

cheated on her husband in the most awful manner

and she said she did not wish to know me while my position was wrong.

Don't think I'm making comparisons, I know, you, darling.

It just came to mind.

So what did he say?

He wants his daughter to be legitimate

He wants to have a husband's right to you.

What wife or slave could be more enslaved than I am in my position?

Most of all, he wants his children to bear his name. It's only fair.

What children?

Anya and any others

He needn't worry about that. I won't have any more.

How can you say that?

I won't,

because I don't want to.

I have two choices: to be pregnant, that is, unwell

or to be his friend and companion.

Well, yes.

You and others may harbor doubts, but for me...

Look, I am not his wife

hie loves me as long as he loves me.

And how am I to keep his love? Like this?

You're forgetting my position

How can I want children'?

Oh it's not the pain and suffering, I'm afraid of.

But what would my children be?

From birth, they'd be made to feel ashamed of their mother and father their own births.

And that is just why you need a divorce

Or is it quite impossible?

I was told he had agreed.

I don't wamt to talk about it.

Very well, we won't.

- But you're very gloomy about... - Me?

Not at all. I'm very cheerful amsl content.

I'm gloomy!

Dolly!

You can't understand. It's...

too awful! I try not to think about it at all.

- You must try to do all you can. - What can I do?

Nothing.

You tell me to marry Alexei, and say I don't think about it.

Not a day, nor an hour goes by that I don't. And then I rebuke myself,

because such thoughts can drive one mad.

You tell me to divorce. But... Karenin won't give me one.

You have to try.

So I'm to humiliate myself by writing to the man I hate?

Well suppose I overcome myself, and do it.

And I even receive his consent.

He consents but...

what about my son?

They'll never give him up.

He'll grow up despising me with his father, whom I left.

You see I love them both equally...

and both more than myself: Sergei and Alexei.

They are the only creatures I love, and one, excludes the other.

I can't have them both and that's all I want.

then nothing matters. Nothing at all.

What can be done Anna?

It will all end somehow.

And that's why I don't like or want to talk about it.

Just...

don't judge or rebuke me for this.

Your heairt is so pure, you can't understand all that I'm suffering...

You're leaving so soon.

Can't you stay for a day?

That's impossible.

I promised. And the children...

Don't be sad we'll see each other again.

I'm afraid that when you've gone, no one will stir up the feelings

your visit has arousedi in my soul.

I thimk the stirring up- hurts you.

But that is the best part of my soul.

Goodbye, Dolly. Thank you for coming. Do come again.

We're always glad to see you.

Goodbye.

if you gave the same rights as our local self-government

to any other Europeans

the English or Germans - they'd have earned their freedom. We just laugh at it.

We Russians are always that way.

Perhaps it's a strong point, seeing our own faults,

but we overdo it, and comfort ourselves with a readily available ironic quip.

There are different views on this...

What other views are there?

There's the Turkish view.

Some say that district councils and magistrates courts are unnecessary,

and so won't take part in anything.

That's our Russian apathy:

we don't feel obliged by the duties that come along with our rights.

I though, am extremely grateful for the honor

of being elected as a magistrate, thanks to Nikolai.

Well, I don't know...

I may have taken advantage of your good nature and burdened you

with unnecessary cares.

Why, no, I consider that attending sessions

to hear the case of a peasant's horse is as important as anything.

I'd be honored to be elected a councillor.

It's the only way I can justify the advantages I enjoy as a landowner.

So we can rely on you, Count, for this session?

You'll need to leave today to, arrive on time.

I'm afraid that lately we have had too many of these public duties.

There used to be so many civil servants that we needed one for everything.

Now everyone has public duties!

Anna, you don't see that... The Count�s onlfy been here a month, and

he's a member of 5 or 6 public bodies.

He's a trustee, magistrate, councillor, juror, member of some horse committee.

Such duties will soon take up all his time.

You're exaggerating, Anna.

How many are you a member of, Nikolai?

Anna, that's...

- I'm afraid you don't understand... - No, do tell me,

you see how I live,

but don't forget it's the summer, when we're not alone.

Imagine me living here without him, alone.

That's how it will be.

I can see that he'll be away from home half the time.

Forgive me, gentlemen.

Excuse me, gentlemen.

Alexei, why are you so cold towards me?

Well, no, not cold exactly.

You love me, I know that.

But now something new is coming between us.

I'm sorry, I don't understand you.

What's going on?

You're demonstrating to me...

that your love for me must not impede your freedom.

But why demonstrate that?

I don't need demonstrations, I need love!

Anna,

for God's sake.

Explain what the matter is.

What about that cold, stern look you gave me?

Was it to hurt me? It did, to the core.

What?

What are you talking about? What look?

What is this about?

How did I look at you?

Everything you do demonstrates that you are free.

It humiliates me!

You keep showing me that you can go away,

whenever and wherever you want or even leave me!

You have every right, and I have none!

Dearest Anna, you're imagining things.

That look tells me that the cooling off has begun.

And I cannot change my feelings towards you in any way.

You know that that's why you act this way.

Anna, I beg you, stop torturing me.

- Come to your senses. - How am I to do that?

How can I when I know that you...

Alexei...

that you're weighed down by me?

What do I have left?

I'm ready to give up everything,

even my life, if I have to,

just to make you happy.

In spite of the... that,

I'm still glad that you always come back to me.

Perhaps I do weigh you down, but at least you�re here, with me.

Just be here.

When you're here, you cannot, you dare not cease to love me.

When will you be back?

I hope you won't be bored?

I hope not.

A box of books arrived yesterday.

I won't be bored.

Tell me, Nikolai, can women be district councillors?

The sky is glowing red,

The rosy evening darkens,

The sun sinks towards the earth

Amid pink-tinged shadows.

The third day draws to a close,

As if sunk into water

And, pale and still,

The Tsar's wife looks out

Across the garden to the road,

Where the dust long since settled

Little by little, towards evening,

And only the steppe grass

Flies across the sky...

Annushka.

- Has the count returned from town? - No, his Excellency isn't back yet.

Count Alexei Vronsky to vote!

State Councillor Yevgeny Zabolotny to vote!

Court Councillor Pyotr Bol to vote!

- What are we waiting for now? - For Snetkov.

He must either decline or consent.

Well, has he consented or not?

That's just it. He�s done neither.

- If he declines, who will stand? - Whoever wants to.

This has really caught your imagination.

It's like a race. We could bet on it!

Yes it is captivating!

Once you start, you want to see it through.

It's a fight, damn it!

I didn't expect elections to captivate me.

There's more to come.

You know, if I get married, I'll stand myself in three years.

It's like when your jockey wins, you want to ride in a race yourself.

I must admit, gentlemen, that I'm confused.

I don't understand all this.

What is there to understand? It's meaningless.

It's a decaying institution that only keeps going through inertia.

- Then why do you come? - A matter of habit.

And who, exactly, are you?

A landowner. A permanent rural resident, as it were.

If you live here permanently, why aren't you a magistrate?

You're not in uniform.

Because I think the magistrate's court is an idiotic institution!

- I don't think... - It's a plaything.

We don't need magistrates.

In eight years I never brought a case.

The magistrate is thirty miles away.

For a case worth 2 rubles I have to send an attorney who costs 15!

- Very well, we understand... - No, no, listen! You listen!

A peasant stole some flour from a miller, and when the miller said so, the peasant

believe it or not

the peasant sued him for slander!

There's your magistrate's court.

Allow me, gentlemen, please!

What on earth is this?

They won't let Flyorov in for the elections!

- Why? - Listen...

Don't! We shed our blood...

Please wait, I shall give you the floor.

Put it to the vote!

- Who is Flyorov? - Flyorov?

There is indeed a fellow by that name. Been on trial for a year.

Gentlemen, shall we? It's nearly lunch time.

Gentlemen, calm down!

Gentlemen! Be quiet!

Silence! Silence!

Gentlemen I cannot tell you how glad I am.

Nikolai on behalf of us all, I'd like to congratulate you on your re-election!

I'm glad that I can call you "Your Excellency" once again.

Gentlemen!

To the finest marshal of nobility in Russia!

Gentlemen, I am touched and grateful to you all.

And I propose a toast to the man without whose help I would not have won!

To Alexei Vronsky! Hurrah!

Thank you, Nikolai.

I'm honored. Thank you.

I'd like to invite you to a concert my wife is arranging.

Thank you, but it's not my sort of thing.

Really, Count Vronsky?

She has long wanted to meet you.

Very well. I'll come.

Your Excellency.

An urgent message from Mrs. Karenina.

What is it? Has something happened?

It's from Anna.

Our daughter is ill. She doesn't know what to do.

She's worried about me and wants to come here.

Well, how is Anya?

Fine. She's better.

Well, I'm glad about that.

What about you?

Are you well?

I was worried to death without you.

Admit it, you were annoyed to get my letter.

You didn't believe me.

Yes, the letter...

was strange. First Anya's ill, then you want to come.

It was all true.

I don't doubt that.

Yes, you do.

You're annoyed, I see it.

Not in the slightest.

But I am annoyed that you seem unwilling

to allow me to have duties.

The duty of visiting the marshal?

Oh, Anna!

Do you have any idea

what I've been thinking, alone, for 5 days?

Strange that I haven't yet gone mad.

Of course.

Anna, I understand.

I understand it all.

You could at least feel a little sorry for me!

Five whole days without you.

I have to go to St. Petersburg for a few days.

So you're going away again?

just mean that...

Anna, why are you so irritable?

Don't you know I can't live without you?

If you go to St. Petersburg, then I'm going with you.

I am not staying here.

We must either separate, or live together!

But you know that to do hat...

Yes, I know that there's a different way of being close to you,

to be in a position where you won't leave me.

Divorce and marriage.

You know that's all I want.

We need a divorce?

Now I, too, want that, and I agree.

Whatever it costs me.

And I'm coming with you to St. Petersburg!

Make way!

Whoa!

Stiva!

I'm awfully glad you've come. Where are you staying?

My aunt's old house. It's a bit of a mess,

but Dolly's sorting it out.

How is Anna?

It's difficult. There's no news on the divorce.

Not a word from Karenin.

It's maddening.

What does she do? Does she have any occupation?

She spends all her time looking after a young English girl.

What? A girl?

I had an English horse trainer, a very good one, but a drinker.

Now he's a drunk, left his family, and Anna's taken in his daughter.

I always knew that Anna is above all a woman with a heart.

And she's writing a children's book!

- A book? - Yes.

She won't talk about it but I gave it to Vorkuyev,

- you know, the publisher and writer? - No.

He says it's remarkable.

- Really? - Come join us.

So I was saying that Anna devotes so much time to educating this English girl.

But if she put a fraction of that energy into the education of Russian children,

she could do a great thing for her country

That's as may be but I couldn't do it.

Count Vronsky encouraged me to take up the village school,

but I just couldn't dedicate myself to it.

You speak of energy.

Energy corwes from love,

one can't just summon it or issue an order.

Oh, I quite ufndeTstand.

One can't give one's heart to a school or institution.

I believe that's why

philanthropic societies are so unsuccessful

Yes, yes.

My heart is not large enough to love a whole orphanage.

I never could do that.

But I shall give this child all that I can.

I've grown attached to the poor child.

Careful not to overfill her with knowledge.

Does she reallymeed all those subjects you teach her?

Permit me to ask, Count, why you have such a...

disrespectful attitude towards women's education?

I meant no disrespect at all...

I... in a word...

you misunderstood me.

But I'm confused as to why your prot�g�e...

Essentially, I am not sure that she really needs to study physics.

You know,

I don't expect you

to treat me and my feelings the way a loving person would.

But I do at least expect some tact.

Yes, you're right.

I'm not interested in your affection for this girl.

It's true.

But only because...

I can see that it's unnatural.

I'm sorry that only base, material things seem natural and understandable to you!

Oh, that cruelty...

with which he destroys the world I have worked so hard to create,

to endure this, already difficult, life!

Difficult because of him!

Anna,

my dear, I think you're too...

He didn't mean that at all.

But you see, he's accusing me!

And of what, Stiva? Of being pretentious and unnatural!

Lying, in other words!

Anna, you take words too much to heart.

- He loves you so much! - I know.

I know

I'm always so...

so lonely... it's so awful to be in conflict with him.

I want to forget, forgive and make up.

- "Unnatural!" - Anna, Anna!

You're so obsessed with that word!

It's not so much the word that's hurtful, as his intention to hurt me.

Don't you understand?

He meant that it's unnatural to love someone else's child,

when you do not love your own daughter.

What does he know about loving children?!

About my love for Sergei, whom I sacrificed for his sake?

Yes.

He just wants to hurt me,

that's all!

Yes...

- He loves another woman. - Anna.

- It must be that. - Control your demons!

- This is going too far - Yes, yes,

he's a good man...

- he's truthful, honest, he loves me... - Yes!

If love him.

The divorce will come through in a few days.

What else?

I need trust

I need cadm and...

I'll take the blame.

Yes.

- When he comes, I'll say it was my fault. - There.

Although it wasn't my fault.

I know. It's all my fault.

I'm mindlessly jealous.

But we'll make peace, and go to the country.

- I'll be calmer there. - There, there.

There. That's better, isn't it?

But he really should understand how hard my life is here!

Is this living? No, it's waiting,

for a resolution which is continually put off.

There's still no answer.

Yet you tell me you can't visit my husband!

I can't go on. I can't even write anymore!

I'll go. I'll meet with Karenin.

That's what I came to tell you, in fact.

Stiva...

if you...

if you should see Sergei..

find out exactly where he is, who is looking after him.

Oh Stiva...

if only such a divorce were possible!

Could it be possible?

END OF EPISODE 7