Original subtitles

LENINGRAD REGION, 1960

I'm telling you, there is a rusty machine gun and a Nazi skeleton.

Antipov told me.

- He's making it up. - Climb down and take a look.

- I don't want to. - Chicken?

Me? I'm telling you there is nothing there.

Senya, what's down there?

Senya?!

Yura, you should have seen your face!

Oh, shut up, idiot! Let's look for empty shells.

There are no shells.

What's this?

ESTA TERRA ES NUESTRA

- Is it German? - No, probably Estonian.

Look, something in Russian.

E.F. and L.K. 1946

OPTIMISTS

Nikolai, I need your help.

Straight to business, eh?

What about lulling and winning me over first?

Or have they rewritten the counterintelligence handbook?

Sorry...

I just want to leave before bohemians show up.

Look, it's about Cuba.

- I'm not an expert. - Nobody is an expert.

We have no answers to basic questions.

Tell me, is Castro a communist or not?

Which one?

Very good.

Nothing is clear about the older brother

but Raul is our friend.

Reports say he's interested in military cooperation.

Without telling Fidel.

Weapons?

At a banquet tonight there's going to be Emilio Figueroa,

a sugar wholesaler from Cuba.

If we are right he is not here about sugar cubes.

He's Raul Castro's unofficial agent

trying to contact us.

What do I have to do with it?

You'll see.

I'm ready to take your order.

Ham and cheese omelet

and some white Romanian wine.

Thanks.

Is he one of ours?

Figueroa is a Spaniard.

Came to Cuba to "build socialism".

He grew up in a Leningrad orphanage.

This kid next to him is on your team now.

Leonid Korneev from the Strategic Analysis Group.

You know him?

A little. A good guy, with potential.

Wasting his time at SAG though.

Lend him to us.

To make sure it's the right Figueroa

and it's not a trap.

What if he's the wrong one?

Our hopes are in vain then.

We'll keep trying to crack Fidel.

And what about Korneev?

Oh, you mean your guy***

We'd have to put him out of sight.

There are many construction projects out in Siberia.

It's our job, ok!

And you said it yourself about him wasting his time at SAG.

It's for you.

Well?

When?

It's not 'when' but 'where'.

To Space.

I was recommended as an instructor for the space program.

Please, stop crying.

Why is it always like this with me?

- What's wrong? - You know.

I met the most beautiful girl in the world and lost her in a second.

Will you even recognize her if you see her again?

Well, friend, less talk more action.

Want to find her? Go and start looking.

- Where and how? - Start with the photo lab.

I left the film from the demonstration with Vadim, she may be on it.

- Really? - Sure.

Good morning, Comrade Blaumane, we are ready for your orders.

All to the briefing, now. Stop fooling around.

What was that?

No duality of power is allowed in our Soviet land.

Blaumane and Birukov are going to fight.

She's been demoted to a deputy level

and he's the department head sent by the Central Committee.

Different weight categories. There'll be no fight.

Behind-the-scenes. And Ruta can still win.

Birukov seems stronger

but he goes too far and has a bad history.

Well it's up to you,

I am not telling you who to bet on.

- It's sheer cynicism. - It's diplomacy.

Good job with the American pilot.

Higher-ups liked it.

At your service.

How did Shuiko survive all this?

Well, biting the bullet.

Go easy on him.

He's stayed sober for six months.

Too much stress and he may start drinking again.

Ok, now what?

Now we wait.

There'll be a press-conference in Washington today.

Somebody will ask them about the plane.

They think it's burned together with the pilot.

They'll make up some lie.

Waiting is a skill, Grigory.

If your plan works they may promote you to the deputy minister.

If it fails, you are on your own.

- Do you understand? - I do.

To celebrate restoration of diplomatic ties with Cuba,

there is going to be a banquet at our reception house tonight.

Korneev, it's your territory. What are the main points?

All right.

I have some notes here.

Castro's revolution was not socialistic.

- Many experts believe that*** - Can you be more specific?

And in your own words, please.

In short, we are still competing with the US over Cuba.

Fidel knows that

and flirts with both sides.

This "diplomacy" won't get him far.

Our people and Western diplomats will both be at the banquet.

Got it? It's viewing of the bride, not the wedding yet.

There'll be many guys from the Trade Ministry.

Most can't tell Cuba from Kuban.

We are making handouts for them.

"Appropriate Themes for Conversations with Cubans".

Topic Number One is rum, of course.

Go on.

The Bacardi family left the island and***

Good morning.

- What's going on here? - A briefing.

You don't mind?

We always meet here, it's the only room big enough for all of us to fit in.

- What's on the agenda? - Cuba.

- Just Cuba? - Yes, we are almost done.

Three pages on rum.

Is alcohol the only topic?

You tell me. You seem to be an expert.

You can all go now.

Excuse me.

Excuse me!

Sorry, are the demonstration photos ready yet?

- I am sorry, and who are you? - Arkady Golub, Strategic Analysis Group.

- Okay. - Yes.

Is it true that your group gets theses French magazines?

Ready or not?

What's the rush? We've already missed today's newspapers.

And there's plenty of time before tomorrow.

It's not for the newspapers. I met a girl yesterday. And lost her.

She's the love of my life, I must find her.

- Why didn't you say so? Let's go. - Yeah.

These, ladies, are Cuban cigars.

Rule number one -

you don't really inhale the smoke.

You cut it with a clipper -

a guillotine - first.

A guillotine? A favorite tool of the French, eh?

- Excuse me. - Feel yourself at home, Arkady.

There she is! It's Claudia.

- But it's hard to see her. - Give it to me.

It's an extra frame, number 37. It shouldn't even be here.

- So, no complaints. - Show it to me.

Here.

What's that? Some kind of badge.

We looked at 3 thousand people.

You'll work with twelve,

and then we'll need to select one.

- What's the load factor? - Up to 22G.

Wow, and I was proud of my 8G when I was a pilot.

Well, it's theoretical.

You sure you won't miss the sky?

Great. We have done our share of flying. Give the young ones some space.

You need to sign this pledge of secrecy.

Not a word to anybody,

even your wife.

Get a med check and you can start.

- Is your health okay? - Nothing to complain about.

Great. Way to go!

Damn, the badge is too small.

What could it be?

Ministry of Internal Affairs.

I think, there are two letters.

TR -

the Turkmen Republic?

You're an idiot.

Golub, it stands for "Trade Reserves", name of a sports club.

Right! Where do I even look?

Go to their stadium,

- at Belorusskaya metro station. - Leonid, you're a genius!

When will they let us go?

After we are done with the Cuban handout.

You are too cruel, Leonid. And you have no heart.

I'm just trying to be rational here.

Why do you need this boring widower with a kid?

Don't you have any more interesting men around?

Funny and creative ones?

We'll take a five-minute break. Vitaly will entertain you in the meantime.

- This one, for example. - You can't be serious.

Ilya's been my friend since diapers.

And he is black marketeer.

On the other hand, you'll be perfectly dressed.

Anyway, I agree, you need someone bigger.

Here comes Pokrovsky, don't turn.

You mean, Albert Pokrovsky who wrote that poem about autumn?

You may turn now.

I really loved it in college:

Autumn has been moved to summer,

And summer's canceled till we meet,

And our meeting'll last forever...

Something like that*** I used to remember it by heart.

- Go ahead, he'll remind you. - I won't.

Whatever. Well, keep wooing your Birukov,

his Ministry oversees all these receptions

- where you may finally meet a foreigner. - Seraphima!

What?

Drummers are weird.

When he is drunk, he plays like a god.

When he is sober, he is like a miner with a pick hammer. What can I do with him?

I guess you could show patience, especially if he is funny and creative.

Incidentally, tomorrow I'll have French stockings with those patterns,

you know, and some blouses. Are you interested?

Ilya, introduce us to Pokrovsky.

Have you not met?

What an omission on my part.

- Albert. - I am doing it for you, by the way.

I'll be with you in a minute.

Leonid. Good afternoon, Comrade Chernykh!

I approve of your boxing practices.

In our line of work one needs more than just an intellect...

In our line of work?

We work on different floors but for one cause.

- Have you received the cigars? - Oh, it was you? Thank you.

A gift from our Cuban comrades.

Look, I checked your file.

Is it true that while in Cuba you saved a drowning girl,

- a local judge's daughter? - Yes, something like that.

Come on, no need to be too modest about it.

There is a letter of gratitude the Mayor of Havana in your file.

No wonder Cuban communists want to see you so much.

- Do they? - Yes, Korneev, they do!

They have even included your friend from the orphanage

into their delegation.

- Do you recognize him? - Emilio, right.

He had this funny last name, we used to shorten it to Fig.

Figueroa.

Well, he'll be at the banquet too.

Your job is very simple -

to see if he'll recognize you or not.

How will I recognize him? I haven't seen him since we turned 14.

Well, if you don't, that'll give us some clue too.

We need to be sure, and so do you.

I don't mind, but I was not invited to the banquet.

- Could you help me with the glove? - Korneev,

here is some food for thought.

- They don't appreciate you at SAG. - No...

I'm just not experienced enough yet.

Well, go to the banquet and get your experience.

It's all been arranged.

Muratov? Didn't you go to your tennis lessons yesterday.

- Or do you play in a tournament? - It was at Comrade Birukov's request.

He wanted to be introduced to Sergei Khrushchev.

I tried to protest saying it had nothing to do with our work.

Really? Absolutely nothing?

- Almost. - Ok... go and take a rest.

- Have a nice evening. - Muratov...

May I ask you a question?

- Of course. - Why did you agree?

Just some bootlicking on your part?

No bootlicking.

I really liked his plan.

He disclosed his plan to you?

Yes, why?

Nothing. Congratulations.

Now you are his accomplice

and our entire department will be blamed if anything goes wrong.

Comrade Blaumane, they are sending me to that Cuban reception.

Korneev, you're are going to go like this?

Yes, why?

Well, what size shoes do you wear?

- Hello, Claudia! - Oh... Hello.

- Oh, I'm sorry. - Are you looking for someone?

Yes, I am looking for a girl named Claudia,

she is also red, but she is very beautiful,

no, you are very beautiful too, sorry***

Listen, you can hardly see anybody in this photo.

- I am sorry, I need to go. - Yes.

Young man,

what are you doing diverting our athletes from practice?

I am sorry, I am looking for a girl, maybe you know her?

I have never seen her.

Could she be on another team?

I told you I have never seen her, get out of here.

I am sorry.

- Morshanova. - Hello, coach.

Listen, if you're late one more time, you are out of the team.

What are you waiting for?

Double march!

Aragon, Louie Aragon.

The old man is surprisingly good.

Your poem was published. Look!

I translated him at one point.

- Two years ago. - Yeah.

Let's be honest, at his age only the love for Soviet awards stands strong.

Albert, read some of your stuff instead.

Too late, Seraphima, have some more vodka!

I think we crossed the line...

...when life gets more interesting than poetry.

So let's just drink gloomily.

You know, Galina, I had a theory that TV people

are artificial in real life.

You're proving it wrong.

Gioconda.

I've seen so many reproductions

that did not realize

that I was in front of the real one

when I saw it in Paris, in Louvre.

Listen, how about running away from all this music?

- Somewhere*** - Where could we run?

- To my place? - That's an awesome idea.

- Yeah? - Let's walk there.

Please, the weather is so good today.

Well, if you're so boring, let's just drink gloomily.

- Birukov. - You owe me sixty-five rubles

and fifty kopecks.

Galya.

Who else did you leave in a restaurant without paying for the champagne?

I've been held hostage here for three days.

I'll have to come and save you.

Well, Comrade Blaumane, Cuba is ours now.

I had only one condition,

not to involve my department in your risky endeavors.

Firstly, this is my department, not yours.

Secondly, everything ended well.

It has not ended yet.

- Is that a threat? - It's common sense.

Three people already know about your plan.

And that's in SAG alone, how many more people know

about the captured American pilot?

Someone will leak it eventually.

- Petr Prokopevich. - Grigory.

Vladimirovich, a common patronymic, easy to forget.

- On your way to the Cuban reception, too? - Too?

Did you find a way there with your "hawk"?

- Well, well. - No, I have some business of my own.

- Have a good evening. - You too.

Be careful, Leonid, this has ruined many careers.

I'm working with Chernykh. Talk to Figueroa and report to me.

- Korneev, how are you doing? - Great.

Help me watch over Shuiko.

He's acting weird today.

Good evening again, Petr Prokopevich.

- Comrade Blaumane. - Leonid Korneev -

SAG leading specialist on Latin America.

Please, introduce Comrade Shuiko to our Cuban friends.

Watch him closely, don't let him drink.

So, where are your Cubans?

Look at that, Liewelyn Thompson, American Ambassador, is here.

A bold move.

Let's talk to him first.

Petr Prokopevich, rum is a dangerous thing, maybe***

Wait, is this mojito? Petr Prokopevich, that's...

And now, let's do some diplomacy.

Excuse me...

- Emilio?! - Leonid?

Figa!

Do they make hostages dance in this awful place?

- Beasts. - Are you here to save me?

- Yes, I brought a ransom. - Thank you.

You look great.

Would you like to dance?

Are we going to dance with these flowers?

It's hopeless, I've searched the entire city. No Claudia.

Like it was just a dream.

You were right, I don't even remember her face anymore.

Just a blur, like here.

But I cannot get her out of my head.

Don't worry, Arkady. You'll meet many more such Claudias.

It wasn't meant to be.

- Let's go and get drunk. - Wow.

Yeah. To our bad luck!

- It's a Jewish version of "Good health"? - Yes.

Well, how have you been? Still remember some Russian?

Some of it. I hope to use it more often now.

Korneev? Leonid!

Don't you recognize me? Nikiforov from Vneshtorg.

Could you introduce me to your friend here?

Comrade, I am sorry, we are old friends

who haven't seen each other for 14 years, could we...

Wow, that's some great memory,

to be able to immediately recall the number of years?!

You really are friends.

Emilio, this is Nikiforov from Vneshtorg.

- It's a pleasure. - Me too.

- What are we drinking? - Mojito.

I had a school friend, Valera,

we lost contact during the war, and a couple of years ago

some drunk stops me near a cafeteria.

"Nikiforov, don't you recognize me? It's me, Valera".

We had a drink, discussed life,

I lent him some cash, and then I found out this was a wrong person.

No, Leonid and I remember each other very well.

Remember, back at the orphanage you dreamed to sail around the world?

Well... everybody dreams about that.

Figa, you'd better tell us what we wrote on the wall of that Nazi bunker

- near the sea? - What kind of question is that?

- Who remembers these things? - You try to, it's important.

Esta tierra es nuestra - this land is ours!

- I remember how you missed "i" in tierra. - Yes.

- Silly you. - Right, well, to our land.

To our land.

Thank you, Comrade Korneev,

we'll take it from here.

Please, understand, Cuba is just the beginning,

pretty soon the entire Latin America will raise the banners of socialism,

you'll see.

Quite possible. His excellency, ambassador of Sweden,

Rolf Sulman.

- Good evening! - Good evening.

Mr. Ambassador,

aren't your legs tired?

I'm sorry, what are you talking about?

You've been dancing to the US tune for so long.

Oh, that's what you mean. Let me assure you,

- Sweden has tunes of its own. - Sure.

Tonight, as you can see,

we are all dancing to the Cuban guitar. Even our friend Thompson.

Yes.

Let's see how he'll dance

when Eisenhower officially apologizes to us

in Paris.

I am sure it'll be a big shock to him.

- You bet! - Comrade Shuiko,

we need to greet Ambassador of Honduras, shall we?

Yes, give me a minute. I am sorry.

- Mr. Shuiko. - Yes.

What will Eisenhower be apologizing for?

As if you don't know.

Sweden is a small country.

Nobody tells us anything.

Is there really a reason for apologies?

- Yes, there is! - Comrade Shuiko.

- And a big one at that! - Let's go.

Wait.

Two days ago, near Sverdlovsk,

we brought down a US spy plane.

- A spy plane? - Yes, and don't look at me,

it was a spy plane and we can prove it.

We have captured the pilot.

Shuiko has just said to the Swede that we have an American spy in captivity?

- It is true? - Korneev,

I told you to watch him, where were you?

I...

We'll see how Eisenhower

will look into Comrade Khrushchev's eyes.

- Comrade Shuiko. - Ok.

Nadezhda, find Birukov for me. It's urgent.

- It's for you. - Thank you.

- Birukov. - I am at the banquet.

Shuiko has just blabbed out

to the Swedish Ambassador about the pilot.

I got it.

No.

- It's not for long. - You already used this excuse

a short while ago.

- I promise I will be back. - A matter of national importance?

- Good evening. - To the cloak room, please.

Good evening.

- What's going on? - The Swede has told Thompson everything.

The State Department news conference is at 10:30.

If he tells them that the pilot is alive - all is lost.

We have 15 minutes left.

Here is Thompson. Try to slow him down.

Korneev, give me your coat check.

Make a distraction at the cloak room.

This is not my coat!

What have you brought me?

What are you trying to show me?

Mine had a torn strap.

Comrade Ambassador, I am very sorry, but it is a mess here,

and I think no one should pick up their coats until we sort it out.

Show me the grey coat in the corner there.

You should feel a big key in the right pocket.

Ok, here is how you do it, eh?

10:20.

They need 5 minutes to get to the American Embassy.

I am afraid this was the last trick up my sleeve.

Your guys are super efficient, ours are not as good.

They'll learn.

- What did he want? - I cannot say.

Yeah.

- It was simpler when we were kids. - We trying to make friends with your guys

- but it's not so easy. - What stops you?

First, the USSR must fall out with the United States.

In this case, congratulations.

- Thank you for giving me a call. - You are welcome.

RESIGNATION LETTER

PLEASE ACCEPT THIS AS MY FORMAL RESIGNATION...

Thompson was late!

Americans made a statement - look here,

about a peaceful meteorological research,

the weather plane getting lost over Turkey.

Over Turkey...

And accidentally crossing the USSR border.

**Is that a giant? Ha-ha-ha,

It's just a cockroach, ha-ha-ha,

Cockroach, cockroach, tiny cockroach,

A thin-legged buggy-bug.**

Nikolai, get the phone, it's for you.

Yes, go ahead.

All right, come over.

- Is everything all right? - Yes,

I just need to slip out for a minute.

A night rose.

Oh, don't. I'm exhausted.

A hard day? How was the reception?

It could have been much worse, but we got lucky.

We?

Nikolai, I want to revoke my complaint about Birukov.

Let's not talk about work.

I'm not alone anymore,

my husband is back in town.

Well, let's go right now.

You tell your husband, I tell my wife that we love each other and that's it.

Nikolai, think about your son.

It's not love, it's selfishness.

Did you really believe me?

I was kidding.

Twice a week is our optimal dose.

Will you destroy my complaint?

Okay, first thing in the morning.

- Good bye, Galina. - Bye.

I had a coat check.

- Please. - Thank you.

Shall I give you a ride?