EPISODE TWELVE
Open up.
Yes, sir.
Did you fit an entire goat carcass
in that suitcase, Missis Burdovskaya.
Comrade Colonel, what carcass? There
are drills, pliers of some sortÖ
All kinds of tools.
Drills?
Yes. He works the machines here
so he asked me to bring them.
Yes, he works the machines
but so do many other inmates.
Well thatís why he wrote me asking to
bring these tools since youíre short.
Goddamn itÖ workaholicsÖ
Whatís your name, GalinaÖ
Alexandrovna.
Donít get mad, Galina Alexandrovna,
but we must search your bags.
These are the rules.
Please go ahead, I understand.
Tell me, how is he doing?
How do you think?
How can he be doing?
Heís not well. This is
a prison, not a resort.
Every normal person would feel bad here.
Even me.
Inmate Vasiliev, time to go.
Walk.
Face the wall.
Go.
Face the wall.
Look at that. She dragged all
that metal here on her own.
Thatís love.
Check all this crap, then take it to
the workshop master and write it up.
Come in.
Hello.
You were expecting someone elseÖ
Well, I wrote you that I would be
coming. Did you get my last letter?
I brought you some
picturesÖ of the children.
Sasha is all grown upÖ and Nadia too.
I brought you some food as well.
Artem called, told me to say hi to you.
He wrote you a letter.
I placed all the letters
in a folder over there.
Why didnít you bring anything to drink?
I did, Vasya.
Four bottles of cognac
- they took everything.
Bastards.
Svetlana also says hi.
Hi is all I get?
Yes.
I seeÖ Did she divorce
that Morozov yet or not?
She did and got remarried
- you two are alike that way.
Hold your tongue!
We arenít alike. Donít
compare the two of us.
Calm down, I meant
nothing by it. Just saying.
You are, after all, brother and sister.
She despises me.
Itís understandable
- Iíve done enough to be despised.
No, Vasenka. You donít
deserve to be despised.
But loving youÖwhat is
there to love you for?
What about you?
What about me?
You are such a child, Vasia. You
were a child and you stayed that way.
I do love you.
If I didnít
- I wouldnít have come.
But it means nothing.
Why not?
Because I got married.
I love my husband.
He is a constructor,
working on his doctorateÖ
He is an amazing human being.
He loves our kids and they love
him back. He is respected at work.
They even gave him his own personal car.
Everything worked out for you.
You love him and you love me.
Yes. It is pretty stupid.
VasyaÖ Iím just a stupid
human being, Vasily.
Are we just going to lay here?
Why not? Itís better this way.
The sun is coming up.
Donít you want to..?
I do what about you?
What do you think?
Put it there!
Pull it!
Itís like a damn tank!
Hey, Vasia, come along, dinner is ready.
You helped us out, Vasily.
I think they will have fond
memories of you here for a while.
Come on now, Iím glad I could help.
We remember the good.
So for your service, so to
speak, we would like to repay you.
Here you go.
What is that?
A present.
What were you on the outside? A pilot?
Well thatís you ticket to fly.
Thank you, brothers. I am grateful.
Hello. My surname is Timoshenko, you
should have gotten a call from Moscow.
Yes, yes, yes, please come in.
Itís a pleasure to meet you.
Hello.
Have a seat.
Two calls came in from Moscow and a signal
from the Vladimirsky branch of the Party too.
So we know, Ekaterina Semenovna.
Can I have a match?
Yes, of course.
How has he been holding up?
Well, you know how it is.
He is alive and working.
His first wife came to visit
him recently. From Moscow.
She brought all kinds of tools and
equipment so he is doing a good job.
He even came up with a few
proposals on improvements.
We put it all in his file.
Burdonskaya?
Yes, Ekaterina Semenovna. Burdonskaya.
Forgive me, while you and I are having
this chat someone will check your bag.
These are the rules, you understand.
Yes, of course.
Then a guard will take
you to the visiting area.
Vasily Josephovich, the
boss wants to see you.
Do you know what for?
Someone here to see you.
Thanks.
Vasia, what happened?
What is it?
Itís nothing, just an
old wound acting up.
It will pass.
Help me up.
Will you make it on your own?
Yes, get back to work, guys.
There.
Vasily Petrovich, do I switch it on?
Go on.
Donít you like them?
You know I smoke rollies.
Only the proletariat
smokes them these days.
Intelligent people have
switched to cigarettes.
I smoke rollies.
Well, forgive me. I
only wanted whatís bestÖ
Eat something.
Iím not hungry.
Didnít you write me that
you have a new husband?
Is he also a General?
A tank division commander.
Three tank fighters drank 300.
And the fourth had 800.
Does your husband know
you came to see me?
He saw me off.
He asked me to say hello to you.
He decided to display masculine
solidarity, letting his wife go like that?
I wouldnít have let you go.
Why did you come here?
I donít know.
Wanted to see me like this?
Like what?
Crushed and alone.
Well take a good look.
Why didnít you come see me in Moscow?
Why?
When I was taken to Lefortovo?
When I was incarcerated?
Were you scared or did
your father tell you not to?
You had other bitches visit you there.
KatyaÖ
You should go home to your husband.
Send him my regards.
Vasya.
What?
Take it
- you have to read this.
Be patient.
 The downfall of
the cult of personality
Straighten it out.
Dismissed.
Have a smoke, Vasya.
Have you seen this?
I have.
What do you think?
All liesÖ the dead canít defend themselves
so they are shifting blame on others.
No, Iím afraid itís not all lies.
There is truth to this.
Itís just that we didnít
know it before and now we do.
Someone said that everything in the
dark will one day come into the light.
What did you call me in here forÖ boss?
There was an order, citizen
VasilievÖ from the very top.
For you to express your opinion on
the decisions made on the 20th meeting
of the Communist Party concerning
the Cult of Personality.
How do you feel about this
decision? Positively or not?
What do I have to write?
That I feel positively about the
fact that my father was a murderer?
A dead Stalin doesnít care
what others say about him.
Think of yourself, Vasily.
You can be released
ahead of time. This year.
You could go free
- it was implied to me.
Think about it and
donít make rash decision.
Boss, can I return to my cell.
Go. Youíre a fool, Vasily.
I know I am. I wonít even deny it.
Were I smart I wouldnít be in here.
They want to see you again, Vasia.
They say your wife is
here to see you again.
Another one this time.
Yeah, they love me.
Youíre a strange one, women flock
in droves yet heís still unhappy.
Go on then. Maybe she brought smokes.
Go.
Get going.
Listen, Vasily, how
many wives do you have?
Who keeps count?
Good.
I heard that on your file the marriage
isnít registered with Vasilieva.
Sheís my cohabitant.
What does that mean? Thatís no wife.
You just lived together?
Yes.
You have rotten morals, Vasiliev.
Go on.
Vasenka. I missed youÖ
Kappa!
You drag me straight to bed?
What is there to wait around for?
What are we going to
do during the night?
The exact same thing.
Vaska! I missed you so much.
I missed you too.
I need you so much.
And I you.
Vasya, arenít you hungry?
No.
Iím so happy you came to see me.
You are so warm.
Does the leg still hurt?
Itís nothing.
Do you want a drink?
Of course I do. But there
is nowhere to get it.
I have some.
Where?
I made another compartment in my
bag and put some vodka in there.
Oh you snake!
Oh, Kappa!
My mother told me how to do it.
She told me to bring
you something to drink.
And I told her that heís not allowed.
So she tells me that life is
boring without the occasional lie.
So there, I made that little
compartment out of cardboard.
Mother said that you will be very happy.
Not because of the vodka but
because I lied my way in here.
Well then
- for you Kappa! For life.
For this miserable life!
For the first time in a
long time that Iím happy.
Letís hope itís not the last one.
For you.
Oh, forgive me.
Here you go.
For you, Vasenka.
So that all this awfulness comes to an
end and so that you can be free once again.
I love you very much.
Here, eat this.
Itís so stiffÖ
I havenít had a drink in a long time.
I was so mad at you back then.
Very mad.
I thought that I would scratch your
eyes out if I ever saw you again.
What for?
What for?
You wrote in the protocol that Iím
not your wife and just a cohabitant.
Was I not a wife to you?
Am I really a cohabitant to you?
VasyaÖ
Tell me the truth, I wonít get mad.
Forgive me, Kappa.
You are a good and kind, loyal person.
I messed so many things up in my life.
Please forgive me.
What do you mean, Vasya?
You were never my wifeÖ
and you never will be.
Why do you need some sick convict?
Why donít you find
yourself a good husband?
Donít come here anymore.
Are you joking, Vasya?
This isnít the time for jokes.
I will tell the warden to
never let you in here again.
Vasya, whatís wrong with you?
Nothing.
Vasya!
What for?
Face the wall.
Whatís wrong?
Vasily! Vasily!
Whatís wrong!
Wait!
How is your leg?
I canít feel it at allÖ
Whatís wrong with it?
Obliterating arthritisÖ
Itís pretty bad, brother.
But donít you worry! I wonít let
that disease get the better of you.
Thank you.
You want a drink?
I do.
Have you been here long?
Yes. It feels like an eternity.
I finished med school, then
went to fight in the warÖ
After the war they sent you here?
I asked fort this posting myself.
I see.
There was a pretty bad storyÖ
Well, if I didnít ask they
would have put me away.
I wanted to tell you something.
Donít tell me anything, doctor.
Iíve known a lot of
people. Different people.
Criminals, thievesÖ you know sometimes a
thief can be a good person insideÖ honest
You need to live. Live at any cost.
Life is trying to destroy you but you
need to clench your teeth and live.
And not how they are making you
live but how your soul desires.
Do you understand what Iím getting at?
I do, thank you, doctor.
Donít get up.
Good day, sir.
Well, howís the leg.
Alright.
They say you wanted to read somethingÖ I
donít have anything apart from Lenin and Marx.
I found some guy names Shakespeare.
I donít know how I got itÖ maybe
the convicts sneaked it in here.
Listen up, Vasily. I need to report
on you to the higher ups, understand.
I understand.
Why are you being so unreasonable?
Just write this and that, I donít
want to answer for my fatherís crimes,
I want to start a new life
with a clear conscience.
Why did you come here?
Alright. Read the book.
Hereís a newspaper for you.
Thatís where life is, Vasya!
This is a swamp and it is dead.
You will die in here, Vasily.
We wonít be able to put
you back on your feet.
To the responsible rulerÖ
For everything that
happened during their reign.
Because when we are toppled, the
faults of other are called our own.
And itís a long way down.
May I enter?
Oh, come in!
Come in, Clement Efremovich.
Iíve been told that you
are adamant about seeing me!
Whatís the rush?
What did you want to talk to me about?
About our godson Vasily.
You want to get into
a fight with me, eh?
Or is this a practical joke?
This is no joke, Nikita.
He has a year left on his
sentence and I remember thatÖ
Come see me in a year and weíll talk.
He wonít make it.
Iíve been told that he is seriously
sick. He needs medical aid.
If he doesnít make it the better.
We should have put him up
against the same wall with Beria.
You know that we
couldnít have touched him!
You were the one to shine light on the
Cult of Personality, the repressionsÖ
And what are you doing then?
And for what? Simply
because he is a Josephovich?
Is that no enough, in your opinion?
Or have you forgotten how we cowered,
not knowing if we will live till morning?
All because of his
fatherís atrocious whims!
Vaska is Georgian!
They donít die easily.
Heíll finish the rest of his sentence and
then he can go free with a clear conscience.
His conscience is no dirtier
that ours if not cleaner!
Think of this - you told the entire 
world that weíre different now!
That the simple man has
nothing to fear anymore, right?
If Vasya dies in prison the enemy will
say that it was you who killed him!
Me, what are you talking about?
Not personally but on your
orders, it doesnít matter!
And everyone will say that you are
taking revenge on Stalin through his son.
Do you really need that?
Come in.
Hello, Comrade General.
Hello, Vasily Josephovich.
They call me Vasily
Pavlovich these days.
Drop it Vasily, let sleeping dogs lie.
Right.
Hello, Vasily.
Well then, the longer the
goodbye the more tears we cry?
Get in the car.
How? I will dirty up your carÖ
Get in I say.
Get in, dear boy.
Here, take this.
Thank you, citizen General.
ComradeÖ I would ask you
to call me Comrade General.
And Yuriy Kuzmich would be even better.
Well then, I propose we have a drink
to your liberation, Vasily Josephovich.
Thank you.
Can I smoke?
Go ahead.
Can I ask you a question?
Go right ahead.
Was I feed by law or does Nikita
Sergeevich have to ratify this?
Did you get your passport from me?
Yes.
Then why ask dumb questions.
You have done your time
and are free to go now.
Then why were you instructed
to take me to Khrushchev?
The General Secretary of the Communist
Party of the USSR wants to speak to you.
Concerning your future.
Heís glad youíre out.
You should talk to him about getting
an apartment, a personal pensionÖ
Maybe even a job that
would suit your rank.
You are Lieutenant General, arenít you?
Former Lieutenant General.
Nikita Sergeevich can reinstate you.
He moves a finger and you
will be what you were before.
Nikita Sergeevich doesnít
just call people over.
He will ask for something
in return. What will it be?
You know what he will ask.
He will ask you to live. The way a
normal Soviet person ought to live.
Normally, you get me?
Howís that? Not to drink?
All Soviet people drink.
You can drink yourself to
death. Just keep your mouth shut.
And donít say a word
about Comrade Stalin.
It never happened.
Think whatever you want. But
the Cult of Personality was.
Komarov, hit the brakes.
Well? You alright?
It happens.
What does this mean
then, Comrade General.
Everyone is clean but my father?
No one is clean.
But Comrade Khrushchev is alive and the
General Secretary of the Communist Party
while Comrade Stalin is no more and
thatís all there is to it, my dear boy.
I donít understand one
thing, Comrade GeneralÖ
Why are you so concerned
about my future?
Remember General Vlasik?
Of course I do, I owe that man a lot.
As do I. He asked me to look after you.
Any more questions?
Thank you.
Youíre welcome.
Do you understand everything?
I do.
Letís go.
Allow me to enter, Nikita Sergeevich.
Please come in.
So, whatís going on? Where is he?
Heís here, Nikita Sergeevich.
Has anyone seen him?
No one, we can straight to you.
So, how is he, what do you think?
I think he will be
silent, Nikita Sergeevich.
What else can he do? He
almost croaked in prison.
I told him what is needed of him.
How did he take it?
He understands everything, donít worry.
I feel these things a mile away.
Alright thenÖ
Come on, bring him in.
Yes.
Vasya!
Hello, Nikita Sergeevich.
Vasenka! My poor boy!
Iím soÖ so glad to see you.
So glad.
Sit down. Say something. Donít be mum.
My poor Vasya, what
have they done to you?
Itís alright! Itís alright!
We will get you everything back.
You will act accordingly and
everything will be back to normal.
You understandÖ
Yuriy Kuzmich spoke to you, correct?
Then all will be fine.
As thought nothing happened.
And no one happened.
Comrade Stalin was and is.
And he is my father and will
remain that was until I die.
You want to die, do you, Vasia!?
What about the bloody Cult of Personality
that murdered thousands of innocent lives?
And you had nothing to do with
it, right, Nikita Sergeevich?
What about our Great Communist Party,
it also had nothing to do with it?
Donít you give me that, Vasily!
If youíre going to be taking swings at the
 Party - you might as well go back to prison.
I didnít ask to be set free.
Shall I go back then?
Alright! Alright, youíre just tired.
Get some rest.
We will decide what to do next
when youíre feeling better.
Go now.
Go.
Just go.
Nikita Sergeevich, how is he?
On his knees in front
of me thatís how he was.
PupÖ
Take him home now. But I want eyes
on him day and night, you hear me?
Yes, Nikita Sergeevich.
Hello.
Hello.
Come in.
Thank you.
Hello.
Hi.
You havenít changed at all.
May I?
Yes, of course.
YouÖ when were you released?
Five or six days ago.
You know they gave everything back.
The apartment, the car, gave
me some money, even my rankÖ
I see.
I can live now.
Maybe we should have a drink?
Yes, alright.
To us then?
To seeing each other.
How are the kids?
Good. They are all grown up now.
Do you want to see them?
They would be very happy.
I do, Galya.
I want to get everything
back. You and the kids.
Iím a different man now, Galya.
IÖ I have money.
I will work.  Khrushchev
promised to get me a job.
Youíre kidding?
No.
Iím married, Vasya, have you forgotten?
I remember. So what?
I understand that you had
to live and raise the kids.
Galya, you said you loved me. Remember?
When you came to see
me, have you forgotten?
I love you very much, Galya.
Leave him and come live
with me and the kids.
Maybe we could even have another one.
Why are you doing this?
I would rather live in the woods, I
would rather step into a tigerís cageÖ
I will tell the kids you are freeÖ maybe
they want to live with you for a bit.
But IÖ I canítÖI just canít,
Vasya. Do you understand?
It hurtsÖ itís so hollow somehowÖ
If you need anything
- call. I will help, Iím here for youÖ
But thatÖ Iím sorryÖ
Well, VasilyÖ tell me how
youíre living, how are things?
Bad. I need a jobÖ I
will perish without workÖ
Yes, of course.
You will have a job.
But first and foremost you need
to become a different person.
Youíre still young. When was the
last time you looked in the mirror?
I know I have to change, thatís
why Iím asking for the job.
Vasya, Iím telling you once again
- quit the vodka.
Quit it.
Iím not that big of a drunkÖ
if I workÖ it will be different.
Get a hold of yourself.
I promise.
I will call you tomorrow.
Yes?
Hello, Nikita Sergeevich.
Is that you Clement Efreovich?
Yes, who else?
Iím listening.
Iíve been to see Vasily.
Again you will ask for your Vaska!
Itís not a bad thing
that you remember the boyÖ
He needs a job.
What job?
One with responsibilities.
Now think with your old head
- what job can we give him?
Or do we take him back into the service?
Or perhaps make him an engineer?
According to his new profession.
Why not
- it puts the food on the table.
Alright, youÖlisten is he starving?
Or he doesnít have money for drink?
ListenÖ
What am I supposed to listen to? You tell
him that he should be happy heís free.
Do you understand? That he can have a
stroll and not look at the sky through bars!
Yes?
Alright, thatís better! I donít want
to hear anything else about Vasily!
Nikita!
Thatís final!
I thank you.
Go.
Wait a bit.
What do you want?
Comrades, we have reinforcements!
So, my friends! All I have is you now.
Who would I go to? Only you.
Iíve been kicked out of the houseÖ
my boys have been killed in the warÖ
Or sent to prison like I wasÖ
And now look
- thank Comrade Khrushchev!
Whatís wrong? They let me go free,
gave me an apartment, money up to here!
Anyway - drink up buddy, we
 will never run out of beer.
You know why Iím so privileged?
You think itís because Iím a General?
Yes, a GeneralÖ
Vasya, what else?
Blast the both of you!
I donít even believe
Iím a General anymore.
You know what I believe in?
What?
That that fat pig Nikita
Sergeevich still fears me.
Hey, pilot! Thatís enough out of you.
Youíre talking nonsense!
Why donít you fly home?
Youíre going to tell me where
I spend my money drinking?
Donít you tell me to be quiet!
What the hell do you think? That I will
be quiet just because of that fat pig?
That I forgot who I was and who I am!?
Who are you then? Nothing but a drunk!
Get out of here before I call the cops!
Shut up, you fool! Your place
is behind the bar so stay there.
Iíll show you!
Iím Comrade Stalinís son!
And they wanted to kill him
and they wanted to kill me.
But they couldnít!
I will go to the Chinese embassy
and ask them to take me in.
They will take me and treat me well!
Because they still remember
and respect Comrade Stalin!
Get the hell out of her!
Donít you shut me up!
Like I donít know that
Khrushchev didnít kill people?
And then he blamed it
all on Comrade Stalin!
Get the hell out of here!
What? What?
Get your hands off me!
Get out of here, you
enemy of the people!
The enemy of the people
is in the Kremlin!
Get out of here!
Warming his fat ass in that chair!
Get out of here!
Drunk!
He yelled that Khrushchev killed
Comrade Stalin and is now in his placeÖ
He got into fights and broke dishesÖ
Afterwards he was taken to get
sobered up in a cell by the police.
You think I care about the dishes?
About a cell?
Do you realize what heís doing?
You vouched for him, Antonov!
Or have you forgotten?
Nikita Sergeevich, who knew that that
wolf will bite the hand that feeds?
Everyone should have known!
The apple doesnít
fall far from the tree!
Goddamn it!
He wants to go to the ChineseÖ
What Chinese, Nikita SergeevichÖ
Whatever, he will find
someone to warm him up.
Even the Americans will
take him at this point.
If only to tell them what
he knows and what he doesnít.
What does he know, Nikita Sergeevich?
Itís all drunken slobbering.
Heís a Stalin! Thatís
more than enough for them!
They will believe anything he
tells them if only to slander us!
To wipe our face in the dirt
for the whole world to see!
So he wonít be a Stalin
anymore, Nikita Sergeevich.
What do you mean?
All he has to his name is a piece
of paper that says who he is.
He shouldnít have it anymore
so no one will believe him.
I gave him the passport myself
and I will take it myself.
I will give him a new one. One where
he will be Dzugashvilli, for example.
Who is Dzhugashvilli?
Do that.
Do it. And no one will ever
say that we crushed the fool.
But get him out of Moscow.
Not too far thought
- so we could keep an eye on him.
Get him out of Moscow.
To Kazan, for example.
There never was a Vasya Stalin
and there never will be anymore.
Take everything
- the apartment, the rank, everything.
Come in.
Make way.
Make way!
Move!
What are you doing you bastard!?
What the hell is this?
Do you know who I am?
And do you know who I am?
What kind of bastard are you?
Your people are fighting
the disabled now, eh?
Vasily JosephovishÖ
Vasily!
Serega!
Serega!
I looked for you!
Where were you!
I was taken prisoner, then when our people
came they sent me to a camp as a traitor.
Lost a leg in Vorkuta.
Now Iím freeÖ
SeregaÖ
Attention, passengers!
The train is leaving!
Serega I have to go!
Iíve been exiled to Kazan.
I will be back! Iíll
find you, do you hear me?
Youíre the only one I have, Serega!
Alright, Serega!
Hold on!
I hear you, Vasya!
Hold on, Serega!
Hear me? Everything will be alright!
I head you.
Come in.
Go.
Just wait for me, alright?
Serega, do you hear me?
I hear you, Vasya!
I hear you.
Vasily Stalin was exiled to Kazan where he
received a passport with the name Dzugashvilli.
He was allowed the right to wear
his uniform and keep his medals.
He received a pension.
He died in Kazan on 19th of March, 1962.
But for many years to come, unknown
people in uniform came to his grave.
They opened their coats
and stood there silently.
Every one of them had
medals on their chests.
This was their way of saluting their
 friend in combat - Vasily Josephovich Stalin.
