army,
'Only soldiers, no marshals above.
'They know not the perdition of money,
Equal before commandment of Love.
'Love eternal is their campaign
'In the face of the snow-storm
and pain.
'To such Army my praise I sing:
It's the seizure of Moscow by spring.
'They're angels of love,
Tender sentinels, their beat
'Is Pokrovsky Gates
and Volkhonka Street.
'All the length of Arbat
They're treading along:
'Their shift is only life-long...'
Lyudochka! Sorry.
Kostya, it's for you.
Lev Evghenievich, for God's sake!
- He's feeling blue.
- Savva!
Didn't I ask you to be quiet,
while I'm working with the author!
I'm desperately sorry.
Soev, let's give it another try.
' 'twas war, what a joke I could tell:
Satire - a fire to burn.
'It's peace in the air I can smell:
It means I shall make a U-turn.'
With all due respect for Mrs Soev,
but is that a finale?
- A brilliant finale!
- This - a finale?!.
'It means I shall make a U-turn...'
- A brilliant finale!
- It's your old variations!
You're not a Shakespeare to do this.
Shakespeare? You want me
to improvise? Very well...
'Tucked under the bed was the war:
Leaned down I, and gave a start:
'She was a tough lady not long before.
I nearly died, cross my heart!
'A young coachman skirted the sea,
In the bushes he angled the herring!
'Angled the herring!'
Stop it!
Oh, for God's sake!
Yes. it's me. Your boyfriend
still in the army?
But I am going away too, you know.
They've found an ancient city
on the bottom of the lake Titicaca.
I am going away for a very long time.
I'm crossing her out.
It's not funny, you know.
It doesn't matter now. I'm in
for a great change in my life.
It's you. Good afternoon.
- How did you like the film?
- A total lack of talent!
Dear auntie, art still
owes you a nice film.
Speaking of art...
Sveta Popova! It's for you.
- Hello?
- Hi.
- Is that you, Kostya?
- Yes.
- Something is wrong with you?
- Absolutely not.
- I'm going away.
- Where to?
The Black Earth region. They've found
the skull of the prophet Oleg's horsie.
- I read about this in the papers.
- You're such a smart girl.
By the by, Velyurov has prepared
an outstanding program!
He'll be the hit of the
World Festival of Youth.
Yes, he's my nice 'step-son'!
Bye, Sveta.
I wish you to win
all the gold medals!
He must be crazy...
We're in for great changes!
Well, Savva...
Check. Leonty, give a hand
to your fellow-in-arms.
- Lev, make your move.
- Yes, of course.
Hey, son, move your brains.
Once a lady came to me.
She wanted me to engrave
an inscription.
- On what?
- On the wrist-watch.
The inscription went like this:
'Thanks for the lovely seconds...'
A present to an artiste? No, she said.
To a writer? - No.
- To whom then?
- It was meant for her husband!
For you as a newlywed this
is a nice story to tell.
Savva, you promised to solder
a saucepan for me!
Naturlich, Margarita Pavlovna.
Check and mate, Savva!
You were a first-rate engraver!
I am totally positive of that.
We're going to the building site.
We'll be moving in any day now.
That's great!
My untiresome friend Savransky
knows some architect.
He says they're going
to dismantle our humble castle.
And where are we going then?
Take it easy, Lev, the government
will take care of you.
Oh yeah, you shaking dust from
your feet, leaving me here.
- It's not decided yet.
- What exactly?
Your acquaintance sometimes
becomes like a landmark.
You, Savva, incarnate
a historical process.
Which one?
A total Exodus of the Muscovites
from communal flats to private ones.
Wow, what eloquence!
We're moving out in a fortnight.
Lev Evghenievich, you're
losing the game.
Margarita Pavlovna, they
want Kostya on the horn.
Look, my dear friends, isn't
it time for you to break up?
Yes, of course.
- Kostya, the phone.
- In a jiffy.
Lev, it's a stalemate situation.
I offer you a tie.
Khobotov, what about working a bit?
Et si tu travaillais.
- A preface for