ENDTHE OVERCOAT
CINEMATOGRAPHIC PIECE IN GOGOL’S MANNER
Leningradkino. 1926
Screenplay by
YURI TYNYANOV
Directors:
GRIGORI KOZINTSEV, LEONID TRAUBERG
Cinematographers:
ANDREI MOSKVIN, YEVGENI MIKHAYLOV
Cast: ANDREI KOSTRICHKIN,
ANTONINA YEREMEYEVA, ALEKSEI KAPLER
There is nothing better than Nevsky
Prospect, at least not in Petersburg.
Akakiy Akakievich Bashmachkin, a clerk of whom
it cannot be said that he was very remarkable.
A. GERMANN CAFE
What strange characters are met on the
Prospect!.. Cheats are part of it too!
The young clerk chasing the girl was so far a person
of no consequence, and yet - rather impetuous.
THE FOREIGNER IVAN
FEDOROV’S ROOMS
Pyotr Petrovich Ptitsyn - a landowner coming
to Petersburg to burke one old matter.
– The person who has connections in the
well-known department has arrived.
You may consider your case as settled.
Bashmachkin’s flat was on the third story, one
little room without any pretentions to style.
…RETIRED MAJOR FEDUL
KARPOVICH FERDYSCHEK…
…HEAVENLY CREATURE RETIRED MAJOR…
In the Rooms of the
Foreigner Ivan Fedorov.
– As a man of education, would you
give us a co-operation, so to say?
– The thing is not tricky: where it is written
“Pyotr” - work a bit with a knife and a pen...
... and you’ll get “Prov” instead of “Pyotr”.
– He is not a general but is equal to one. He’s
got such an education and excellent deeds.
A lot of drafts and white paper were
circulating in a certain department…
The Person of no consequence
came by the rooms again.
– Your case is rotten.
Bashmachkin has your case.
– Isn’t it Bashmachkin over there?
– Send for Bashmachkin, and as he
comes, beckon him, and beckon him well.
Then keep after him about the case…
Dreaming of a heavenly creature.
– The lady you saw yesterday on the prospect has
sent a carriage for you and asks you to come.
– Sign please!
– The lady you saw the other
day asks you to come.
…FOMA FOMICH VEDENYAPIN REPORTS
ON PYOTR PETROVICH PTITSYN…
…WITH REFERENCE TO THE
FOLLOWING POINTS:
1. ON THE 26TH OF MARCH 1830 THE
AFOREMENTIONED LANDOWNER PYOTR…
…PETROVICH PTITSYN WAS VISITING
ME, FOMA FOMICH VEDENYAPIN,
AS MY WARM-HEARTED FRIEND…
– Foma Fomich, exchange
your maid for my brown pig.
Be sure it will bear piglets next year.
– You’re yourself a brown pig, Pyotr
Petrovich! A swine can’t do what a maid can.
– If I’m a brown pig, then you are
a rebel and a Turkish spy, Foma Fomich!
…HAVING BEEN REFUSED TO EXCHANGE
MY HOUSE MAID AGRAFENA,
HE TRIED TO LAY
VIOLENT HANDS ON ME,
AND WAS CHASED BY FORCE FROM
THE HOUSE BY MY KENNELMEN…
…REPORTS ON PROV
PETROVICH PTITSYN…
The cream of the cultured society
gathered at night in the rooms.
– Well done, instead of me, Pyotr, you put the
defunct Prov. He cannot pay you, - take this…
25 RUBLES IN PAPER MONEY
– Pyotr!.. Pyotr, not Prov!..
– You are asked to draft a document.
– No, I’d rather copy something.
Like that he turned into a lifelong
titular counselor Bashmachkin.
– The cloth has got worn…
There is in Petersburg a mighty foe for
coatless clerks. That foe is frost.
Petrovich, the tailor.
– No it can’t be repaired: a wretched
garment. You need a new one…
– And how much would it… er… cost?
– Well, three fifty-ruble notes or more.
– 150.
From that moment on he dreamed of his new
overcoat as of an agreeable companion.
– I have already had some,
my good woman.
Overcoat’s capital.
EXPENSES: LINEN TO WASH -
00, 57; COBBLING - 1,00;
EVENING TEA - 2,05; WEARING
THE UNIFORM OFF DUTY…
– For his long service our Akakiy
Akakievich got a gratuity of 60 rubles,
a buckle in a button-hole, and
a hemorrhoid in his bottom.
The most solemn day in the
life of Akakiy Akakievich.
– New overcoat! Let’s wet it!
– It’s not a new overcoat,
it’s just… er… an old coat.
– All right, I invite you all to
tea instead of Akakiy Akakievich.
As luck would have it, it is my name day.
The clerk who had invited him to tea lived
a long