The White Sun of the Desert (Белое солнце пустыни)

And another thing I must tell you, my dearest Katerina Matveyevna:

you're appearing to me as a purest swan,

like you swim to wherever you need to go, or on your errands...

only it takes my breath away, so happy I feel,

as though I was shot pointblank from a cannon.

WHITE SUN OF THE DESERT

Written by V. YEZHOV R. IBRAGIMBEKOV

Directed by V. MOTYL

Director of Photography E. ROZOVSKY

Music by I. SHVARTS

Cast: Sukhov - A. KUZNETSOV Vereschagin - P. LUSPEKAYEV

Sayid - S. MISHULIN Abdullah - K. KAVSADZE

Nastasya - R. KURKINA, Petrukha - N. GODOVIKOV, Gyulchatai - T. FEDOTOVA

Rakhimov - M. DUDAYEV, Lebedev - N. BADYEV, Semyon - V. KADOCHNIKOV

Production Manager - Yu. KHOKHLOV

You should know, my dearest Katerina Matveyevna,

that to date, the class battles have been completed by and large,

and the day of worldwide liberation is coming.

So it's now time for me to come back home

and build a new life

in my native land, so dear to my heart.

Two o'clock.

Have you been here long?

It's just my luck!

Back in hospital I'd sworn to myself: as soon as I have a discharge,

I'll go straight home, and not get into any mess.

I've dug up two like you, and nothing happened...

But the third one...

I pulled him out, and he got at my throat. A bandit he was.

That's how it turned out. Buried by his own. I hardly beat him off.

Now I'll dig you up, and good bye.

THE SUN WAS GOING DOWN

Hands down!

A real beast... that Black Abdullah.

Has no pity for anyone.

If we came here a bit later, he would've killed all of them.

Why did he do it, Commander? What for?

He's a bandit!

When we finally got to these parts, Abdullah decided to go abroad

and shoot his harem... so that no man would have them.

No, with the women, we can't catch up with Abdullah.

That's why he wanted to do away with them, because they hindered him.

But we can't abandon them either.

Here, some dried bread and barley for your trip.

I'm being late. Discharged six months ago, I still knock about those sands.

I haven't been home for years.

There you go. It will last you for a while.

You'll get something else in Pedzhent, but I can't give you any more, sorry.

I've made quite a detour as it is, now I'm going straight ahead.

Once I get as far as the Volga, Samara will be at a stone's throw.

I'll have no peace as long as Dzhavdet is alive. Why have you dug me up?

Sure, a dead man doesn't have to worry about anything,

but it's so boring.

What is it between you and that Dzhavdet?

He killed my father...

...buried me,

took my four sheep,

that was all I had.

That... what's his name... Dzhavdet,

is he with Black Abdullah or what?

They hate each other. Dzhavdet is a coward.

Abdullah is a warrior.

Well, Sayid... So long!

Look, Commander.

In the old fortress, you should've taken him through the chimney.

Through the chimney?

Sukhov, give us a hand. With you, we'll finish him off in a jiffy.

You alone are worth a whole platoon, if not a company.

East is a delicate matter.

- How come you're here? - They were shooting.

Look, at least take the women.

Imagine, I've been sitting three days by the old fortress, with no sleep.

I waited for Abdullah to come back for his harem. They tie me hand and foot!

Rakhimov!

- I'm going home. - Take them, and we'll get Abdullah.

He's at Dry Spring now.

You just take them as far as Pedzhent, they will be safer there.

And I'll give you a man, a horse, some cereal...

What do you say, Sukhov?

Sukhov...

Yes, I guess there're none of our men as far as 300 versts from here now.

- That's right. - Then it's agreed.

Mount!

Comrade women! Don't be afraid!

We'll finish off your exploiting husband,

but as of now, you're under command of Comrade Sukhov.

He will feed you and protect you... he's a good man.

Hold it!

Wait!

Stop!

Damn it!

Am I going to wander about this desert for the rest of my life?

Get up!

Don't go to Pedzhent.

Abdullah will come there.

We'll wait and see.

Give him the horse.

Here is the list, Comrade Sukhov.

Zarina,

Djamilya,

Giuzel,

Sayida,

Khafiza,

Zukhra,

Leyla,

Zulfia,

Gyulchatai.

Gyulchatai!

Right turn...

Follow me, young ladies.

My heart is longing for you, my beloved Katerina Matveyevna,

like a crane is longing for the sky.

However, there's a hitch.

I think it will delay me for another three days, no more.

Exactly, I was charged, as a class-conscious soldier,

to accompany a group of comrades from our brotherly East.

I must admit that they happen to be agreeable folks,

I'd even say, warm ones, with zest.

So my feet are running now over hot sands in the opposite direction,

as I am bound by my revolutionary duty.

THIRD DAY

I would also like to inform you that our deployment goes on smoothly,

in the atmosphere of fraternal unity and harmony.

We're just treading sands, not sighing for anything,

except for you, my only and unforgettable Katerina Matveyevna.

So don't you be grieving, either.

It does no good.

I beg you! Not in the museum! We have most precious things here.

Wait.

- Who are you? - I'm the museum's curator.

- My name is Lebedev. - I see.

- Where's the populace? - Hiding. Bringing a harem in here!

Look here, Comrade Curator,

those nine liberated women of the East are very precious things, too...

And let's not argue about it. Any questions?

No questions. Follow me!

All right, you'll rest here for a day.

Djamilya, Zarina, Giuzel,

Sayida, Khafiza, Zukhra,

Leyla, Zulfia, Gyulchatai.

Gyulchatai!

"MUSEUM OF THE RED EAST"

Good bye, young ladies!

Comrade Sukhov!

- Maybe you'll stay for another day? - Too much of a good thing.

- Sukhov! - Don't be scared!

Tomorrow Rakhimov will arrive, he will take you on from here.

Sayid, good luck to you!

I'll just take a swim in the sea, and off I go!

Don't let yourself be buried again.

Monsters! Barbarians!

How are you?

Hands up!

To Red Army soldier Sukhov.

Personalized.

From Brigade Commander M.N. Kovun.

Abdullah had eleven wives. What have you done to the other two?

You just wait, Abdullah will come and tear your tongue out.

- Why don't you say something? - Saving my tongue.

Shall I finish you off right away or you want to be tortured first?

I'd rather be tortured.

Semyon! Ride to Abdullah!

Don't! Come on, move!

How come you're here?

They were shooting.

Abdullah got a lot of men.

That's right.

I'm writing to you once again, my dearest Katerina Matveyevna,

now that I've got a spare minute.

The warm sun is making me purr,

like our tomcat Vaska when he's basking in it, perched on the hedge.

We're sitting now on the sand by the very blue sea,

not disturbed by anything.

The sun is so bright here that it makes you see white.

Comrade Sukhov!

What if Rakhimov is delayed? What happens to us then?

Abdullah will kill us because of them.

Greetings, fathers!

DYNAMITE

We beg your pardon.

Where did you get it?

We've been sitting here for a long time.

Petrukha!

- Take the box. We can use it. - Right.

And tell the girls there will be no Abdullah, you got it?

Got it!

- What is it? - Go away! Abdullah'll be here tomorrow.

But I can't go now. You see how it turned out. Stay on, Sayid.

There's no Dzhavdet here.

Goodbye, then.

"DORMITORY FOR LIBERATED WOMEN OF THE EAST"

- They took most valuable exhibits. - What do you mean, exhibits?

- I told them to take only worn rugs. - But these are the 11th century!

As you were!

Don't be afraid. He's our master.

Master! No one must see our faces. Only you.

You're our new husband. Tell your man not to come here.

Comrade women!

The Revolution has made you free.

No one owns you anymore. There's no master.