The Cranes Are Flying Page #4

Calm down.

Calm down.

Please, calm down.

Because of a woman...

What a dumbbell!

Get the doctor!

Get the doctor now!

Quit that yelling!

Cackling like a bunch of hens!

Where will they take us now?

There're plenty of hospitals

in this wide world.

Guys, the chief is coming!

Bastards!

Quiet down!

You're a soldier in the Red Army!

Want to desert it?

You afraid that if we cure you,

you might go back in the army?

You're not being fair.

He got a bad letter from home.

I know.

That's just an excuse.

So what if his girl's left him?

Good riddance!

She's not worth a dime...

...if she gave up a handsome soldier

like this, a real hero...

...for a puny draft-dodger!

Right.

She's the one who's missed

her happiness!

And whatever she's got,

she deserves it!

What a petty soul!

Can a woman like that understand

the suffering you've gone through?

Killing her would be too good

for her kind.

You stood the most difficult trial.

You looked death in the face,

went to meet it yourself.

And she couldn't stand

the small test of time.

For women like that, no honorable

man can have anything but contempt!

For such creatures there is no pardon!

Bandage him!

Aunt Sima, bring him fresh

porridge and some hot tea.

Be good now.

Veronika...

What the hell kind of a mother

are you? Keep an eye on your kid!

And I'll be held responsible!

Daydreaming, you fool!

- Who are you?

- Mamma's boy.

- Where are you from?

- From Voroshilovgrad.

- How old are you?

- Three months and three years.

- What's your name?

- Boris.

- What?

- Boris.

- Why the fancy get-up?

- A concert in the hospital.

- A likely story!

- All right, all right.

- Is Mark here?

- So far yes.

I've been saving this for you.

Thank you very much,

Anna Mikhajlovna.

It's for a little boy we know.

It's his birthday.

I wish everyone were as

kind-hearted as you are, Mark.

The symptomatology of this type

of compound injury...

...depends primarily on changes

in the nodal structure...

- Interesting, but beyond me.

- Why, it's really quite simple.

They are not readily apparent

to the clinical practitioner...

...but in most cases

the etiology...

- What is this?

- What kind of a trick is that?

What do you mean, trick?

The poor child lost his parents.

I want my mommy!

You ought to have taken him

to the Foundling Center.

You go yourself to the Center!

- Rude child!

- I'm not, you're rude!

Now, don't cry. We'll go find

your mommy in Voroshilovgrad.

Now, now, be quiet.

- Poor baby, he wants his mommy.

- Look, here comes a goat...

Stop rattling. You're hurting my ears.

Here, play with the cover.

Don't you want it?

Oh, my God.

Here's a bagel roll for you.

Keep him quiet!

He's driving me crazy.

If we had some toys for him

to play with...

Irina, take him for a minute.

Hah, what next?

Stop crying, will you?

Let me take him.

Come on, my little one,

my little Boris...

I'll undress you and put you to bed...

- Have anyone seen my squirrel?

- Yes, Mark took it.

- Mark? Why?

- He's giving it to some boy.

My squirrel to a boy?

- Where's Mark?

- I don't know.

- Where's Mark?

- I don't know.

You're hiding something from me.

You know where he's, don't you?

Where's he?

He's probably gone to Antonina's party.

- What Antonina?

- Why don't you ask Mark?

- Who's she, tell me!

- Don't order me around.

Mark visits her occasionally.

Do you get it?

- You're saying this to spite me.

- Why would I want to?

Because I'm married, I'm loved,

and you're still a spinster!

Veronika, stop it!

Antonina lives near the food shop...

...in the little house next door.

Go over there and see for yourself.

Calm down. Calm down.

I should do something.

I should do something.

When Mark comes home, you'll

have a talk. But now you must wait.

Sure, I must wait... That's all

I've been doing all the time.

That's enough!

May our lips benumb.

Words are futile.

They so often lie perchance.

And only our eyes

Will never dare lie,

Forever true their parting glance.

My eyes are now sad and dark,

As though therein a candle was put out...

In Leningrad after my parties

we'd go for a ride...

...from one part of the city

to the other.

Arrange for a ride now.

There's a war on, Antonina.

Cars are worth its weight in gold,

the gasoline is strictly rationed.

Get any kind of car!

I beg you!

A fire-engine, an ambulance,

a truck... anything!

Let me hope where there's

hope no longer!

Just the two of us?

To the point of full abandon?

I'll see what I can do.

I love you!

Sorry, I don't dance.

I thought I'd tried everything...

...but I've never tried golden

chestnuts.

Look, a note!

- It's a birthday note for me.

- Congratulations!

Where's the squirrel?

Where's my squirrel?

Look, you mustn't think that...

There's a note here from

somebody named Boris.

My only one, happy birthday...

On this day you were born.

It's hard leaving you.

But it can't be helped.

It's war!

I must go.

We can't go on living the way

we did, enjoying ourselves...

...while death stalks our land.

We will be happy some day.

I love you, I trust you.

Your Boris.

Why are you so alarmed?

Go home. I'll be right back.

Why?

- Take your coat off.

- Thank you.

You know, all the Philharmonic

cars are being used tonight...

...and I must have a car.

You're Chief Surgeon, you won't

refuse me this little favor...

Transportation is our most

critical problem.

It was difficult for me too,

but I did my best.

I did my best. I went out of my way,

because you asked me...

- What I asked you?

- The exemption.

Now it's about to expire...

...and this time to get it

will be almost impossible.

- What d'you mean, exemption?

- The exemption for Mark.

You can be sure I handled

the whole thing discreetly.

Could Mark have done it

without informing you?

He even offered me money in your name.

I'm sorry.

I'm glad you're here, Uncle Fedya.

I wish you'd talk to her.

She burst in without being

invited, started a fight...

Shut the door.

Do you believe that anybody likes...

...having his son marching off to war?

What do you mean?

Or do you believe that for your

petty pleasures and well-being...

...others must lose their arms,

legs, eyes, jaws, even their lives?

And you owe nothing to no one?

You know I've got an exemption,

Uncle Fedya.

Tell us how you got this exemption.

Veronika, what are you doing?

It's all right. I'm going to rent

a room. And I'm taking the boy.

Perhaps someone else had better

rent a room?

Gladly. I've been wanting to

for a long time.

I wish you'd driven me out

in the first place.

You've been through a terrible ordeal.

Only one who had done something

worse could have condemned you.

Stay with us.

I can't.

I cannot hide behind someone

else's back. I don't want to.

Think it over.

Think it over.

Listen, where can I find

the Borozdin family?

- Which Borozdin are you looking for?

- Fyodor Ivanovich.

- Fyodor Ivanovich?

- Yes.

Fyodor Ivanovich is not in at the moment.

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