The Last Station

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Darling?

Oh, darling.

But sex.

You are 23.

Not an easy age for abstinence, is it?

Tolstoy does not approve

of sexual relations.

- I know this.

- He despises them, in fact.

Well, I don't mean

to belabor the point...

...but last summer

I arranged for a manservant...

...who proceeded to ruin

two housemaids, just like that.

He was very upset.

This would not be a problem with me.

I'm a vegetarian.

I am celibate.

I'm also a vegetarian.

My dear boy, if you were to become

Tolstoy's private secretary...

...you would be given a great gift.

Vladimir Grigorevich, please know

that I understand what a privilege...

...this position presents.

But since becoming a Tolstoyan,

I have become so eager to learn...

...to discuss ideas,

to perfect my very soul.

Yes. Well...

We have a lot to do

if we are to get his work to the people.

- We?

- Yes, we.

If we can encourage the spread

of passive resistance...

...just think of it, Valentin.

Thousands of ordinary Russians...

...casting off centuries of political

and spiritual oppression.

- In the name of truth and freedom.

- Truth and freedom. Yes, yes.

But, still,

there are many, many enemies.

- Enemies?

- Come.

The czar's police.

You will be followed

when you leave here...

...and the Church will stop at nothing

to bring him back into the fold.

And then, of course,

there is the countess.

Her dogged attachment

to private property...

...her public criticism

of our movement.

But the point is...

...he needs a man

of your intellectual gifts around him.

Someone who understands

his goals.

And they still won't let me see him.

They keep me under house arrest.

I have another task for you, my dear.

I want you to keep a diary for me.

I need to know

what goes on at Yasnaya Polyana.

You let me know

who visits the house...

...any talk of the copyright to his work,

any contact with the Church...

...anything the countess says.

- Anything?

- She's very, very dangerous.

Godspeed, my boy.

And remember what I said.

Write everything down.

Driver!

Good morning, countess.

- Are you rolling?

- I am.

Countess?

It doesn't matter.

If my heart stopped beating,

I'd still go riding today.

Your pulse is my responsibility.

- No. It's mine.

- Fine.

If you must ride,

I insist you wear a coat.

- Even the sun is cold today.

- Oh, this!

This is impossible!

These people are parasites!

"The Countess Tolstoy

is estranged from her husband.

They barely speak. "

And they gossip about us in Paris.

"They do not share a similar view

of religion or politics. "

You think that's inaccurate?

I think it's none

of the world's business.

What are you doing?

Why do you write down...

...everything we say?

Don't do that.

Dushan Petrovich,

you are scribbling again.

Oh, Leovochka, why do you insist

on dressing like that?

- What do you mean, like what?

- Like the man who looks after sheep.

It wasn't meant to offend you.

You're a count, for God's sake.

Darling, where are you going?

Riding with Sasha.

Don't expect us for lunch.

Lev Nikolayevich,

you've forgotten your coat.

Dushan, are you fretting?

Yes, because you refuse

to look after yourself.

Telyatinki was created

by Vladimir Grigorevich...

...as a center for the movement.

We're all equals here, you know,

as Tolstoy teaches us.

This is a place of freedom.

It's a beautiful day.

Yes, but we'll pay for it.

Toolshed is there.

That's the meeting room,

and this is the dormitory.

I found it!

- Afternoon.

- Yes, hello.

You are expected at Yasnaya Polyana

in the morning...

...first thing.

- First thing?

You'll need to be on the road early.

It's two hours away.

- I look forward to it.

- Yes. You're lucky.

We're all envious.

I'll see you in the morning.

If we're spared.

Right.

And out.

In.

Emma, can you come?

We need you in the house.

Come in.

- Brought you a glass of tea.

- That's very kind of you.

It's your first day.

Enjoy it.

You met Sergeyenko?

Last night, yes.

What do you think?

I thought he seemed very sincere.

Thank you.

What?

- Is that what you think?

- I think that...

I think I've just arrived.

What was your name?

Masha. But you should still say

what you think.

I mean, not just about him.

Like we all should.

Yes.

Excuse me.

Thank you for the tea.

He's a sorry, old, tight-assed

stick-in-the-mud...

...but, yes, he's sincere.

Hello?

Out of the way.

Hello?

Excuse me.

You.

- You're the new secretary?

- Yes.

Valentin Fedorovich Bulgakov.

Papa is out.

You can wait upstairs in the library.

I am so glad you're here.

I'm so glad.

- God bless you.

- Pardon me. I'm mortified.

I sneeze sometimes

when I get nervous.

Yes.

Now, Vladimir Grigorevich has already

written about you at lengths.

I don't need that.

What I do need is your help.

My manifesto against the government

is hard work.

They commit their idiotic abuses

faster than I can catalog them.

Yes.

And then there's the new book,

the compendium.

Grigorevich told me all about it.

He says that you say that all the

world's religions share common truths.

- It's very exciting.

- No, one truth.

One single organizing principle.

And can you guess what that is?

Love. Love.

Simple.

Yeah, but I want to talk about you.

How are you?

And how was your journey?

Come, sit down.

I was born on that sofa.

No, no, sit, sit.

Myself, my brother, my children...

...five or six of them, at least.

Right here.

Congratulations.

Well, I've read your essays.

How's the work progressing?

My boy, what is it?

- Oh, I've upset you in some way.

- No.

Was it the sofa?

I mean, it's only a sofa.

The sofa's wonderful.

I...

I'm very happy.

You're very kind to me.

You see, I am no one...

...and you are Lev Tolstoy.

And you ask me about my work.

I'll fetch you a glass of tea.

- Yes.

- Now, you rest.

Yeah, because there's work

for both of us to do, together!

Yes.

God.

This machine, it really is

the most extraordinary thing.

Mama, these people have nothing.

No, it's not for lack of land

that the muzhiks live in poverty.

It's because they have no willpower

and drink too much.

I am not suggesting

they be given land.

Private property is the root

of the problem.

- We should be giving ours away.

- God. Giving it to whom?

Yes, exactly.

I mean, this is ridiculous.

You think because the peasants

are poor, they're morally superior.

I believe that wealth corrupts us all.

Yes, I do.

It's a keystone of the movement.

Oh, God, I know

all about the movement.

If the peasants had money...

...they wouldn't surround themselves,

as we do...

...with footmen costing 10 rubles

a month.

No, they'd spend it on drink

and whores.

Valentin Fedorovich.

- What do you think?

- Tea.

You think that 50 years from now,

people will eat...

...while grown men walk around

waiting on them hand and foot?

- I think...

- That's good.

- Bless you.

- Stop scribbling.

I mean, you all think he's Christ,

don't you?

- He thinks he's Christ.

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