The Ascent (Восхождение)

Digital image and sound restoration by Mosfilm Cinema Concern.

MOSFILM

THE 3RD CREATIVE ASSOCIATION

THE ASCENT

BASED ON THE NOVEL SOTNIKOV BY VASIL BYKOV

Screenplay by YURI KLEPIKOV, LARISA SHEPITKO

Directed by LARISA SHEPITKO

Director of Photography VLADIMIR CHUKHNOV

Production Designer YURI RAKSHA

Composer - A. SCHNITTKE

Sound - Ya. POTOTSKY

Conductor - Yu. NIKOLAYEVSKY

Assistant Director - V. KHOVANSKAYA

Hurry! Hurry!

Camera Operator - E. SCHERBAKOV

Germans!

A killing unit!

Germans!

Stay calm!

Rybak, Gastinovich, Titov! Cover us!

The rest - to the woods!

- Slava! Slava! - To the woods!

Carry the children!

Ammunition!

Come on!

Sotnikov, retreat!

I'll cover you!

- Retreat! - Hurry! Hurry!

I can't.

Let's halt.

Drink...

Hold on, dear.

I've got some water and food.

Gronsky.

What?

Give.

- Give what? - Whatever you've got, give.

What a feast.

Where's the sled?

We'll find food if we go to the road.

You should look for rations elsewhere.

Then you do it.

We'll have to stay here for a while.

- Do you know Kulgai's farm? - Kulgai? I know it.

He has a woman there.

Hey, you. Quiet.

Get over there. Be quick.

We're here, and...

- Dubovoi's base camp is here. - Aren't we joining up with Dubovoi?

- What about the wounded? The children? - We've got to deliver them safely.

We won't make it without rations.

And Dubovoi's camp... is a long way from here.

Can you kill a boar?

- To feed us all. - Get ready to go.

- Alone? - No, take a partner.

- Vdovtsov maybe? - I'm not much use.

Yes, right.

- Matyushenko. - They want you.

- What? - What's wrong?

The breech-lock keeps jamming.

But I can go. It's up to you.

- No. Fix it so it shoots for tomorrow. - Okay.

Is your breech-lock in order, gunner?

It's in order.

Kolya, say hi to Zosya!

Eat some snow. The snow will stop the cough.

I'll cough my damn lungs up like this!

Someone else could have come instead.

Who?

We're in a fine mess.

Wasting ammunition on a bunch of truck drivers.

But never mind. We'll get more from Dubovoi.

You're a good shot. Good eye.

- Are you really a gunner? - Yes.

- You're a military man. - Not quite.

- What do you mean? - I taught math.

Vitebsk teacher-training institute.

Math? Good.

Walk in my tracks. It'll be easier.

I've been waiting to see her for a long time.

- Who? - My Zosya. She's a fiery girl.

- You can still think of girls? - Just feed me first!

No, you got me wrong.

Zosya and her folks are like family to me.

I was wounded, and they hid me.

- You were in the surrounded area? - Yes. They saved me.

Though they knew who they were hiding, you know.

A company sergeant major.

Kulgai gave me this fur coat when I left.

They saw me off to join the partisans.

Really, I was like a son to them.

Even though they knew about Zosya and me.

She came to me on her own, you know.

I wasn't even thinking about it. I was asleep.

Come morning, I heard breathing at my side.

I got flushed all over.

Damn. I'd have married her if it wasn't for the war.

How much further?

We're almost there.

See how a good talk makes the journey shorter?

I don't know about you,

but I can't stand these lone missions,

even the easiest ones.

I'd rather make a hundred attacks, as long as I'm in the ranks.

But the woods, the night - it gets to you.

What about...

Maybe they managed to escape.

You know what?

Make your way back,

and I'll go on to Lesiny.

It's only a couple of kilometers.

We can't go back empty-handed.

What the hell?

I told you I'd go on alone.

You'll freeze without a fur hat.

Fur hats don't grow on trees.

No, but all the villagers have them.

So I should just take some villager's hat?

Take it? Why?

There's always a way to talk to people. You just need to know how.

Here. This will keep you warm.

No, I'm fine.

Come on! Don't be difficult.

It'll keep you warm.

Want some?

Eat up.

Thanks for not leaving me.

With company, it's...

Okay, let's move on.

Where is that damned village?

Are you the village elder?

Well?

Anyone else in the house?

Just us two.

- Any Germans in the village? - No.

There was one police goon, but he's left.

Do you keep a cow?

Yes.

For now.

Have some hot potatoes before you go.

Okay, only be quick.

So you work for the Germans?

Do they pay a lot?

I never asked for anything. I've received nothing.

- He's old. - Hush.

- He made a foolish mistake. - Be quiet.

Take off your hat.

- Is that your son? - Yes, our son. Our Tolya.

- Is he in the police too? - God, no.

My son's at the front. I don't know if he's alive or dead.

Yeah.

You're a disgrace to him, a sellout.

Put that Bible of yours away.

Well!

- Clinging to it. Let's go! - Son. Sonny.

- Be quiet! - Move!

- Please, son! - Wait here.

Don't! Have pity on the old fool!

Son! But... he'll shoot him.

He should've known better.

He doesn't want to be a German lackey.

They threaten him every day,

poking their guns at him.

Sonny, let me go out there.

Let me see - Let me see how he is.

What is it, sonny? What's wrong?

- What's the matter with you? - Nothing.

- You have a fever. - I'm fine.

Your comrade is calling for you.

But - But he's sick.

Have some dried raspberries. You can make a tea.

- No, thanks. - Why not?

Go back in and close the door.

Are you letting him go?

To hell with him.

Sorry. I'm not much help today.

Why the hell did you come?

You asked already.

I asked?

The other two begged off, and you...

Cut it out! Cut it out, hey!

Did you notice...

Are we going the right way?

- I think so. - Yeah?

Hurry!

Take me alive, huh?

Just you wait.

Damn it!

You won't take me now.

Sotnikov.

- Did they hit you? - My leg.

We'll lose them.

I can't believe this.

Come on.

A bit more.

A little further.

To the bushes.

We'll make it.

What? Does it hurt?

Help me out here.