The Snow Queen (Снежная королева)

LENFILM

Snip, snap...

Snip, snap, snourre...

pourre, bazelourre.

There're all kinds of people in this world: shoemakers,

hatters,

blacksmiths, school kids...

druggists.

I'm a storyteller, for example.

And all of us -the blacksmiths, the shoemakers and the storytellers

have got a job to do. We all help one another.

If I hadn't been born, no one would have ever known

what happened to a chimney-sweep made out of porcelain,

or to a little boy named Kay who was...

But wait... tsssst!

Today I'm going to tell the story of the Snow Queen.

It's a strange story, sometimes merry and sometimes sad.

Yes, it is sad... but happy!

There're two children in it, a boy and a girl - my students.

This is Kay. You think he only knows how to play?

No, he knows how to add and subtract,

to multiply and divide, even fractions!

And here's Gerda. She's a very brave girl.

Even though she's afraid of frogs.

But that's the only thing in the whole world that frightens her.

I know a great many stories!

But I get tired of just telling them.

So today I'm going to show you a story for a change,

and I'm going to take part in these wonderful adventures.

After all, it's my story and I can do whatever I want with it.

I'll challenge the counselor to a duel.

I'll run him clean through.

I'm lucky that I've got a gun,

because I'll be running up against a lot of bandits.

Of course, this thing doesn't shoot.

But that's lucky too. I just can't stand stories with noise in them.

Well, let's begin our story.

Snip, snap, snourre!

Pourre, bazelourre!

THE SNOW QUEEN

Screenplay by Yevgeny SCHWARTZ

Based on the story by Andersen

Directed by Gennady KAZANSKY

Director of Photography Sergey IVANOV

Production Designer Boris BURMISTROV

Music by Nadezhda SIMONYAN

Sound by A.VOLOKHOVA

Starring

V.NIKITENKO as Storyteller Lena PROKLOVA as Gerda

Slava TSIUPA as Kay Ye. MELNIKOVA as Grandmother

N. KLIMOVA as Snow Queen

N. BOYARSKY as Counselor Ye. LEONOV as King

I. GUBANOVA as Princess G. KOROLCHUK as Prince

O. VIKLANDT as Robber Chief E. ZIGANSHINA as Robber Girl

A. KOSTRICHKIN as Goblin V. TITOVA as Inkpot

Someone's walking up the steps.

It must be Grandma.

Let's hide from her! We'll give her a big surprise.

What sort of ridiculous shenanigans are these?

What is it, I ask you! You are very badly behaved children!

Sorry, sir, we're very well behaved.

Well behaved children:

A, don't crawl around.

B, nor do they scream "boo, boo".

C, they don't bark, "arf, arf",

D, they never throw themselves upon visitors.

But we thought you were our grandmother.

Fools! I'm certainly not your grandmother!

Are these real garden roses?

- Grandmother! - Did you miss me?

Look, Grandma!

I've come on a business matter. Do you know who I am?

No, I have not had that honor, sir.

I'm a very wealthy man.

That's why I was named by the king as his commercial counselor.

Ice, cellars of ice, ice boxes, they're all mine.

Ice has made me rich! I can buy whatever I like.

I'm here to buy your roses.

- Do you like flowers so much? - I despise them.

I like rarities. That's what's made me so rich.

In summer ice is a rarity, so summer is when I sell it.

In winter roses are a rarity. I'm prepared to cultivate them.

So, what is your price?

I'm so sorry, sir, that you've come all this way for nothing.

Those flowers are not for sale.

- They certainly are for sale! - Oh no, they are not!

- I tell you they're for sale! - Not for anything in the world!

Take this piece of gold. Go on and take it!

- I won't do it! - Here's another.

- No! - Take three then!

Five! That's not enough either?

Ten! That'd last you a long time, you and those brats of yours.

These children are little angels.

How much do you want then, you miserly old woman?

These flowers were a gift of a storyteller,

the teacher of my children.

And presents are never for sale.

You're a foolish old woman, and silly to boot.

As for you, you've got the worst manners, you old fossil!

Children, children, it's nothing!

I will freeze you!

You wouldn't dare!

Grandma's respected by everyone, and you yell at her like...

Kay!

...Like a bad man!

That's enough! I shall: "A", take my revenge.

B, it'll be very soon.

C, it'll be terrible...

and "D", last of all,

I'll send the queen in person after you.

Watch out!

Ah, the storyteller, whose silly stories aren't worth a fig.

This whole mess is your work! Wait, I'm going to get even with you!

- Snip, snap, snourre! - What?

Pourre, bazelourre!

You fool!

Good evening.

Did he frighten you, children? Forget it.

Why, cannot you see the roses are smiling at you?

In their own language they're trying to say:

We're with you, you're with us,we're all together.

I can't understand why this icy counselor frightened you so much.

He tried to take away our roses.

But Grandma stopped him right away.

There you are, there's no reason to be afraid.

Only I wish I knew what queen he was talking about.

The Snow Queen.

She governs the cold, places with icicles and snow, and icebergs.

The counselor is on very good terms with her,

because it's she who gets him his ice.

The queen lives way off in the North.

Still in winter, when the wind blows,

she comes down to our town, on a snow cloud.

No more stories for now. These things frighten them.

Oh, someone knocked on the window.

It must be the wind, the storm outside's getting worse.

This Snow Queen, she better not try to get into our house.

I'd grab her, and melt her over a hot fire.

Don't be afraid, children. I'm going to light the lamp.

Excuse us, Madame, we didn't see you come in.

I knocked, but no one answered.

Oh, the window's broken.

I'll stuff a pillow in it.

It doesn't bother me at all.

Sit down, won't you.

What can I do for you, Madame?

I came here to take that little boy away.

I don't quite understand you.

I live alone in a palace.

While you're a poor woman, unable to raise an adopted boy.

I'm not adopted!

Both of his parents died when he was only a year old.

He grew up like my son.

To me he's just as dear as my own little granddaughter.

You have honorable sentiments.

Still you're very old, you may die before long.

But my grandma's not about to die!

You be still, little girl!

I know you will agree. My whole kingdom would be at his disposal.

It would be wise of you to accept the offer.

Grandma, please don't let her take me away!

I would rather die...

Please, Grandma, don't let her take him away!

I wouldn't let anyone take our Kay away, no matter what!

Don't make hasty decisions. Think about it, Kay.

You'd be living in a palace.

Hundreds of servants would be waiting on you hand and foot.

But my grandma wouldn't be there.

There wouldn't be Gerda either.

No, I'm not coming.

Now don't be stubborn, Kay.

Think it over.

I'm not leaving this house.

For the last time, I'm inviting you to come, Kay.

Do you choose to live in this hut?

Or will you come and be my guest?

I'll stay right here.

Well said, Kay!

The boy must have his way.

But at least give me a kiss before I go.

Come on, Kay. Are you afraid to?

Oh, you're nothing but a coward.

I am not.

Farewell, now.

Farewell, good people.

I hope to see you soon, my boy.

It's awful!

That woman was none other than the Snow Queen!

You should have told us that.

I couldn't. When she raised up her hand,

I was frozen solid. I was unable to talk.

Look, it's funny. Stupid roses are wilting.

Gosh, how ugly they've become!

The roses are frostbitten. Ah, that's such a shame!

Look, our grandma wobbles when she walks.

That must be a real duck instead of our grandma.

What are you staring at me like that for, Gerda?

Kay, you're not like yourself anymore.

I stayed on in this rat hole on account of them.

I might've gone and lived in a big palace too.