Tale of Tsar Saltan, The (1984)

[bunniefuu]

MOSFILM

Artistic Association ''Yunost''

A.S. Pushkin

THE TALE OF TSAR SALTAN

Screenplay by A. PTUSHKO
with collaboration of I. GUELEIN

Based on the fairy tale by
A.S. PUSHKIN

Directed by Alexander PTUSHKO

Directors of Photography
I. GUELEIN, V. ZAKHAROV

Production Designers
A.KUZNETSOV, K.KHODATAEV

Costume Designer
O. KRUCHININA

Music by Gavriil POPOV

Sound by M. BLYAKHINA
Conductor - G. DUGASHEV

Starring:

Vladimir ANDREYEV as Saltan
Larissa GOLUBKINA as Tsaritsa

Oleg VIDOV as Guidon
Xenia RYABINKINA as Tsarevna Swan

S. MARTINSON as Saltan's Mentor
O. VIKLAND as Mother Babarikha

V. IVLEVA as Weaver
N. BELYAYEVA as Cook

V. KOLPAKOV as Clerk
Yu. CHEKULAYEV as Bed Tender

V. NOSIK as Servant
G. SHPIGEL as Town Governor

Ye.MAIKHROVSKY as Jester

Three fair maids far into night
Sat and spun by candle light.

In a forest dense,

A maid went berrying.

Her fill she picked
But her way she lost.

She lost her way
And she called out loud:

Where are you, my love?

Where are you, my own?

My love, one and only...

Were our tsar to marry me,

I would cook and I would bake,
Oh, what royal feasts I'd make!

Were our tsar to marry me,

I would weave a cloth of gold
Fair and wondrous to behold.

Were our tsar to marry me,

I would give to him an heir,
Strong and brave beyond compare.

Greetings, O you maiden fair!

Let us wed,

And by September
I shall want a son, remember.

She to be Tsaritsa? Fie!
'Tis disgraceful, so say I!

- I shall stop this if I can.
- Do not look for trouble, man.

What the youngest maiden said
Made him feel uncommon glad.

As for you, fair sisters two,
Leave your home without ado;

Leave your home and follow me
And my bride that is to be.

Royal weaver you I'll make,
You as royal cook I'll take.

It little matters, so they say,
If you're wise and fair as May...

Fortune favors a boasting fool,
That has always been the rule.

- The idea sets my head spinning!
- I to do that silly's bidding!

No! We'll not do that fool's
bidding!

Tsar Saltan and his young bride

Now sit feasting side by side.

Tsar Saltan did not delay:

He was married straight away.

Now he sits there by the side
Of his beautiful young bride!

- He is feasting by the side...
- Of his bride!

See him sit there by the side
Of his newly wedded bride!

Fair youth and maiden

Met one another.

Fair youth and maiden

Bowed to each other.

Fair youth and maiden

Vowed troth to each other.

Fair youth and maiden

Live close to each other.

The wine is bitter! Make it sweet!

All our happy days have flown.

She will boss us on the throne.

Now the guests with solemn air
Lay the newly wedded pair

On an ivory bed, snow white,
Where they leave them for the night.

- So, the guests with solemn air...
- Laid the newly wedded pair...

- On an ivory bed, snow white...
- And they left them for the night!

-The cook is full of darkest gloom.
- The weaver's weeping at her loom.

Of her the sisters jealous are
Who, lucky one, has wed the tsar!

- Come, my baby, clap-clap-clap!
Where you been? - On Granny's lap.

- Tell me what you had to eat?
- Porridge.

- Tell me what you had to drink?
- Home-brew.

- I could eat the porridge all!
- But the spoon is far too small!

- Lovely homebrew, drink it up!
- I'm afraid I have no cup!

Come, my baby, clap-clap-clap!
Where you been? On Granny's lap.

Now that the tsar has found a wife,
He wants to rest from w*r'n'strife.

So that he and his young bride
May live untroubled side by side.

We must see what we can do

To separate those loving two.

Trusty sources say we may

Be attacked now any day.

Tsar, to guard your kingdom and
Keep invaders from our land,

Give your army marching orders,

Drive the foes from our borders.

And, Your Gracious Majesty,

Lead us all to victory!

Ere he rode forth for the strife,
Tsar Saltan embraced his wife,

Bidding her to take good care
Of herself and coming heir.

While he battled on the field,

Forcing all his foes to yield,

She gave birth unto an heir.

He's lusty, big and fair!

God has given us an heir!

He is growing, to our grief,

Fast as fast, nigh past belief.

He'll grow up, to ourjoy,
To be a wise and handsome boy.

- Like a mother eagle, she...
- Guards her infantjealously.

Send the Tsar a message swift,
Let him know of heaven's gift!

His son grows up, to ourjoy,

To be a wise and handsome boy.

Forth she sends a rider swift
With the news of heaven's gift.

But the evil sisters two,
And their cunning mother too

Plot her ruin, and no mistake:
Whom she sends they overtake.

We will send another one

With a message which will run...

Look! A rider, coming fast,

Bringing news to us at last!

Sire! Last night
Your queen gave birth...

Last night! The queen!

The queen! Gave birth!

So last night the queen
gave birth!..

Neither heir is it

Nor heiress...

Neither frog, nor mouse,

But is the queerest

Monster ever seen on earth.

Neither mouse!

Nor frog! The queerest

Monster ever seen on earth!

Hang him!

Neither frog nor mouse, the queerest
Monster ever seen on earth.

The queerest monster ever seen
upon the earth!

I had better stay my hand.

Thank God!

Send him back with this command:

''From all hasty steps refrain

Till the Tsar comes home again.''

Eight long days, and still my lord

Does not send a single word.

A rider from His Majesty!

We shall see what we shall see!

Once again the sisters two,
And their cunning mother too,

Put the rider to a drunken sleep
And steal the message from his keep.

And, before he can recover,
You replace it with this other.

A messenger from Tsar Saltan!

From the Tsar to his boyars,

To his wise and true boyars.

Hear, boyars, this my decree:

Lose no time, but instantly

Have the queen and have her spawn

Drowned in secret ere the dawn.

Have the queen and have her spawn
Drowned in secret ere the dawn.

Lose no time, but instantly.

Have the queen and have her spawn.

Drowned in secret ere the dawn.

We dare not to disobey, for we
Are servants of His Majesty.

So to our Tsaritsa fair
All of us will repair

To tell her of the cruel fate
That for her now lies in wait.

And, my friends, when this is done,

The Tsaritsa and her son
In a cask we'll put the which

Will be made secure with pitch.
This we'll cast into the sea,

According to the Tsar's decree.

Hear, boyars, this my decree:

Lose no time, but instantly

Have the queen and have her spawn

Drowned in secret ere the dawn.

Drowned in secret ere the dawn...

Whither now, boyars? We are
Only servants of the tsar.

We'll cast the cask into the sea,
According to the tsar's decree.

So, my Tsar, you have returned,

You for whom so long we've yearned.

You're back at last, O Tsar,

Heartless villain that you are!

What is this? Are you insane?
Has the devil turned your brain?

Did you not, my liege, decree

That your boyars instantly

Have the queen and have her spawn

Drowned in secret ere the dawn?

Drowned in secret ere the dawn?

Oh, you wanton waves so blue,
Free to come and go are you,

Dashing when and where you please,
Washing rocks away with ease!

You, who flood the mountains high,
You, who ships raise to the sky -

Hear my plea, O sea, and spare us,
Onto dry land safely bear us!

I believe the waves have done

As you bade them do, my son.
They have borne us onto shore,

And, receding, splash no more.

But from our cask who'll take us?
Surely God will not forsake us?

Let me see what I can do.

Here's a peep-hole now for you.

God be praised, we're free again.

- Look! A hill upon a plain.
- All around us is the sea.

On the hill I see a tree.

But, my son, some food and drink
Would not come amiss, I think.

I will go and try my luck.
If I can I'll sh**t a duck.

The waves are high, so I guess
Someone must be in distress.

You, Tsarevich, champion peerless,

My deliverer so fearless,

Grieve not, Sir, I beg and pray,
That you'll have to fast today.

I'll repay you before long.

Gracious me, it speaks our tongue!

'Tis no swan before your eyes
But a maiden in disguise..

'Twas a wizard, not a kite
That you slew, O noble knight.

I shall ne'er forget your deed:
I'll be with you in your need.

Now go back and take a rest -
All will turn out for the best.

Luck's against us, mother dear,
We will have to fast, I fear.

Tell me, for I long to know,
Why we're doomed to suffer so?

Someone must have slandered me

Or bewitched His Majesty.

Come, my son, awake, arise,
Cast the slumber from your eyes.

Look upon this wondrous sight:
A town has grown up in the night!

Things have only just begun -
My white swan is having fun.

Let us see, for so wills fate,
What's behind this wondrous gate.

With this crown
We decorate him.

As our prince
We coronate him.

Over this, his own domain,

Pray, Tsaritsa, let him reign

Henceforth on his royal throne...

- And be known as Prince...
- Guidon.

Guidon! Guidon!

Look upon our wonder rare.
Nothing with it can compare!

Watch the squirrel in yonder tree
Cracking nuts for all to see.

Nuts of emeralds and gold,
Very pretty to behold!

Sings the squirrel for all to hear...

In a garden of a morning
Walked a lovely maiden.

She was round of face and fair,
With a proud and dainty air.

And a brave and handsome lad
Walked beside her always.

By her side the handsome lad

Walked he did in silence.

Thank you, swan! May Heaven be
Kind to you and kind to me.

A merchant ship has put to port!

Bid the merchants, Prince, to court.

Feast them well
And have them tell

Whither they are bound
And what they sell.

- A singing squirrel we behold...
- That is cracking nuts of gold.

- Nuts of gold and gems so rare...
- As but few have seen, I swear.

People here have homes that are

Better than our best by far.

Golden nutshells can be seen
Strewn about the courtyard green.

- Coins are minted from each shell...
- And these coins'll serve us well.

And these coins will serve us well!

What have you for sale today?
Whither are you bound, say?

We have sailed the seven seas.

- Costly furs were our ware...
- Silver fox and sables rare.

Now our time is overstayed,
To the east our course is laid.

Past the Island of Buyan,
To the realm of Tsar Saltan.

May the fair winds favour you
As you sail the oceans blue

To the realm of Tsar Saltan.

And for Prince Guidon - for me
Greet His Gracious Majesty.

Greetings, my fair prince, but why

This dark frown and gloomy eye?

Tell me what is grieving you?

Grief is gnawing at my breast.

I have only one desire:

I should like to see my sire.

Is this the reason for your plight?

Listen, would you like to fly
And overtake that ship at sea?

Why, then, a mosquito be!

The Tsar is grieving far too long.

Well he knows that he did wrong.

Like empty dreams the past is fled.
It's time the Tsar again was wed.

Listen, witch, and do my bidding -

Nothing from your eye is hidden.

The name of him find out for me

Who wrote and sent this foul decree.

Gracious Tsar, do not delay!
To your palace hasten, pray.

Merchant ships from overseas
Have just arrived, Your Majesty!

Tell me now, my masters fair,
Did you venture far, and where?

Overseas, are all things well?
Of what wonders can you tell?

We have sailed the seven seas.

All is well where we have been.

And we saw a wondrous scene!

There's an island far away,
On it stands a city g*y,

Lofty churches golden-domed...

Gardens fair and stateIy homes.

Near the palace grows a fir.
In its shade, O royal sir,

In a house made of crystal
Lives a merry little squirrel.

Nuts it cracks, and songs it sings,
To the ground the shells it flings.

Now each shell is made of gold
And is lovely to behold.

- And each nut's an emerald rare.
- Something quite beyond compare.

Coins are cast from every shell,
Coins that serve the people well.

All have houses there that are
Better than our best by far.

Prince Guidon reigns there, and he

Sends his compliments to thee.

Long and weary is the way,

But if my health permits, I may
Come and visit him some day.

What is there to see out there?
Is a squirrel a sight so rare?

Or are emeralds and gold
Such a wonder to behold?

Though your story may be true,
It is neither strange nor new.

I know of a greater wonder:
There's a place where, like thunder,

Mighty waves are heard to roar,
As they sweep across the shore.

In their wake, for all to see

Thirty knights appear and three.

All are tall and all are fair,
All are brave beyond compare,

And, what's more, of face alike.
Did you ever hear the like?

Leading them upon that shore
Is their elder, Chernomor.

That's a wondrous sight, say I,
And the pleasure for the eye.

You cursed insect, just you wait!

- Catch it!
- Squash it with all your weight!

Greetings, Prince, but tell me why

Do you frown, my dear, and sigh?

There's a wonder, I confess,
That I'm longing to possess.

Tell me, Prince, what is this
wonder?

There's a place where,
Loud as thunder,

Mighty waves are heard to roar,
As they sweep across the shore.

In their wake, for all to see

Thirty knights appear and three.

Do not worry; this may be
Strange for you, but not for me.

For these stalwart knights, Guidon,
Are my brothers, every one.

Do not grieve, go home and wait.
You will meet them at your gate.

By Tsarevna Swan's request
And at her express behest,

We have come from out the sea
Your fair city's guards to be.

Henceforth, from the ocean blue
We will always come to you,

Every day our watch to stand
By your lofty walls so grand.

Now, however, we must go -
We're unused to land, you know.

But, I promise, we'll return.

What have you for sale today?
Whither are you bound now, say?

We have sailed the seven seas.

Selling horses, Prince Guidon,
Stallions from the steppes of Don.

Now we're overdue, you know,
And we still have far to go:

Past the Island of Buyan,
To the realm of Tsar Saltan.

May the winds, sirs, favour you
As you sail the oceans blue

To the realm of Tsar Saltan.

And from Prince Guidon, from me,
Greet his gracious Majesty.

Another ship from overseas
Has just arrived, Your Majesty.

Tell me now, my masters fair,
Did you venture far, and where?

Overseas, are all things well?
Of what wonders can you tell?

We have sailed the seven seas.
All is well where we have been.

Once we saw a wondrous scene:

On an island far away
Stands a city grand and g*y.

There, with dawn, comes a great
new wonder:

Like a mighty peal of thunder
Waves are heard to pound and roar,

As they sweep across the shore.
In their wake, for all to see,

Thirty knights appear and three.

All of face alike, and led,
Marching proudly at their head,

By their elder, Chernomor.

Watch they keep in peace and w*r

O'er that distant island fair.
'Tis a wondrous sight and rare.

Prince Guidon's their ruler; he
Sends his compliments to thee.

Long and weary is the way,

But, if my health permits, I may
Come and visit him some day.

What is this you're telling me?
Nothing strange in this I see.

Knights in armour shining bright
Are an ordinary sight.

Be that true, or but a lie -
What's so wondrous in it? Oh my!

Stranger things exit. There lives,

Far away beyond the seas,

A princess who is, they say,
Lovely as the light of day,

Dazzling as the midnight moon,
Radiant as the sun at noon.

In her hair a crescent beams,
On her brow a bright star gleams!

She is fair and sweet of face,
And is full of wondrous grace.

And her tender voice does seem
Like the music of a stream.

That's a wonder, now, for you.
And, dear sir, I swear 'tis true!

Help! For God's sake, help me, oh!

Hurry up and don't be slow!

Don't, I beg you, let it go!

Catch it! Hold it! k*ll it! Oh!

Wait, you nasty insect, stay!

- Wait!
- It's flown fast away!

Birch tree,

Birch tree,

Birch tree white!

Whither do you bend?

Whither do you bend?

Whither do you wend?

Thither do I bend,
Thither do I bend,

There my steps I wend

Where in marriage I am given

By my parents own.

Prince Guidon!

Guidon! Guidon!

O you handsome prince,
O you falcon bright.

O you handsome prince,
O you falcon bright.

O you falcon bright.

Still unwed are you,
And unloved are you.

Still unwed are you,
And unloved are you.

Still unwed are you.

And unloved are you.

Come and join us, prince,
Come and dance with us.

Come and join us, prince.
Come and dance with us.

Greetings, Prince.
Come, tell me why

Do you frown, my Prince,
and sigh?

Grief is gnawing at my breast.

I am lonely and I would
Wed today if so I could.

Who is she you wish to wed?

There's a fair princess,
they say,

Who will charm one's heart away.

She is dazzling as the moon,
Or the sun itself at noon.

In her hair a crescent gleams,
On her brow a bright star beams.

But perhaps 'tis all a lie?
Answer quickly or I'll die!

Prince, this maid is known to me.

But a wife's no glove, you see,
From your lily hand to cast ,

Or unto your belt make fast.

Please, believe me, I can swear
That it's time for me to marry.

For this princess so fair
I would any perils dare,

Sacrifice my very soul,
Barefoot, walk right to the Pole.

Why so far, Guidon?

Know, your future bride is here -
I am that princess, O my dear.

Now, my own, come quick with me,
Meet my mother - yours to be.

Mother darling!

I have chosen me a bride,
She will be yourjoy and pride.

Your consent we crave you said,
And your blessing for us to wed.

Bless us, mother, so that we
May live in love and harmony.

Heaven bless you both, my dears!

Gracious Tsar, do not delay!
To you palace hasten, pray.

- Foreign traders from the West!
- Bid them all to be our guests.

Tell me now, my masters fair,
Did you venture far, and where?

Overseas, are all things well?
Of what wonders can you tell?

We have sailed the seven seas.
All is well where we have been.

We did see a wondrous scene:

On an island far away
Stands a city, grand and g*y.

By a palace, 'neath a fir,
In a house of crystal, sir,

Lives a merry squirrel - never
Have I seen one like it, ever.

Just imagine - all day long
Cracking nuts, it sings a song!

Nuts, most wondrous to behold -

Shells of purest yellow gold,
And its kernels - emeralds bright.

There we saw another wonder:
Every morning with a thunder...

- Ocean waves with mighty roar...
- Sweep across a barren shore...

In their wake, for all to see,

Leaving thirty knights and three,

All in mail a-gleaming bright,
Marching proudly left and right.

As for his princess, O my sire,
Of her charms no man could tire.

She outshines the sun at noon
And the brightest midnight moon.

In her hair a crescent gleams,
On her brow a bright star beams.

- Prince Guidon reigns there in glory.
- He is famed in song and story.

And he sends you his respects.

Sends respects!

He bade us say he still expects

That you'll visit him some day,
And regrets your long delay.

I'll put off my call no more.
We'll set sailing with the dawn.

Have my royal fleet - my pride -
Ready for tomorrow's tide!

- But the isle is far away!
- Here with us, O Sire, stay!

Am I your Tsar or but a child?

I'm notjoking when I say
I will sail without delay!

Not a ripple stirs the sea,

It is still as still can be.

Look! A sail is now in view
On the far horizon blue.

Tsar Saltan is sailing fast
O'er the sea to me at last.

Mother dear, come hither, do!
You, my wife, my own, come too!

Look out yonder. Over there
Sails my father, I declare!

On his deck he proudly stands

With his spyglass in his hand.

- He's approaching very swiftly.
- Everybody's off to meet them!

Go, Guidon, down to the sea.

The Tsar to meet himself must he.

Lead your father here, but say
Not a word upon the way.

In a garden of a morning
Walked a lovely maiden...

Truly this princess is fair,

She is quite beyond compare!

O, my heart! I see my mate!
'Tis, I swear, the hand of fate!

I can hardly breathe for joy!

He is crying like a boy.

Look! The tsar has kissed his wife!

And his son!

And his son's wife!

Upon her head he's placed the crown.

What shall we do? We're done for,
now!

- Look, the feast has just begun.
- Never did I see such fun.

Did you see the cook and weaver,
Or their mother, that deceiver?

- I saw them in a corner there.
- I never saw them anywhere.

Tsar, they weep, and have admitted
All the crimes they have committed.

They are weeping, did you say?

Tsar, why spoil our joy today?
Let the witches go, I pray.

Since, my own, you want it so,
We will let the wretches go.