The Beginning (1970 film)

The Beginning (Russian: Nachalo) is a 1970 Soviet romantic drama film about a factory worker and a small-time actress whose life is transformed, first by falling in love with the married Arkady and then by being offered the lead in a movie about Joan of Arc.
 * Directed by Gleb Panfilov. Written by Gleb Panfilov and Yevgeni Gabrilovich.

Dialogue

 * Pasha. What do we do?
 * Movie director. Casting.
 * Pasha. Well, is it worth worrying, I already agree, without casting.


 * Pasha. I will play many roles. All the most difficult ones. I want Mary Stuart.
 * Katya. And who is she?
 * Pasha. The queen. They cut off her head.
 * Katya. How?! At all?
 * Pasha. At all.
 * Valentina. For what?
 * Pasha. For a beloved man.


 * Jeanne. What is their fault?
 * Sergeant. Deserters.
 * Jeanne. Where is your weapons?
 * 1st deserter. There.
 * Jeanne. And your?
 * 2nd deserter. I don't know…
 * Jeanne. Why? Answer.
 * 1st deserter. It was scary, that's why!
 * 2nd deserter. Jeanne, forgive me, I won't be like that... Forgive me, Jeanne!
 * Jeanne. Hang traitors up.
 * Sergeant. Both?
 * Jeanne. Both.
 * D'Olonne. Time to go, Jeanne. What happened to you?
 * Jeanne. (through tears) I'm scared...
 * D'Olonne. Time to go, Jeanne.
 * Jeanne. (firmly) A horse.
 * D'Olonne. A horse!
 * Jeanne. (mounted) Everyone who believes me, follow me.


 * Cauchon. So you're justifying a human? Do you think it is one of the greatest Divine miracles?
 * Jeanne. Yes.
 * Cauchon. You are blaspheming, Jeanne. Man is filth, meanness and obscene conduct.
 * Jeanne. Yes, sir. He sins. He gets sometime vile. And then, it is not known why, he throws himself across a rushing horse in order to save a child unknown to him, and dies with broken bones — calmly.
 * Cauchon. He dies like a beast, in sin.
 * Jeanne. No, sir. He dies shining, pure, and God is waiting for him smiling.

Cast

 * Inna Churikova - Pasha Stroganova / Joan of Arc
 * Leonid Kuravlyov - Arkady, beloved of Pasha
 * Valentina Telichkina - Valya, a friend of Pasha
 * Tatiana Stepanova - Katya, a friend of Pasha
 * Mikhail Kononov - Pavlik, neighbor of Pasha
 * Nina Skomorokhova - Zina, wife of Arkady
 * Tatiana Bedova - Toma, bride of Pavlik
 * Yuri Klepikov - Fedor Vasilyevich Ignatiev, film director
 * Gennady Beglov - Vitaly Alekseevich Odinokov, the second director
 * Yuri Vizbor - Stepan Ivanovich, writer
 * Vyacheslav Vasilyev - Stepan Vitalievich, assistant director
 * Yevgeni Lebedev - Pierre Cauchon (voiced by Yefim Kopelyan)