[Nina] What we're doing in Donetsk, it's important.
[Count] And what about living your own life?
You're still so young.
Head Waiter Rostov.
[Count] Do you know what never works
with women? Leaving them entirely ignorant
as to your affection for them.
Might I show you to your table?
You can show me anything you like.
[grunts]
[Anna] Minister of Culture!
So good to see you again, darling.
One good turn deserves another after all.
- Alexander Ilyich? - Nina?
My husband's in trouble. He's been arrested.
He's been sentenced to five years, corrective labor.
What I need is for someone to watch over Sofia
while I get myself settled.
I'll come back for her.
♪ dramatic music ♪
♪
♪ gentle piano music ♪
♪
[thumping]
[wind whistling]
[doors thumping]
Well, well.
I suppose we should think about getting you to bed.
All right. This way.
Head Waiter Rostov?
[elevator clanking]
♪ contemplative music ♪
♪
It's all right.
It's, it's not as steep as it looks.
♪
It's just along here.
Now... here we are.
Um...
just you rest there a moment,
and, uh...
we'll put you down here next to me.
♪
♪ lush orchestral music ♪
♪
[distant bell tolls]
[wind whistling outside]
[floorboards creaking]
[footfalls echo]
[Count grunts]
Oh.
Ow.
[grunting]
Oh.
Yes.
[grunts]
Good morning, Sofia.
[groans]
Shall we see about getting you some breakfast?
Don't you like it?
So tell me.
What is your dolly's name?
Dolly doesn't have a name.
What's that?
No name?
But, surely, your dolly should have a name.
- Why? - So that she can be addressed.
So that she can be invited for tea,
called to from across the room,
discussed in conversation when absent,
and included in one's prayers.
I shall call her Dolly.
Mama said you had a secret room.
Yes, this was her room, too.
♪ contemplative music ♪
♪
Is this for me?
Oh.
Well.
How hard could this be?
Ow.
Oh. Sorry.
Ow.
Uh...
Good day.
[elevator bell dings]
[Count] You can see the predicament I'm in.
No, I can see the predicament that Sofia is in.
Well... yes, quite.
[Marina] What on earth have you done with her hair?
[Count] I'm not up to the task.
I've done my very best.
If this is to become a regular occurrence,
you need to find someone else. I've enough on my own plate
- with work and my little one-- - I-I'll find someone else.
I just need a little time.
Sofia?
Marina will look after you till I get back.
Will you take care of Dolly?
Good girl.
- Thank you. - Head Waiter Rostov?
Manager Halecki would like a word.
Thank you.
But where on earth is the child sleeping?
In the attic with me.
I mean, it's not an ideal situation, I admit.
Institutions exist for parentless children.
Surely we should contact the relevant authorities.
She's not a parentless child.
Her mother is an old friend of mine.
She could belong to anyone.
This is most irregular, Manager Halecki.
All right. Just... pipe down a moment,
would you?
I take it this is a temporary situation?
Clearly. I'm unable to leave the hotel.
What sort of upbringing could someone like me provide?
The child can stay for a month.
Then, after that, we'll have to inform,
you know.
One month. Thank you.
But should her presence interfere with your duties...
we'll be forced to reconsider.
- [door closes] - Might I remind you,
Leplevsky, that you are still deputy manager.
Of course.
- [door closes] - [exhales]
[Emile] Nina's in Sevvostlag?
Her husband got into some sort of trouble.
I'm sure they'll straighten it out.
Well.
Uh, I wish I could give you this evening off,
but the restaurant's fully booked,
including some of our...
most esteemed Party members.
"Esteemed"?
- Mm. - Last time those two
were in at the same time, it ended in a brawl.
So...
they'll have to be seated
well apart from each other and receive
- identical levels of service. - [chuckles]
- Can I leave it with you? - Yes, of course.
Good.
[Anna] 1 p.m. Let yourself in,
I'll be waiting.
Great Scott!
[exhales]
[music playing faintly]
[Teddy Wilson's "Ain't Misbehavin'" playing]
Hello?
[water splashing softly]
My profound apologies.
There has been a...
a series
of unfortunate events
entirely out of my control.
But I assure you,
I will make it worth the wait.
Room for a small one.
[shrieks, panting]
[gasps]
[grunts]
[gasps]
- [spitting] - [shushing]
Olga?
The damn things have laddered again.
[sighs]
Olga?
[song ends]
Good afternoon.
I fear I might be a-a little late.
[chuckles softly]
Put some clothes on, Alexander.
- [Olga] Do us all a favor! - [water splashing]
Nothing that just occurred was funny.
Oh, I beg to differ.
I had hoped that we would be...
[quietly] taking clothes off
rather than putting them back on again.
You're not alone in that.
But I have rehearsals this afternoon, followed by dinner.
Oh.
Who is the lucky gentleman?
A director.
Boris Milanovich.
I'm to be his leading lady.
Onscreen or off?
Let's not overcomplicate things, Alexander.
[door opens]
Olga,
have you recovered from that ordeal?
So much promise, so little offered.
I'm sure it's the greatest thrill she's had in years!
You don't know the half of it.
I'll be waiting downstairs.
Who was the girl?
Sofia.
Nina Kulikova's daughter.
- Nina? - Yes.
It's been years since you've heard from her.
She came to the hotel last night.
I could barely recognize her.
Her husband's in some sort of trouble.
She's asked me to look after Sofia for a little while.
You must learn to brush her hair.
You start at the very ends,
- work your way up. - Actually,
I wanted to ask you a favor.
No. Absolutely not.
Don't imagine for one second that I'm going to be coerced
into some kind of family arrangement.
No, I-I had...
hoped I might borrow a suitcase.
- Oh. - Two, if possible.
[exhales]
- Yes. Over there. - Oh. Thank you.
I'll need them back.
I'm leaving tomorrow for a few weeks.
Give it a moment before you leave.
Yes.
[door closes]
♪ whimsical music ♪
♪
[gulps, smacks lips]
♪ rapid, tense music ♪
♪
[door creaking]
[grunts]
[door creaking]
[fire crackling softly]
There.
What do you say about that?
Is Mama back soon?
It'll be a little while yet.
Get some sleep.
Oh.
Good night, Sofia.
[grunts]
[groans]
[exhales]
[sighs]
Are you awake?
Well, I am now.
I left Dolly in Marina's room.
♪ gentle music ♪
♪
[grunting]
[sighs]
♪
[grunting softly]
♪ intriguing music ♪
♪
[breathing heavily]
♪
- [spits] - Mm.
Oh. All right.
Oh.
Right.
Now,
Sofia, we're going to play a game.
The rules are very simple.
You have to stay as still
and as quiet as possible.
Can you do that?
Very good.
Your clock's broken.
Yes, it certainly seems like it.
It didn't chime.
No, it's a twice-tolling clock.
It chimes only at midday
and, uh, midnight.
Why?
Because it was designed that way.
Why?
Well, that's a tale for another time. Sofia,
I really have to finish this book for an appointment
with a very important man this evening.
[sniffles]
Oh. So-Sofia.
I'm sorry.
I didn't mean to upset you.
[stammers]
How 'bout a story?
Would you like that?
Yes? Um...
Oh, yes.
All right.
Here. Now...
"Happy families...
are all alike;
every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way."
[grunts softly]
Yes, perhaps Anna Karenina is...
not really what we need right now.
Um...
Would you like to play a game?
Not the "sitting still quietly" one.
No, not that game.
This thimble is a very special thimble.
It belonged to my grandmother,
and it likes to get itself lost so that it can be found again.
Now, you'll go into the bedroom and count to 200.
I will remain
and hide the thimble within the boundaries of the study.
You can count to 200, can't you?
No.
But I know how to count to 100 twice.
Well done.
Right.
♪ whimsical music ♪
One, two, three, four, five,
six, seven...
♪
...97, 98,
99, 100.
[inhales]
One, two...
♪
...98, 99,
100!
Coming! Ready or not!
Take your time.
No rush.
- Found it. - What?
Oh.
Again?
It's your turn.
What's that?
It's your turn to look
and my turn to hide.
[stammers] No.
S-Sofia,
now, you see, I do the hiding
and you do the looking.
If you always did the hiding and I always did the looking,
then it wouldn't be a proper game.
Well, it-it--
It would be you sitting and me playing.
[sighs]
[exhaling sharply]
All right. All right.
[chuckles softly]
Alexander, you won't peek?
Peek?
I'll have you know I am a Rostov.
I am offended at the very question.
Peek, indeed.
- What's a Rostov? - Me.
I am.
I'm a Rostov.
Alexander Ilyich Rostov.
No peeking.
One, two, three,
four, five, six,
seven,
eight, nine, ten,
11, 12...
♪
...177...
[chair scraping]
...178,
179...
Coming!
Ready or not!
Ah.
Now...
...where could it be?
I wonder.
Am I getting warmer?
Warmer? Warmer?
Hmm?
♪ tense, playful music ♪
♪
Give up?
Absolutely not.
Aha!
Very clever. Up you get.
Well done.
Are you giving up?
I concede.
Is that the same as giving up?
It is the same as giving up.
Then you should say so.
I... give up.
But that's not fair!
But you said I could hide it in the room.
When I hid it,
your jacket was in the room.
The chair-- why did you move it?
So you would look.
Well done, Sofia.
Well played.
[chuckles]
All right.
Now...
[grunts]
Again?
Why not?
- [clock chiming] - Ah.
You see?
I told you it wasn't broken.
The moving of the chair was pure dissemblance.
The sleight of hand was remarkable.
I couldn't have done it better myself.
[chuckles] You sound like a doting father.
First it will be Czechoslovakia.
Then it will be Poland.
Let the Nazis come and try that here.
I admit to a sense of pride, although I can claim
no credit for her chicanery.
We will drive them back into the North Sea.
- Exactly. - [Andrey] Yasha and Ilya,
this is a kitchen, not a gossip house.
Back to work. Now!
War. War.
It's all they talk about. And yet they have no idea
what it really means.
Until you've lived through one, how could you?
Good luck.
Yes.
Don't forget your book.
Oh.
Thank you.
[Osip chewing loudly]
It's a very long book.
Yes. Well, don't be too hard on yourself.
Many people don't make it through to the end.
I read all of it.
Well, excellent. Uh, good for you.
The first volume
on the Americans' political system was slow going.
Yes, the first chapter is detailed to a fault.
But the second volume, on their society
is interesting.
I am sure you're not alone in thinking so.
"The love of well-being
is now the predominant taste of the nation."
Indeed.
What should we make of the assertion
that democracy is particularly suited to industry?
Well, that... Yes, that's a very good place to-to dig in.
What did you make of that?
I asked you.
Yes, but as your tutor,
it would be remiss of me to skew your impressions
before you have a chance to formulate them.
Have you actually read the book?
I have read 87 pages of it.
Circumstances intervened.
Unexpected circumstances.
The young girl who's staying with you.
Yes, the daughter of a friend.
Nina Kulikova?
It's an unfortunate situation.
She followed her husband to Siberia.
That was a mistake.
Young girls get scared
when their mothers leave them.
You should go.
♪ quiet, pensive music ♪
Oh. Thank you.
Alexander?
We'll cover it next time,
and I expect you to have read it.
[door opens]
Sorry I'm late.
Sofia.
Shouldn't you be asleep?
[Marina] She wanted to wait up for you.
Insisted upon it, in fact.
Well, thank you, Marina. I've spoken to the chambermaids,
and Natasha is going to look after Sofia
when I need to work.
Good night, Sofia.
Good night, Aunty Marina.
- [door opens] - Aunty Marina?
- [door closes] - You two have made friends.
Will the clock ring at midnight?
Yes, it will.
Would you like to know more about it?
My father commissioned it from Breguet's,
the finest clockmaker in Paris.
He used to say a man should not
attend too closely to the clock
but should be diligent and industrious in the morning.
And then, when the clock strikes 12,
he should have achieved
everything he needs to for the day.
And what about the rest of the day?
- [clock chimes] - Ah.
Well, it should be spent in wise liberty,
reading and what have you.
And the second chime?
Ah, well,
most definitely a remonstrance, a telling off,
because anyone who hears it
should already be in bed.
Good night, Uncle Alexander.
Oh.
Good night, Sofia.
Sleep well.
[breathing deeply]
[grunting softly]
You want to join in?
Come on then.
You go down...
[breathing deeply]
♪ quiet, gentle music ♪
♪
Good lord.
[breathing heavily]
♪
...and who should see
the blind Princess Golitsyn?
The blacksmith's son.
The very same.
And remembering the princess's kindness
all those years before,
he took her back to his home,
and they lived out the rest of their lives together.
I like happy endings.
So do I.
[light piano music playing]
I wish we could go outside.
It feels a long time since Mama went away.
When your mother was a young girl,
she had the run of this hotel.
No one
and nothing could stop her from going
where she wanted to go.
She will come back?
Of course she will.
[Olga] Absolute piffle.
Miss Urbanova will have her suite.
[Bishop] Of course, technically,
and I'm sure you realize this, the room is not,
in fact, Comrade Urbanova's.
It was booked in her name.
Well, the booking had to be changed.
We have many other suites which I'm sure--
[Olga] Well, I suggest that you move the guest
that you have in Suite 317
into one of those other rooms.
Everyone loves Anna Urbanova,
especially our Comrades in the politburo.
I might suggest they love Mila Federova
a little more.
Certainly true of General Secretary Stalin.
He's just made her Honorable First Actress
of the Russian Federation.
Vasily, will you speak to this... man?
[Bishop] The second floor suites
really are lovely.
What's happened to my room?
Room 317 has been reallocated.
See the luggage to my room.
I must congratulate Stalin's new darling.
Mila!
Thank you.
[elevator bell dings]
Come with me.
[clears throat]
Floor two, please. Quick. Quickly.
Good afternoon.
Good afternoon, dear.
I noticed you arrived at the hotel with Anna Urbanova.
I wonder if she's terribly busy this afternoon?
Comrade Urbanova is always busy.
When was the last time you gave this poor girl a hair wash?
I only have a simple wash basin in my room.
[sighs]
Come with me, dear.
I've seen all of your films.
My mama used to take me when I was a little girl.
How sweet.
Honestly, I've been worrying myself sick
about what you'd say.
I just hope I live up to your expectations.
So often, our heroes can be
a dreadful disappointment in the flesh.
But that's not what you meant.
You took my part.
It was offered to me.
I didn't know you'd been promised anything.
Good for you.
You could play Mathilde.
The-the mother? Your mother?
You'd be amazing in it,
and it would be such an honor to work with you.
How old are you?
Oh, God.
How old do you think I am?
No. Don't, don't... don't answer that.
Good luck, dear.
[Olga singing in Russian]
[continues singing]
[Count] I'd be lying if I didn't say that
I've rather enjoyed having the company.
Has there been any word from Nina?
Mm. Nothing.
I thought perhaps one of your friends in the party
might be able to help.
- Friends are fickle. - Hmm.
Sofia asked who would look after her
if her mama didn't come back.
What did you say?
Well, there's nothing I could say.
How do you begin to talk to a child about such a thing?
Well, you might have to.
No, Nina will come back. You don't know her like I do.
And if she doesn't?
Well, I doubt she would want Sofia
staying with me forever.
Why not?
Well, it's not right, a small girl,
living in an attic with somebody
confined to living in a hotel.
She needs someone who can
take her to school, show her the world.
- Don't say it... - At this juncture of her life,
what she really needs is a mother.
Well, apparently that's all I'm good for now.
[lighter clatters]
- What? - I credited you
with more imagination than that,
but, clearly, I was completely wrong.
Why, I seem to have hit a nerve.
[sighs] No. No, nothing so important.
Just that child Mila has stolen my role.
Oh.
I am sorry.
And that's not what I was asking of you.
But if Sofia is to stay with me, well, any longer,
she'll need someone who can take her outside.
What she needs is love.
Children wither on the vine without it.
I was supposed to look after my sister.
I failed her miserably.
You're still the best that little girl's got.
Well, on my own, I'm not enough.
- [door opens] - [Olga] There we are.
Fresh and clean.
♪ slow, dramatic music ♪
Write.
To me.
Every month.
Look after Mama for me.
Don't do anything stupid, hmm?
And don't forget who you are or where you came from.
I never could.
Goodbye, Papa.
♪
You're going to have to let me go.
♪
[playing Chopin's Nocturne Op. 9, No. 2]
[Count] It might be hard to believe,
but this piazza was once the heart of Moscow society.
The finest Russian families dined here,
princes and princesses rubbed shoulders with...
Sofia?
This was playing when Mama left.
Then we shall go back to our room.
Alexander Rostov?
[Count] Sofia's mother may walk in the door any day now.
[Bishop] Or she might never be heard from again.
What will that mean?
The girl is supposed to live in a hotel attic with a criminal?
It won't come to that,
and my criminal days are long behind me.
[scoffs] It's who you are.
You're asking a great deal of me, Alexander.
You said yourself, it's... it's no place for a child here.
- I did. - And in this very room,
you said that you weren't able to look after her indefinitely.
It's been more than a month.
- My opinion has changed. - I'm afraid the decision
has already been made.
I took it upon myself to contact the relevant authorities.
The girl will be picked up this evening.
I never asked you to do that.
To take her where?
To an institution where she'll be
looked after until her mother returns for her.
An orphanage?
Stalin cares for all Russia's children.
Wouldn't you agree, Manager Halecki?
Um...
If you were the child's family,
it would, of course, be a different matter,
but, um...
as it is,
I'm afraid I have no choice.
The girl must go.
♪ ominous, somber music ♪
♪
Shall I put Dolly to bed?
Sofia, there's something we have to discuss.
The people from the hotel...
...think you might be better off staying somewhere else,
where there are lots of children to play with.
♪ slow, dramatic music ♪
Will you be there, too?
Well, the thing about this place is
only children are allowed to live there.
If it's a place for children, then who is in charge?
Well there'll be some grown-ups looking after you.
Maybe even ones who know how to comb your hair.
But I want to be with you.
And you're good at hair now.
You'll get to play with all these other children, and...
And then your mama will come
and take you to your papa.
You'll go on the long train.
♪
It's hard for you to understand, but I...
...I'm not the best person to look after you.
I can't provide all the things you'll need.
Clothes, an education.
You see...
this room is all I have,
and it's no place for a little girl.
I-I'm not... [stammers]
It's not a good place.
And...
I'm not sure
that I'm a good person for you.
♪
Don't you love me?
I do. Of course I love you.
Then why can't I stay?
I want to stay with you.
I know it's a lot to ask,
and I would never think badly of you
for saying no.
♪ somber, dramatic music ♪
♪
[elevator bell dings]
Two dry martinis.
Good evening.
Evening.
I spoke to Boris.
I told him that I wasn't right for the part.
Now, why on earth
would you say a thing like that? You're perfect for it.
I felt bad.
You felt? Oh, darling,
if you're gonna last one day in this industry,
you leave your feelings at the door.
Thank you, Audrius.
Thank you.
To your success.
It's water.
Mila, this is Audrius.
- He's going to be your friend. - Pleased to meet you.
You will need an Audrius
in every hotel bar you go to with these men,
whose jokes you'll be forced to laugh at
for the next ten years of your life.
They will want to take more than you would like to give.
You have to walk a tightrope.
Give them just enough encouragement
to believe they have a shot, but not so much
they feel aggrieved when they miss the mark.
Stay in control.
How?
Whenever I order a drink
with two fingers up in the air like this,
no matter what I've ordered,
- Audrius here... - Serves water.
That way, while they're
deep in their cups,
and struggling to keep their balance...
I can walk the tightrope.
Well, run along now.
They're waiting for you.
That was kind of you.
I'm softening in my old age.
You're not that old.
And there are other films,
and other directors.
No. No, I don't believe there are.
I've served my time, I've made my money, and...
I'm done playing those parts.
♪ quiet, dramatic music ♪
♪
[laughs]
I never realized what a relief it would be to say that.
What will you do?
I've always loved the theater,
and Chekhov is a far better writer
than the Ministry for Propaganda.
It's been fun.
It has.
Thank you, Anna.
You've been good to me over the years,
and I will always be grateful for your discretion.
No one will ever hear of your business from me.
I'm forever in your debt.
♪ quiet, dramatic music ♪
It's a relief you say that, because there is one favor
I need to ask of you.
Are you all right?
Surprisingly so.
[elevator bell dings]
♪
There she is.
And I don't want any fuss. Let's make it swift.
Come on, Sofia.
It's all right.
[Olga] You can't have been much older
when I found you.
♪
Not a day goes by when I'm not eternally grateful for it.
[Bishop] Madam Stravinsky will take care of her now.
Where are the child's things?
My niece will be staying here with me.
Your niece?
She isn't his niece. He's just saying that.
Mr. Halecki?
You did say if she were family it would be possible
for her to stay.
Uncle Alexander, I'm tired.
I've other children I need to pick up.
Is the child coming with me or not?
You are the manager of this hotel.
I believe the decision is yours
as to who stays within its walls.
May I take her back to my room?
♪
Of course.
My apologies, Comrade Stravinsky.
It appears you've been invited here in error.
This is absurd.
[Count] Come on, Sofia.
People will find out what happened here today.
You can do whatever you like.
I don't care.
♪
All right, let's get you off to bed.
- Will you tuck me in? - Of course.
There we are.
[Sofia] Uncle Alexander?
[Count] Hmm?
Will Mama come tomorrow?
I don't know.
Will she ever come?
I don't know.
But until she does,
you'll stay here with me.
And I'll look after you for as long as it takes.
Even forever?
Even forever.
♪ quiet, uplifting music ♪
Now, get some sleep.
Good night.
[narrator] The weeks went by without word.
Weeks turned into months.
But my mother never came back for me.
[wind whistling]
Years later, I tried to discover what happened to her,
but there was no record.
Perhaps it was lost in the chaos that followed.
She was my whole life.
And then she was suddenly gone.
I never found out exactly what happened.
She simply disappeared into
the vastness of the Russian East.
♪ slow, dramatic music ♪
♪
♪ somber piano music ♪
♪