Enemy at the Gates (2001)

Jude Law: Vassili

Photos 

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Quotes 

• Vassili Zaitsev : On the train... coming here... we were in the same car.

  Tania Chernova : No...

  Vassili Zaitsev : I saw you. You were reading and you fell asleep. Oh, I didn't dare look at you, you were so beautiful. It was scary. Afterwards, I couldn't stop thinking about you. It made me smile. And then I thought of all the men who would get to hold you, who would make you laugh... how lucky they were. And now I'm the one lying next to you.

• Commisar Danilov : Do you know how to shoot?

  Vassili Zaitsev : A little.

• Vassili Zaitsev : Sad to have a dream you know won't happen.

• Vassili Zaitsev : All these men here know they're going to die. So, each night when they make it back, it's a bonus. So, every cup of tea, every cigarette is like a little celebration. You just have to accept that.

• Vassili Zaitsev : On this day, September 20th 1942, a young shepherd boy from the Urals arrived in the city of Stalingrad on the banks of the Volga. His name is Vassilij Zaitzev. Like thousands before him he came to answer comrade Stalin's call. Armed only with a rifle, he quickly made the fascist invader realise that from now on he would be punished for every step he took in the motherland, that from here on the only way was back.

• Vassili Zaitsev : He doesn't know you exist, but at that moment you're closer to him than anyone else on earth. You see his face through the sign. You see whether he shaved or not. You can see whether he's married if he's got a wedding ring. It's not like firing at a distant shape. It's not just a uniform. It's a man's face. Those faces don't go away. They come back and they get replaced by more faces.

• Vassili Zaitsev : He shot him on the run. It was an impossible shot.

  Commisar Danilov : Vassili...

  Vassili Zaitsev : You've promised people a victory I can't deliver. I don't stand a chance against this man.

• Vassili Zaitsev : In the forest, the wolf lives for three years and the donkey for nine.

  Tania Chernova : That must be a proverb from the Urals. It makes no sense to me.

  Vassili Zaitsev : The donkey lives longer because he's more useful.

  Tania Chernova : There aren't any donkeys in the forest. You made it up.

• Tania Chernova : I knew you weren't dead.

  Vassili Zaitsev : How?

  Tania Chernova : Because we've only just met. I prayed for the first time since I was a little girl. When I opened my eyes Sacha was standing there waiting to give me the good news. I think he loves you even more than I do.

• [seeing Sacha hung from a girder, Tania begins to run outside] 

  Vassili Zaitsev : Tania, no!

  Tania Chernova : No, get off me. Get off me!

  Vassili Zaitsev : It's what he wants. This is what he wants.

  Tania Chernova : Get off me! Let me go!

  Vassili Zaitsev : No! He'll kill you. He'll kill you and then I'll run after you and he'll kill me too. This is what he wants. I'll get him. I promise I'll get him. I'll get his rifle for you. I promise, Tania.

• Vassili Zaitsev : Ludmilla and Anton were killed today. And it was my fault.

  Commisar Danilov : No, I'm sure that's not true.

  Vassili Zaitsev : It was a German sniper. I walked them right into his trap.

  Commisar Danilov : What else can you tell me?

  Vassili Zaitsev : He didn't relocate. A sniper who doesn't relocate isn't normal. He was very good. It wasn't just his shooting, it was his instinct. He was a step ahead of me all the time.

  Commisar Danilov : That's because he knows everything about you. His name is Konig. Major Konig. They've sent them here to find you.

• Commisar Danilov : Where have you been? We've been looking all over for you.

  Vassili Zaitsev : Oh, did you hear? I was dead. At least, Noble Sniper Zeitsev, Vassili was dead.

• Vassili Zaitsev : Shouldn't we try and make the point that I'm not the only one fighting?

  Commisar Danilov : That's an excellent idea. We can take it even further though. Your battle for the production of coal is as worthy as mine. There's no 'k' in coal. Just one 'l'. Tell me if I'm going too fast.

  Vassili Zaitsev : No, you're not going too fast. Is there any other improvements?

  Mother Filipov : Why don't you get some rest? These letters can wait until tomorrow.

  Vassili Zaitsev : We should carry on. We're not tired. Thank you, Mrs. Filipov. These people took the trouble to write to us. Tomorrow we might not be around to write back.

• Vassili Zaitsev : [narrating]  Autumn, 1942. Europe lies crushed beneath the Nazi jackboot. The German Third Reich is at the height of its power. Hitler's Armies are charging through the heart of the Soviet Union towards the oil fields of Asia. One last obstacle remains, a city on the Volga, where the fate of the world is being decided - Stalingrad.

• Vassili Zaitsev : [Vassili sees his own picture while reading the Red Army newspaper as it is coming off the press]  That's me.

  [he reads the caption] 

  Vassili Zaitsev : "Vassili Zaitsev." That's me!

  Danilov : No, you're not dreaming! It's your name! We made the front page! They haven't changed a word! Do you have any idea what this means? It's not the back page. It's not the second page. It's the front page.

  Danilov , Vassili Zaitsev : [together]  The front page!

  Danilov : They're going to reprint our article everywhere, in the Caucasus, in the Crimea... even in the Urals!

  [he laughs] 

  Danilov : Tomorrow morning, Stalin himself will be sitting over breakfast, reading my words, memorizing your name. We're famous, Vassili. Khrushchev loved the article. He's promoted me to the General Staff... and you... to sniper division.

  Vassili Zaitsev : Well, that's good.

  Danilov : It's *very* good.

  Vassili Zaitsev : It's very good. It's great.

  Danilov : It's *very* great!

  Vassili Zaitsev : It's great!

  Danilov : It's great!

  Vassili Zaitsev : It's great!

  Danilov : For *both* of us, because we did it together.

  [Vassili laughs] 

  Danilov : Together. Although, admittedly, I did all the hard work.

  Vassili Zaitsev : Oh, yeah?

  [he pushes Danilov playfully, then chases him around some desks] 

  Danilov : You know, you're very lucky I can't fight back.

  Vassili Zaitsev : Why's that?

  Danilov : Because Khrushchev told me to make sure that nothing happens to you! You're too important!

  Vassili Zaitsev : I'm too valuable!

  [he keeps hitting Danilov playfully] 

  Danilov : Yes! Careful of my - careful of my glasses, please. They're new.

  Vassili Zaitsev : [Vassili gives Danilov a salute and a smile]  Sorry, sir.

  Danilov : [Danilov slaps Vassili playfully]  I'm sorr -

  [they start laughing and wrestling around] 

  Danilov : I'm famous!

  Vassili Zaitsev : *I'm* famous!

  Danilov : *We're* famous!

  Vassili Zaitsev : *I'm* famous!

  Danilov : We're famous!

  Vassili Zaitsev : We're famous!

• Reporters : Vassily!

  Nikita Khrushchev : [Smiling]  Come to my hand!

  [Hugging Vassily] 

  Reporters : Did you come to volunteer?

  Nikita Khrushchev : [to Vassily]  Put you cap back on you! You'll look more heroic!

  Reporters : Comrade Zaytsev!

  Nikita Khrushchev : I love this little fella!

  Reporters : Vassily! Was it true that you volunteered for the front?

  Reporters : Vassily! How old are you, Vassily?

  Reporters : You know what this true mean for our country?

  Reporters : Is it true that you killed the first wolf when you were 5?

  Reporters : Tell us how many fascists have you killed today!

  Nikita Khrushchev : It's a sign that the Germans are starting to shit their pants!

  Reporters : Tell us how are you going to deal with it!

  Vasilli : Eh, I...

  Nikita Khrushchev : Oh, enough! No...

  Reporters : One more question...

  Nikita Khrushchev : Take him to the Boss! He likes good hunting stories!

  [Starring at portrait of Stalin] 

  Nikita Khrushchev : Look at him with pride! 'Cause Stalin's looking at you. The whole country is looking at you!