Co-Sponsored by Saratoga Springs/Chekhov Sister City, Inc.
Based on the historical novel by Jay Parini, The Last Station stars Christopher Plummer as 19th-/20th-century Russian author Leo Tolstoy, focusing on the final years of the marriage between Tolstoy and his wife Sofya (Helen Mirren), a time that was more war than peace. Young and naive Valentin Bulgakov (James McAvoy), a "raw youth" (oh, wait, that was Dostoesvky), applies for the job of the great author's secretary. He is hired by Vladimir Chertkov (Paul Giamatti), a devoted acolyte of the writer and the head of his international movement.
Bulgakov is surprised to find that one of his job duties, as per Chertkov, is to spy on the Tolstoys. Chertkov is bitter enemies with Sofya, who wants the royalties from her husband's work to stay in the family, while Chertkov wants the copyrights deeded to humanity. Bulgakov finds himself thrown into middle of this struggle, as if thrown beneath the wheels of a train...
"The arrival of a movie with as much intelligence and artistry as The Last Station should also be accompanied by the sound of trumpets." --Rex Reed, New York Observer (Rated R for a scene of sexuality/nudity.)
At all three screenings of The Last Station, you will able to buy authentic Tula Cakes, a traditional Russian dessert from Tula, Russia ($3.00 each), sample Russian tea and Tula Cakes (for free), and bid on Russian posters. These Russian treats are being offered by the Saratoga Springs/Chekhov Sister City Committee. Please support this local project.