"Maximilian the Stylite" by Ivan Okhlobystin, summary Automatic translate

The heroic comedy "Maximilian the Stylite" was created by Ivan Okhlobystin in 1996. The storyline intertwines the grotesque everyday life of the 1990s with the protagonist’s philosophical reflections on the meaning of his own existence. The author places an extraordinary character in absurd, presented circumstances.

The play’s text gained widespread public recognition and was adapted for the screen. In 1999, director Roman Kachanov made a feature film based on the work, "Maximilian," which fully captured the author’s intended satire. The film’s protagonist acquired new facets while retaining the original mystical message.

Consultations and hostage taking

The events unfold in the village of Medvezh’ye Ozera near Moscow. One night, Nikolai Kutergin, a candidate for parliament, visits local genius Maximilian Arbuzov. The guest hopes to receive some unconventional political advice, but first he’s forced to give the host money for beer. Kutergin is left waiting alone. Soon, a drunk Maximilian appears. The host is being dragged along by his tired neighbors, Grandpa Yegor and Grandma Anfisa.

Then the enraged collective farm chairman, Stepan Sukharev, bursts in. The chairman accuses the owner of the house of setting fire to the barn. Maximilian counters: the squalid structure blocked the horizon. Waking up in the morning, the genius gives Kutergin a cynical campaign plan. The candidate is advised to secure the church’s approval, promise the creation of a free economic zone, and stage shots at his own door to boost his electoral ratings. Kutergin is astonished by the effectiveness of these ideas. Remarkably, Maximilian confuses his guest’s name, calling Nikolai Ippolit.

Later, the routine is interrupted by a visit from a famous pop star. The popular singer brings working equipment to perform a single song for the host. The performance goes flawlessly. After the musician leaves, Maximilian boasts to Kutergin of his own talents, recites poetry, and admits to having authored a huge number of books. These works were published under five different pseudonyms.

An armed terrorist, Alik Gaziyev, bursts into the house with two machine gunners. The hostage-taker demands the authorities release the detained convoy in Obninsk. A striking detail is revealed: Alik is Maximilian’s best friend from the army. The men once served together in distant Angola. They were in love with the same woman, whom Maximilian eventually married.

The terrorist forces the prisoners to stand against the wall. A terrified Kutergin asks to use the restroom on the second floor, where he smashes a priceless Chinese Ming Dynasty vase. Alik challenges Maximilian to a deadly test of courage: they take turns standing under sniper fire at the window. During his attempt, Gaziyev takes a precise bullet to the heart. Devastated by the death of his comrade, Maximilian and Kutergin go to the cordon and surrender.

Stylite in the square

The second act transports the viewer to the village’s central square. Maximilian stands on the roof of a stone transformer box. He folds his arms, remains silent, and looks up at the sky. Grandma Anfisa and Grandpa Yegor sit nearby, awaiting divine miracles. Grandma slaps the old man. Kutergin acts as a bustling administrator with a walkie-talkie, ushering in various visitors to the newly minted stylite.

First, a respectable businessman named Faperny appears at the booth. The visitor offers Swiss francs for publicly declaring his political rival the Antichrist. Maximilian reacts negatively and orders Kutergin to kick the insolent interlocutor out. Then a group of Lyubertsy Shaivites arrives with drums. The young men learned from the St. Petersburg center that Maximilian has been appointed the incarnation of the god Shiva. The musicians begin chanting mantras. Grandma Anfisa joins in the exotic singing, singing ditties about a pilot and a dead man.

Temptations and prayers

Maximilian’s legal wife, Lena, arrives to visit the frozen stylite. She complains about difficult work problems and tries to bring her husband back to reality. Lena plays out an explicit erotic fantasy in front of him, tempting him with racy memories. Maximilian struggles with great difficulty to resist physical temptation, begs her to stop the lovemaking, but still eats the salmon sandwich she brought him. Realizing her husband’s intransigence, Lena leaves, leaving him alone with the silent sky.

Two frail young men, reminiscent of timid students, appear next. The visitors monotonously preach Christian ideas. Maximilian quickly exposes the preachers, accusing the guests of commercialism and a hidden desire to profit from religion. A real spiritual turning point occurs with the arrival of Chairman Sukharev. Stepan falls to his knees in despair and sobs. The man begs for prayers for the life of his twelve-year-old daughter, who is about to undergo a complex heart operation with a slim chance of survival. Shocked by the grief of others, Maximilian promises to try.

Ascension and Ordinariness

Left alone, the hero turns to God. The Stylite confesses, analyzes his own pride and frightening obsessive thoughts. Maximilian seriously fears a possible direct relationship with the Antichrist, but suddenly realizes the saving truth. He understands his true earthly essence. The hero recognizes himself as an ordinary Russian man, wanting to write new books, raise his own children, and live a quiet, normal life.

Late at night, a happy Sukharev runs to the stone booth. The chairman reports the girl’s operation was successful and calls Maximilian a true saint. Offering a silent thanksgiving to the Almighty, the hero jumps to the ground. He plucks flowers from the flowerbed and disappears into the darkness. Kutergin, awakened by gunfire, sees the empty roof. The astonished candidate believes in the true ascension of his teacher.

In a sudden fit of remorse, Kutergin curses his wealth and scatters his paper money. The candidate climbs onto the booth and mystically ascends to heaven, illuminated by a bright blue glow to the sounds of heavenly music. The third act depicts a short epilogue on the landing of an ordinary multi-story building. Maximilian, carrying a bouquet of flowers, rings the doorbell. Lena, who opens the door, hears her husband announce his return forever. The genius admits he’s had enough of playing at his higher calling, and now it’s time for the sacred ordinariness. The lovers kiss.