(2005, b/w and color; Russian) Adapted faithfully from Mikhail A. Bulgakov's fantastical/ philosophical/satirical novel, director Vladimir Bortko's epic, masterfully crafted and cast, magical film of 450 minutes (remarkable, affective score and special effects), takes place in Moscow during the 1930s, shifting back and forth from mundane scenes in black-and-white to those of fiction/phantasmagoria in color. (An unfortunate disadvantage of not understanding Russian, with the film's heavy reliance on dialogue, is the rapid changes and out-of-sync subtitles when more than one character speaks at a time.)

Part One. On a park bench at Patriarch's Ponds (in black-and-white) as Mikhail Alexandrovich Berlioz (Aleksandr Adabashyan), secretary of the writers' union, is giving instructions to the poet Ivan Bezdomny (Vladislav Galkin) for a poem that will deny the existence of Jesus Christ, they are interrupted by a foreign stranger, who introduces himself as Professor Woland (Oleg Basilashvili), an expert in black magic, before questioning their unbelief by arguing that for proof of God's existence one need not consult Immanuel Kant (with whom he'd had breakfast), only consider who rules the universe. Certainly not man, who lacks both the ability to plan much beyond his brief mortal span as well as apprehension of the future. He then foretells Berlioz's death: "You will be decapitated!"

Woland then launches into a story (color photography follows) of the Roman procurator (Kirill Lavrov) Pontius Pilate's interrogation of Yeshua Ha-Notsri (Sergey Bezrukov), who instructs his rat-killer centurion to teach with a whip the Jewish philosopher (who refers to everyone as "kind people") the proper manner of addressing him as Hegemon. Attributing some of the misinformation in the charges against himself to confusion among his followers, Yeshua specifically mentions a scribe - a tax collector, Levy Matvey - who has been like a persistent Boswell, except that "Decidedly none of the things written were said by me."

After an attempt at assuring Hegemon that he had no intention of inciting a demonstration, only telling the crowd that the old temple of religion would be replaced by a new temple, Yeshua's tone changes to one of authority as he demonstrates his ability to read the procurator's thoughts and cures his headache. As Pilate is about to dismiss the charges, another more serious charge is brought to his attention of Yeshua's having insulted the Caesar in the presence of Judah of Kiriaf. A greater Kingdom of Truth and Justice will supplant the Roman Empire, asserts Yeshua, for which offense Pilate affirms the death sentence.

The Gospels of the Bible are fiction, Woland summarizes, but this narrative of events is accurate, as he can attest from having been personally present; also, he announces, the Devil exists.

Part Two. An accident happens, involving Berlioz beneath a tram. Suspecting the professor of being a spy, Ivan makes an effort to detain the elderly gentleman, but he easily escapes, accompanied by two accomplices - a tall man with a cracked pince-nez, wearing checkered clothing, and a large black cat walking upright on its hind legs - as Ivan makes hot but futile pursuit.

After entering a restaurant where scores of members of the writers' union and their guests are dining convivially - including an inebriated Stepan Bogdanovich Likhodeyev (Aleksandr Pankrotov-Chyomy), director of the Variety Theatre, who is telling a woman about the mysterious disappearances of people from his apartment - Ivan in his underwear (having removed his clothes to swim across the river) and a religious icon on his chest, while grasping a candle, raving like an insane maniac, is forcibly removed to a hospital, suspected of being an alcoholic schizophrenic.

Another scene (in color) has Pontius Pilate conferring with the high priest Kaifa of the Sanhedrin regarding the traditional pardon and release of a criminal for the holiday religious observance; the priest prefers Bar Rabban rather than Ha-Notsri, though the Roman procurator argues unsuccessfully for the latter.

Woland pays a visit to Stepan as he wakes, producing a signed contract for upcoming performances at the theatre, before "hypnotizing" the director to Yalta and then with his entourage occupying Likhodeyev's rooms.

Part Three. In a hospital room with bars on the windows, Ivan frantically tells Dr Stravinsky and other physicians of a supernatural foreign consultant, a contemporary of Pontius Pilate, who foretold in detail the death of Berlioz, insisting on his being freed to report this nefarious rascal to the police.

Meanwhile, in Likhodeyev's apartment, number 50, Koroviev aka Bassoon (Aleksandr Abdulov), Woland's translator and assistant with a cracked pince-nez, arranges for the bothersome chairman of the cooperative, comrade Nikanor Ivanovich Bosoy (Valeriy Zolotukhin), to be arrested on charges of accepting foreign currency - documents appearing and disappearing, done in by demons.

In the offices of the Variety Theatre, Director Rimsky (Ilya Oleynikov) and his assistant Ivan Varenukha (Andrei Sharkov) receive telegrams purportedly from Likhodeyev in Yalta, requesting funds for transport back to Moscow, and respond, though they can't believe it possible for Stepan to have journeyed to Yalta since the day before. That night to a full house the Master of Black Magic with Koroviev and Begemot, the talking black cat, put on their show in the theatre, concluding with 10-rubles notes raining from the ceiling into the audience grasping at the bills.

Part Four. Ivan's next-door neighbor in the asylum, a writer (Aleksandr Galibin), visits, telling of how he came to be confined. Shortly after his mistress, Margarita Nikolayevna (Anna Kovalchuk), a married woman, rescued his manuscript of Pontius Pilate from the fire of the stove - "You will recreate the novel" - and departed, promising to return and flee south with him once she informed her husband, he was arrested.

As Yeshua is taken by cart, along with two thieves, through town toward their crucifixion, Levy Matvey ("Your faithful and only follower") fails to perform the mercy killing and curses God for being deaf and unmerciful. During the thunderstorm Pilate, distressed, berates his servant, who drops a vessel of wine, which shatters upon the floor.

Across the city strange events occur: the money and free clothing disappear (also given away at the theatre); a government official becomes an empty suit; government employees can't cease singing; at the viewing of Berlioz's body, his head disappears; the NKVD's search of apartment 50 turns up neither evidence nor suspects.

Part Five. When Poplavskiy, the uncle of the deceased Berlioz, arrives to claim his inheritance, he finds the management of the apartment complex has been arrested; after doors to apartment 50 open of their own accord, he's effusively greeted and embraced by a grieving Koroviev, but then an enraged Azazello (Aleksandr Filippenko) steps through the wardrobe mirror, tossing the opportunist down a flight of stairs, sending him scurrying back to Kiev. Next the owner of a food stand outside the theatre comes to complain of the fake rubles he's received; at the door he's met by Gella, naked except for a small white apron; inside he's told to eat, drink, and be merry, for in nine months he'll be dead.

On a park bench Azazello takes a seat beside Margarita to invite her to an evening's entertainment, convincing her of its significance by quoting from the writer's manuscript; he hands her an ointment inside a gold case, instructing her to smear it over her flesh. In her room she applies the magical cream, which gives her the power to fly. "Forgive me and forget me," she cries out to her absent husband with a wickedly wonderful laugh: "I am a witch now!"

Invisible and naked on a broom, she flies across the city, stopping at the apartment, which she gleefully trashes, of the hateful critic Latunskiy, whose reviews had ruined her lover's reputation.

Part Six. Continuing on her way to the appointed event, she's joined in the air by her servant Natasha in the buff, who'd tried some of the cream for herself, riding a pig bareback (their transmogrified, fat, lecherous neighbor). On her own again Margarita plunges into a pond from which she emerges to be greeted and initiated with fire and water as Queen Margo by a bacchanal of naked nymphs with their satyr.

A limousine chauffeured by a large crow drives her to apartment 50 where, with Koroviev (advising her to show no favoritism to the guests) and Begemot, at her side, she becomes the hostess, fitted with a regalia of flesh-piercing metal ornamentation and a crown, for the Spring Midnight Ball (aka the Ball of One Hundred Kings). A procession of the damned (famous murderers and rapists) pours forth from a furnace of flames - the men in formal attire, the women naked - and they begin to waltz - looking like a Las Vegas extravaganza - to the music of a celebrity orchestra, conducted by Johann Strauss. The arrival of an NKVD agent, Baron Meigel, sent to infiltrate, is expected, whom Woland employs, along with Berlioz's severed head, to articulate theories of death.

Part Seven. After the ball, while midnight's suspended, as Margarita dines with Woland and his entourage, he offers her a reward of whatever she demands be done. Selflessly she asks for Frieda, one of the damned, to be freed of her eternal punishment. Informed that she has the power herself by saying, "You are forgiven," to grant the tormented woman her liberty, she's then told: "That does not count," for the reward. This time, not letting good fortune escape her, she summons the release of the Master, her lover, immediately.

Together they request to be returned to the basement on a side street in Arbat where he formerly lived in poverty. Handing Margarita the gift of a jeweled, golden horseshoe, Woland assures the Master: "Your novel will yet surprise you."

Part Eight. In his palace Pontius Pilate asks Afranius, the head of his secret police, to describe in detail the execution of the mad philosopher. Hearing that Yeshua said from the cross, while smiling, that cowardice is the worst of sins, the procurator commands that the bodies of the three crucified be buried to extinguish them from memory. Afranius explains that this has been done, though Matvey had already cut down the bodies and been found with Ha-Notsri's corpse in a cave. Pilate expresses his premonition that the betrayer Judah of Kiriaf will be assassinated that night, hinting as well that the money he received will be returned to the high priest with a note, sure to cause a scandal, and that rumors may spread of Judah's suicide. Nizah, a married woman, lures Judah outside the walls of Jerusalem into a grove where he's slain.

As he's about to fall asleep with his dog Banga as his only companion, Pilate sees a vision of Yeshua: "Whenever my name is spoken, yours will be too."

Part Nine. The "cursed money" returned anonymously to the Sanhedrin and rumors spreading of Judah's self-destruction, Pilate has Matvey brought before him to show him the sheepskin upon which the one-time tax collector kept a record of Yeshua's words; Levy refuses the procurator's attempts to bribe him with rewards of favored employment, accepting only a fresh sheepskin on which to write.

As Stepan steps off the airplane, returning him to Moscow from Yalta, he's promptly arrested; he and others request being locked up in a bullet-proof cell.

Without any sign of respect, Matvey makes an appearance before Woland, accosting him for being the Spirit of Evil; Woland replies by asking how good and the purposes of God would be possible without evil, light without shadow.

Part Ten. In the basement with her lover, Margarita, cognizant of their salvation having been granted by satanic forces - yet nothing like the iniquity of the evil empire from which she and the Master, still suffering the crippling effects of a sterilized soul from his incarceration and torture, had escaped - begins another journey into eternity. In the temporal city of Moscow, the Soviet authorities broadcast the official Communist line for all these strange events, an interpretation and conclusion, being solely the work of a gang of hypnotists. What happens never happened.

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