A Gentleman in Moscow episode 5 opens just as episode 4 ended, with Rostov (Ewan McGregor) standing bewildered in the lobby with Nina's daughter Sofia (Billie Gadsdon), as Nina (Leah Balmforth) has left in search of her husband. Rostov makes every effort to carry on and act appropriately, but little does he know what this will do to his life.
Immediately, Sofia takes up residence in Rostov's bed. Though she is not malicious or spoiled, when a note is slipped under the door for Rostov, she doesn't open it or wake him, instead putting it in his jacket pocket. Still, she is silent until Rostov asks about her doll. But pleasantries is one thing Rostov has always been good at, brushing a young girl's hair is a whole other matter.
This is just one of the challenges Rostov has to deal with as a surrogate parent in "An Arrival."
The hotel's new guest
Sofia's presence quickly becomes common knowledge in the hotel. Unfortunately, not everyone is thrilled by it. Leplevsky (John Heffernan), now deputy manager of the hotel, is ready to put Sofia in a party-run orphanage, but Rostov pleads for time to find a better solution, and hotel manager Halecki (Rob Jarvis) agrees to give him a month.
Eventually, Rostov finds the note Sofia put in his pocket. It's from Anna, inviting him to her room at 1 pm. Already late for their rendezvous, he dashes off. Undressing as he enters the room, he is surprised to find Anna's assistant Olga (Anastasia Hille) in the tub, who is having her own secret affair with concierge Vasily (Daniel Cerqueira).
When Anna does arrive, she tells Rostov her plans have changed, she must now get ready for a dinner with a director about her next leading role before leaving for a few days. She does have Rostov fill her in on who Sofia is and offers a tip on hair brushing. Rostov then asks if he can have a favor, which Anna immediately rejects, believing he is going to ask her to be a surrogate mother. However, he just needs to borrow her suitcases.
Rostov uses them to grab things from the hotel storage room to make his small room more accommodating for Sofia and him. Despite building a makeshift bed meant for her, Sofia takes the big bed again. Sofia asks when her mother is coming back? Rostov tells her it may be a little while.
Adapting to parenthood
Rostov is still getting used to having Sofia ever present, though he does his best to be considerate of her. However, when he needs to read a book, he gets flustered and makes her cry. He instantly apologizes and decides they should play a game.
He hides a thimble in his secret room and she has to try to find it. He believes this is going to occupy her so he can read his book, but she immediately finds the thimble as Rostov didn't take much time to hide it. He assumes that's the end of that, but she insists now it's his turn. In the other room, he hears her moving chairs about and believes he'll instantly be able to find the thimble as well. However, when the time comes, he is stumped. Sofia reveals she hid it in his jacket, saying it was in the room when they started his turn so it was fair; her moving the chair was misdirection. Rostov is impressed. When she asks to play again he can't help but agree.
The only problem is the book Sofia prevented him from reading was the latest book he and Glebnikov were reading for their recurring dinners. Glebnikov (Johnny Harris) quickly spots Rostov didn't read the book, but is also aware that Sofia is the reason why. He is sympathetic to Rostov's situation and allows him to return to take care of Sofia, but the next time they meet Rostov must have read the book.
As Rostov tucks Sofia in for bed, she calls him Uncle Alexander and gives him a kiss on the cheek. They have quickly come to care for one another.
Anna's sudden fall
One day, Rostov and Sofia overhear an argument taking place at the front desk between Olga and Leplevsky. Olga is upset that the suite Anna has always stayed in has been given to a rising actress named Mila (Ines Pires Tavares), who Leplevsky points out is well thought of by Stalin. Instead of getting angry, Anna plays it cool and goes to wish Mila good luck. Though Mila is an admirer of Anna, she reveals she is taking the part Anna thought she was getting. Making it worse, she suggests Anna could play the character’s mother.
While this is happening, Rostov and Sofia rush to join Olga in the elevator up to the hotel room. Olga can't help but notice Sofia hasn't had a proper bath and reluctantly agrees to give her one.
Rostov and Anna talk while Sofia is getting her bath. He says he can't offer what Sofia truly needs, a mother. This again riles Anna up. She reveals Mila took her role and that she hates the idea that all she can be now is a mother. Rostov apologizes and says he was not asking that of her. Still, Sofia will need someone who can give her a life outside the walls of the hotel. But Anna says what she truly needs is love and believes Rostov is the best thing Sofia has. Rostov just worries he's not enough.
A big favor
Sofia has been living at the hotel for a month now, and Leplevsky is eager to remove her. He goes above Halecki's head and plans to have Sofia placed in an orphanage that night. Rostov protests, but Halecki says with Rostov not being Sofia's family, there's nothing he can do.
Defeated, Rostov packs Sofia's things. He tells her she's going to a place where she can play with other children and have someone who knows how to brush her hair, but she doesn't care, she wants to be with Rostov. She asks teary-eyed, "don't you love me," to which he says of course, so she wonders why can't she stay.
Rostov goes to Anna for one last attempt to keep Sofia with him. Like Rostov, it seems Anna can't say no to Sofia.
Anna returns to the bar and orders two drinks for her and Mila. She apologizes for how she acted and now wants to give her some wisdom on how to survive in the Russian film industry. She reveals she has a secret code with Audrius (Dee Ahluwalia), the bartender, to use water in her drink so she can stay sharp and walk the dangerous tightrope as the powerful men who want to use her get drunker and drunker.
Nachevko (Jason Forbes) compliments Anna's generous guidance for Mila. He tries to assure Anna there will be other parts for her, but Anna knows her film career is over, which she is actually OK with, as it will give her a chance to return to the theater. Nachevko then thanks her for her discretion on his orientation. She says she will continue to keep that secret, but she does have a favor to ask of him.
Rostov and Sofia come to the lobby, where they are met by Leplevsky. However, Rostov says "his niece" will be staying with him, reminding Halecki he said if Sofia were family she could stay and as the manager of the hotel it's ultimately his decision. With Nachevko nodding his support as a ranking party member (his favor for Anna), Halecki says of course Sofia can stay. Leplevsky is furious and says people will find out about what Halecki has done, but he doesn't care.
Back in their room, Rostov puts Sofia to bed. Sofia asks if her mother will return. For the first time, Rostov admits he doesn't know, but he promises he will look after her for as long as it takes, even if it's forever.
The narrator, an older Sofia, reveals Nina would never return, with no record of what happened to her, just that she disappeared in the Russian East. However, we see Nina's body dumped into a mass grave, one of the countless people lost under the Soviet regime.
New episodes of A Gentleman in Moscow release Fridays on Paramount Plus globally and air on Showtime Sundays in the US.
