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[German Embassy to Switzerland. Lenin, who is handcuffed to a chair, is being interrogated by a German consul, who is reading a dossier]
German Consul: Ah, let us see. Name: Vladimir Ilich Ulyanov. Born in Simbirsk in 1870. Attended the University of Kazan but was expelled for participating in anti-monarchist protests. Older brother hanged in 1887 for the attempted assination of the present Tsar's father. Married, no children. Does not smoke, and does not allow his colleagues to smoke either.
[The Consul blows a ring of cigar smoke in Lenin's face]
Lenin: The Tsar should have had your secret police. My party will make a study of your methods.
German Consul: This dossier failed to mention your sense of humor. Let us stop and think of the absurdity of your idea. You want the German government, which is at war with Russia, to smuggle you into your native country which banished you, because you claim you can single-handedly end the war?
Lenin: My government will immediately make peace with Berlin.
German Consul: I never knew you had so much authority.
Lenin: There is power just lying in the streets, up for grabs! Kerensky won't last, he is too busy continuing Russian involvement in the war and the people are desperate for peace! I shall give them peace. With Germany finished with the Eastern Front do you know how many regiments you could transfer to the Western Front?
German Consul: And now you are asking me for classified information. A Marxist wanting to use the Kaiser? Are you aware that Germany has locked up more Bolsheviks than any other country in the world? But then again, war causes strange alliances. Perhaps the Kaiser...could use a Marxist.
German Consul: Ah, let us see. Name: Vladimir Ilich Ulyanov. Born in Simbirsk in 1870. Attended the University of Kazan but was expelled for participating in anti-monarchist protests. Older brother hanged in 1887 for the attempted assination of the present Tsar's father. Married, no children. Does not smoke, and does not allow his colleagues to smoke either.
[The Consul blows a ring of cigar smoke in Lenin's face]
Lenin: The Tsar should have had your secret police. My party will make a study of your methods.
German Consul: This dossier failed to mention your sense of humor. Let us stop and think of the absurdity of your idea. You want the German government, which is at war with Russia, to smuggle you into your native country which banished you, because you claim you can single-handedly end the war?
Lenin: My government will immediately make peace with Berlin.
German Consul: I never knew you had so much authority.
Lenin: There is power just lying in the streets, up for grabs! Kerensky won't last, he is too busy continuing Russian involvement in the war and the people are desperate for peace! I shall give them peace. With Germany finished with the Eastern Front do you know how many regiments you could transfer to the Western Front?
German Consul: And now you are asking me for classified information. A Marxist wanting to use the Kaiser? Are you aware that Germany has locked up more Bolsheviks than any other country in the world? But then again, war causes strange alliances. Perhaps the Kaiser...could use a Marxist.
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[Members of the Duma are applauding and patting each other on the back to celebrate Rasputin's death]
Duma Member #1: The beast is dead!
Duma Member #2: His killers are heroes!
Duma Member #3: Russia is saved!
[The only members not hooting are Alexander Kerensky and another unnamed member, both of whom roll their eyes and give the impression of "don't party just yet". The ribaldry dies down and the Duma returns to talking shop. Kerensky has the floor]
Alexander Kerensky: One madman has been eliminated and you guys are dancing in the aisles! The German Tsaritsa is still running the country. The Central Powers have been winning victory after victory. The Army is in disarray. One-third of our soldiers go without food, medicine or boots. Entire battalions are defecting! Agricultural production has been sapped and civilians lack meals. The Tsar needs to stop hiding with his troops at the front lines and get back to Saint Petersburg where he belongs. Chaos is coming to Russia, and he needs to be here to deal with it!
Duma Member #1: The beast is dead!
Duma Member #2: His killers are heroes!
Duma Member #3: Russia is saved!
[The only members not hooting are Alexander Kerensky and another unnamed member, both of whom roll their eyes and give the impression of "don't party just yet". The ribaldry dies down and the Duma returns to talking shop. Kerensky has the floor]
Alexander Kerensky: One madman has been eliminated and you guys are dancing in the aisles! The German Tsaritsa is still running the country. The Central Powers have been winning victory after victory. The Army is in disarray. One-third of our soldiers go without food, medicine or boots. Entire battalions are defecting! Agricultural production has been sapped and civilians lack meals. The Tsar needs to stop hiding with his troops at the front lines and get back to Saint Petersburg where he belongs. Chaos is coming to Russia, and he needs to be here to deal with it!
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[October Revolution. Bolsheviks make plans to capture infrastructure and government buildings. Kerensky and his staff are trapped inside their boardroom]
Alexander Kerensky: They captured the police station? Exactly how powerful are the Bolsheviks?
Government Official: Quite. We made a serious mistake in heeding our allies and continuing the war. The citizenry wanted out of this war. Lenin offered them peace.
Alexander Kerensky: What would it require to smash them?
General Alexiev: One battalion, sir. But I do not know if I have that many soldiers. At least not ones I can trust.
Russian Lieutenant: Look out the window!
[Provisional Government peers out window to a nearby naval base where a cruiser is shining its lights directly on their building]
Russian Lieutenant: The cruiser Aurora. And she has her guns aimed directly at us!
Alexander Kerensky: They captured the police station? Exactly how powerful are the Bolsheviks?
Government Official: Quite. We made a serious mistake in heeding our allies and continuing the war. The citizenry wanted out of this war. Lenin offered them peace.
Alexander Kerensky: What would it require to smash them?
General Alexiev: One battalion, sir. But I do not know if I have that many soldiers. At least not ones I can trust.
Russian Lieutenant: Look out the window!
[Provisional Government peers out window to a nearby naval base where a cruiser is shining its lights directly on their building]
Russian Lieutenant: The cruiser Aurora. And she has her guns aimed directly at us!
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[Royal family is being prepared for their exile into Siberia]
Grand Duchess Marie: Look! I found Tobolsk on the map!
Count Fredericks: Now remember, girls, you are princesses. You are to carry yourselves as such at all times. If I hear of any misbehavior, I shall be deeply upset.
Grand Duchess Tatiana: Do not worry, Vladimir, we will be good.
[Count Fredericks tries to put on a brave face as he is aware of the possible final fate of the Romanovs. The Tsar's daughters give him a group hug]
Count Fredericks: Help Mama and Papa.
Alexander Kerensky: I have assigned Colonel Koblinsky to watch over you until I can arrange for a way to safely exile you. His orders carry all the weight of mine.
Tsaritsa Alexandra: Nicky, this is horrible! I want my clothes, I want my cosmetics, I want my jewelry!
[The Tsar holds his wife and admonishes her to be strong]
Tsar Nicholas II: Dear, those are only things. Things get broken, they get mislaid, they get dusty. The important fact is we have each other.
Alexander Kerensky: Frau Romanova, you have kept your head. I recommend you show gratitude for that.
Grand Duchess Marie: Look! I found Tobolsk on the map!
Count Fredericks: Now remember, girls, you are princesses. You are to carry yourselves as such at all times. If I hear of any misbehavior, I shall be deeply upset.
Grand Duchess Tatiana: Do not worry, Vladimir, we will be good.
[Count Fredericks tries to put on a brave face as he is aware of the possible final fate of the Romanovs. The Tsar's daughters give him a group hug]
Count Fredericks: Help Mama and Papa.
Alexander Kerensky: I have assigned Colonel Koblinsky to watch over you until I can arrange for a way to safely exile you. His orders carry all the weight of mine.
Tsaritsa Alexandra: Nicky, this is horrible! I want my clothes, I want my cosmetics, I want my jewelry!
[The Tsar holds his wife and admonishes her to be strong]
Tsar Nicholas II: Dear, those are only things. Things get broken, they get mislaid, they get dusty. The important fact is we have each other.
Alexander Kerensky: Frau Romanova, you have kept your head. I recommend you show gratitude for that.
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[Siberia. Rasputin is in his native village of Pokrovskoe. He is riding on a horse guzzling liquor straight from the bottle when he approaches three attractive peasant girls shoveling hay. A wagon full of hay bales lumbers down the road near a walking nun]
Nun: Good day, and may the Lord be with you.
[Rasputin emerges nude from the hay bales, still chugging his bottle of booze but now accompanied by the three peasant girls who are now topless]
Rasputin: And the Lord be with you! [laughs]
[The nun frantically crosses herself at seeing such a vulgar sight]
Nun: Good day, and may the Lord be with you.
[Rasputin emerges nude from the hay bales, still chugging his bottle of booze but now accompanied by the three peasant girls who are now topless]
Rasputin: And the Lord be with you! [laughs]
[The nun frantically crosses herself at seeing such a vulgar sight]
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[Textile factory. Petya, a peasant man, leads Father Gapon down the steps]
Petya: This way, Father, please hurry!
Sonya: It is too late, Petya. She is dead.
[Petya looks in sorrow to see his mother has expired while Father Gapon gives his now-deceased mother Extreme Unction]
Petya: My mother spent her whole life here. She was born in this factory, grew up here, took her classes here, played here, got married here. I was born, Father died, I got married here and had children. And now it is all over for her. The other people here just keep on working. Well, I cannot blame them. They have to work to feed their families. [pauses momentarily] Father, I have a confession to make. I want to kill somebody. The other factory workers come visit me some time. They tell me we ought to make bombs, blow things up. Well, I want to fight back for once!
Father Gapon: The only thing violence produces is more violence. They will beat you and throw you in jail. There is a better way. We will go to see the Tsar with our grievances.
Sonya: You know the saying, Father: God is too high and the Tsar is too far away.
Petya: This way, Father, please hurry!
Sonya: It is too late, Petya. She is dead.
[Petya looks in sorrow to see his mother has expired while Father Gapon gives his now-deceased mother Extreme Unction]
Petya: My mother spent her whole life here. She was born in this factory, grew up here, took her classes here, played here, got married here. I was born, Father died, I got married here and had children. And now it is all over for her. The other people here just keep on working. Well, I cannot blame them. They have to work to feed their families. [pauses momentarily] Father, I have a confession to make. I want to kill somebody. The other factory workers come visit me some time. They tell me we ought to make bombs, blow things up. Well, I want to fight back for once!
Father Gapon: The only thing violence produces is more violence. They will beat you and throw you in jail. There is a better way. We will go to see the Tsar with our grievances.
Sonya: You know the saying, Father: God is too high and the Tsar is too far away.
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[The "Bloody Sunday" massacre has just occurred.]
Tsar Nicholas II: How many dead?
Prime Minister Witte: Sir, we are still counting; but it is estimated to be in the hundreds.
Tsar Nicholas II: Who gave the order to fire upon them?
Prime Minister Witte: Your Majesty, nobody ordered it.
Tsar Nicholas II: You run this government. Somebody had to have ordered something!
Prime Minister Witte: Would you have gone out to meet them?
Tsar Nicholas II: Of course not.
Prime Minister Witte: Would you have given them a Duma? Allowed them to have elections? Had schools and hospitals built for them?
Tsar Nicholas II: How could I?
Prime Minister Witte: Then why bother to inform you about this? You would not have done anything!
Tsar Nicholas II: How many dead?
Prime Minister Witte: Sir, we are still counting; but it is estimated to be in the hundreds.
Tsar Nicholas II: Who gave the order to fire upon them?
Prime Minister Witte: Your Majesty, nobody ordered it.
Tsar Nicholas II: You run this government. Somebody had to have ordered something!
Prime Minister Witte: Would you have gone out to meet them?
Tsar Nicholas II: Of course not.
Prime Minister Witte: Would you have given them a Duma? Allowed them to have elections? Had schools and hospitals built for them?
Tsar Nicholas II: How could I?
Prime Minister Witte: Then why bother to inform you about this? You would not have done anything!
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[The Tsar is having coffee with a medical officer; contemplating abdication]
Tsar Nicholas II: Tell me, Dr. Federov, if my son, as the future Tsar, were to stay behind to be educated in Russia while my family traveled abroad, how much longer would he be likely to live?
Doctor Federov: Deprived of your love and care, it is hard to say. There are no real statistics on this. It is a matter of luck and chance, Your Majesty. One could hope he could live a long and normal life, as we do for everyone. However, given my speculation on his medical issues, I would say...twenty would be a good age.
Tsar Nicholas II: Tell me, Dr. Federov, if my son, as the future Tsar, were to stay behind to be educated in Russia while my family traveled abroad, how much longer would he be likely to live?
Doctor Federov: Deprived of your love and care, it is hard to say. There are no real statistics on this. It is a matter of luck and chance, Your Majesty. One could hope he could live a long and normal life, as we do for everyone. However, given my speculation on his medical issues, I would say...twenty would be a good age.
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[The tsar is teaching gardening to his children.]
Tsar Nicholas II: In a few months, these will be turnips.
Grand Duchess Anastasia: [giggling] They are carrots.
Tsarevitch Alexei: And when they grow, will we still be around to eat them?
Tsar Nicholas II: In a few months, these will be turnips.
Grand Duchess Anastasia: [giggling] They are carrots.
Tsarevitch Alexei: And when they grow, will we still be around to eat them?
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[Tobolsk. It is a bleak winter even during Easter]
Colonel Koblinksy: Do you realize I am a military officer representative of a nonexistant government? Kerensky is gone; the Americans were able to smuggle him into exile. Lenin kissed up to Germany by giving away land and gold to get out of the war; now he has another war on his hands.
Tsar Nicholas II: I have not heard much of wars these days.
Colonel Koblinsky: The Bolsheviks are being threatened with civil war. They just commissioned the Red Army to defend their newly-seized power. Challenging them is the White Army. Mensheviks, Radicals, anarchists, Monarchists, they are all in the fight.
Tsar Nicholas II: Will you join up?
Colonel Koblinsky: My fighting days are over. Whatever side I join; I will kill Russians. Too haunting for me. I will just look after this spot of land. Do you have any money?
Tsar Nicholas II: Not much, why do you ask?
Colonel Koblinksy: Soldiers have been unpaid; the stead is in need of upgrades.
Tsar Nicholas II: The prisoners keep the guard? [chuckling] I should have nominated you as my Minister of Finance; you would have revolutionized the penal system!
Colonel Koblinksy: Do you realize I am a military officer representative of a nonexistant government? Kerensky is gone; the Americans were able to smuggle him into exile. Lenin kissed up to Germany by giving away land and gold to get out of the war; now he has another war on his hands.
Tsar Nicholas II: I have not heard much of wars these days.
Colonel Koblinsky: The Bolsheviks are being threatened with civil war. They just commissioned the Red Army to defend their newly-seized power. Challenging them is the White Army. Mensheviks, Radicals, anarchists, Monarchists, they are all in the fight.
Tsar Nicholas II: Will you join up?
Colonel Koblinsky: My fighting days are over. Whatever side I join; I will kill Russians. Too haunting for me. I will just look after this spot of land. Do you have any money?
Tsar Nicholas II: Not much, why do you ask?
Colonel Koblinksy: Soldiers have been unpaid; the stead is in need of upgrades.
Tsar Nicholas II: The prisoners keep the guard? [chuckling] I should have nominated you as my Minister of Finance; you would have revolutionized the penal system!
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[War plans have been made and flag officers are cracking open champagne and partying, supremely confident in their short victory over the Central Powers]
Colonel Volkov: This one cannot get to the colors fast enough!
[Partying is momentarily halted when the Tsar enters room. The flag officers stand at attention]
Grand Duke Nicholas: Your Majesty, may I present the head of the Foreign Ministry, Minister Sazarov.
Minister Sazarov: Gentlemen, at ten past seven, Germany declared war on Russia.
Tsar Nicholas II: May God save Russia!
Flag officers [in unison]: God save the Tsar!
Colonel Volkov: This one cannot get to the colors fast enough!
[Partying is momentarily halted when the Tsar enters room. The flag officers stand at attention]
Grand Duke Nicholas: Your Majesty, may I present the head of the Foreign Ministry, Minister Sazarov.
Minister Sazarov: Gentlemen, at ten past seven, Germany declared war on Russia.
Tsar Nicholas II: May God save Russia!
Flag officers [in unison]: God save the Tsar!
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["Bloody Sunday" massacre has just occured. A disshelved Father Gapon has been knocked over and is returning to his senses] He never came. He never came. Nicholas, the murderer, the bloody, bloody murderer!
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[Admiring a big-busted woman] So, you would like to be an opera singer? Yes, you have the chest for it.
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[After his assassination attempt] You silly fools. I thought I could trust you. You silly fools, you can't even kill properly. You're too small to destroy me. Look! [drinks cyanide] Now get up, prince. Get up! [grabs Prince Yusupov] Try. Let's see you try to kill me. I begged Batushka not to start this war. I know who dies. You don't die, the people die. The wise old men, the generals, the ministers. The ones who say, "Do this! Go there!" No mud on their boots. No bullets in their bellies. Where's your rifle, Prince? Why aren't you at the front where the blood is? I'm not a German. I come from the Russian soil, and you fools will never destroy me. Thank God, Russia has sons like me and isn't at the mercy of s**** like you.
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[Angrily, to Alexandra] All my life... my whole life, I've done what you want. I gave Mother up. You hated her, so we don't see her anymore. I gave my friends up. Do you know I haven't a single friend? I've got my family. Four girls, one sick boy... and you. I ask myself, before I eat, sleep, or change my clothes, "Is this what Sunny wants?" And it never is. There's always more! Sweet Jesus, how much do you want of me?!