Original subtitles

SUPPORTED BY THE MINISTRY OF CULTURE OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

RUSSIA 1

It has been the sixth year since Empress Ekaterina ascended the throne.

Successful reforms were succeeded by two lean years.

The crops have failed to grow dew to cold and rains.

There was a danger of famine.

But fertile lands between Poltava and the Black sea were unploughed.

The Turks and Crimean didn't recognize any borders.

They conducted raids, robbed and enslaved the

population of the steppe frontier lands.

The Orlov brothers with a small detachment

went to make reconnaissance in the Wild Field.

Take the horse.

Grigory...

Don't be silly. We don't even know how many of them there are.

Come to your senses, I tell you! Halt!

Follow me!

Crazy fool!

Follow me everybody!

It is Tuesday. You are to visit Paul Petrovich.

- And then. Have you checked the mail? - Yes, Your Majesty.

Just a ministerial letter. Shall I open it?

Yes.

Sofya, stop it.

Your Majesty, you don't want to be flabby when you meet him, do you?

You want to be his tireless and passionate mistress.

Instead of thinking about state affairs,

I think about him. When will he come back? I feel anxious.

I will never let him go anymore.

I will send the order by a courier. I want him to come back to Saint Petersburg.

If my family life were a happy one and I were contented with my marriage.

The feelings would have become less intense for now. My children would have become adults.

So many years have already passed.

I could have devoted myself to great deeds.

May be, I could have discovered the Law of Conservation

like Mikhail Vasilyevich Lomonosov,

or I could have written a philosophical novel like Monsieur Voltaire.

But I can only think about him. He loves war more than me.

In nature, nothing arises from nowhere and disappears into nowhere,

and if something diminishes in one place, it increases in another place.

- What are you hinting at? - Nothing, I'm only reciting the Conservation Law.

I need nobody but Grigory.

I wonder if he needs me.

It would be fine if Mother Russia lies low for about next 20 years.

Quietly working, developing, not fighting wars with the neighbors,

not meddling in these worthless South Seas.

I absolutely agree. We would better develop the Urals, Siberia, Alaska.

- Our future is there. - Well, that's quite right!

Gentlemen!

- Aleksey Mikhailovich. - Your Majesty.

So, what have I missed?

Sultan Mustafa buried a half of his harem.

2 million Turks died of black pox.

That is why he wants to start a war.

But the Turks were the first to learn how to vaccinate

themselves, why they cannot stop the disease?

The Sultan has forbidden it.

In order to vaccinate a person you should insert fluid from smallpox pustules under the skin,

which means interfering with the work of Divine Providence.

The current smallpox is not similar to an ordinary one.

People catch it momentary, and die 2 or 3 days after.

The disease looks more like plague, it is deadly poisonous.

For this reason, Gentlemen, I suggest resorting to concessions,

gifts, and bribery.

Until we haven't achieved an alliance with Prussia, we cannot even think of war.

It is too late to think of war. The war is on now.

It have been clear for long that the Turks only pretend they make forays,

but actually they conduct reconnaissance.

We should be prepared.

Aleksey Mikhailovich, give us a report on the enemy's condition.

The Austrian and French sold to the Turks six brigs, seven galliots,

hundreds of canons, guns.

But they are not going to fight for them. Prussia is neutral.

But the Polish are daring.

They promised the Sultan that if he declares war against Russia,

they will capture Smolensk.

I summoned King Stanislaw,

if he dares to contradict me, I will change him for someone else.

- How much would it cost to bribe? - A hundred thousand in gold.

No more? Are you going to bribe the Sultan?

What for? The chief wazir, as usual.

And if my chief wazir receives big amount of money, will I learn about it?

You can rest assured, as soon as he spends an extra ten thousand rubles

Your Majesty will the first to know about it.

Nikita Ivanovich, I know about all of your spendings.

Last week he gambled away 30 thousand to count Korsakov,

and 8 thousand to count Putyatin.

They had been playing faro for the whole night.

The debt has not been paid yet.

Security service is at work.

The Sultan does not have such a man like our Sheshkovsky.

May we present him one?

And how does he rule his Empire?

He has 80 million subjects. I have 20.

Nikita Ivanovich, you want to resolve the matter by peace, don't you?

I want the same, but the war will come, and it won't ask our opinion.

Russia does not need a lot.

Just to exterminate the steppe robbers,

stop the slave-trade in the Crimea,

keep its fleet on the Black Sea that will allow us unobstructed passage through the straits,

and plaugh up the steppe frontier region from

Poltava to the South, so that to feed the people.

Try to solve all this without war.

But be ready for any outcome.

The Russians!

Action!

You're alive!

Thanks God, dear Brother, you are alive.

This paper weight is pretty handy. The teacher says Pavel Petrovich makes blots.

A bookmark for eight pages

The bookmark is also handy But it is gold. Today's visit is an ordinary one.

The men are leaving, and the children are staying. I have two sons.

I will see one of them today, and the other one - pretty soon.

Such interjections as “hoy”, “phew”, ”whoa”, “huh” are forbidden.

We do not drawl, pauses should be neat, without smacking and gulping.

Semyon Andreyevich, it is Tuesday today.

Will Mother come?

I noticed, that if count Panin comes to check out,

soon after that Her Majesty gladdens us with her visit.

And if not, that means she is busy, and we'll have to feel bored for a while.

Is it possible to say “get bored”?

We usually say “get bored” with the adverbs “suddenly” and “unexpectedly”

while Her Majesty visits you regularly.

Can you give me a sentence with the word “suddenly”?

Suddenly, Mother's visit was canceled.

It is right.

But don't forget you shouldn't call Her Majesty “mother”.

She doesn't hear it anyway.

Your Honor!

- Good day, Nikita Ivanovich! - Good day, Your Highness!

Why are you so glad? Have you fulfilled all

the tasks for this week without any reproofs?

Can you give me the conduct book, please! Thank you.

Well, there you are. You haven't studied fencing.

“Get to the point”. What the hell is that?

“Get to the point”. What the hell is that?

Pavel Petrovich studies it according to the system of the Head of the Secret Office.

- You mean Sheshkovsky? - That's right.

He catches each and all and by beating makes them confess.

His system is nothing but torture and spying.

Her Majesty calls him “My pet hangman.

Do you study his trade?

Mister Shechkovskiy can tell the conspirators,

traitors and murders by their countenance.

And he can read lips.

Can he? Do we have any conspirators here?

As chance offers, I will ask what he invents such stories for.

Well, Your Highness, let me have a look at you.

Whoa, my friend, it's time to get a haircut. Why haven't you cleaned your ears?

I am not well. The medico forbade washing.

The medico?

You are the heir of the throne, you are the hope of Russia.

I should think of you as of the future Emperor.

You have 20 million subjects.

When Her Majesty comes, you must be faultless.

Are there any faultless people in the world?

There are few of us, but we exist.

“My dearest Ekaterina Alekseyevna,

the happiness and treasure of my life.

Every single minute I think of you and see your image in my mind's eye.

Forgive me for not writing for so long.

- Another wounded. - This is the weapon with which This Murza hit you.

A rare thing.

It hurts.

An inch more and it would be over with you.

What would I have said to Her Majesty...

Stop grumbling. My head is already aching.

Count Orlov had everything one dream of.

He could become the Emperor! And he perished through his own folly.

Don't make fuss! Call for Potemkin.

- What's with Your leg? - Just stumbled.

What possessed you? It is sheer lunacy!

People have died, I'm dying.

If you are dying, pray God. Today it's you; tomorrow it's I.

Potemkin!

“But my mission is close to the end, and soon we will be together again.”

That's it.

You Honor!

Lieutenant!

Well, I owe you my life!

- Are you hurt? - It's Nothing

Well, in this case go to Petersburg.

You'll deliver the dispatch to Her Majesty.

I'd rather stay with my platoon.

You'll tell her, that Orlov is alive and well.

The wound is minor, it will heal soon.

If Her Majesty offers you a post, don't refuse.

And don't tell her, that you have saved count Orlov from death.

Stay by us, everything will change soon.

You can be in luck.

I'd like to say goodbye to my platoon.

All right.

- What's your name, my little one? - I'm Shofranka.

- What kind of tribe are you? - We are the Roma.

- Who? - The Gipsies.

The Gipsies. Have you heard about such people?

No.

We'll decide what we can do for you. Give them bread.

Thank you!

We'll take you to Petersburg. To the court.

- Is it for me? - Yes, Your Majesty.

I have made Italian Street Theater out of cardboard.

It's Harlequin, lighthearted ladies' man.

Scaramouch, trickster, bully and boaster.

Pulcinella - blabber, mocker.

Colombina is Pulcinella's wife, but she cheats on him with Harlequin.

And which mask do you prefer for yourself?

- I like Scaramuoch. - Trickster, bully, and boaster?

He has a sword, so he can teach a lesson to all the impertinent.

But who do you want me to be?

- Harlequin. - Well, I will be Harlequin.

You are ready to obey. I want to give you a new novel by monsieur Voltaire

with interesting reasoning on the subjects of obeying and liberty!

Your Majesty! The conduct book.

And where is fencing?

Not everything that I am not informed of is a conspiracy against me, isn't it?

Where is fencing?

Pavel Petrovich had injured himself at the previous lesson,

and what's more, we have quinsy suspected.

Dressage? Dancing? If you don't move enough, you will be always ill like an old man.

Learn to dance Russian dances, squatting dance.

I don't like Russian dances.

I have heard it once.

This is I to be a general in the army of King Frederick!

Instead of freezing here, in this barbarous country!

Learn to dance Russian dances!

Well, what about drawing?

Anna Petrovna, it's you

I don't know, Your Majesty.

It's a Danaid. I drew it from a statue in Peterhof.

And by mere coincidence it looks like Anna Petrovna in face and body.

Harlequin, at last.

Please forgive me for this oversight, your Majesty.

There is nothing wrong if a youth is interested in woman's body.

It's worse, when he isn't.

I want to discuss with you the matter of moving.

Do you remember, that you have a brother, Alesha?

- I Have never seen him. - But you've heard about him.

He is not my true brother. We have different fathers.

But the same mother.

You'll make friends with him. He'll take two rooms

close to yours and share the parlor with you.

Would you like to go shooting? We can take a gun.

No, I'd rather not. I'm tired.

He is tired. The boy is tired. Let's go, everybody.

And take the theater.

Pavel Petrovich!

My Mother seems discontented. I don't care.

I'm the future emperor. I should speak and do what I think is right.

I've heard that my younger brother is a fool. He cannot speak.

I don't need him.

I believe, it is better not to be able to speak, than to condemn and insult.

I'm not satisfied with Pavel Petrovich's education.

It seems, he is getting like Petr Fedorovich. Am I right?

- I haven't noticed. - Yes, you have.

He's flabby, sickly, always tired.

All sons are more or less like their fathers,

inherit some or other features. It's normal.

He claimed Pavel wasn't his son.

It doesn't matter what he claimed.

Pavel Petrovich is the son of the Emperor Peter III, his heir.

Not the Emperor, but a nonentity.

Thanks God, he wasn't crowned.

When my aunt dies and I become the Emperor,

I will order to execute all those who were humiliating, insulting and deceiving me.

There is no place for him in the line of the Emperors Succession.

Find a couple of youths to make friends with Pavel.

Those who would run and frolic instead of talking a lot.

Well. Kirill Grigoryevich Razumovskiy has two madcap sons.

The eldest one is good at fencing,

and the younger one has been making trouble with maids since he turned twelve.

An absolute lack of diligence to sciences. Just dolts!

Their father is the president of the Academy of Sciences, and the sons are ignoramuses?

Everything is possible by God's will.

Right you are, Your Majesty.

I noticed the way you were looking at the lady-in-waiting Sheremeteva.

I see no reason to talk about it.

- Anna Petrovna? - What a beauty!

I myself would like to make her a proposal.

But Her Majesty will choose me a wife herself.

It will be a dull, spiteful, licentious princess.

She won't be loyal, will take a lover.

Well, I will make up my mind at last. Look, such a beauty!

Your Highness, it doesn't become you to laugh at a man who cannot answer.

He can. He can give me unsatisfactory grade on mental arithmetic.

I treat my official duties very seriously.

Semyon Andreyevich, may I have an honor of being your best man?

Do you want to help me?

When you go to ask her hand in marriage,

I will negotiate it with the count and I will sit at your right hand at the wedding.

Your Highness, I couldn't dare to hope. I am touched, indeed.

What do you know about Her Majesty's youngest son move?

The move is due to the short-range plans of Her Majesty.

And what about the short-range plans? Is it church wedding?

I cannot exclude that.

Count Orlov. Why do I not know?

You know everything pretty well.

But if it wasn't announced officially, that means

Her Majesty didn't think it was necessary.

- When is the church wedding? - We have to wait until Orlov comes.

He can come tomorrow or in a month as well.

And he doesn't decide anything. His strength is not there but here.

Pavel Petrovich and no one else should become the next Emperor.

So it will be. In twenty years from now, not earlier.

Put up with it, Nikita Ivanovich, the changes are inevitable.

No, I won't let it happen! Oh, Mister Sheshkovsky

You Honor! What were you talking about?

Nothing. About the weather. Nothing in particular.

Please, put all the details of this conversation on paper and send it to me.

- Were the guns tried out? - Your Honor.

Master Kulibin has made the targets. Six targets, eight examples of gun weaponry.

Show me your passport.

Open!

- Aim at the target, Your Majesty. - I understand it. You may begin.

Bravo, Your Majesty!

What is the range?

Have mercy on me, Your Majesty. The cannon is not ready yet.

What does it mean “not ready”, Kulibin?

We ordered to mold it at the Kyshtym Plant.

They brought the cannon, but as for the shells,

they couldn't get the caliber right.

You could not get it, could you? Are they engineers or what?

Your Majesty, Your Majesty. Raise it up!

It is a special device for artillery reconnaissance, it will help us

find out where to send cannonballs.

You've amused me a lot, Ivan Petrovich.

Good for you, Kulibin!

Anna Petrovna, where are you going? The stay in The Amber Room is forbidden!

I have received a message from you.

Anna Petrovna, a fortunate event!

His Highness agreed to be my best man.

We will come to your father together with him.

What are you doing?

What are you doing, people can see us.

Kiss me! Kiss me, Semyon Andreyevich!

- Tell me, when to stop. - Oh, please, don't.

Don't?

For you there are no bounds.

I'm Lieutenant Potemkin with the message from His Excellency Count Orlov.

You are wounded? Are you able to make a report?

Yes, Sir.

You should speak to the Empress in a low voice, without making any gestures.

Your Majesty!

Lieutenant Potemkin with the message from Count Orlov.

- Is he wounded? - It isn't his blood.

He's boasting. I will issue a decree to forbid him to take part in the fights.

He is writing about you, lieutenant. I know you.

You visited us in the Izmaylovsky Regiment.

I asked for support.

You were fencing with our fencing teacher. It was a great day.

Will you join me, Gentlemen?

You were there. Are you wounded?

A wound is the best reward for a soldier.

Another one, who likes boasting. What's your name?

Grigory, Your Majesty.

Another one.

Treat Lieutenant Potemkin!

It's urgent. Rogerson!

Please, come here.

If Her Majesty marries count Orlov, she may lose the throne.

And those who are near, they can lose their heads.

The throne should belong to Pavel Petrovich.

In Moscow, they think, that count Vorontsov should become the Regent.

Or count Ivan Shuvalov. It is not decided yet.

And what about me, Gentlemen?

You, Nikita Ivanovich, will keep your post of the State Counsellor.

Why don't you ask, who makes decisions in Moscow?

Or maybe you know it already, and do not need to ask?

It didn't come off.

Please, stop the carriage.

Count Vorontsov is near death, and Shuvalov is in Paris.

He won't dare come back.

Deplorable people. Greedy, mean and stupid.

Vorontsov as the Regent...

I can forgive everything, greediness, but not stupidity.

Your Majesty, count Panin is asking for an audience.

Call for him now.

All right. Please.

Your Majesty.

I know what you came for. You won't be appointed Chancellor.

It is sad. What did I do wrong?

The problem is that you did nothing.

I need a chancellor who is prompt, and you, Nikita Ivanovich,

will better die than hurry up.

I see. I suppose, it's count Orlov who will be appointed the chancellor?

No, I have some other plans for him. Anything else?

I want to guard you against rush decisions, Your Majesty.

You know, you men, cannot understand it.

You can marry when you are over fifty, and you will make children.

But with women it is different.

I don't have much time left. May be, a year or two. And then.

An empress cannot live the life of an ordinary woman.

And you've got a son, who is a lawful heir to the throne.

I have two sons.

Your marriage and taking Aleksey Grigoryevich to the palace is a mistake.

This mistake can be a fatal one for the throne and for the whole Russia.

Alesha is a bastard.

The Empress's son has no family name. How is it possible?

Forgive my straightness but the status of your second son will forever stay as it is.

It hasn't happened before that an illegitimate child became a legal heir

after his parents got married.

But what about Yelizaveta Petrovna, an illegitimate daughter of Peter the Great?

How did she become an empress?

Yelizaveta Petrovna's rights to the throne had never been confirmed.

And she got the throne not according to the law,

But as a result of a successful coup.

I remember that; I learned a lot from my mother in law.

By the way, one more thing.

I ask you, no I order you to get married.

Well, though my Chancellor has reached quite an age,

either of laziness or weakness he still does not care about procreation.

And it harms the reputation of my Court.

The Russians are susceptible to gifts.

The Empress Ekaterina is German. She is a woman.

You have concubines from many countries, but

you can please them all in the same way.

I've heard she's a skilled equestrian.

- It's true, mu lord. - Find the finest horse.

Charakoy, can you catch a disease, if you put the powder box on your palm.

No, you can catch the black pox, if you open it and take a breath.

If I stay here, I will lose my life.

But if I leave, the people will rebel,

the army will disperse, I will lose the country.

The only excuse to leave Istanbul is starting a war against Russia.

And if empress Ekaterina dies, the victory will be fast.

The heir to the Russian throne is weak in mind.

After the death of Ekaterina, count Panin will become the Regent.

He's a card player, a gambler.

On your way have a look, where to settle a new border.

We will force the Russians to the North, where they will suffer of hunger and cold.

I will break Russia down, and come back a winner.

By that time all those, who are destined to die, will die,

and the disease will stop.

- Look, this needs to be leveled! - That's all right.

Hi, Fyokla!

I've heard, Her Majesty left a wounded officer in the palace. Who is he?

I don't know, Your Honor. He is young and heavily built. Very handsome.

Another young man. Go, go.

- Your Majesty, - Nikita Ivanovich,

I'm going to enquirer after health of the wounded officer.

Let's go.

The wound was neglected, but my guest doesn't want to receive treatment.

Tut-tut. How is that?

- Your Majesty, - Don't get up, Grigory, I beg you.

- Grigory? - Grigory Alexandrovich.

Lieutenant Potemkin, Your Honor. Imperial Guard Mounted Regiment.

My platoon lost eight people in a combat. I have to come back.

Don't you worry.

We will make the relevant order.

Your platoon will be sent to rest, and the losses will be made up for.

You have to undergo treatment

in order to restore your health.

And while your wound is healing, you will continue your service at court.

Your Majesty,

we have a vacant post of the inspector of the sewing of uniforms.

Why won't we appoint an active duty officer.

You have got a new commission, Lieutenant.

I do not know enough about sewing of uniforms.

Are you trying to contradict me?

I wouldn't dare, Your Majesty.

Get well soon.

Sit down, Gentlemen. Is the “tamga” stamp Crimean?

Your Majesty, the stamp belongs to the “khynyk” tribe.

This “tamga” is Turkish, but this means absolutely nothing.

It belongs to a noble tribe of ancestral family.

So, the commander of the detachment is Turk. The count has written about it.

Well, there are robbers among the Turks as well.

Why won't they hire the Crimean to rob?

This business is risky but profitable.

A robber doesn't need to know the width of a river ford.

Well, we shouldn't deny that their main goal is not robbery but reconnaissance.

In correspondence with the goals of the Turkish army.

- I would agree. - And I won't.

Why reconnaissance?

We keep accusing the Turks of treachery while

we're living in peace with them for 30 years.

It's called “peace” nowhere else but on paper.

Soon, there will be no peace even on paper.

Pardon me; your coach is not on the list.

You idiot!

I'm the Chamberlain of the King of Poland.

You're not listed, I repeat!

- Really? This is my list! - Calm down!

Let the King pass. Turn the others.

Turn around! The place here inside is only for the carriages of the palace.

You can't stay by the gate.

Your Majesty, encrypted paper from Constantinople.

Sultan Mustafa does not leave his palace, the troops are deployed in the winter Apartments.

The fleet is at anchor, Pasha Janer has left for St. Petersburg with rich gifts.

That's good news. Pasha Janer is honest and decent. He is, indeed!

And he speaks Russian by the way,

I have a different opinion.

Well, I have a trusting relationship with him.

Looks like Warsaw,

but everything here irritates somehow.

Same is about me, not considering women.

Soon we'll meet one of them, Kshishtov.

Maybe those local smells are different.

This is a smell of power, my friend.

Possibly, the Turks intend to capture Azov and Astrakhan,

and they want to know whether we're planning to attack from the wing.

Not “possibly”, but “maybe”.

And rather “no”, Your Majesty, than “yes”.

Through Pasha Janner, I will send a hundred thousand in gold

to the chief vizier as usual.

And for the next 30 years we will have no war.

Power and passion - they have the same smell.

Smell? Cologne water!

I haven't asked for, my dear!

It will not be worse, Your Majesty. Footwear and cuffs.

Be patient, we came not to make war.

It's a pity.

Come on, Your Majesty.

Calm down, Kshishtov, have a look at the women.

10 years ago, walking about the palace, I once

found myself in the bed of the future Empress.

I beg your pardon, Gentlemen.

Comments on the order of communication with Her Majesty.

The depth of the bow.

During the reception at the Empress, you will keep standing

until she asks you twice to sit down.

You'd like to demonstrate the bow?

Leave the weapons in the reception room.

My adviser will not go any further.

That's fine. Come on.

Your Majesty, King Stanislaw asks to accept him at the time appointed.

Why won't you let him come at the time appointed.

Your Majesty, I will now prepare the gifts for the Sultan.

The gifts are ready.

What is this, a joke? Is that all?

Alexei Mikhailovich will prepare a message with the statement of our demand.

Your Majesty, it is better to act not through Pasha Janner,

but directly.

I will return to Constantinople and find a way to transfer the money to the chief vizier.

Who are you, after all?

Just an ambassador.

While I am the head of the foreign policy!

The whole responsibility lies on me.

- If I only make a decision... - Nikita Ivanovich!

Your Majesty.

The responsibility is mine -

for everything what is going on in Russia and with Russia.

Good-bye for now, Gentlemen.