Nicky!
Ready.
Your Grace...
I have carefully selected them for the Imperial ballet.
Mademoiselle Karsavina!
Elegance itself.
- To satisfy the most discerning taste! - Oh, yes!
Mademoiselle Dranche!
- Oh my! - What can I say?
She dances most convincingly.
I've heard much of Kschessinska.
Your Grace, the very best we have saved for last.
Mademoiselle Legnani!
Fire! A storm of fiery pleasure!
I'll turn my head and signal, then take the picture right away.
Go!
Introduce me to her.
You are even more beautiful in life than on stage.
I would love to contemplate your beauty more often.
I will always be happy to see you.
Mademoiselle Kschessinska!
- Mathilde Felixovna! - Yes?
Where have you been? You kept us waiting.
Not a good way to start here.
- Her costume! - What of it?
- What on earth are you wearing? - I'm a swan princess.
Swan princess? Take off those feathers!
Hurry up, ladies!
Why these photographs, Ivan Karlovich?
For whom? This is not a brothel.
No, this is better.
A brothel doesn't get state subsidies.
Ready!
Change position!
Ready!
Thirty! Thirty one! Thirty two!
Malya, dear!
You look magnificent!
The heir is here.
Thank you.
Curtain!
How beautiful!
Kschessinska!
Here.
Here is what you need.
She's proud. Bright eyes.
I don't like your German.
- What is her name again? - Her name is Alix.
And I suppose you plan to marry her?
Why, Nicky?
As heir I must be ready to...
Ascend to the throne?
Or be ready for my funeral? A little premature, don't you think?
Remember her name?
Sasha, have you been showing him ballerinas again?
You've become so interested in the ballet, Nicky!
I'll either get married or run away and be a monk.
Quiet, girls! The heir is not in the mood.
Children! Minnie!
Anyone injured?
Nicky, take Olya.
Nicky, I'm scared.
Here, let me!
Be careful, papa!
Nicky, Duke! Get them out.
Get everyone out.
Nicky, hurry!
Children, here!
Xenia!
Where's Xenia?
- Hurry, Your Highness! - Mother!
Lord, preserve and protect...
Doctor, please!
Colonel! It was a drunkard's cart, stuck on the tracks!
The horse wouldn't move, Sir!
- Get him out of here. - Broken legs, poor thing.
Nicky! Help!
Save His Majesty!
Hurry!
Your Majesty!
Give me your hand!
Mother!
Sasha!
Lift it up!
Your Majesty!
He's alive!
Alive! He's alive!
You girls dance better than we do.
Mathilde, you have caught the eye of that handsome Duke Andrei.
Smile at him.
You silly fool.
If only I had someone like him instead of his dirty old father.
Bravo!
And now for the unprecedented obstacle course.
He who risks his life,
retrieves the crown, and delivers it to our lovely ladies,
shall be rewarded with a kiss from the ballerina of his choice.
She is very beautiful!
- Which one? - Kschessinska.
Not bad.
I have to approach her. Sorry.
A bracelet or earrings?
What present do you have for her?
My life.
Else one can live, never finding out who one really is.
To the start line!
I also want to find out who I really am.
Thank you for understanding.
Please accept this gift as a token of my respect.
I see His Highness has decided to give me his full attention.
I hope you see that our relationship goes no further than this, and that...
you won't expect it to continue.
In that case I can guarantee your success upon the stage.
This is how it will be.
You'll be the one who can't forget me,
who will try to see me,
who will be torn and jealous.
As long as you live,
you'll never love anyone as you love me.
Help! Help!
I'll kill you!
That was my kiss you stole!
I'll kill you!
If you made an attempt on the life of the heir, you will be hanged.
But if it was jealousy for this girl, you will be allowed to live.
Well?
Pity I didn't kill him.
Don't be shy, Your Grace.
Take courage, brother!
The thinner the rope, the faster the death.
Bravo!
Come in.
They think I am your lover.
They say I've slept my way onto the stage.
- But you're the best dancer. - No, Legnani is.
She's the first ever to do 32 fouettés.
Fouettés?
Look at one spot.
Not like that.
Your leg should be higher! Here, come on.
Learn how, and then we can dance together!
There's a ball for my birthday. You should come.
A ballerina? At the heir's birthday ball?
- We'll find you a title. - Your Royal Highness...
Call me Nicky.
I've a claim to the Polish throne, you know.
Countess Krassinska was my...
- Will you come? - Nicky...
I've heard you are engaged.
Yes.
But nothing is set in stone.
My father has been ill since the train crash.
He wants to bless my union.
How much time do you have?
Until New Year.
There is still time.
I do so love New Year.
Ivan Karlovich!
Aren't you afraid that someone may attack you again?
No.
I have many admirers.
That madman nearly killed you.
Lieutenant Vorontsov.
Did you know him?
No.
Although, I have the strange feeling I've seen him before.
What's become of him?
I pardoned him.
Move!
Take him to my clinic.
Veteran officer. The best in his regiment.
I was meant to let him go, Dr. Fischel.
This is the first time I've not followed the heir's orders.
Keeping the royal family safe is my responsibility.
He wouldn't talk despite the threat of hanging.
Why does he want to kill the heir?
You must find out, Doctor.
Your methods are legendary, even outside Germany.
And if this madman is connected to Kschessinska,
then she is also a threat.
I need something I can use against her.
I must know everything he knows.
Colonel Vlasov, I will not let you down.
My new method of breath deprivation will put him into a trance.
And we will obtain all the information.
If he escapes, I'll hang you instead of him.
Nicky, Papa and the guests await you.
I hope my son got everything that he wanted from you,
and now we'll only see you on the stage.
Get dressed. You are coming with me.
You've lost your mind.
Shouldn't we be celebrating the heir?
Many happy returns, Your Royal Highness!
Thank you.
What can I wish you, Nicky?
Keep a grip on Russia.
A tight grip, like this...
Papa!
Don't worry,
I will not die tonight.
Who is this with you?
This is...
Duchess Krassinska.
Do approach, young lady.
Your Majesty.
He may look like an adult.
But he is still just a boy.
I haven't had time to prepare him for any of it.
Take care of him!
I am tired.
Enjoy yourselves.
Russia needs a warm water port.
The ice on the Gulf of Finland traps our cruisers.
Your father selected Libava before he died.
- Konstantin Petrovich remembers. - No, I don't.
- Respect my father's wishes. - Libava is too near the border.
Your father approved construction near Murmansk.
But the polar nights mean we'll need a railway, costing 50 million.
- Libava only costs 15. - I don't know.
Silence please.
Nicholas Alexandrovich!
I want to be alone.
I'm not ready.
I don't know how to be tsar.
Then...
I didn't teach you well enough.
You have the right to everything... except love.
What is this for?
Leave it here, thank you!
It isn't ready yet but this will be your wife's parlour.
Everything that Alix loves.
She will play for you every evening.
Not now.
Every evening!
God, save the tsar!
Nicky, my dear.
Please accept my condolences.
I am glad you came.
We cannot wait any longer. The wedding, then the coronation.
Russia needs an Emperor!
You are not leaving me time to think.
That's out of the question.
But father liked her.
He had no idea who you presented to him.
It is irrelevant whether you love Alix or not.
Stop hiding under your ballerina's skirt!
She must return the letters in which you promised to marry her
and disappear immediately.
Promise me!
No!
Well.
Then I will do it myself.
...seven, eight.
Torso! Shoulder blades!
Ivan Karlovich, what are you doing?
The mourning period is over. The heir is to marry.
We're all going to Moscow for the coronation.
Indeed, it is a great honour and responsibility for us.
We need a ballet, and we need it quickly.
Who will dance the part of the bride?
"And you've known it for so long, is it any wonder you are loved?"
You, of course. Our own glorious you...
What about me, Ivan Karlovich?
Miss Kschessinska, you wouldn't be right for the part.
For what reason?
I want to dance the part.
My dear, you are not ready yet.
It takes hard work.
You still lack the dramatic gravitas to dance the part of the bride.
What's the matter?
Help me! Water, please!
Oh God! She's unwell. Give me some water!
What's taking you so long?
Easy...
I will dance the bride! I will, I will!
Fine, fine... I'll think it over.
But only if you can dance the 32 fouettés.
Don't doubt me.
Get up! Ivan Karlovich!
My goodness, she is something. The little devil.
Fish soup.
Let's try.
I was told that the Emperor's favourite is pigeon soup.
They lied to me.
Mathilde Felixovna...
why does everyone lie to me?
Delicious.
Who are you?
A person responsible for order.
It's a very trying position.
I'll make you a deal.
You give me, for safekeeping,
the letters of a certain important person.
Then, on the wedding day and the coronation...
What do I get in return?
You will never see me again.
What if I don't agree?
Think it over until tomorrow.
I've drawn a line in front of you.
It's invisible.
But don't cross it.
Nicky, button my dress.
Good morning.
Where are you going?
To rehearse. The mourning period is over.
The heir is to marry and then be crowned.
I was going to tell you.
But you didn't.
Because all that...
it doesn't mean a thing.
Does Alix think so, too?
Malya!
Listen to me!
I will do all I can to make you my bride.
The spirit of Emperor Alexander!
Join us!
He is here!
We must hurry!
What would you like to ask your father?
His blessing.
We are thinking of getting married.
I would like the Emperor's spirit to know
that I made an enormous sacrifice for Nicky.
I converted to Orthodoxy.
And you?
What would you like to say?
What's going on here? Why is it so dark?
Your Majesty, may I...
You may leave now.
- I invited Dr. Fischel. - You are not the Empress yet.
Nicky!
Who is that charlatan?
Alix believes Dr. Fischel is sent to her by God.
What nonsense!
Dr. Fischel!
I am very sorry.
Would you care for a ride?
Help us, monkey.
Can you really predict the future?
I am just a mediator between people and higher forces.
Come to see me alone. Nobody must know about it.
That is impossible.
I need a sample of your blood, else I can't predict your future.
Do you have any other questions?
Fiancées usually ask about their rivals.
I don't have any rivals!
My turn.
I attack.
Right flank. I'm moving my cavalry forward.
Have you decided?
Alix or Kschessinska?
Andrei...
I know you are angry at me, but I can't ask anyone else.
It's a gamble, but I need to find proof
that Malya has the right to a title and the Polish throne.
Just do it, for me.
You have losses in the centre.
And for her.
Sigismund the Younger.
Konrad the Hunchback.
Henry the Fat.
Are these your relatives?
Look at this one. The last names are very similar.
- Krz... Krzesynsky. - First help me.
Come with me to Paris!
If I understand correctly, you're asking for my hand in marriage?
- Despite your parents' wishes? - In time, perhaps.
And until then...
we stay in hotels where no one knows us?
Then, after they pick some duchess to be your wife,
you'll send me small remembrances on my birthday?
Your Highness, do hurry home.
Your mother will be worried sick!
If I were Nicky I'd refuse the crown...
and live a peaceful, private life,
with the love of the most beautiful woman on earth.
It's a question of blood.
My blood isn't good enough.
I shall search no more.
You have to trust me, Your Highness.
This woman is the only obstacle to your happiness.
She can break the will of any man.
Can you stop her?
I am afraid that's impossible.
Unless I get a sample of her blood.
The letters!
Nicky!
They ransacked my apartment, looking for your letters.
Nicky!
Nicky? Why don't you say anything?
Nicky...
I'm scared.
Nicky!
- Nicholas! - I'm up here, dear.
What are you doing?
Sorting out the gift from the Kaiser.
A machine for projecting...
Excuse me, darling.
Hello?
I think so, yes.
Yes.
Yes, fine. For lunch.
Good.
No, tomorrow is better.
I'll be there.
Minister of the Navy.
Yes, I thought so.
Alix!
I want to arrange a cinema projection in Russia.
But we have nothing to project.
I can show you something.
What would you like to see?
How about this?
Do you like this?
I know you aren't crazy.
I don't believe you wanted to kill the tsar.
You poor prisoner of passion.
But why her?
Her life will be mine anyway.
He wants to run away with her.
If she refuses, he'll kill them both.
- A fine idea. - You want to destroy her?
Only if she leaves me no choice.
One, two, three, four...
...fourteen, fifteen, sixteen.
Only sixteen.
How many do you need?
Thirty two, Your Highness.
I've heard much about you.
I came to see...
what it is you have that I don't.
You are rather attractive.
But I have qualities to which you could never aspire.
The title of an honest lady, for one.
- I don't think Nicky... - Don't you dare call him Nicky!
He won't be happy with you.
Perhaps not.
And yes, he's chosen you.
But I've been chosen and placed at his side by God.
And I will not back down.
You want me banned from the ballet?
Not I personally.
Bitch!
So much blood.
Dr. Fischel?
Doctor!
No!
God, please help me stop her.
Nicky!
Malya!
Your Majesty!
Your Majesty...
This is not the end! You hear me?
This is not the end!
- Your Majesty... - This is intolerable!
- Let's go! - Where shall we go?
To Moscow, of course.
Your Highness.
- Where are they going? - To Moscow.
So far? On foot? With children?
They're our guests. They want to celebrate our coronation.
We are preparing festivities for them.
At Khodynka Field.
When the coronation is over...
the German princess, Alix of Hesse, will be no more.
And in her place,
will be Alexandra Feodorovna,
Mother-Tsaritsa of the Russian people.
Concerning the celebration at Khodynka Field.
Everyone will receive a gift - a package, containing:
A 1/2 pound of sausage, bread rolls with raisins,
nuts, gingerbread.
Add sweets.
It will also contain Kolomna fruit sweets.
We will distribute 18,000 packages a minute.
Which will take us 23 minutes.
Starting 200 metres from the road,
food pavilions will stretch out evenly,
leading to the central passage.
We are expecting about 100,000 people.
There will be more than 1,000 Cossacks keeping the peace.
There will be fireworks at the end of the celebration.
Good.
Pour me some more.
Why don't you want to be with me?
It would be a happy marriage.
You've been with so many.
That's an exaggeration, Your Highness.
Well... Let me see.
The music teacher, with long beautiful fingers,
when I was 16.
Hessin, the attorney.
Then Volkov, a Hussar.
General Ershov, of course.
Grand Duke Sergei.
Thanks to him, I have electricity in my apartment.
Gorchakov and Sheremetyev,
That was a ménage à trois.
So many guardsmen...
- Enough! - And the artillerymen, of course.
Enough.
Sometimes I think I could kill you.
Oh God.
I forgot about Nicky.
You are so naive.
What is this island?
Is this your house?
Do you plan to kill me here?
Have a good think before you go in.
I'll wait for you here.
Nicky?
Whose house is this?
Yours.
Mine?
Nicky!
Where is he?
Where is Nicky?
I don't know. I thought he was with you.
What is this?
You plan to wear this at the coronation?
Poor taste.
Where are you taking me?
Wait here.
It'd be better if you lived in Moscow.
Away from all the gossips.
It's so beautiful. A miniature Mariinsky!
I had it built especially for you.
Only...
there's something missing.
What?
Let's see...
Right here.
We need to hang a gold leaf frame.
With the schedule.
So I know when you're coming to see me.
Every Wednesday?
More often when Alix is pregnant.
Malya, you know that my family...
I know that life is for loving.
And you can be happy and free, only with me.
Refuse the throne and my destiny... How can I?
Nicky.
If you forget your promises and marry her,
you'll make us both unhappy.
If you ascend to the throne, you'll destroy all those you love.
Abdicate.
Look how beautiful it is.
And now try on the crown.
Before the coronation, I'd rather not.
I have a bad feeling.
You always have a bad feeling.
Don't forget to fix it, Your Majesty.
Refuse it at the coronation. Say that you don't want this life.
You've lost your mind.
Maybe. In which case I'm refusing you!
Malya!
Let's go!
Malya, wait!
Give us your blessing, Your Majesty!
Nicholas, after the coronation prayer, you take off the St Andrew Chain,
and the Grand Dukes bring the collar of St Andrew the Apostle.
Then the Metropolitan will hand you the crown.
The Monomakh's Cap. It's lighter.
I said the Great Imperial Crown.
Nicky, you wanted the Monomakh's Cap.
In homage to your father.
Your father would have chosen the Great Imperial Crown.
It is too heavy, he will be in pain.
- He'll bear it. - No!
- Nicky! - Nicky!
Nicky!
Leave me alone.
I said, leave me.
I don't feel well.
What? What's going on with you?
I want to stop all this.
Stop it all?
You should forget about the ballet.
We can cancel this coronation only if you die suddenly...
or if you're killed.
When even I will be unable to protect you.
I think I won't be happy.
Happy?
I was engaged to your father's brother...
heir to the throne.
But he died a month later of tuberculosis.
And your father loved Duchess Meshcherskaya
so very much...
he wanted to refuse the throne.
But we were forced to marry for the greater good.
What of it?
Weren't we happy?
I still remember your father,
my angel Sasha.
Every single day.
Every minute.
"I will speak of the glorious honour of Thy majesty
and of Thy wondrous works."
"I will speak of the glorious honour of Thy majesty
and of Thy wondrous works."
Good. Very good.
"And shall sing of Thy righteousness."
- We missed something. - What?
We missed: "They shall utter the memory..."
Oh, yes.
"They shall utter the memory of Thy great goodness,
and shall sing of Thy righteousness.
The Lord is glorious, and full of compassion,
slow to anger, and of great mercy."
Ladies and gentlemen, for your amazement and pleasure,
Russia's first official cinematic projection with spinning reel!
Everyone please take your seats.
Expect a surprise at the end!
"ARRIVAL OF THE IMPERIAL TRAIN"
EXPECTING THE ARRIVAL OF HER HIGHNESS
PRESENTATION OF FLOWERS
- What is that? - Your wedding gift.
Your letters.
It turns out I am not a duchess. I'm just a dancer.
The fairy tale didn't come true.
Captain!
EVEN THE RULER OF THE FOREST, KING TEDDY...
CAME TO WELCOME HER!
Alix!
You needn't fear the Russian bear.
Go ahead, touch it.
Touch it.
Malya!
I cannot lose you.
Nicky!
You don't know what you want.
Nicky!
Ruler of the forest, King Teddy!
Also known as Patron of the Union of Siberian Hunters,
Adjutant General Vladimir Romanov!
Pity we didn't come to an agreement, Mathilde Felixovna.
They have the wedding, then the coronation.
Where does that leave you?
I have returned the letters. I'm no longer a threat to you.
All I want is to dance.
Dance? Of course.
But not in Moscow, not at the coronation ballet.
You will dance in night clubs for a piece of bread!
Until you're so old that you'll grab the curtain to keep from falling.
That's what's in store for you now.
THE BRIDE IS MISS LEGNANI.
Yes, yes! Beautiful! Smile! What a pearl!
Beaming with joy!
- Where is she? - Ivan...
- Must I go on stage myself? - I'll get her.
Get Legnani! Here!
- We have a very urgent matter. - I'm getting ready to dance!
Are you out of your mind? I am dancing the bride!
They can wait!
Miss Legnani! On stage!
Coming!
My love... Enough!
Your Grace!
It's her!
How's it going?
Wonderful!
This way, please.
Why aren't you in the imperial box? You'll miss Legnani going on!
Exactly. I don't want to miss a thing.
Mademoiselle Legnani!
Ivan Karlovich is looking for you! You're on now!
Miss Legnani...
I've been waiting for you, Mathilde Felixovna.
Do be quiet. I'll hold her.
Whore!
- This is all you deserve! - Get on stage!
- Here, here, my dear. - Hold her tight.
Let me enjoy the dancing.
- Shove me. - What?
Shove me, silly girl!
Pathetic old fool!
May I see?
Malya!
Nicky!
- Our Kaiser congratulates you... - Excuse me.
on your wedding and coronation!
In fouetté you must keep your eyes on the object of your attention.
If not, falling is inevitable.
Your Majesty.
Nicky.
I don't know how we'll live, but we must always be together.
Watch me.
Bravo!
Thirty two!
Congratulations!
Nicky!
Will I see you again?
For the first time in my life I know what I want.
Do what you feel is right.
Let's go.
Thank you, Andrei.
I'm doing this for her, not for you.
Nicky!
Remember me, Mathilde Felixovna?
Of course you remember.
I brought flowers to each performance.
You threw them away.
Do you remember the kiss? That one kiss.
It drove me crazy.
I left my fiancée for you.
She had a dimple on her chin.
- What happened to her? - Just the usual.
She hanged herself.
Then I left for the war.
So at least my death could have some meaning.
I am sorry.
As planned, Vorontsov is at Kschessinska's house.
Good. Go ahead!
At last you'll be my bride.
Let me go, please.
No, Malya.
From now on we stay together.
- Yes. - Colonel, they are on the ferry.
- Do we go ahead? - Yes.
Where are you going, Malya?
From now on we stay together.
We'll live in a small house in the middle of a forest.
No one will find us there.
We'll be happy. Believe me.
Very happy!
Untie me!
You took no pity on me, but God has.
He's put you in my arms.
What is that, on the river?
Faster!
Please...
Untie me, please!
Help! Nicky!
- Malya! - Malya!
Help! Nicky!
Nicky...
As a kind man, naturally, I saved you.
But during the coronation you must disappear.
They must all think that you drowned.
It will be better that way for all concerned, won't it?
I remember how mother told me...
that a German princess was coming.
She's 12.
Her name is Alix.
And she is so bright and cheerful
that everyone calls her "Sunny".
Sunshine.
God planned everything well.
God brought this sunshine to light up my entire life.
And I nearly lost you.
To hope when there is nothing left to hope for, is just the way I am.
Excuse me.
Sir, there's been a stampede. At Khodynka. Many people died.
Oh, God.
Nicky!
Your Majesty, 500,000 people came. We planned for 100,000.
No one expected so many.
Afraid there wouldn't be enough gifts...
they moved toward the pavilions, and then stampeded.
Mummy, I want to go home!
About 2,000 dead. Countless wounded.
- Punish the guilty. - Yes, Your Majesty.
- Common graves will be dug... - No common graves!
Bury them all in coffins. I will pay the costs.
Families must get 500 silver roubles each.
But that's an enormous amount of money.
Give me the torch.
Dear Lord, hear my prayer.
Purge our bed of sin.
Make our home a place of goodness and...
Reinheit?
Purity.
Make our home a place of goodness...
and purity.
Grant us the strength to carry our burden.
That we may carry out Thy will.
We swear on these holy icons.
I love you.
My entire life...
is in these three words.