Original subtitles

In 1922 a number

of high-ranking Bolsheviks met outside Moscow

to form an alternative Russian government.

This group, which became known as The Trust,

was the brainchild of Felix Dzerzhinsky,

founder of the Cheka, the Bolshevik secret police

and his new protege, Mikhail Trilisser.

The purpose of the Trust was to create a focus

for the world's anti-Bolshevik forces,

so that the Cheka could control and eventually destroy them,

thereby safeguarding the revolution in Russia.

This plan was to exceed Dzerzhinsky's wildest expectations.

By 1924 Western government agencies were giving the Trust

both money and material in the mistaken belief

that it was the only organization in Russia capable

of destroying the Bolsheviks.

Meanwhile, through the Trust, Dzerzhinsky began luring back

into Russia the most dangerous of his enemies.

- Gentlemen.

We have sent Lieberman to New York to convey

to Savinkov our fraternal greetings

and to offer him a guarantee of safe passage,

should he wish to return to Russia.

- I hope measures have been taken to safeguard his arrival.

Savinkov is guarded by a particularly ruthless group

of men who will stop at nothing to protect him.

- As soon as he steps ashore he'll be in our care.

- Can we pass on to next business, Sidney O'Reilly.

- The only man determined

to thwart his plan was Sidney Reilly.

In the years that followed the Russian Civil War,

the battle between the Red and White Russians expanded

to embrace the world.

This was particularly true of New York,

where thousands of refugees fleeing from Russia brought

in their wake Bolshevik agents determined

to carry the war into the enemy's camp.

In 1924, Reilly was living in America.

By day, a respectable businessman,

by night, one of the inner line.

Savinkov's anti-Bolshevik organization,

whose job it was to weed out the Reds from the Whites

with the aid of the FBI.

- FBI.

- These are the ones that fit your description.

Is he there?

- Next to the old man.

- You.

Step forward.

He's called Lieberman.

- I'll take him!

Monkewitz!

- Be careful with him, I don't want him harmed.

- Morning, Cummings. - Morning, Sykes.

- Where's Hill?

- He's on his way.

I suppose you want coffee?

- No, thank you.

This is urgent and I need to be back

at the Foreign Office by 10:00.

I have here a letter from Zinoviev.

- Commissar Zinoviev?

- The Dictator of Petrograd,

as he is known to the newspapers.

We picked it up in Berlin.

Read it.

What is Reilly up to at the moment?

- He's in America, fundraising

for Mr. Churchill's friend Savinkov.

- We are rapidly losing interest in Savinkov.

- Are you indeed?

- I am told he intends to invade Russia

with the German army.

- Does he indeed.

- We would take a dim view of such an adventure.

- Would you indeed?

- Good morning, gentlemen.

- I was just showing the commander a letter

from Commissar Zinoviev calling upon the British workers

to prepare for revolution.

As you can see it's pretty strong stuff.

- What do you say Commander?

- It's a forgery.

- Hill?

- I agree.

This could be Orlov's work.

Is it from Berlin? - Yes.

- This could bring down the government.

- He was right.

This so-called letter, Sykes, is simply designed

to wreck the trade treaty the government's about to sign

with the Bolsheviks.

- Well, Reilly has written a letter

stating the document is genuine.

- Well he would, wouldn't he?

It's in his interest to claim it's genuine.

He's made no secret of his view

that this treaty represents a further encouragement

by us of the Bolshevik regime.

And that he will stop at nothing to scupper it!

- Gentlemen, Sidney Reilly is your Russian expert.

He has guaranteed the authenticity of the document.

I'm going to give you a month to prove otherwise.

Or we shall release it to the press.

Better the government fall

then the prospect of us all being murdered in our beds.

The ball is in your court.

Good day, gentlemen.

- Damn and blast Sidney Reilly!

- It's not just Sidney, sir.

Sykes and quite a few others will be more than happy

to see this government fall.

- Stop defending him, George.

He's trying to overthrow the elected government

of the country with a letter!

Probably forged by his friend Orlov.

- I'm merely trying to point out

that the Foreign Office is not entirely

without blame in this matter.

- Don't argue, George.

Go to Berlin.

Find Orlov and see what he has to say.

Meanwhile, I'll get in touch with your old chum Reilly.

- Item 16, a bust of the Emperor Napoleon

by the French sculptor Pierre Jean De Lille Danger,

and we start the bidding at $40,000.

Thank you; 41.

42, 43.

$44,000 against you, Madam.

Thank you 45, 46, 47,

47 against you sir, 48, 49.

$49,000, 50.

$51,000, thank you, sir.

52, $53,000. - $54,000.

- $54,000, 55, $56,000, 57,

$58,000, 59.

$60,000, 61.

$61,000, we need a pass,

62, 63,000, 64.

$64,000, 65,

65, 65 against you, Madam.

- Mr. Reilly?

- Yes?

- You don't know me, but I was a friend of Marie Friede's.

- Marie's been dead some six years now.

- I know; she was shot in Lubyanka.

- And what's your name?

- Euvgenia Savinkov. - At 75,000, 76.

76,000.

Monsieur Jean-Marie de Gray-sa, $76,000.

- The David is yours.

- Yes it is.

- And all proceeds go to the fighting fund.

- And how can I help you?

- Mamie Daerenthal told me that your secretary

had just left; I'm looking for a job.

- Do you know anyone else in the organization?

- Maureen Der-et-sky-a.

- Do you typewrite? - Yes.

- You're hired.

- Mamie Daerenthal. - Sidney.

- You know Euvgenia?

- Of course.

Look at you!

- Yes, I did Mamie. - That's wonderful!

Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Sidney Reilly.

How much is it, Sidney?

Three quarters of a million!

- Well done, Sidney.

I'll tell Savinkov you're here.

- No, let me-- - No, no, no no no.

Stay here.

- So you sold your collection

for my son's cause?

- Yes, I have, Madam Savinkova.

- Just to keep this worthless organization

from going bankrupt?

- Is that such a bad idea?

- Just look around you, what do you see?

Hangers-on everywhere.

Thank you.

- Well, every army has its camp followers.

- Yes, but not in the general's quarters.

- Reilly's here, Boris.

- I don't want him to see me like this.

- He's brought the check with him.

- Ask him to wait for five minutes.

Get Mamie for me!

- Very well.

- Is it true?

Did you hire Euvgenia?

- Yes, she gave your name.

It seems she's also a friend of Mamie Daerenthal.

- I don't like the idea of her living all alone

out at Long Island.

- I'm near.

- Yes.

- Boris apologizes, he'll be here in a few minutes.

- It's the old wound, is it?

- Yes, I'm afraid so.

- He'll be all right now.

- I said five minutes, Sidney.

- Are you sleeping with her?

- Yes.

- Does her husband know?

- That's none of your business.

We have an arrangement, yes.

- Do you know, Boris, they call it a deal.

- Oh yes.

I can't believe it.

- The French bought most of it.

- Did they?

It will allow us to get this circus on the road.

- When are you leaving for Paris?

- Tuesday, can't be helped.

Sidney, now that Lenin's dead,

there's a power struggle going on in Moscow.

And Scotland wants me in Europe

in case anything breaks, so--

- Boris, I need you here.

I'm hoping for a meeting with Henry Ford.

- Ford?

- His backing means access to unlimited funds.

Oil men, steel men, the big banks.

- You handle it, Sidney, you're good at that sort of thing.

- How long?

- This is one of our safe places.

- It doesn't look very safe to me.

You wait here for a moment.

Where's Lieberman?

- He's dead.

- What happened?

- Guess his heart gave out.

What do we do with him?

- Whose are these?

- Mine, boss.

- They're scum.

- We fight scum with scum.

- Where are the notes of the interrogation?

Now you listen to me, Monkewitz,

you're to stop employing Klansmen.

This isn't an open season on Jews.

- Where there's Jews, there's Bolsheviks!

- Send the person who wrote this to me,

it's illegible.

Evening, ma'am. - Good evening.

- Sir. - Evening, Doe-dee-ay.

Whenever I go out, I always leave an exact description

of my whereabouts and my movements

up here on the mantelpiece.

Now, if I'm overdue, you will open the letter

and check the contents.

Otherwise, it's to remain sealed at all times.

Is that clear?

Second, you will log all incoming calls,

including wrong numbers.

Have you ever used of these things?

Always keep it handy.

You never know when they may decide to pay us a visit.

- They?

- The Bolsheviks.

This is where you sleep.

Good night.

- What happened to your last secretary?

- She disappeared.

- Nice-looking kid.

- Careful what you say to her.

- Okay.

- My dear Cummings, Euvgeney Semeneneko,

my new secretary.

Please check her against your St. Petersburg files.

Her credentials are impeccable,

yet there is something about her that makes me suspicious.

- Madame Chinova's here.

- Madame Chinova.

- Would you like some tea?

- Yes, please.

- Thank you.

- Please sit down.

You were at the warehouse when they interrogated Lieberman.

- Yes, sir.

- Are these your notes?

They're illegible. - Sorry.

- Was it raining that night?

- No, sir, it was ice-cold.

- So these are tears?

- Yes, sir.

- Madam Chinova, what is a woman like you doing

taking down in shorthand the screams of men under torture?

Was your family killed in Russia?

- Yes, sir by the Reds.

- And this is your way of getting even.

Did you see Lieberman die?

- No sir, I was asked to leave when they began to,

when they started asking for names.

He came up with the Daerenthals.

The Daerenthals? - Yes.

General Monkewitz got annoyed.

- And then you were asked to leave.

- Yes sir.

- How long after that did he...

- Not long.

Then they came out and I knew he was dead.

Thank you.

- Were there any other names?

- I think he started to say Plevitskaya,

but the general got so angry I couldn't make it out.

- He counted on it.

- Well, he kept repeating,

"I'm not a member of the Cheka,

"I'm a member of the bank," or something.

- The Trust? - That's right, the Trust.

- Lieberman's dead.

They found his body in the river.

- You'd better get someone else, and soon.

- Well that's not gonna be too easy.

We need someone who is totally trustworthy

and utterly convincing. - But not so unlucky.

Why don't you go yourself?

- To New York? - No, to Paris.

You can intercept Savinkov there.

- He's vulnerable, he's a Russian and he's homesick.

Work on that.

- And what about Reilly?

- Let's get Savinkov, Reilly will follow.

- Mrs. Reilly.

- And you are? - Mr. Reilly.

- Sixth floor, Mr. Reilly, you're expected.

Oh, Mrs. Reilly this is the desk.

Mr. Reilly's on his way up, yes ma'am.

- My dear Melody. - Sidney, darling.

Mm.

How is life on Long Island?

- Mm, quiet.

- You like it?

- Yes, I do.

- There's nothing like cubism

to bring out a woman's shape.

- Massino would have admired this place.

- Let us not bring up the past.

I don't want to live in a world that doesn't exist anymore.

- Where is Jan? - In Shanghai, last I heard.

- What about you, are you still working for Savinkov? - Mm hmm.

- You used to be so clever.

- Who is the man down in the lobby?

- He's a present from Nobel, he thinks I need protection.

- Are you going to marry you? - Nobel, yes?

If you'll give me a divorce.

For you, my love,

I can't be selfish.

Why should I stand in the way of true love, hmm?

- Money, for one thing.

You can't be that well off.

- 20 years a countess, and you still think like a peasant.

- I'm concerned for you.

- Look, I know your world, I've lived in it.

But I live in a different world,

a world of haunted men as...

hatred and great ambitions, of schemes as big as anything

dreamt by Genghis Khan of power.

Russia.

When you talk about Russia,

you are talking about the fate of the world.

- I just don't want to see you destroyed, that's all.

I'll give you a divorce on one condition:

that Nobel gets me an introduction to Henry Ford.

- Two weeks later, Boris Savinkov,

the Daerenthals, and Maria Plevitskaya left for France,

leaving Reilly and Euvgenia behind in New York.

- How are you?

Good to see you; Sidney!

Come fill my glass, Sidney, my beloved.

Remember that girl, lovely girl.

- In St. Petersburg, wasn't it? - Yes, I do remember.

- Well.

- Here's to her, hmm?

- Here's to her.

- I wish you were coming with me.

- I've got a meeting with Ford.

I've got about three minutes before Mamie comes

barging through that door, and I want to tell you

what's been going on in New York.

You've been trapped, Boris, by a tight little group,

some of whom may be working for the Bolsheviks.

- I've heard all this. - Both your mistress,

Mamie Daerenthal and Maria Plevitskaya,

for a start, and I would guess their husbands.

- It's a lie! - Boris,

Lieberman is dead.

And do you know why?

Your friend, General Monkewitz, had him beaten to death.

Because he was going to talk,

and if he had talked,

he would have compromised them all.

- Lieberman?

- Now I know the Trust are trying to lure you

back into Russia,

and I wanted to find out from Lieberman

what exactly they were up to,

but before I could talk to him,

Monkewitz had him killed.

- What is Boris doing in there?

- I don't know.

You tell him he's got guests out here.

- Lieberman was sent to New York

with a promise of safe passage for me.

- Please, you're wanted. - One minute, Mamie.

Lieberman was my friend.

- He was working for Dzerzhinsky.

- Boris, the press want photographs, the New York Times--

- Get out!

There was a growing feeling that I should return to Russia.

Yes, there have been communications,

but there was no reason to kill Lieberman.

- Why didn't you tell me?

- Why didn't you talk to me?

- Because since the Daerenthals arrived,

I've become an outsider.

- The Daerenthals are my friends.

You're my friend, Lieberman was my friend.

- You no longer know who your friends are.

Boris, these people are gonna wrap you up

and deliver you to Dzerzhinsky's doorstep.

You must trust me.

Don't do anything until we've met in Berlin.

By the time we should have Ford's decision.

If you go back into Russia, it'll be the end for me.

I've staked everything on you,

my money, my reputation,

my life.

- I know.

- I don't know I will see you again.

- You soon will.

- Where did you meet Marie?

- On the quayside in Odessa.

It was just after the Bolsheviks had surrounded the city.

Daerenthal was with her.

There was no room on the ships,

so they decided to get married.

I was best man.

- What about Maria Plevitskaya?

- When boo-gen-ee attacked, we escaped.

Made our way east.

After a few days we ran into the White Army.

We were both raped.

We were about to end up on their bayonets

when their commander appeared.

Plevitskaya was with him.

She just glanced at Mamie and fell in love with her.

I took one look at her and did the same.

That's how we met.

- Were you lovers?

- For a while.

But my preference is for men.

- You're late.

- Is Nobel here? - Of course.

And Ford, who says he's dying to meet you.

- Anyone else? - Only someone called Dawes, he's Coolidge's running mate.

- You're wonderful.

- Mm, if you're hungry I shall have some sandwiches sent up for us both.

Darling, this is my husband.

My dearest, this is the man I hope to marry.

- I've heard a lot about you.

- I've been doing some checking myself.

Gentlemen, this is Mr. Sidney Reilly.

He has a plan to invade Russia with the German Army,

and he's looking for finance.

- Sit down, Mr. Reilly, make yourself comfortable.

- Hello?

- Open the envelope.

- And if he comes back? - He won't be coming back.

I want to know if he saw Henry Ford.

- Hello.

He met Henry Ford tonight.

♪ La la

♪ La la

♪ There'll be no more sorrow when ♪

- If it takes all night,

you're gonna smoke that damn thing, aren't you?

- I can't think of anything better to do.

- We've been followed for the last five miles,

and you're not doin' a damn thing about it.

- Pull over and let him pass.

- When I slow, he slows.

When I put my foot down, he does likewise.

- Where's the Thompson?

Let's get on with it.

- He's gainin' on us! - Then go faster!

Monkewitz is dead.

You tried to kill me.

Here.

- Good evening, Herr-line. - Good evening, Karl.

- They have arrived.

- Was Herr Savinkov with them?

- Ja. - Good.

- How long do you expect this to go on for?

- All night.

- 411, please.

- A Mr. Hill called.

- Mr. Hill?

- Did he leave a message? - Only that he will return tonight if at all possible.

- Reilly arrived in Berlin

during a period of civil unrest.

The Nazis were already on the march.

He had in his possession General Hoffman's plans

for the invasion of Russia and various financial guarantees.

With these he was convinced that Savinkov would join him

in a final effort to overthrow the Bolsheviks.

♪ Doo dee doo doo doo

♪ Doo

♪ Ya da dum

♪ Doo doo

♪ Dee

♪ Da da, bup, bum bum

♪ Dum da dum bum bum bum

♪ Dum da dum bum bum da bum

♪ Ba dum bum

- I beg your pardon, the door was unlocked.

Are you aware that this is my bathroom?

- You could have knocked.

And you could have locked the door.

Key was on your side.

- As a matter of fact I was having a bath.

In your bathroom.

The hall porter said

you weren't expected back till midnight.

Don't suppose I've left you a single dry towel.

♪ Da dee dee da da dum

- Is Boris there?

He's in the bath, hmm.

Well, tell him that I have Hoffman's plans

and Ford's agreement.

And I shall meet him for dinner at 9:30.

- Sidney's arrived.

- I'd like a cab.

- I would not advise madam to take a cab

until there is a lull in the fighting.

- Thank you.

I imagine you'd like something to drink.

- I'll have a glass of milk.

- Anything in it?

- Brandy and a raw egg.

- Have you eaten today?

- No.

But I've had a bath.

- Well tell me, what are you doing in Berlin?

- I was in a show, but it folded.

It had something to do with the political climate.

- Well, what shall we drink to?

- Your bathroom?

- Our bathroom.

- Thank you.

By the way, my name is Pepita Bobodilla.

- Thank you, that'll be all.

- Anyway, here are General Hoffman's invasion plans,

Ford's agreement and various other banks and businesses--

- I'm going back.

I saw Yakushev in Paris.

I've been promised the protection of the Trust.

It's the only way

- When are you leaving?

- Tomorrow morning.

I don't want to return to Russia

at the head of a German army.

I've know or felt this for some time.

You see, I think we've got it wrong, all wrong.

Our political attitudes are wrong.

We go back into Russia, fight them from there.

If necessary, go to jail.

May die.

In there.

I'm dying out here, Sidney.

I want to breathe that air, I want to live on that land.

I'm going back in.

- I just wanted to see that you were all right.

- Sorry, Sidney, but Hill has had the whole story

from comrade Orlov.

He admits to forging the Zinoviev letter

at your instigation, so now all that's needed

is for you to acknowledge the fact.

Sidney,

if the Foreign Office release that letter

the government will fall.

- In my view, that's no bad thing.

- It's a forgery.

- Then no one will believe it.

- You know perfectly well that unless it's contradicted

the whole country will believe it!

- In that case, Commander,

you're in trouble.

- Now you listen to me, Sidney.

Just because your comrade in arms,

that drug addict Savinkov has defected to the Bolsheviks,

you've decided to bring down the British government.

Well you won't get away with it.

Now why don't you turn your guns on your real enemy?

Dzerzhinsky.

I've got the dirt on the whole damn lot of them, Sidney.

Monkewitz, Scobland, Euvgenia Semenenko.

You were quite right about her, Sidney,

a Bolshevik from the day she was born!

- This song comes from the time of Napoleon's war,

when the French armies stood before Moscow

watching it burn down.

Some of the women of Moscow, watching the city burn,

decided to take to the hills to avenge their ravaged country

and to avenge their dead husbands and lovers.

The song is called The Soldiers of the Night

and is dedicated to a great benefactor

of the White Russian cause, who is here tonight.

A man whose legendary generosity is perhaps only excelled

by his great exploits in the Russian Revolution.

This paragon of manly visions is none other than

Captain Sidney Reilly, MC.

I also dedicate this song to my friend

Euvgenia Semenenko, a friend of mine

since I first met her outside Odessa.

For she was one of the soldiers of the night.

- Bored?

- It's too Russian; gloom, gloom, gloom.

- um um.

I prefer Gilbert and Sullivan.

♪ Prithee, pretty maiden - prithee, tell me true ♪

How long have you known Sidney?

- Since Berlin.

He won't tell me but is he married?

- Rather more than once.

- Nothing current?

- No.

- Good, I don't like stealing other girl's husbands.

If they're just lying around...

- You think he's just lying 'round?

- I feel he's been abandoned.

- Could be.

♪ The soldiers of the night

♪ The dead keep on

♪ That we continue to fight the war ♪

♪ With every sinewy, oh soldier ♪

♪ Yes the soldiers

♪ The soldiers of the night

♪ In victory there's no other

♪ But the soldiers of the night ♪

- In Moscow, Savinkov was put on trial

and sentenced to death for his part in the Civil War.

The sentence was later commuted to 10 years' imprisonment.

In New York, Nadia married Nobel.

In London, the British government fell,

some say as a result of the so-called Zinoviev letter.

Reilly never forgot those who were responsible

for his friend Savinkov's defection

and determined to take his revenge.