Original subtitles

TV CHANNEL RUSSIA

COSMOS STUDIO

TV CHANNEL RUSSIA

PRESENTS

A COSMOS STUDIO PRODUCTION

WRITTEN BY ARIF ALIEV

DIRECTED BY DMITRIY IOSIFOV

CAMERA DIRECTOR MAXIM SHINKORENKO

ART DIRECTOR SERGEY VOROBIEV

MAKEUP ARTIST - ARTEM DEMIDOV, COSTUME DESIGNER - SVETLANA MOSKVINA

MUSIC BY - NIKOLAY ROSTOV CASTING DIRECTOR - VALERIA GANKINA

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF - SERGEY KOZIN POST-PRODUCTION BY NONNA ARISTARKHOVA

SOUND PRODUCERS VLADIMIR LITROVNIK, ANNA IVANTSOVA

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS LILIA CHEKSTER, SYUZANNA MUAZEN

ASSOCIATE PRODUCER ANASTASIA KORETSKAYA

LEAD PRODUCER - DMITRIY GOLUBICHNY

PRODUCERS - ALEXANDER AKOPOV, ANTON ZLATOPOLSKY, NATALIA SHNEIDOROVA

IN REMEMBRANCE OF EXECUTIVE PRODUCER ALEXEI KUBLITSKY

PAVEL PETROVICH - PAVEL TABAKOV NIKITA PANIN - SERGEY KOLTAKOV

YEMELYAN PUGACHEV - ARTUR IVANOV PRINCESS TARAKANOVA - ANGELINA STRECHINA

STEPAN SHESHKOVSKY - MIKHAIL GOREVOY ALEXEI ORLOV - ARTEM ALEXEEV

ANDREY RAZUMOVSKY - ALEXANDER TKACHEV NATALIA ALEXEIEVNA - ALINA TOMNIKOV

GRIGORY POTEMKIN - VLADIMIR YAGLICH GAVRIIL DERZHAVIN - DANILA DUNAEV

EKATERINA NELIDOVA - DIANA MILYUTINA LEFEBVRE - IGOR GRABUZOV

KAZIMIERZ OGIŃSKI - ARTEM KRETOV MICHAŁ OGIŃSKI - DANIIL SLUTSKI

MARIA KAROLINA - OLGA MAKEEVA FERDINAND - SERGEY TESSLER

DENIS FONVIZIN - KUZMA SAPRYKIN ADAM OLSUFIEV - STANISLAV STRELKOV

EKATERINA THE GREAT MARINA ALEKSANDROVA

EKATERINA: PRETENDERS

ST. PETERSBURG March 1774

Gentlemen...

I must apologise for concealing this document from you.

But God knows... I thought it wasnt the right time yet.

Now I see I was wrong. Please forgive me for my mistake.

This is that very Manifesto I told you about.

Written by me in the hope of greatness and prosperity of Russia.

Read it, Pavel Petrovich. Because its you and only you...

the true and lawful Russian Emperor to be.

VENICE THE CAPITAL OF THE REPUBLIC OF VENICE

Voila! I turn my back and you are gone.

Leaving me nothing, but this snuffbox as a symbol of solitude.

Thank you, monsieur Wallace. I felt sick and decided to go home.

I must have left it in a hurry.

But still... Why were you looking at me like that?

That was some gaze... Unforgettable.

I dont know. Maybe its because of...

this Julius Caesar profile of yours. I dont know.

Or because of your lionhead saber.

By the way, its a present from the East India Company.

- I am a shareholder. - Really?

Yes. I own 5 vessels that ship tea from India.

30,000 guineas a year. But enough about me. How did you get here?

I heard youre from Bohemia?

It's because of the peasant revolt.

Several castles were burnt. My father was wounded.

He died last month.

My brother Tomasz is in Rome and he doesnt answer my letters.

I spent my last money to come here. I am sorry...

Im so foolish...

Im not even sure if I have enough money to have dinner tomorrow.

- I am so sorry. - Oh my God...

You are so lonely, so scared, you are all alone in this city.

But never doubt, youve got someone to take care of you,

someone to stand up for you, mademoiselle.

- Mademoiselle... - Monsieur Wallace, you should go.

In all sincerity, mademoiselle.

Come tomorrow, at 7. I will be glad to see you.

Tomorrow. Good.

Mademoiselle.

For you to have dinner tomorrow. Dont even say anything.

I'm looking forward to seeing you tomorrow.

The door.

Holy Mother, what a humiliation! I hope it was not in vain, Your Highness.

Englishmen are misers. There must be a handful of coppers.

Theres more than one dinner.

So... This is two months rent.

This is for meat and vegetables,

this is for candles and this is for clothes.

- And also for paper and quills. - Its not an office.

But if a lady has only one dress, it's suspicious.

I need a proper look for the audience in the Doge's Palace.

Weve been waiting for 2 months, they just forgot about us.

Cheer up, fortune smiled on us.

Your Highness, if you'll excuse me, this haggler looks dangerous to me.

My dear pan Michał, every woman has a trick or two to ward off a man.

Do you like me, pan Kazimierz?

And the main addition:

to restore the Manifesto on Freedoms of the Nobility,

now temporarily suspended. Though temporary always tends to be lasting.

Then we gradually begin to free the serfs.

This will lead to a reasonable relationship

between nobility and the people, and form a fairer society.

Denis Ivanovich, may I ask you a question?

- How many serfs do you have? - None.

And no land. I may inherit from my parents,

but it doesnt mean waiting for their death.

Just as I thought - no land, no peasants.

- You cant understand landlords. - And Im not going to.

The current state is against the progress.

It needs to be changed.

I fully support Denis Ivanovich.

Ive got an estate near Vitebsk with 1,200 serfs.

Not the best soil but still better than here.

You know these Russian loams... I hardly ever go there.

So I thought, why not give it to you?

Thank you, Nikita Ivanovich. However, I cant take it.

- Why so? - When I was young I made a resolution.

"I will never constrain anyone

and never live on labor of others even in dire need".

Good, youll know from experience if youre able to coexist with peasants

and make it reasonable, healthy, mutually beneficial.

Or you'll go broke and peasants will curse you for the rest of your life.

Have you ever thought who are all those beggars on the roads?

- There are many of them. - Who?

These very runaway peasants from ruined estates. That's that.

Nikita Ivanovich, I think we shouldnt speak Russian.

Are you concerned about Vlas? No, he is my man.

I got him out of the torture chamber. He owes me.

We can ask him, by the way.

Vlas, tell me, what happens if peasants are made free?

Your Excellency... With land or without?

- No fool. Right to the point. - As a first step...

- Without land. - Yes.

Nothing good. Is it freedom without any land?

All the same: working for someone, giving out all you earned.

Then what should be done to do right for everybody?

Nikita Ivanovich... Should I speak the truth?

- Its my order: speak the truth. - Well...

To divide the land justly so that everyone would be his own man.

- Wait... how would the noble manage? - Why on earth would we need them?

Why? To protect you if God forbid theres a war!

I heard theyre going to be released from service, what are they for then?

Who needs change? All they want is to stay

as they are and to hear kind words to them.

Everyone wants to get something for nothing.

You see, Nikita Ivanovich, he even says theres no need for us.

I wouldnt laugh if I were you.

You know nothing about common people. How would you explain to them

if they are right or wrong? No way.

Just wait, Ill show you... Voltairian.

Nikita Ivanovich, you said: "Tell the truth".

- What are you reading? - Just a trifle.

- It wont be interesting to you. - You think that low of me.

Its a pity. Ive got a present for you.

What present?

What is it?

A tenner with Peter III. I know they minted these within his 6 months reign,

but I never saw any myself. - Your mother withdrew all of them.

I got to find one. Now its yours.

Thank you.

- I see youre upset about something. - Shell take our children from us.

She thinks she has a right to do it since she was treated the same way.

These are mere words.

We don't know what's going to happen.

Pavel Petrovich, out of all people, you should know that itll be that way.

She keeps your little Semion with her because he is Romanov by blood.

While her own son is sent off to Europe,

for hes got no Romanov blood.

You are just an embarrassing failure. Her grandson will be a crown prince,

and youll get an honorary post of Governor-General of Siberia.

- Why do you think Id accept it? - Then youll get lost too.

- Looks like Freidrich. - Whom Peter III admired so much.

Whats wrong with admiring a worthy man?

He made an army that any ruler can only dream about.

- He is an ideal ruler. - There is no such thing.

Hes got a brilliant mind, I can't argue, but his writing is awful.

I beg your pardon, but how do you know his writing?

- From his letters, where else? - Do you correspond with Freidrich?

- Yes, does that surprise you? - It does, I must admit.

You mean, a woman isnt clever enough to be in such correspondence?

Not at all, I didnt mean it.

- So, what is it you're discussing? - Goethe, new operas.

I ask his advice on how an inexperienced foreigner should behave at Court.

Why didn't you say anything? Dont you understand its high treason?

I know you wont tell anyone. You are my husband, I trust you.

Good, I promise not to, but...

on one condition: you let me add a couple of lines to your letter.

- And Ill ask for a favor in return. - Anything you want.

Tell me about the fate of Ivan Antonovich, son of Antony Ulrich

Whats wrong, Pavel Petrovich?

He was killed while trying to escape. Im not sure if he even tried to do it.

Please, never mention him or his family.

His family?

Yes. Father, two brothers and two sisters. All Romanovs by blood,

and none of them will ever be out of the prison.

Pavel Petrovich!

Ive got news for you. We are leaving to join the army.

- You, Your Majesty? - Yes, and maybe you, too.

I was advised to take General Admiral Romanov with me and hell take his wife.

Im ready. When are we leaving?

- In the near future. - What do you think, Natalia?

Look at this perfect marriage: first, he asks her opinion.

And his wife says: "The future Emperor should take part in a battle".

Well, if Pavel Petrovich perishes Ill be the Empress.

It was a joke. And not a good one, Your Majesty.

- You got that right. - No one would wish that for Russia.

Besides, monarchs dont perish on the battlefields anymore.

Grigory Alexandrovich, I made up my mind.

The Crown Prince isn't coming. Its too high a risk.

Still no news from your brother?

Yes, I worry about him. He is so light-minded.

I think I should go to Rome with you.

- And Ill pay for this trip. - But its a great expense.

Dont worry about it.

- Thank you. - And now...

Whats that?

This thing is all the rage.

Its opium. We ship it from China.

It will help us to relax.

Does it stupefy?

Taste it. Just take it with your lips and taste it.

Take it with your pretty lips.

Or you may let me taste your pretty lips.

Monsieur Wallace! Michał!

- I like your pretty lips... - What the hell?

Monsieur, stop it! Damn you!

You've raised a hand on a noble, dirt-born!

Come here, you brat!

Calm down, calm down. So, you are swindlers.

You are not lackeys, and you are hardly an orphan from Bohemia.

Get out!

Yes, I will, straight to the police.

- And tonight youll be imprisoned. - You dont need to go.

Wait. Well find some way to negotiate.

Give me back my money.

All of my money.

- A part of it is already spent. - Take this off!

Take it off! And you - put this away! Quick!

Give it to me. Come on!

Give it to me, you nasty woman!

Pavel Petrovich, Your Highness...

What a surprise! Again in this garden. What can I do for you?

Your wife is looking for you. You left without any word. Shes worried.

Shes waiting for me to obey. Obey her, obey the mother...

- Soon all of Russia will obey only me. - You must be waiting for that moment.

- You are wrong. - You dont want to be the Emperor?

My father was, and what happened to him? I wish we had spent more time together.

- Hello. - Hello to you, Pavel.

Look, Pavel, I have a present for you. So, a solemn moment...

And... ta-da!

- This is for you. - Thank you. Youre so nice.

I always waited for him to finish his urgent matters and come to me.

Im sorry, I shouldnt say that.

But I noticed your sympathy for Semion and Sofia Stepanovna.

Youve got a kind heart. I think you understand me.

- Pavel Petrovich, you are a good man. - Others believe Im weak-willed.

When I become the Emperor my first decree will be the crowning of Peter III.

And Ill make his murderer carry his ashes

through the city to the Peter and Paul Cathedral.

It will be the greatest funeral ever seen.

You already know what youre going to do

when you become the Emperor.

- It means that you are not afraid. - Its you who encourages me.

Im sure you have enough courage. Excuse me, I have to go.

Tails...

Your Majesty, how long are we going to run around the steppe?

Theyre hunting us like a pack of wolves.

Smashed us two days in a row, what do we have tomorrow?

- None of your business. - None of my business. I see.

- How can we know it? - Who was hiding behind the Cossacks?

Dont be upset, Your Majesty.

We lost only two units. Well gather another four tomorrow.

- Your Majesty! - Silence, I said!

- Speak. - Good news, Your Majesty.

- General-in-chief Bibikov died. - How?

- Hes not old. Was he killed? - No, he wasnt.

They say it was some illness.

Katyas army has no commander now.

God helps us. We're doing the right thing.

Enough rushing round the steppe. It's time to turn around.

Now well chase them as they chased us. And without this viper

well crush them soon.

Your Majesty, you kiss her, you marry her. Its my daughter.

Ustinya... That child has grown.

I cant, Im married. Wait till I deal with the German lady.

Then well see.

Not your lucky day, Kuznetsov.

Just imagine: he shows a wound on his neck

and says they cut him, but left alive.

He asks everyone to touch it. Hilarious, isnt it?

We said nothing about another pretender. A real one.

What about him? Bibikov beat him, broke the siege of Orenburg.

- Its over. - No, its not.

As long as he's free, he can gather a new army,

and we're right back at war.

I failed.

- Four times in a row. - Ill try once more.

Mother, youre not ready to go to the South, to the army all the more.

In St. Petersburg youll be safe, both you and the throne.

- Stay here. - Why are you saying this now?

Dear brother!

Her Majesty left the capital with Potyomkin and headed south.

She wanted me to get in touch with Count Shuvalov.

Shes concerned about his affair with the pretender.

So I want to remind you that he used to be a friend of ours as well.

Get ready, well meet soon in St. Petersburg.

Your Majesty, we did as you asked.

Only the closest know of your departure.

- Modest, quiet farewell ceremony. - You did everything right.

- Where is Pavel Petrovich? - We were together, in his office.

- Something must've delayed him. - Well, Im good at waiting.

Pavel Petrovich, I beg you to be extremely cautious.

Why so? Why is she leaving and I am staying?

This needs to be changed. Ill take a risk to talk to her.

Kazan will fall soon, but shes waiting

for the state affairs to take care of themselves.

What if we dont ask her?

What if we start acting without regard for her?

Maybe its time to act independently and stop being constantly scared?

Ill tell you a secret. I invited my brother.

He's coming to St. Petersburg incognito.

Id like to introduce him to you.

Then three of us will discuss the project,

that will help to restore the fair succession to the throne, you see?

- Nikita Ivanovich, is it a conspiracy? - No at all, Pavel Petrovich.

I am not going to do anything without your consent and your involvement.

But please remember: you are a Romanov and your mother is not.

She had to hand over the throne to you long ago, and by dragging it out

...shes depriving you of the time of your reign.

Russia is waiting for you.

You are the only legal heir, and youll be its best ruler.

Godspeed.

Your Majesty, everythings ready for your departure.

Your Majesty, shall I go and hurry him?

Theres no need. Lets go.

Your Majesty!

Pavel Petrovich!

I want to hug you for the road. Its going to be a long time.

I want you and Natalia Alexeievna to conceive a child upon my return.

- I will do my very best. - I know, otherwise, I wouldn't leave.

I trust my only heir.

Keep an eye on him.

I think its time we part.

Our plans looked promising,

but Lefebvre seems to have little influence and Doges just ignore us.

Breaking news! The King of France is dead!

Breaking news! Death of the King of France, Louis the Beloved,

who ruled the greatest empire in the world for 60 years.

He was infected with smallpox by a street whore,

brought to him by Madame du Barry. Countess du Barry is imprisoned.

The night his predecessor died the new king called the Council,

There was minister Maurepas, Malesherbes,

viscount Lefebvre.

If our Lefebvre is in favor,

maybe things have changed for us but we dont know about it yet.

- I would like to believe it. - To victory over Russia!

How can I drink to victory over Russia, if I am its future empress?

- Then to... - Then to friendship.

And to a lasting alliance between Russia and Poland.

Are you upset that you couldn't go?

Im upset by the way I knew about it.

Why ask my opinion if she decides where and when I should be?

Talking of free mind, corresponding with Voltaire - its worth nothing.

Pavel Petrovich, youd better stop.

Count Razumovsky asks to spare him some time.

He is most welcome, call him in. Well have a friendly chat, if you dont mind.

Andrey Kirillovich, welcome to the table.

Dont listen to my wife, if you are not hungry, of course.

Thank you, Im not hungry.

Its been long since we talked heart-to-heart.

Bon appétit. Please, follow me.

Is it a large sum?

Enormous. Thats why I came to ask for your help.

Ill help you, but it will take a month or two to get this sum.

Im afraid, Ill need it earlier.

They wont grant me a delay and loan sharks wont lend me on my honor.

What nonsense! You are a man of honor,

they should trust your noble birth.

Ill go with you. Your debt is now secured by my name.

I am grateful for that impulse, but think how it would look.

The Crown Prince visiting loan sharks...

You will compromise yourself.

Yes, youre right. But I still dont see why

they dont let me meet common people.

Sooner or later I will rule this country.

I need to know the sentiment of my subjects.

You will get this chance. Lets instead talk about you.

Natalia is great. I am very happy with her.

I can't believe I wanted to marry Sophia. If not for my mother I would do it.

Im sure youd change your mind. Marrying a divorced woman isnt worth

a throne that you would lose. - Peter I married a divorced sutler.

Their daughter launched a coup and took the throne. Let alone my mother.

As soon as I took the throne I would legalize my marriage to Sofia.

- But now youre with Natalia Alexeievna. - And I am very happy, to be honest.

Does she feel more at home?

First I thought she was a prude. But now...

Sometimes she has desires that I cant fulfill.

- Youre lucky to have this passion. - Passion is always followed by jealousy.

And I am incredibly jealous.

As much as to spy on her?

No. I promised myself not to do it.

What about you, Andrey, why are you still single?

- I can hardly imagine myself married. - Haven't you ever had real feelings?

She is married, which makes our relationship impossible.

I fully agree with you.

Adultery is disgraceful.

Im glad that you share my views. It is very noble.

Are you glad to see me?

- Theres nobody here. - We need to talk.

- The situation is getting worse. - You told him about us...

Of course I didnt.

But he sincerely believes that I am his friend. And he loves you.

Our relationship is ruinous. I must end it immediately.

You scoundrel! Don't you dare!

Natalia Alexeievna, this isn't like you.

I am sorry. Sorry...

Forget it. And I will forget your words.

- It's going to be the same as before. - No. It's not.

Come back! Come back right now!

My lovely Viola!

I find no way to overcome the hardship of our parting, but to be blunt.

Have pity on me, grant me just one meeting away from prying eyes.

If you dont know any places where we could have some privacy,

I could suggest my brothers house. Hes away now, so no one will disturb us.

Only your consent can save me: if I dont see your face soon, Ill die.

Andrey Razumovsky

Your Highness, wake up.

Im not sleeping, Michał.

- Im sorry, Ill come later. - No, please stay.

- Is it something important? - Monsieur Lefebvre is here.

- With good news? - With a full purse.

Hello, new day!

Its so nice to have so many men around with money.

You see, my young friend, how it goes.

One day theres nobody, and another day theres a queue at my door.

Fate is fickle.

And now it looks like we are riding the tide.

Well, not bad for poor refugees...

Quite a place. Simple and yet tasteful.

Taste is something that no hardships can take away from you.

I heard about your hardships. But do not worry.

Now you are under the protection of the French Crown. Though yet tacitly.

What do you mean - tacitly?

The French Crown isn't ready to support you officially. We need the right moment.

Excuse me, my dear viscount, what does it change in our situation?

First of all - this.

The French Crown is ready to support you with money.

Secretly, through me.

Its not time to return to France, but the prospects are most pleasant.

Im leaving soon, I need to talk to Doges about you and settle some things.

Then I'll go to Paris and try to arrange more significant support for you.

- How can we help you? - Talking business, I like it.

You need to write two letters. One to the king Louis XVI,

from the lawful heiress to the Romanovs, asking for support.

And another to the Empress Ekaterina,

with hopeful anticipation of meeting described with exquisite phrasing.

I think its time to commission your ceremonial portrait.

You should announce yourself to the world.

And the world should know what you look like.

- What can I do for you? - I want you to give up Viola Yelagina.

She showed me your letter.

I know about your debts and I ask you as a man of honor to leave her alone.

I have the right to do whatever I think is necessary.

I will accept it, but I must hear it from her.

I dont see why I should do what you ask me to- whats your name?

Ekaterina Nelidova. Dont pretend you dont know who I am.

I am the maid of honor of Her Highness Natalia Alexeievna

and I can tell her what you're up to.

I kindly ask you, my dear lady-in-waiting,

not to be so nosy.

This conversation is over.

- Natalia Alexeievna? - Its you? Come in, my dear.

You are so pale! Come closer, dont be afraid.

You are in the Winter Palace now. You must always be beautiful.

Andrey Kirillovich passed a note to Viola. He asks her for a date.

- What does she say? - She says shes in love.

Shes coming tonight to Pyotr Razumovskys house.

Bastard... How dare he!

Bring me paper and quill, quick! Damn...

- Is it for him? - It is not for Andrey.

Give this letter to Yelagin. Let him ask Andrey what made him...

ask a young lady on a date behind her father's back.

Is it clear?

Tell your father that Ill be glad to see him at the wedding.

Ive got a great plan that might use his connections in European lodges.

Of course, Ivan Perfilyevich. Hell be very glad to see you.

Anatoly, Im afraid our plan is at risk.

Lets go.

Open up! Open up!

What are you doing, gentlemen? Who are you?

- The masters are not at home. - Where are they?

They left... Wait, what are you doing? Gentlemen!

Your Excellency, Anatole...

You could've knocked, we'd open the door.

Father, I beg you. We were just talking...

I know these talks. First you talk then babies are born.

- You owe me an explanation. - I dont owe you anything.

- She is still a free woman. - Shes got a father and a fiancé.

Imposed against her will.

- Easy, easy... - Stop your empty talk, Andrey.

You infringed on the honor of my bride. There is only one way out.

Come on, Anatole. Name the time and place.

My second man will inform you.

- You can choose the weapon. - Good. Pistols.

- No, no, what are you doing? - Easy, easy!

I am calling for the seconds right now.

Well shoot at the length of 10 steps.

- That'll be your death. - Gentlemen, I beg you to make peace.

Viola Ivanovna, as your future husband

I ask you not to interfere in this matter.

- Father, please... - Anatole, wait for us in the carriage.

For Christs sake, stop this massacre.

I dont want to marry Gartenberg, I love Count Andrey.

Childish whims! How can you turn down a baron of an old family...

for this rogue? - It isnt about money.

It is!

Good, if it really is, Andrey Kirillovich...

is not so noble but, he is a chamberlain,

he can have a brilliant career.

Hes showing some other abilities so far.

You blame me for thinking about money, but Im thinking about you, my child.

Imagine your life with this idler. Youll be unhappy, Ill be unhappy,

- Meanwhile Anatole... - Meanwhile Anatole will kill Andrey.

Do you really think it will make all of us happy?

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