Original subtitles

What's wrong with you? Have you turned into statues?

Quick, on your knees

Come on, now

What a miserable crowd

Why are you abandoning us, father?

Who are you leaving us to?

We are all your defenceless orphans

We beg you and implore you in tears

Have pity

Boyar, our father

Our father

Our benefactor

Boyar, have pity

Mitiukha, what are we shouting about?

How should I know?

We want a tsar for Russia

Poor me, I'm hoarse

Dear neighbour, would you have any water?

Listen to the lady!

She was shouting most. She should have kept her water

Hold your tongues

- Who are you to give orders? - Quiet

Listen to the new policeman

Shut up, you old hags

Why have you stopped? Are you saving your throats?

I'll deal with you

Haven't you felt the whip?

I'll teach you right now

Don't be angry, Mikitich

We'll have a rest, then start again

He won't even let us take a breath

Well, but don't spare your throats

- Right - Well

Why are you abandoning us, father?

Who are you leaving us to?

We are orphans without you

We beg you and implore you in tears

Have pity

Boyar, our father

Our father

Our benefactor

Silence

Get up

The Duma's clerk is going to speak

Believers, the boyar is deaf to our appeals

The Patriarch and the council have tried to convince him

But he will not accept the throne

Misery for Russia, endless misery

The country groans in evil times

Pray to God with all your strength

Pray he will send consolation to Russia

And that he will fill Boris's soul with light

Glory on earth to you, creator

Glory to all the saints and to Russia

The angel of the Lord spoke to the world:

Arise, clouds, and cover Russia

Crush the twelve-winged serpent

The serpent of discord in Russia

Proclaim salvation...

...to all believers

Put on bright clothes and hold up icons of the Virgin

Bearing our Lady of the Don and of Vladimir, go and greet the tsar

Sing hymns to God's glory

Glory on earth to you, creator

Glory to our heavenly father

Did you hear what these holy pilgrims told us?

Yes, with our Lady of the Don and of Vladimir...

Well?

With our Lady of the Don and of Vladimir, go...

- What? - Go...

With our Lady of the Don, go...

- It's bad, friend. - \x22 Put on bright robes...\x22

\x22 Bearing our Lady of the Don and of Vladimir, go and greet the tsar\x22

- Tsar? - Which tsar?

- What do you mean? - It's Boris

You sheep. Are you deaf?

This is the boyars' command:

Go to the Kremlin tomorrow and wait for new orders

Is that why we came?

What's that to us?

If we have to shout...

...we may as well shout there

- Let's shout - We may as well

Well, let's go

Long live Tsar Boris Feodorovich

Long life to our father, the tsar

Praise him

As we glorify the sun in the sky...

...we glorify Tsar Boris throughout Russia

Health and long life

Health and long life

Tsar, our father

Rejoice, people

Rejoice and be glad, people

Christian people

Honour and glorify Tsar Boris

Glorify Boris throughout Russia

Glory

I am sick at heart

Some sudden fear...

...has gripped my heart with dark premonitions

O Lord, eternal father

Look down from heaven on the tears of your servants

Put your blessing on my reign

Make me good and just as you

I'll rule my people in glory

Now let us salute the ancient rulers of Russia

Then all the people may come and feast

All, from the boyar to the blind beggar

All may come, all will be welcome

Long life to our father, the tsar

As we glorify the sun...

...we glorify Tsar Boris throughout Russia

Glory and long life to him

Glory

One last tale and my chronicle will be complete

I'll have finished the task God gave this poor sinner

God has not made me the witness of so many years in vain

Perhaps one day another monk will find my anonymous story

Like me he will light a lamp

He will blow the dust from the parchment and transcribe my words

Then the descendants of the faithful will learn of their country's past

Now that I am old, I relive the past

The years pass before me like the restless ocean waves

Are those troubled days so long ago?

Now they pass in silence

It's nearly dawn

The lamp is fading

One last tale

Righteous God, listen to your servants

Hear their prayer

That dream again! For the third time

This cursed dream...

...haunting me

The old man sits and writes

He probably hasn't closed his eyes all night

I love his calm expression...

...as he sits absorbed in the past...

...writing his chronicle

Are you awake, brother?

Bless me, father

God bless you, now and for ever

You have been awake all night, writing

But my sleep was full of bad dreams. The devil came to torment me

I dreamt that I went to the top of a tower

I looked down on Moscow as if it were an anthill

The people swarmed below and pointed to me, laughing

I was ashamed and frightened

Then falling headlong...

...I awoke

It's your young blood

Calm yourself with prayer and fasting

Then your dreams will be filled with gentle visions

Even now if ever I succumb to tiredness...

...and fall asleep without saying my evening prayer...

...my sleep is not peaceful

I have visions of rowdy feasts...

...of ferocious battles

The excesses of youth

What an exciting time you had when you were young

You fought at the ramparts of Kazan

Under Shuisky you repulsed the Lithuanians

You saw the splendour of Ivan's court

While I have gone from cell to cell, a monk since boyhood

Why should I not fight?

And join the tsar's banquets?

Do not regret leaving the world of sin so early

We are captivated from afar by luxury...

...and the treachery of women's love

Think of our tsars

Who was greater than they? And yet...

...how often have they exchanged their robe and sceptre...

...for a humble monk's cowl...

...and searched for peace in these holy cells?

Here in this cell...

...where virtuous Cyril once lived...

...here I once saw the tsar

Ivan the Terrible once sat here, deep in thought

Words poured from his lips

From his stern eyes...

...came tears of repentance

And he wept

And his son Feodor?

Did he not make the tsar's rooms into a monk's cell?

God smiled on our humble tsar

Russia saw peace and happiness while he reigned

And when his last hour came a miracle happened

The palace was filled with fragrance

His face shone like the sun

We shall never see such a tsar again

We have offended God

We have chosen the assassin of a tsar as our sovereign For a long time, father...

...I've wished to ask you about the murder of tsarevich Dmitri

Weren't you in Uglich when it happened?

I remember the Lord let me see that bloody crime

I had been sent to Uglich to do penance

I arrived at night

In the morning, at the time for mass...

...I heard bells ringing

It was the alarm

There was shouting. People were running to the court

I hurried there and looked

The murdered prince was lying in a pool of blood

His mother was bent over him, insane with grief His nurse was weeping in despair

And there was the crowd, in a wild frenzy

They dragged out the woman who had betrayed the prince Weeping and moaning!

Suddenly, among them...

...stood the Judas, Bitiagovsky

\x22That's him, the traitor\x22, yelled the crowd

The people chased the three murderers

They were caught and taken to see the body

But look, the corpse began to shake

\x22 Repent\x22, cried the crowd

And wild with fear, beneath the axe...

...they confessed and swore that Boris was the murderer

What age was the tsarevich when he was killed?

About seven

Wait

It's been ten years, hasn't it?

Or twelve?

Yes, twelve

Today he'd be your age and be tsar But God willed otherwise

My chronicle will end with Boris's hideous crime

Brother Grigory, you have learning, you will take over my work

Write down in simple terms what you witness in your life

War, or peace

The justice of those who govern, prophecies and signs from heaven

But now it is time for me to rest

The matins bell

Bless your servants, o Lord

My staff, Grigory

Have mercy on us, Lord

Almighty God, eternal father, have mercy on us

Boris, everyone trembles before you

No one dares remind you of the murder of the child

But a monk is writing your accusation in his cell

You will not escape men's judgement

Nor the judgement of God

I've caught a grey duck

Oh, my dear little duck

I'll put you in a clear little pond in the shade

Flap your wings, grey duck

Fly into the sky and then come back to me

I'll love you and cuddle you

My little friend, my dear duck

Come to me

Closer, little one. Give me a kiss

Heavens, travellers

Welcome guests

Silence. They've passed by

Kiss me even more tenderly

Oh, my dear little duck

Come and comfort a lonely widow

Give a kopeck to build a church...

...and you will be rewarded a hundredfold

Goodness! Some monks

What a foolish sinner I am

That's right

They're monks

Peace be in your house

What can I offer you, holy fathers?

Whatever God provides

Have you any wine?

Of course, fathers

I'll fetch some

Why are you so thoughtful, my friend?

We've reached the Lithuanian border just as you wanted

I won't be happy until I'm in Lithuania

Why do you care so much about Lithuania?

Look at us, Father Missail and me

Since we left the monastery...

...we don't care about anything

Lithuania or Russia, it's all the same...

...as long as there's wine

- Here it is - Drink your fill, fathers

Thank you, hostess. May God bless you

In the city of Kazan...

...Ivan the Terrible was feasting

He'd crushed the Tartars and forced them out of Russia

He advanced to Kazan

He tunnelled under the Kazanka river

The Tartars running through the town saw the tsar

Sad Ivan leaned his head on his shoulder

Then he called his gunners and fire raisers

The tapers were smoking

A gunner ran up to the powder barrel

The barrel rolled towards the tunnels then it exploded

The wicked Tartars began to howl and curse

Forty-three thousand of them were killed

That's what happened in Kazan

Why don't you join in our drinking and singing?

- I don't want to - As you choose

A paradise for the drinker, Missail. Let's drink to the lady of the inn

But when I'm drinking I don't like sober men around

It's one thing to be drunk, another to be stuck up

If you don't want to be like us, go away

Drink and mind your own business, Varlaam

My own business! Why should I?

There he goes

On he goes

Along he goes

Hostess, where does that road lead?

To Lithuania

Is it far?

No, dear

You'd be there this evening if there were no barricades

Barricades?

Someone's run off from Moscow

All travellers are to be stopped

It's not my lucky day

Look, he's fallen

Who are they looking for?

I don't know. A thief perhaps

But you can't get through because of the guards

They won't catch anyone

It's not the only road

From here, for instance...

...turn left...

...take the road to the chapel in Chekhan

Go through Khlopino and Zaitsevo

From there a child could get into Lithuania

All the guards do is trouble travellers...

...and harm us poor people

Here he is

Knock, knock at the door

Who's that now?

Here they are, doing their rounds again

There he goes

He goes along

Who are you then?

Humble pilgrims who collect alms in the villages

- And you? - He's our friend

I come from a village nearby

I've been showing these fathers to the frontier

Now I'm going home

He's all right. We won't get anything from him

But these two...

How's business these days?

Very bad, my sons

Christian people have turned miserly

They look after their money and give nothing to God

Our people have fallen into sin

We walk...

...we beg, but get hardly anything

We drink the rest to drown our sorrows

Our last days are upon us

God bless us and protect us

Why are you staring at me?

I'll tell you why

Alyokha, have you the order? Give me it

A heretic called Grishka Otrepiev has run away from Moscow

- Did you know that? - No

Well, the tsar has ordered him to be arrested and hanged

- Did you know that? - Absolutely not

Can you read?

No, God didn't give me the wits

Take the order

- Why? - The heretic must be you

What are you saying?

They won't even let pilgrims in peace

Who can read?

I can

Good. Read it aloud then

At the Chudov monastery, an unworthy monk...

...called Grigory Otrepiev...

...has been tempted by the devil

He tried to lead the other monks astray...

...with every sort of temptation

He has escaped as far as the border The tsar has ordered that he be arrested

And hanged

There's no mention of hanging here

Liar! It's not all written down

Read: arrested and hanged

And hanged

The age of this Grishka...

...is about fifty

His beard is grey, he's fat, with a red nose

Arrest him

What are you doing? Think!

How could it be me?

You're too young to make fun of me I can spell out the words but I don't understand easily

But I'll manage if it's a case of being hanged

And... his... age... is...

...twenty

Where is this fifty? Look!

Average height

His hair... red

A wart on his nose

Another on his head

One arm is shorter than the other

Surely that's...

Stop him!

Where are you, my beloved?

In a cold grave on a foreign shore

You lie alone under a heavy stone

You can't see my grief or hear my weeping

The weeping of your beloved, as lonely as you

Xenia, don't cry

I know your grief is hard, but tears cannot ease your sorrow

Feodor, he is not mine. He belongs to the grave

- I'll never be happy again - Don't cry, Xenia

The clock is going to chime

When it chimes, trumpets and drums play, and figures appear

My betrothed, my beloved prince

That's enough, princess

No more weeping and grieving

I'm so unhappy, nanny

So unhappy

Be reasonable, child

A girl's tears are like the dew. The sun will soon dry them

The world is huge and we'll find another bridegroom

A handsome, gracious man You'll forget Prince Ivan

No, nanny

Even though he's dead I'll be faithful to him

Come on, you began to pine the minute you saw him

Once there was a girl, pining all alone

A young man fell in love with her

When the young man died...

...the girl stopped loving him

There, that's your story

Listen to what I'm going to sing

A gnat was chopping wood

A gnat was fetching water

An insect was kneading dough and brought the gnat his dinner

A dragonfly flew over the priest's fields

He flew here and there throwing the hay into the river

The gnat got angry to see the property misused

He chased after the dragonfly with a stick

But sadly the stick broke

It didn't harm the dragonfly but it broke the gnat's ribs

Coming to the aid of the gnat...

...very early in the morning...

...a flea brought a spade...

...to lift the gnat

But it couldn't lift the gnat up at all

It had overestimated its strength

The gnat gave its soul up to God

Oh, nanny, what a story

It began well but finished badly

Well, do you know a better one? Sing it then

We'll listen patiently

Tsar Ivan taught us patience

Nanny, you'll want to join in too

It's a tale of this and that, a hen gave birth to a bullock

A pig laid an egg

It's my story, it's not for fools

Little cockerel, have you been far away?

Across the sea to the city of Kiev

There grows an oak and on the oak sits a wise owl

He winks his eyes and sings a song

One day in the village a sparrow was born

A real sparrow, still very young

His beak was long and pointed

He flew away with the owl

He whispered in the owl's ear

The deacon's boys were threshing grain

They threw the flails in the barn

The barn caught fire

The deacon saw it from his window

He hid behind his water-barrel

The clerk fell off the stove

The deacon's wife was baking

But the police ate all the cakes

One ate a whole cow and an ox

And seven pigs

My goodness!

What, did the wild beast frighten the hen and her chicks?

Forgive me, tsar. Old age has made me nervous

What is it, Xenia?

Widowed before your wedding, still grieving for your betrothed?

Sir, don't be sad to see me cry

My troubles are nothing compared to yours

My child, my darling

Go to talk with your friends in your room

Forget these sad thoughts

Go, my child

You, my son

What's this?

A map of Moscovia

Our lands from border to border

Look

Here's Moscow, here's Novgorod

Here's Kazan, Astrakhan

Here's the sea, the Caspian Sea

Here's the forest of Perm

And here's Siberia

Well done, my son

With one glance, as if from the clouds...

...you could see our land, its frontiers, rivers, cities

One day, perhaps soon...

...all this will come to you

Study, my son

I've gained the highest power

I've reigned in peace for six years

Yet happiness has deserted me

In vain astrologers foretell long years of power

Neither life, nor power, nor the illusion of glory...

...nor the crowd's praise can bring me happiness

I thought to find comfort with my family

I wanted a happy wedding feast for my daughter

My tsarevna, my beloved

Then, like a hurricane, death swept away her betrothed

How heavy is the hand of the eternal judge

How heavy is the sentence on the guilty

I am surrounded by shadows

If only there were a gleam of comfort

But my heart is filled with sorrow

My soul suffers

I have a secret fear, an apprehension

I hoped to calm my soul with prayers to the saints

In the majesty and glory of absolute power...

...I, the tsar of Russia, have wept for consolation

But there are conspiracies from the boyars

Intrigues in Lithuania, secret plots

Famine, plague, fear and destruction

The people wander like wild beasts

Destitute and hungry, Russia groans

And for this terror, sent as a punishment from God...

...I am held to blame

The name of Boris is cursed in public

Sleep has fled and in the night...

...a bloodstained child appears

With piercing eyes, hands outstretched, he begs for mercy

But there was no mercy

His wound gapes, he cries as death approaches

O Lord, my God

What's that?

Go and see what's happening

What squealing!

What do you want?

Why are you silent?

Your highness, Prince Vassily Shuisky wishes an audience

Shuisky? Tell him to come in

Tell him we're glad to see him and speak with him

Last night, a servant of Pushkin's...

...denounced Shuisky, Mstislavsky and his own master

They met at night in secret

A messenger came from Cracow with...

Arrest the messenger

Prince Shuisky

What was it?

Why did the foolish women cry out?

It was our parrot

Parrot?

Father, it would not do...

...to bother you with a worthless story

No, my child. Tell me everything

Our parrot was with the nannies in their room

He was chattering away, happy and affectionate

He wanted them to scratch his head

So he went to each in turn

Nanny Nastasya refused

The parrot got angry and called her a fool

Nanny was cross and she hit him

Then he ruffled up his feathers

The others tried to pacify him with titbits

- How silly - No...

...it was no use

He buries his beak in his feathers

He wouldn't look up, he muttered to himself

Then he jumped on to the nanny who wouldn't scratch him

He bit her and she fell to the floor

Then all the nannies waved their arms...

...trying to chase away the parrot

But it was no use, he bit them all

So that's why they squealed and disturbed you

That's everything, just as it happened

My son, my dear child

How well you told your story

How clearly and simply you told the amusing incident

The fruit of learning inspired by the light of truth

Oh, if I could see you tsar, powerful sovereign of Russia!

For that happiness I would exchange my royal sceptre

But when you come to power...

...choose advisers you can trust

Beware of Shuisky. He's wise, but sly

I salute you, my noble lord

Oh, it's the great orator himself

Worthy leader of the mindless crowd

Chief among my rebellious boyars

Enemy of the throne

Liar, hypocrite and sycophant

Gossip disguised as boyar, impostor

At the time of Tsar Ivan, God rest his soul...

...our family was glorious

What? Tsar Ivan would have had you burned

He'd have turned the spit himself, singing a psalm

But we are not so fierce

We tolerate a proud vassal

Tsar!

What is it, Prince Shuisky?

Tsar

I have news, important news for the country

Surely the same news brought to Pushkin or to you...

...by the messenger of the outlaw boyars

Yes, there is a pretender in Lithuania

The king, the nobles and the Pope support him

Under what name is he taking up arms against us?

Whose name has he taken? Whose?

Tsar, your kingdom is secure

Your goodness and generosity have won your people's hearts

They are all devoted to you

But though it causes me pain...

...I cannot hide that if this villain should dare...

...to cross from Lithuania...

...many people would be attracted...

...by his name, Dmitri

Tsarevich, leave us

My lord, allow me to stay at your side

- No, it's impossible - I wish to know what's wrong

Tsarevich, obey me

Take immediate measures to close the Lithuanian border

No one must be able to cross. Go!

No

Wait, Shuisky

Have you ever heard of dead children who rise from the grave?

Who defy the tsar, the legitimate tsar...

...elected by the people and crowned by the Patriarch?

What?

Isn't it funny? Why aren't you laughing?

Have mercy, your highness

When that dark deed was done...

When the child prematurely died...

...and the sight of his bloodstained body...

...grieved the people of Uglich and incited them to vengeance...

...the murdered child, was it Dmitri?

- It was - Vassily Ivanich!

By God and the cross, I beg you, on your honour...

...tell me the truth

You know I am merciful. I won't punish your deceit

But if you trick me, I swear...

...I'll think up such a terrible punishment...

...that Ivan the Terrible will turn in his grave

I'm waiting for your answer

Don't you believe me?

You doubt my loyalty when you threaten me

It's not the punishment I fear, it's your displeasure

In the cathedral at Uglich, in front of the people...

...I saw the child's body for five days and more

Beside him were thirteen other bodies, mutilated and bloody

Already they were decomposing

But the prince's face was bright and peaceful

The awful wound gaped

But on his lips was a miraculous smile

He seemed to be sleeping peacefully in his cradle

His arms were crossed

There was a toy in his hands

Enough!

I'm suffocating

I felt the blood rush to my face...

...then subside painfully

O conscience, how cruelly you try me

If there is one single stain...

...by chance, the least stain...

...your soul will burn

Your heart will be poisoned

You'll suffer so much

Hammers will beat in your ears...

...with reproaches and curses

You choke

Your head is dizzy

Then the bloodstained child appears

There it is!

Trembling, growing, it's coming closer

It's groaning. Go away!

I wasn't the one who committed the crime

Go away! It was the people

It was not I. The people wanted it

God, you do not want a sinner to die

Have mercy on the guilty soul of Tsar Boris

By the blue Vistula, under a shady willow tree...

...grows a lovely flower, whiter than snow

Gazing languidly into the mirror of the water...

...it adores its own beauty

Above the pretty flower, sparkling in the sunshine...

...is a cloud of playful butterflies

Captivated by the beauty of the flower...

...they dare not touch its delicate petals

And the pretty flower waves its head...

...gazing languidly into the mirror of the water

Pass me my diamond crown

In the cheerful castle lives a beautiful lady...

...more beautiful than the flower by the water

More beautiful, more tender...

...she sparkles for the glory of all Sandomir

Many proud, famous knights...

...kneel in humble confusion before her

They find their greatest happiness in her smile

They forget the world at the feet of this enchantress

But this beauty only laughs cruelly...

...at their words of love and burning passion

Their suffering...

...means nothing to her

Enough

The fair lady is grateful for your kind words...

...and to be compared to a flower whiter than snow

But the lady Mnishek does not appreciate your flattery

Your talk of crowds of young knights...

...who die at her feet, drowning in bliss

The lady Mnishek has no need of these songs...

.. or of your praises of my beauty

But the marvellous songs my nurse would sing me...

...of Polish battles and victories

And Polish maidens who conquered the enemy

These are the songs which comfort the lady Mnishek

Leave me

Ruzya, I do not need you. You may go and rest

Marina is so bored

So bored

How sleepily the days follow each other

They are empty and pointless

A whole army of princes and counts...

...cannot dispel my boredom

But in the misty distance a star has appeared

The Muscovite adventurer has taken the lady Mnishek's fancy

My Dmitri, a fearless avenger...

...will bring God's vengeance for the little prince

The victim of the greed and fury...

...of the murderer Godunov

I shall rouse the sleeping nobles, lure them with the promise of gold

And you, my lovesick pretender I'll captivate you with tears and passion

In my arms I'll smother you with kisses

My tsarevich, my Dmitri, my chosen husband

I'll bewitch you with loving words

Languorous passion is something the lady Mnishek finds too tiresome

Just like the dull speeches of nobles

It's glory and power she desires

I shall be proclaimed tsaritsa

In a robe of purple and gold I'll shine like the sun

I shall dazzle the coarse Muscovites

The proud boyars will honour me

In legend she will be glorified...

...the proud tsaritsa of the foolish Muscovites

Oh, it's you, father

May a humble servant of the Lord...

...request an audience...

...with a lady of dazzling beauty?

Need you ask, father?

Marina Mnishek is, and always will be...

...an obedient daughter of the one apostolic, indivisible church

God's church has been forgotten, its saints neglected

The clear spring of faith has dried

The flame of censers is fading

The wounds of the martyrs gape

The mansions of heaven know only grief

Humble men who guard their flocks shed tears

Father, you distress me

Your sad words bring great pain to my frail heart

Marina

Go and proclaim the faith to the Moscow heretics

Lead them to the path of redemption

Crush the spirit of discord

Marina will then be glorified by the angels of the Lord

Marina will be glorified by the angels of the Lord

Oh, what a sinful thought

Father, what strategy you use to tempt Marina's sinful soul

I am used to banquets and brilliant society

I am not the one to exalt God's church

I am powerless

Capture the pretender with your beauty

Sow passion in his heart with loving words

Captivate him with smiles and looks of love

Put aside the superstitions of conscience

Abandon prejudice...

...and maidenly false modesty

Sometimes pretend to be angry, to be capricious

At others, use flattery

Tempt him, captivate him

When he is silenced, overcome, awaiting your command...

...make him swear to spread the faith

I've no intention of doing this

What? Do you dare to defy the church?

If it is required, without fear or regret...

...you must sacrifice yourself...

...with no thought of your honour

What?

Insolent liar

I curse your depraved heart

I curse you with all the force of contempt

Get out of my sight!

Your eyes shine with the flame of hell

Your mouth is twisted, your cheeks are pale

Evil has spoiled your beauty

- The spirit of hell is upon you - God, protect me

Satan himself is hovering over you

Humble yourself before God's envoy

Submit with all your soul

Submit with all your desires and dreams

Be my slave

At midnight in the garden, by the fountain

Oh, wonderful voice

You fill my heart with joy

Will you come, my heart's desire, my swift-winged dove?

Or will you forget the falcon who longs for you?

Ease my tormented heart with words of affection

Marina

Answer

Come, I am waiting for you

No, there is no reply

Tsarevich

You again, following me like a shadow

Most noble tsarevich

Beautiful, proud Marina sends me to you

That obedient child, entrusted to me by heaven

She begged me to tell you of the malicious way she is mocked

She loves you and will come

If you speak the truth and not the words of Satan...

...I will set her over all Russia

I shall raise her to the throne at my side

I will blind my people with her beauty

You fiend, creeping into my soul to obtain an admission

Did you lie about Marina's love?

Lie?

To you, tsarevich?

Night and day she longs for you alone

At night she dreams of your destiny

If you love her, if you knew of her suffering...

...of the sneers of the nobles, the envy of their wives...

...vulgar gossip, talk of a secret meeting...

...all the unbearable insults...

...then you would not reject my humble prayer...

...and doubt Marina's suffering

Enough! No more reproaches

I've hidden my happiness for too long

I'll defend Marina with all my strength

I'll make the nobles speak out

I'll stop their wives' deceit

I'll laugh at their spite

I'll confess my boundless love for Marina

I'll throw myself at her feet and beg her not to reject me... ...but to be my tsaritsa

Saint Ignatius, help us

You have renounced the world...

...and all life's joys

You, skilled master of seduction...

...I beg you, by all the strength of your longing for heaven...

...lead me to her, let me see her

Let me speak to her of my love and no price will be too great

I am a humble sinner...

...always contemplating the terrible day of judgement...

...and the retribution of that day

I am a corpse, a cold stone

Could I desire treasures on earth?

But if Dmitri, inspired by God, followed my wish...

...to watch over him, guard and protect him...

...like a son...

Then I shall stay by you. But let me see Marina

- Tsarevich, hide - What is it?

The nobles might find you here

I beg you, leave

Let them come. I'll greet them as they deserve

Take care, tsarevich. You'll ruin yourself and Marina

I don't believe your passion, sir. You protestations are in vain And you cannot...

Soon we'll conquer Russia and bring prisoners back

We'll certainly defeat Boris's troops

Then why delay?

Go off to Moscow and capture Boris

It is in Poland's interest that Russia be destroyed

Marina is not the person to do it. She's haughty and cold

Wine, my lords

Long live Marina

To the health of the Mnishek

A toast to Marina

To the glory of Marina's royal crown

That crafty Jesuit

He squeezed me in his talons

I've seen Marina only from afar

I've met her beautiful gaze only in secret

But my heart was beating so hard...

...that I longed to fight off my unwelcome spiritual father

While I listened to his unscrupulous chatter...

...I could see Marina on the arm of some noble

Her face glowing with a conquering smile...

...she spoke to him of tender caresses...

...of passion and the joy of being a wife

The wife of some old libertine

When fate promises glory, love and a crown

No, the devil take everything!

Quickly, put on armour

Helmet, sword and mount

Forward

Into mortal combat

At the head of my troops...

...I'll meet the enemy face to face

I'll seize my rightful throne

Dmitri, tsarevich

It's her, Marina

Here I am, my dove, my beauty

How the minutes dragged as I was waiting

How many doubts tore at my heart and clouded my thoughts...

...making me curse my happiness and my love I know it all

You don't sleep

Day and night you dream of Marina

But I did not come to hear idle chat

You may languish for me alone

Neither your sacrifices nor your death will impress me

How soon will you be tsar in Moscow?

Tsar? Marina, you wound me

Is it possible that power, the throne and the courtiers...

...can stifle the sacred thirst for love...

...and the force of ardent passion?

Of course

We'd be happy in a humble cottage

What's glory to us? We'd live on love alone

If it's only love you want, tsarevich...

...then in Russia you'll find...

...all the rosy-cheeked women you want

What are they to me?

They are interested only in luxury

One loving word...

...and they smother you

I adore you alone, Marina...

...with all my love

Pity my troubled soul

Do not turn me away

So it is only the woman in me you love

Only the throne of the tsars, the purple robe and golden crown...

...only these can tempt me

You wound my heart, cruel Marina

Your words blow a deathly cold on me

Here I am, at your feet, begging you

Do not reject my love

Get up, don't tire yourself with useless prayers

Get up, poor martyr. I pity you

You're dying with love...

...for your Marina

You dream of her, forgetting the throne...

...and the battle with Boris

Go, you vagabond

Marina, what do you mean?

Go, you parasite

- How dare you? - Serf!

Stop, Marina. You're mocking my past life

You're mistaken. I am the tsar's son

From every corner of Russia soldiers have come to me

Tomorrow we'll lead our warriors into battle

Straight to the Kremlin in Moscow

I shall take the throne of my forefathers

But when I am enthroned as tsar...

...with what pleasure I shall mock you

With what pleasure I'll watch you...

...tormented by the thought of your lost kingdom

I'll command everyone to laugh at this foolish woman

Laugh?

Tsarevich, I beg you

Don't condemn me for my cruel words

I meant no reproach nor derision

I spoke only from love and desire for your glory

Those words resound in the silence of the night, my beloved

Your Marina will not forsake you

Forget that she loves you...

...and hurry to your throne

Marina, don't cause me more anguish with false love

I love you, my sovereign

Say it again, Marina.

Don't let our happiness die

Give me happiness, my enchantress

My tsar

- Rise, my tsaritsa - How you revive my heart

- Rise, embrace your love - My sovereign

- Is the service over? - Yes, and he was cursed again

- Who's \x22 he\x22? - Grishka Otrepiev

That fat deacon came out

He shouted:

\x22A curse on Grishka Otrepiev\x22

What are you talking about? Have you gone mad?

It's true, friends

He said, \x22A curse on Grishka Otrepiev\x22

What does it matter to the tsarevich?

As if he were Grishka

Exactly

But they sang a Requiem for the tsarevich

Really? It's hard to understand

For a man who's alive?

What godless people For the living tsarevich

Just wait

He'll overthrow Boris

They say he's reached Kromy already

He's marching on Moscow. He's destroying Boris's forces

His path is taking him to the throne of his fathers... ...the orthodox tsars

He'll help us put Boris to death

What are you doing? Be quiet

Have you forgotten about the torture chamber?

Tin hat! Tin hat!

The moon is waning, the kitten is mewing

Simpleton arise, pray to God

Bow down before Christ, Christ our God

The weather will be fine. A moon...

Good day, simpleton Ivanich

Stand up and salute

Take off your hat, your heavy hat

It rings!

I've got a kopeck

Are you joking?

They've hurt the simpleton

They've taken his kopeck

Our father...

...give alms, for our Lord's sake

Tsar, give alms, for our Lord's sake

Sovereign father, for the sake of Christ

Our father, give us bread

Bread, bread for the hungry

Boris

They've harmed the simpleton

What is he crying for?

Urchins have stolen my kopeck

Have them murdered...

...like you murdered...

...the tsarevich

Shut up

Seize him

Don't touch him

Holy man, pray for me

No, Boris, I can't

I can't pray for Tsar Herod

The Mother of God won't allow it

Flow, bitter tears

Weep, believing soul

Soon the enemy will come and darkness will fall

Unfathomable darkness

Woe to you, Russia. Weep, Russian people

Starving people

Noble boyars

Our sovereign Tsar Boris Feodoritch...

...with the blessing of the Patriarch of Russia...

...orders me to announce to you:

\x22A brigand, a thief and rebel...

...who has incited mercenaries and styles himself tsarevich...

...has proclaimed himself the legitimate tsar

Together with outlaw boyars and Lithuanians...

...he is plotting to overthrow me and invites you to join him...

...in issuing treacherous decrees\x22

With God's blessing, judge him according to your conscience

Let us vote, boyars

You begin, boyars

Our decision was made long ago

Write as follows:

The criminal shall be executed

Wait, first you have to catch him

Come now, boyars

Don't put us out

The criminal must be caught...

...and tortured

Then he will be put to death and his body hung up

Let the hungry ravens feed on him

Let his body be burned in public...

...and his ashes cursed

Scatter his ashes to the wind

And let all trace of him disappear for ever

All who joined him must be put to death

Their corpses will be tied to the pillory

And let this edict be known...

...in every village and town

Let it be read in every church and in all public places

And let us pray to the Lord...

...to have pity on the sufferings of Russia

It's a pity that Shuisky isn't here

Though he's a schemer judgements lack weight without him

Your pardon, boyars

Talk of the devil

I am a little late, but I could not come on time

Affairs of state, heavy burdens...

Shame on you, Vassil Ivanich, at your age...

...encouraging sedition

Arousing the people...

...claiming the tsarevich is still alive

What are you saying, boyars?

Do you think in such troubled times...

...when I carry all Russia's grief, I would permit sedition?

This is slander from my enemies

Why are they against me?

Even now I wish to put you on your guard

As I was leaving the tsar...

...my heart was sad at the thought of his health

I happened to glance through a crack in the door

Oh, what I saw, boyars!

Pallid, bathed in sweat...

...his body shook and he muttered strange words

His eyes flashed in anger as if in some secret torment

Our unhappy tsar languished

Suddenly he fixed his eyes on a corner of the room

He moaned, warning something off

He spoke to the dead tsarevich, chasing away his ghost

He kept whispering, \x22Go away\x22

\x22Go away, child\x22

Silence, it's the tsar. Good God!

Go away, child

Heavenly powers, protect us

Go away

Who said \x22 murderer\x22? There isn't one

The child is alive

Shuisky must be quartered for his lying

God's grace be with you

I have summoned you, boyars, as I rely on your wisdom

In times of trouble you are my help, boyars

Your majesty, permit your humble slave to speak

Here at the main gate is a humble pilgrim...

...awaiting your permission to enter

A man of truth, who has lived a blameless life

He wishes to tell you a great secret

Very well. Summon him

Perhaps the pilgrim's speech...

...will ease the secret grief troubling my heart

A humble monk, a poor judge of worldly affairs...

...dares to speak at this time

Tell all that you know, old man

My simple story...

...tells of a heavenly miracle

One evening an old shepherd came to me

He told me of a wonderful mystery

He said, \x22Since childhood I have been blind

Since then I have known neither day nor night

In vain I sought a cure from plants and incantations

In vain I sprinkled my eyes with water from holy wells

I grew so used to darkness that I no longer dreamt...

...of what I'd once seen

I dreamt only in sounds

Once in my sleep I heard...

...a child's voice clearly calling me

'Arise, grandfather, and go to Uglich

Go into the Cathedral of the Transfiguration

Say a prayer at my tomb there

I am the tsarevich Dmitri, received by God...

...now a worker of miracles over Russia'

\x22 I awoke

I pondered

Then I set out on the journey

I had hardly bowed my head over the grave...

...when I felt such happiness that I wept

My tears flowed

I saw the light of God's day\x22

I'm suffocating. Bring light

Send for the tsarevich! Give me a robe

Leave me alone, everyone

Farewell, my son. I am dying

Your reign begins now

Don't ask how I obtained the throne

You need not know. You will reign by right

You are my heir, my firstborn son

My beloved son, you'll reign in troubled times

The pretender is strong, his reputation frightening

You're surrounded by treachery, famine and plague

Listen, Feodor. Don't trust the rebel boyars

Watch their contacts with Lithuania

Punish traitors without mercy

Pursue impartial justice

Guard the faith like a warrior

Honour God's saints

Be virtuous, your strength and salvation lie in that

Protect your sister, my son

You will be the only support of our beloved Xenia

Lord God

Look down on the tears of a sinful father

I don't pray for myself

From the inaccessible heights...

...pour down your light on my innocent children...

...tender and pure

Heavenly powers

Guardians of the eternal throne

Under your wings shelter my child from misfortune...

...from evil and temptation

The funeral bell

Weep, people, for his life is ending

The funeral dirge

My robe, the tsar leaves as a monk

My lord, God will help us

No, my son, my hour has struck

I see the dying child

My God, how I suffer

Can prayer not earn me forgiveness?

O cruel death, you torment me

For him there is no salvation

Wait, I am still tsar

God! Death! Forgive me

Here is your tsar. Forgive...

He's dead

Sit him down here

So he doesn't squeal too loud and hurt his noble throat...

...gag him

Aren't you going to honour him?

After all, he's one of Boris's commanders

Boris stole the throne so this man robbed a thief

All honour to a good thief!

Guards! Fomka! Epikhan! Look after the boyar

There's something wrong

He hasn't got a mistress

A boyar without a mistress is like a pie without a filling

Afimya!

They say you're over a hundred

You've nothing to fear then

Go up to the boyar

Honour him!

Women, start singing

No falcon crosses the skies, no horse crosses the plain

The boyar sits, thinking his thoughts

Hail to the boyar! Hail to Boris's henchman!

Stop! The boyar has no cudgel

Why a cudgel? Give him a whip

Go on

He's wondering how he may please Boris

How he can help him by beating honest people

Hail to the boyar!

Hail to Boris's henchman

You once honoured us in storms and bad weather

You tied men to your carriage and whipped them to move

Hail to the boyar, Boris's henchman

Praise to you, boyar

Praise for ever

The sun and moon have gone, the stars have fallen from the sky

The universe has shaken because of Boris's crime

Strange beasts prowl the land giving birth to other beasts

They eat human flesh to the glory of Boris's crime

God's people are tortured by Boris's men...

...under the powers of hell

Russia groans in the grip of the criminal

The grip of a regicide

In glorification of an unforgivable sin

Our power has been unleashed

Our Cossack blood has flared up

Our strength has arisen from the depths

It is rising and growing

Our fine strength! Our mischievous might!

Greet the lawful tsar

Greet him, preserved by God

Greet Tsar Dmitri Ivanovich

Boris's servants torture innocent people

They smother them in the torture chamber

Death!

Death to Boris!

Death to the regicide

Lord, save King Dmitri of Moscow

Who has the devil sent now?

They howl like wolves

Filthy crows, glorifying our prince as well

We'll stop them, Father Missail

Let's hang them

Bloodsucking sorcerers

Let's hoist them up

Let them glorify the universe

Holy Virgin, help

Tie them tightly

Their God won't come to help them

Hail to you, tsarevich, saved by God

Hail to you, tsarevich, sheltered by God

Glory to the tsarevich, saved by God

Sheltered by God

Glory to you, saved by God

Live and prosper, Dmitri Ivanovich

Glory!

We, Dmitri Ivanovich, tsarevich of all the Russias...

...prince of the royal dynasty...

...call those Boris persecuted

We promise mercy and protection

- Son of Ivan, hail to you - Rise, boyar

Follow us into glorious battle

To Moscow, to the Kremlin

Glory to you, tsar and father

Flow, bitter tears

Weep, believing soul

Soon the enemy will come and darkness will fall

Unfathomable darkness

Woe to Russia

Weep, starving Russian people