Ivan the Terrible, Part II (1958) - full transcript

IVAN THE TERRIBLE

Part Two THE BOYAR'S PLOT.

Written and Directed by
SERGEI EISENSTEIN.

This story about Ivan the Terrible,

the founder of the Tsardom of Muscovy,

tells of his struggle
against the foes of Russian unity.

In the role of Ivan the Terrible:

Nikolai Cherkasov.

The Oprichniki:

Malyuta Skuratov: Mikhail Zharov.

Alexei Basmanov: Amvrosy Buchma.



His son, Fyodor Basmanov:
Mikhail Kuznetsov.

Philip, Metropolitan of Moscow
and of all the Russias:

Andrei Abrikosov.

Pimen, the Archbishop of Novgorod:

Alexander Mgebrov.

Pyotr Volynets:
Vladimir Balashov.

Efrosinia Staritskaya,
the Tsar's aunt:

Serafima Birman.

Her son, Vladimir Staritsky:
Pavel Kadochnikov.

Prince Andrei Mikhailovich Kurbsky:
Mikhail Nazvanov.

Sigismund, King of Poland:
Pavel Massalsky.

It is the year
fifteen hundred and sixty-four,

the year in which the Tsar
formed his special bodyguard,

the Oprichniki.



The year in which Tsar lvan
withdrew to Alexandrov.

The year in which the people
organized a procession

to beg the Tsar to return.

The year in which Prince Kurbsky

committed the base treachery
of surrendering

the Russian armies to the Poles

and transferred his allegiance
to King Sigismund.

There are certain defeats
that are more resounding

than victories.

The defeat of my Russian army near Revel

will spark off the revolt.

Tsar Ivan has fled the wrath of the boyars

and taken refuge in Alexandrov.

The Moscow boyars, the Kolychevs,

have managed to get some messages through.

The Tsar is assailed on every side

like a baited bear.

The boyars are seething with revolt,

the Tsar will fall
without a blow being struck,

and the throne of Moscow

will be free for a new Tsar
well-disposed towards Poland.

God in his wisdom decreed
that Lithuania, Poland

and the Baltic States
should serve as the outposts of Europe,

in order that the
civilized nations of the West

might be protected
from the Muscovite barbarians.

They say the Muscovites eat children alive.

Russian soil is fertile.
The herds are well-fed.

The sub-soil conceals inexhaustible riches.

Of course, the Russians
have to be kept down,

but a strong man on the throne of Moscow
would shatter

the most cherished dreams
of all the European sovereigns.

We need the dim-witted Vladimir Staritsky.

We must support the rebel boyars.

The solitary reins of absolute power
must be wrenched from the Tsar

and returned to the feudal princes.

We must destroy the unity of Ivan's Russia.

Once that has been done,

the Christian kings will embark
on a new crusade.

We will force the Muscovite
to serve the West.

We will drive the Russians out of Europe

and force them back
to their Asian steppes.

Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!

Tsar Ivan is on his way back to Moscow!

So I've caught you!

You didn't expect me back, eh?

You were delighted by the Tsar's departure!

You've shown yourselves
for what you are, traitors!

The rogues.

They wanted to govern the land themselves!

Alright, if that's what you want!

From now I'll give you land to govern!

I'll give you land.

But as the widower,

I shall keep the widower's portion...

the towns along our borders.
From there

I will watch over
the security of the State

and guard the integrity
of Russian frontiers.

And I shall stamp out treason!

I have no confidence in you boyars.

Therefore as God created man
in his own image,

so I have created men in mine.
They will carry out my orders

and only they will enjoy my confidence.

That is why I have
christened them Oprichniki.

These plans come not from God...

but from the devil.

He who defies ancestral traditions,

shall not remain sovereign for long.

Fyodor Kolychev!

Say no more.

Why are you so severe with me,
Fyodor Kolychev?

Why, my good friend,
are you so cruel?

You should really pity me!

I am not Kolychev, I am Philip the monk.

I carry out the will of God,
not the designs of the Tsar.

Listen,

ever since I was a child,

the boyars showed their hatred
of the Grand Duke of Moscow.

After my father's death,

my mother was killed.

They have poisoned me!

Ah! I am dying!

My son!

They have killed me!

Watch out for poison!

Beware of the boyars!

Elena Glinskaya is dead.

That's how I came to be an orphan,
alone and abandoned,

whilst the boyars governed in my name

and handed over Russian territory
to foreign enslavement.

Ivan Vasilievich, Grand Duke of Moscow,

has graciously ratified
a commercial treaty

and agrees to pay duties
for the transit of goods via the Baltic,

to the great Hanseatic League
of the German merchant towns.

The Grand Duke of Moscow
has reconsidered his decision.

He has concluded the treaty
with the Order of Livonian Knights.

Someone has certainly been lining
Shuisky's pockets.

The Hansa!

It was the Boyar Council's decision.

The Grand Duke is free to annul
the council's decisions.

But he has pledged his word.

The Grand Duke is the sole arbiter
of his word.

He gives it or rescinds it as he pleases.

It is the Grand Duke's will
which constitutes the law.

But the will of the Grand Duke

is to conclude a treaty with the Hansa.

The Grand Duke's will
is to concede the privileges

to the Livonian Order.

The Grand Duke's will is law!

We must pay the Hansa!

No, we'll pay the Livonians!

The Hansa will be more profitable
to the State!

You mean more profitable to yourself!

And you have been bribed by the Livonians!

The money must go to the Hansa!

We'll pay the Livonians.

We will pay no one!

We're not obliged to pay.

The coastal towns were built
by our ancestors.

Those lands are our inheritance;
They must be returned to Moscow.

Who would be fool enough to give them back?

Anything that falls off the back
of a wagon is lost.

If they won't return them voluntarily,

we shall take them back by force.

By force?

And where will we find this force?

You have wasted Russia's strength.

It has been frittered away
by the boyars.

O Lord! I'll die laughing.

Take it off.

Off, I say.

Get off my mother's bed!

My mother, who was
murdered by you, you dogs!

A dog, am I?

Well your mother was a bitch.

She used to sleep with that dog Telepnev.

No one even knows who your father was!

Race of dogs!

Seize him!

Seize him!

The leading boyar handed over
to the kennelmen!

I shall reign alone!
Without the boyars!

I will be Tsar!

Now... I hold great power.

The people support me.

My personal guard
form an iron ring around me.

My enemies are kept at bay.

But I have no close friends.

God refuses me
the sweet consolations of friendship.

On whose shoulders can I rest my head?

With whom can I share my joys and sorrows?

I am alone, abandoned.

I had a single close friend, Anastasia.

She has left me.

I had a friend, Kurbsky.

He has betrayed me.

No, not just myself but our great cause.

I don't fear the trouble-makers.

I don't fear the sword,
poison or betrayal.

I fear not for myself.

But I tremble for our great cause.

A new cause,
on which one had hardly embarked.

There is no higher destiny than to reign

according to ancient traditions.

As our ancestors did.
Pay heed to the boyars.

Share your authority with them.

You lie, monk!

These are old wives' tales!

You reject the counsel of your
spiritual guide? Very well!

Remain alone!

Condemned, accursed... and alone!

It is no longer the Tsar
who pleads with you

but a friend crushed by
the burden of authority.

Don't leave me in my isolation.
Stay with me.

Help me to re-establish Russian power.

And for this accept the office

of Metropolitan Bishop of Moscow.

Will you allow me the right to plead

in favor of those you accuse?

I never accuse the innocent.

Wait!

Very well. It shall be as you say.

Why give the bishop such power over you?

Why let yourself be humiliated
by an ignorant priest?

None of your business, dog!

I know I am a dog...
but a faithful dog.

You are wrong, Tsar,
to prefer a priest to a dog.

I know, you want friendship.

You languish without friendship.

For friendship you are ready
to bow at his feet.

Do you not see that Philip
has only one idea,

to conceal your enemies
under his own skirts?

A friend, eh?

He's hardly worth more than Kurbsky!

You dare pronounce that name.

Ah! I know you love Kurbsky!

It's not his treachery which wounds you.

It's the loss of a friend!

You don't sleep at night!

Hold your tongue, dog!

You don't show any gratitude or affection

to those who are loyal to you,

who'd give their lives for you,

who carry the weight of your power
on their strong shoulders.

My power is carried
by the shoulders of the people

and their will is my strength.

I hear the voice of God through them

and I carry out His holy designs.

Tsar, I beg you,
don't let the priest do as he pleases.

Don't trust anyone.
You hold the power. Use it!

I understand.
You've given your word to the priest.

You've made him promises.

You can't go back on your word.

I understand.

So we must see
that the Tsar's word is respected

and wipe out the traitors too.

It's just going back on your word
that worries you, isn't it?

There is a way out... use a cat's paw.

No, a red-headed dog, me, Malyuta.

I'll take the Tsar's sins on my shoulders.

I'll give my soul for the Tsar.

I'll go to hell if need be,
but I'll keep the Tsar's word.

What does the hound do
when the game tries to go to earth?

Flies straight as an arrow to the lair.

He outwits it... heads it off,

outruns it.

Outstrip the priest?
Is that what you're suggesting?

So he won't have time to double back?

You'd give your soul for the Tsar!

Eh, dog?

You complain the Tsar doesn't spoil you?

Be off with you!

Do what you have to do.
By God's will, be judge and executioner.

And to outstrip the priest,

we'll start on some of his
distant relatives, the Kolychevs.

Kolychevs are untamed,
but we'll tame them!

By what right do you set yourself
as a judge, Tsar Ivan?

By what right do you wield
the sword of justice?

Let me not drink of this cup.

You cannot avoid it...
Even though some cups contain poison!

The cup?

The goblet.

They poisoned her!

They poisoned my sweetheart!

Who gave the fatal goblet to the Tsarina?

She received it from my own hands!

And who gave it to you?

Efrosinia!

Efrosinia?

Is it possible? The Tsar's aunt?

My own blood relation?

Silence!
Not a word of your suspicions to anyone

until I have ferreted out the truth.
Come!

In the name of the Father,
the Son and the Holy Ghost.

Our Sovereign Ivan Vasilievich,

Tsar and Grand Duke of all the Russias,

has pronounced these boyars

of the Kolychev family to be traitors.

The aforementioned boyars
having been in communication

with the king of Poland,
with the aim

of submitting to foreign domination.

Ivan Vasilievich,
Tsar of all the Russias,

has condemned them to be beheaded
for high treason.

Too few!

By God's power invested in you,
bring the Tsar to heel.

I charge you to excommunicate him.

I shall return to my monastery.

You daren't.
If you don't bring the Tsar to heel,

you will answer for it before God!

Ah! My lord!

I ask for justice against the Tsar,
and protection.

I ask that the boyars' cause be defended.

No, I do not ask, my lord, I demand!

That's not all I'm demanding.

I demand that the Tsar be humbled.

I do not ask,

I demand!

God be my witness.

It is not for myself

nor for the members of my family
who have been executed

that I take up the sword.
It is on behalf of the boyars.

Justice must be done against the Tsar.

Beneath my priestly robes
beats the heart of a Kolychev!

And a Kolychev who is a
prince of the Church!

Even the Tsar can do nothing
against the Church.

Come tomorrow to the cathedral!

I shall humble the Tsar.

I shall crush him
with the weight of the Church.

God be praised.

Mother...
What's the story of the fiery furnace?

The story tells how a heavenly angel
led three youths

called Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego,

out of the fiery furnace of Babylon,

into which a ferocious heathen Tsar,
Nebuchadnezzar,

had thrown them.

Now, there are no such angels.

Innocent, we were flung
into the burning, fiery furnace

lit by the Chaldeans,

for having disobeyed the heathen Tsar.

Chaldean! Hey! Chaldean!

What is it?

Is this the Tsar's work?

The Tsar's!

They disobeyed the Tsar?

They disobeyed!

So, we are going to hurl them
into the burning, fiery furnace!

We are given into

the hands of lawless princes,

wretched apostates.

Into the hands of an unjust Tsar

who is the wickedest in the world.

With her staff

the old lady...
Hands off the Tsar's aunt!

She's Tsarina in her own house!

So she slapped your faces,
you and your henchmen!

I recognize the family spirit right enough!

Perhaps this is the right moment

to polish off the Staritskys
with one blow.

They've opposed the Tsar's will!

It is not for you, Alexei,
to tell the Tsar what to do.

Not for you, Fyodor,

to raise your hand
against the Tsar's family.

No harm shall come to Efrosinia,

as long as she calls herself
the Tsar's aunt

and does not claim
to become the mother of a Tsar,

a Tsar who submits to the boyars.

As for you, Basmanovs...
learn to keep your place!

And the poisoned goblet...
have you forgotten that?

Be quiet.

Be quiet, Fyodor!
Don't mention that grave charge!

God grant it was not she who was guilty!

Why, shameless Chaldeans,

do you serve a lawless Tsar?

Why, bewitched Chaldeans,

do you serve a devilish,
blaspheming and despotic Tsar?

Why do you torment us with fire?

Why do you burn us?

And now, bear witness to a miracle.

The terrestrial lord will be humbled

by the Lord of Hosts.

The Tsar of all the Russias
begs your blessing.

I do not recognize the Orthodox Tsar
in his pagan actions!

In what way, monk,
do my actions concern you?

Your actions are those
of a bloodthirsty beast!

Silence, Philip.
If you question my sovereignty

you will incur my anger!

Now bear witness to a miracle.

The terrestrial lord will be humbled

by the Lord of Hosts.

Ivan, like Nebuchadnessar,

you cast those who are close to you
into the fire.

But the avenging angel
will descend from heaven

and free them from their prison.

Silence, Philip!

Submit to the authority
of the Church, Ivan!

Repent!

Dissolve the Oprichnina
before it's too late!

Ivan... dissolve the Oprichnina
before it is too late!

Silence!

Mother, is that the terrible
and godless Tsar?

Mother, it is the terrible
and godless Tsar!

It is her, Fyodor! It is her.

From now on I will be
just what you say I am!

I will be terrible!

Philip has been arrested.

He's been forbidden to go back
to the monastery.

He'll be given a savage trial.

He will be condemned.

In the old days

they would have handed Philip
over to us for trial.

We'd never have let him be humiliated.

It's no good living in the past.
We must find a solution.

There is no solution.

There is a solution. Just one.

The last.

Kill the Tsar.

Either kill the Tsar
or lay our own heads on the block.

But who will do it?

Only the pure in heart
would be worthy of carrying out

so elevated a mission!

Pyotr Volynets,

I consecrate this mission to you.

Come, my brothers,

embrace for the last time.

God's servant, Peter,
who lately dwelt among us.

He has vowed himself to the grave.

He will repose beneath a cold slab.

He is entering into the shades.

He bids farewell to friends and relations.

He will lie with the dead.

He confiscated Church property.

We will exterminate the beast!

We must save Philip,
because he has incurred Ivan's wrath

for our sake.

That will depend on Philip's judges.

Who will preside at the Tribunal?

To whom must we send our gold,
plate and furs?

It is I who will preside at the tribunal.

That means he's saved!

That means he's lost!

Philip is more useful to our cause
as a martyr.

A corpse, a martyr.

A saint is more valuable to our struggle.

A dead man... A saint is invincible,
even for the Tsar!

His cowl is white,
but his soul is black.

Why are you always trying to make
a leader of me, mother?

Why do you want to sacrifice me?

A black beaver was bathing in the river.

In the frozen Moscow River.

He didn't wash himself cleaner
He only got blacker.

Having taken his bath, the beaver.

Went off to the capital's High hill.

To dry himself,
shake himself and look around.

To see if anyone was coming
to look for him.

The hunters whistle
Searching out the black beaver.

The hunters follow the scent
They will find the black beaver.

They want to catch and skin the beaver.

And with its fur then to adorn
a kingly mantle.

In order to array.

Tsar Vladimir!

I'd suffer the pangs of your birth
a hundred times over

for you to ascend the throne.

To see you seated on the Tsar's throne!

Take the crown.

Take the collar.

I've always been frightened of blood.

You won't have to shed it.
That will be Pyotr's job.

Yes... but after

to be haunted by remorse
for the rest of my life,

always seeing him wherever I go,
enduring his silent reproaches.

Whatever else you need fear,
it's not that.

When the throne is yours,
you will punish the regicide.

And others, too.

A sovereign should not stray
from the path of righteousness

if he can help it,

but he must be prepared

to tread the path of evil if necessary.

Our great sovereign offers you
a cup of wine.

Moreover our great sovereign

invites his cousin Vladimir Andreyevich
to the royal table.

The hand of God!

Our cause prospers!

You will accompany Pyotr to the banquet.

And don't forget to wear your new kaftan.

I'll remind him!

The hand of God!

Our cause prospers!

It's empty!

Holla! Holla!

Faster! Faster!

Bravo! Bravo!

Ah, Brother Vladimir, you don't love me.

You don't care that I am so alone,

that I'm just a poor abandoned orphan
whom no one pities.

It's not right for the Tsar
to fraternize with the landowners,

and above all not with the Staritskys!

It is not for you, Alexei,
to teach the Tsar his business,

nor to raise your hand
against the Tsar's relations.

But it was you who taught me
to weed them out.

The Tsar's connections
outshine all other connections.

As the celestial tamarind
outshines homely oak.

Aren't we the new forest
growing around you?

I don't hack down oaks
to make room for wretched aspens.

Don't touch the Tsar's relations!

The ties of blood are sacred!

Aren't we who are closest to you
bound to you by other blood,

blood which has been shed?

You're no relation of mine.

You are my slaves.

I raised you from the dust
to crush the boyar traitors.

I express my will through you.

Your function is to serve me,
not to teach me how to behave.

Keep to your place, Basmanovs!

You are beginning to catch
the boyars' sickness.

You are beginning to get ideas about rank.

Would you like to put yourself
beside the Tsar?

I've sworn never to fraternise
with the boyars

nor with the landowners.

I am alone,

a poor orphan.

No one loves or pities me!

The guests have assembled
in the courtyards of the boyars.

In the courtyards of the boyars.

The axes skim the necks of the boyars.

The axes, the axes.

Come along! Come along!

What happens next?
What happens next?

Come on, tell us more.

Come on, tell us more.

Strike with the axes.

The gates have split down the middle.

Down the middle.

The golden goblets pass
from hand to hand.

From hand to hand.

Come along. Come along.

What happens next?
What happens next?

Come on, tell us more
Come on, tell us more.

Strike with the axes!

Oh, you are wrong,
Tsar of all the Russias,

- you have friends.
- I haven't one.

- Yes, you have!
- Don't lie.

- I'm not lying.
- Then who is my friend?

- Well, me for one.
- I don't believe you!

I swear it!

Don't swear it.
Prove it by your actions!

I will prove it!

And when the guests are parting
having drunk their fill.

Drunk their fill.

They set fire to the castle.

Set fire to the castle.

Come along. Come along.

What happens next?
What happens next?

Come on, tell us more
Come on, tell us more.

Strike with the axes!

What is Archbishop Pimen's man doing
amongst the servants?

Pimen assigned him
to the service of Vladimir Andreyevich.

You lie... You won't prove anything!

I will... I will prove it to you!

You sit here celebrating

and you don't even know
some people want you out of the way.

- Is that so?
- I swear it!

And who do they want in my place?

You'd never guess!

I said to her, who'd want to be Tsar?

Plots... executions.

As for me... I'm just a peaceful man;
All I ask of life

is to drink and live in peace.

Indeed, who'd want to be Tsar?

The task is a heavy one!

That's exactly what I said.

Why do I want to be Tsar?
But she insists.

Take it... take the crown.

Take the collar.

Take the collar...
Take the crown.

Take it!

Take it! Why not?
Take it, cousin!

Bring the Tsar's regalia!

He likes it,

this lackey of the Poles!

The farce is over.

Enough of this ungodly revelry!

Brothers, let's address ourselves
to the Almighty!

Let us think upon our last hour.

Awake, my soul Awake.

Lead us to the cathedral!

A Tsar does not draw back.

The Tsar is always first to enter!

Ivan is no more!

Good people, look!

Ivan is no more!

The brute is dead!

Russia shall flourish under a boyar Tsar!
Vladimir!

Holy Mother of God...

No!

Torture me!

Execute me!

You'll never make me speak!

I won't give anyone away.

Why are you holding him?

It was not the Tsar he killed...
only the fool!

Let him go.

And it was not only a fool he killed

but the Tsar's worst enemy!

My grateful thanks!

As for her...

They want to catch

and skin a beaver.

And with its fur then to adorn.

A kingly mantle for... for...

Tsar Vladimir.

As for her...

A black beaver was bathing...

I swear before God to accomplish.

In Russia, my royal mission.

To purge the Motherland
of her savage enemies.

To shed with my own hands
the blood of the guilty.

Without mercy,
either to myself or others.

For the sake of the great land of Russia.

A Tsar must always weigh and assess.

Mercy and gentleness for the good.

Cruelty and torment for the wicked.

A Tsar who hesitates in this
will never make a Tsar!

Today in Moscow,
we have struck down

the enemies of Russian unity.

My hands are free!

From now on the sword of justice
shall flash against those

who dare to oppose from without
the greatness of Russian might.

We will not let Russia be abused!