The Last Czars (2019–…): Season 1, Episode 4 - War - full transcript

Someone needs to stop Clearway Law.
Public shouldn't leave reviews for lawyers.

The girl calling herself
"The Russian Princess Anastasia"

continues her recovery.

But I am no closer to discovering if
her claims are anything more than fantasy.

I now hope that my wife, Shura,
once the children's nursery maid,

may be able to uncover something,
anything that can help us.

Anastasia,

Is it really you?

I know.

You have trouble with your memory.

I brought you some things from the past.



Things that might help.

Anastasia chose this for me.

It was a gift from Czarina Alexandra.

Before the outbreak of war.

In 1914,

Rasputin returned
to his village in Siberia,

as one of the most powerful men in Russia.

He had wealth, he had fame,
but he also had enemies.

The rich and powerful hated his influence
over the Czar and Czarina.

The church were jealous
that a simple peasant

had become the most powerful
holy man in Russia.

Everyone wanted him dead.

False prophet!

Slanderer! Rapist!



Rapist!

Khionya Guseva almost succeeded.

Others would try.

And maybe if they had succeeded,

history would have been very different.

Because in 1914,

Rasputin's invisible hand

would try to influence Russia
in its deadliest hour.

The country was on the brink of war
with the Austro-Hungarian Empire

and her ally, Germany.

It was the beginning of the end.

No.

No, no!

No!

God! Argh!

Oh, fuck!

God!

Help me up.

I need to speak to the Czar.

Write for me.

Prask...

A terrible storm hangs over Russia.

Don't allow the madmen

to destroy everything.

Don't go to war.

The Austrians have begun firing
on Belgrade.

Germany is backing them.

I need your decision.

War would mean sending hundreds
of thousands of Russians to their deaths.

It means soldiers doing the job
that they have been trained for.

When Austria invades Serbia,

Russia is put
in a very difficult position.

The stakes
of Nicholas's decision, in many ways,

couldn't be higher.

Austria is being supported by Germany

which is not only Europe's
greatest military power,

but also Alexandra's homeland.

I can't make this decision.

You must. Being unarmed
against Austria would be madness.

We need to prepare for an attack.

Transmit my orders to mobilize.

Grigori absolutely advises against war.

I'm sorry.

We are at war.

No!

It was my decision,
based on the advice of my ministers.

Was it you?

Yes.

Please.

I have German blood, Nicky.

I'm so ashamed.

I'm so sorry, but I have no choice.

Father Grigori says that...

- Father Grigori is not a politician!
- it will be the end of Russia, and us.

It would be wrong
to take his advice on this.

This is my greatest challenge yet, Sunny.

I need you strong...

and by my side.

Can I count on you?

Germany and Austria
have declared war on Russia.

From the heart of our great nation.

I vow to you, my people

that I will never make peace

while the enemy threatens
our holy motherland.

God is with us!

At the beginning
of World War One, in 1914,

Nicky dreamed of being supreme commander
himself.

He didn't quite have the courage,
so he appointed Nikolasha,

who was the family's favorite soldier.

Grand Duke Nikolasha is

a military hero, from the perspective
that he looks like a military hero,

he behaves like a military hero.

He's liked by the soldiers
because he looks like a soldier.

Good luck.

Commander-in-Chief.

Whatever happens, we will never surrender.

May I say something?

Man to man?

Rasputin.

Show him the back door.

We are at war.

We don't want to give the people
any excuses for discontent.

This isn't your business.

It is all the country is talking about.

Concentrate on winning the war.

I'll look after the rest.

Initially, there's
very enthusiastic support for the war.

The nation rallies
against a common enemy.

The entire imperial family
contribute to the war effort.

Alexandra converts a number of their
palaces into hospitals.

And all of this coincides with the return
of Alexandra's closest adviser.

I did not want war, but here with you now,

I feel God is with us.

From this moment on, you are the daughters
and sweethearts of the nation.

It's a great privilege, responsibility.

Your faces, your smiles...

will give hope and courage
to oursoldiers.

And you...

you are the future they're fighting for.

Go get changed for supper.

Yes, let's go.

Where is the Czar?

With Nikolasha.

Hm.

Nikolasha is a dangerous man.

He wants to be the people's hero.

He wants the love
that belongs to the Czar.

What should we do?

The Czar must be seen to be leader.

He should take supreme control.

Russia looks like
it's doing well

in the first days of the war.

Nikolasha, the Commander-in-Chief,
is very confident

they're just going to drive straight on
to Berlin.

But, actually, very quickly,
the Germans turn it around.

The Russian army does not have experience.

It does not have experienced soldiers,

most of them are simply conscripted
peasants who don't even know

why they're fighting this war.

Where's the stretcher?

Alexandra and her daughters,

they really do work hard,
and really do go close

to ordinary soldiers
with appalling wounds.

You don't have to be here
if it's too much.

They need me,
just like I need Father Grigori.

Alexandra seems
to have been seeking something,

seeking answers or confidence.

Rasputin, he seems to offer her answers,
and a certainty, and a faith.

She believes in him absolutely.

Where's the music?

The story of what happens
at the Yar Restaurant in Moscow

is one of the great...

legendary events in the life of Rasputin.

The Czarina loves me. She's...

I can make her do anything.

Anything!

I piss, and I shit on all of you!

Ha ha!

The Czarina, she's my precious one!

My precious one.

Rasputin got blind drunk,

pulled down his breeches
and pulled out his penis.

The Czarina loves me.

I can make her do anything.

He boasted about his relationship,
his power with the empress.

There's incredibly toxic
rumors and illustrations in the press

of Rasputin and Alexandra together
in sexual situations.

It's assumed
they must be sleeping together.

But this is not the case.

Rasputin was there primarily
to look after the boy.

Remember that the Czareviches' illness
is a secret, even from close family.

Lies...

and hate, and spin!

Yes, but lies the people believe!

Look,
we need to distance ourselves from him.

And, what about your son?

What's the point in winning the war
if the heir to the throne is dead?

Stop it!

This is not just coming from me.

It's coming from my ministers
and the Commander-in-Chief.

Oh, Nikolasha. Fuck Nikolasha!

Who's running this country? Him or you?

- I am!
- Really?

Nikolasha may as well be Czar.

He's the one who gets all the press.
He's the one people see.

All we hear about is defeat after defeat.

Nikolasha should go. Not Grigori.

The people need to see their Czar strong
and in control.

You should be leading the army.

Nicholas had long wanted
to take control of the army.

But, in 1915, he says that he has been
spoken to by God.

He heard an inner voice, telling him
that he needed

to lead the Russian people to victory.

I'm going to the front.

Are you mad?

I had a vision.

Now, Nicky.

You've been under a lot of stress.

I've decided to take over as Commander.

No, Nicky.

You're needed here in the capitol.

My place is with the army.

Ha. You'll be blamed
for every military defeat. You know that.

Trust me, Mother. Please.

Of course I trust you.
Not those around you.

Is this coming from Rasputin, or Alix?

It's my decision.

I'm taking over as Commander-in-Chief.

You now have the greater honor
of serving his majesty.

I bet the Czarina is behind this.
She is leading us to disaster.

The monk has to go.

How will I cope without my boys?

We'll be fine.

Look after her while I'm away.

You...

concentrate on the war.

I'll look after everything at home.

Taking control of the army

is a very unwise decision at this point.

Leaving Petrograd
means leaving the government

under the influence of Empress Alexandra
and, of course, Rasputin.

Alexandra was never popular

with the Russian aristocracy
to begin with.

And to leave a German-born princess
and the monk from Siberia

in charge of the government

during a massive global war,
made them even less so.

Alexandra is not the best person

to be in charge of government.

She's taking very strong drugs,

including opium-derived products,

and is becoming increasingly paranoid.

And is relying ever more on her personal
relationship with Rasputin.

I'm running late.

Another attempt on my life.

What?

Poison.

Lucky for me, the er...
the cat got to it first.

Come to the palace.

No, no, I er...

I should...

leave the city.

Go home.

No. You can't...

go.

What can I do to persuade you?

Nothing.

The ministers hate me.
They're behind these plots

against my life.

Well then we must fire them.

Mm, mm.

That would sort it.

You must do what you think is best.

I will do whatever it takes
to keep you by my side.

Alexandra and Rasputin start

this toxic partnership that really
destabilizes the government.

They change ministers all the time

because their key concern

is that anyone that they appoint
into the chief ministries, defend Rasputin

from all of his many, and growing number
of enemies in Petrograd.

With Nicholas away at headquarters,

she writes to him every day,
sometimes several times a day.

Telling him what to do,
and what not to do.

Who to listen to, who to ignore.

Remember to listen only to the advice
of our friend, Rasputin.

For he alone knows how you ought best
to act.

Meanwhile, hundreds
of thousands of Russian soldiers

are being slaughtered,
as the war goes from bad to worse.

By 1915, the war effort
has deteriorated appallingly,

and the Russian army
is in a great retreat,

losing cities,
losing thousands of square miles.

They're retreating on the entire front.

The German armies are basically putting
enormous pressure on the Russian military.

The Germans look like
they could push on, right into Russia.

The Czar is in crisis.

Nicholas turns out to be utterly
irrelevant at Stavka headquarters.

Far from being shown
to be a great warrior-leader,

he just makes people wonder
what the point of him is.

Mother. You're early.
Shall we step outside?

I was worried about you.

We all are.

Well, don't be.

Worry about the war.

Worry about the country. God knows
that's what keeps me up at night.

We've lost almost a million men
since the summer.

Who's helping you with all this?

My God, Nicky.

Our friend says,
you should not advance to the north,

and you must heed his words.

He...

Is the monk now making
the military decisions?

Nicky, you cannot allow Rasputin
to rule the country through your wife!

They've just made a syphilitic, insane
drug addict Interior Minister.

They're putting idiots
into positions of power.

I'm doing everything I can.
What more can I do?

Take back control.

Dismiss Rasputin.

Grigori is the only man
that can keep my wife sane and my son...

Dismiss him!

Otherwise, you will lose your crown.

"I'm going to change
the Interior Minister.

Please don't involve Grigori."

It is my responsibility and my decision.

This is his mother's doing.

We must plan calmly.

And guide him to make the right decision.

You must persuade him.

Guide him with love.

Alix.

Stay there.

I missed you.

I need you.

You make everything make sense.

I need you to stop being so difficult
about the ministers Grigori has chosen.

I've been advised.

You listen to everyone

except the one person
you should be listening to.

When did I become the enemy?

You're not.

Then trust me.

By 1916,

discontent with the royal family
has reached all levels of society.

The war is going very badly.

Large parts of Russia
are occupied by the Germans.

Millions have been killed.

The Czar's reputation amongst the military
has completely collapsed

One soldier that will play a major role
in the Romanov story

is Yakov Yurovsky.
A medical orderly on the front line.

No boots.

It's disgusting.

Who keeps them in power?

We do.

Workers and peasants.

If we all downed tools,
this country would fall to its knees.

By the end of 1916,

faith in the regime and the monarchy
was at rock bottom.

At the same time,

there's a perception
amongst the Russian population

that Alexandra is actively undermining
the Russian war effort.

She is of course,
a German princess originally,

and so she's widely believed
to be a German spy.

People believe
there are German spies everywhere.

Even the Empress's own sister

is the subject of xenophobic abuse
at this point.

People are convinced in the capital

that Alexandra and Rasputin
are now running the show.

Alexandra, who's German-born,
is running the government,

and she's guided by a mad monk
who is apparently

sleeping with half of Petersburg society,

probably having an affair
with the Empress.

The aristocracy become
incredibly disturbed

by the scandal surrounding Rasputin.

Hundreds of these were dropped
over the front lines by a German zeppelin.

Exactly. The laughing stock of Europe,
an international joke.

The mad monk. The sick joker
who rules the Czarina's cunt,

and our country.

It's not funny. It's a fucking tragedy!

He's single-handedly destroying the faith
of the people in the Czar!

Prince Felix Yusupov was the spoiled son
of one of the richest families in Russia.

He put another incompetent in power.
The ministers are puppets.

A sexually-depraved monk
and a mad hysteric are pulling the strings

and we are letting it happen.

Felix Yusupov is a fascinating character.

Bisexual, highly promiscuous,
highly intelligent.

But he's also married to the Czar's niece,
best friends with many of the grand dukes.

Well, someone has to do something.

The people are so stupid.

All these conspiracy theories,
just because we're German.

That's not the reason.

And you know it.

It's about Rasputin.

If that's what you've come here
to discuss, you may as well leave now.

He's playing you.

Everything he does is for himself.

He's leading the dynasty to disaster.

He is saving the dynasty!

You have no idea.

Of course I do.

We are sisters, Alix.

You must stop blaming yourself
for Alexei.

What are you talking about?

Rasputin can't cure the bleeding disease.

Nothing can.

My sister needs her carriage.

Exile the monk.

Save your country.

While there's still an empire for your son
to rule over.

I used to bathe Anastasia
when she was a child.

She had a small deformity,
which she hated.

I would recognize it immediately.

Can I look at your feet?

Congenital hallux abducto valgus.

About one in four people are born with it,
or develop it.

Could that be a bayonet wound?

Possibly.

I'd say from the scar tissue
it's about ten years old.

They shot them with bullets, but...

they had to stab them with bayonets too.

By the end of 1916,

Russia is actually
in a sort of surreal situation.

Okay, okay.

Help me, help me!

The soldiers at the front now
cannot see an end to the war.

Something's gotta give.

It seems that everything
is out of control.

Much of the wider Romanov family believes

that to save this monarchy,

they have to save Nicholas and Alexandra
from themselves,

and specifically from Rasputin.

They need to do something
to remove him from influence,

or it can't possibly continue as it is.

Rasputin?

It's Felix Yusupov here.

Felix, this is a pleasure.

How can I help?

Well, I was hoping to...

make an appointment with you.

About...

a... a problem I have.

Don't be shy. There's no shame.

I would rather speak to you face-to-face.
It's personal. I...

Papa, Papa.

Call me again.

We'll find a time and...

I'll heal you.

Elusive, condescending fucker.

By 1916, all of Russia
is aligned against Rasputin.

The aristocracy know
Nicholas and Alexandra

are almost criminally negligent,
and criminally incompetent.

But nonetheless,
it's all centered on Rasputin.

Rasputin's life is hanging by a thread,

and you get a feeling that he already
knows that his days are numbered.

"Disaster threatens.

Misfortune draws near.

Judgment day has come for our country.

We will drown in our own blood.

I am blind before these griefs.

I can see nothing.

But I know my hour will soon strike.

I am not afraid.

But I know it will be the end of Russia
as we know it."

Please, help yourself.

I won't drink alone.

Ahem.

I prefer white.

My sins used to purge me.

Now they pollute me.

You like me, don't you?

You don't want to like me, but...

you do.

I want to go home, Felix.

To Pokrovskoye.

There's too much sin here.

Prayers reach God more easily
in my little village.

I used to walk...

the Siberian steppe, alone.

You can find God there.

This city chokes me!

But I can't leave.

The Czar, the Czarina.

The little one.

Let's go to the gypsies and dance. Ha?

Me and you.

We'll meet Irina another time.

Yeah?

Ha.

Everyone wants to kill me.

Why... why such hate?

You don't understand.

If they kill me...

they destroy Russia.

Do you understand?

I need to go and find Irina.

Go.

Go!

So.

It's not working.

Rasputin.

Subtitle translation by: Metia Bethell

Someone needs to stop Clearway Law.
Public shouldn't leave reviews for lawyers.