TSAR'S DAUGHTER MARIE（34）

【原創電影劇本英文版】

INT. COMMANDANT'S OFFICE -- IPATIEV HOUSE -- NIGHT

Yurovsky pulls Nikulin into his office and closes the door, in a state of panic.

YUROVSKY

It's decided. Tonight. The city has just announced a state of siege. We have to carry out the execution tonight.  We'll have to shoot them all. By the way, send the kitchen boy out of the house right away.

NIKULIN

You mean Leonid? Okay.

Yurovsky approaches the telephone on his desk and dial.

YUROVSKY

(talking on the phone)

Bring a truck to the Ipatiev House at midnight. Also, find some rolls of canvas.

EXT. IPATIEV HOUSE -- NIGHT

The house is shrouded in shadow, with the only light from the two tall windows of the Commandant's office. Nikulin and Leonid step out of the house and disappear in the darkness.

LEONID

Where are we going?

NIKULIN

Take you home.

INT. COMMANDANT'S OFFICE -- IPATIEV HOUSE - NIGHT

Yurovsky paces up and down the room nervously. Nikulin stands, waiting for instructions.

YUROVSKY

If we remove these eleven prisoners from the house and take those to some isolated spot...

NIKULIN

It's dangerous.  Since the White and Czech forces are so close to Ekaterinburg, they might break through the defending line of the Red Army and interfere with our plan. So...

YUROVSKY

So, kill them right here, in this house, to prevent any chance for escape.

INT. GROUND FLOOR -- IPATIEV HOUSE -- NIGHT

Yurovsky and Nikulin tour the ground floor, walking through a hallway and turning into a room by double doors.

INT. MURDER ROOM -- NIGHT

The double doors are opened. The floor is made of yellow-painted pine boards. The walls are decorated with cream and beige striped wallpaper, toped with a burgundy frieze. A high arched window sinks deep into the thick wall. A single electric bulb suspends from the center of the vaulted ceiling supported by lath and plaster piers in the corners.

Another set of double doors to the storeroom are locked.

Yurovsky feels the walls with his fingers and knocks on them with his fist.

YUROVSKY

The walls are plastered. It can absorb any stray bullets.

INT. COMMANDANT'S OFFICE -- NIGHT

Grenades and bombs are littered all over the filthy and slovenly room. Nikulin places the assembled collection of weaponry on the desk. Yurovsky sorts through this arsenal: six pistols and eight revolvers.

NIKULIN

These are collected from all the guards on exterior duty. The two Mausers are the most powerful, with a velocity of 1,400 feet per second.

INT ANTEROOM -- NIGHT

Yurovsky meets the selected members of the execution squad.

YUROVSKY

Are you ready? Any problems?

A couple of members look at each other, hesitating.

MEMBER 1

I don't feel able to shoot at the girls, Sir.

MEMBER 2

I refuse to kill the innocent servants.

YUROVSKY

Both of you are dismissed. We won't fail in our important revolutionary duty because of your treacherous behavior.

INT. COMMANDANT'S OFFICE -- NIGHT

Yurovsky and several members of the Ural Regional Soviet and the Ekaterinburg Cheka sit in silence, nervously chain smoking and glancing at the CLOCK. It's TEN o'clock.

INT. IPATIEV HOUSE -- NIGHT

The regular transfer of guards takes place. Yurovsky supervises and appoints his men to the posts.

YUROVSKY

This must be a four-hour shift.

NIKULIN

Yes, Scheduled to work from ten P.M. to two A.M.

EXT. HOTEL AMERIKA -- NIGHT

A Fiat, one-and-a-half-ton, with a flat open bed of wood slats enclosed by wooden side rails, rumbles through the streets and pulls up before the hotel's entrance.

INT. DRAWING ROOM -- IPATIEV HOUSE -- NIGHT

Tatiana plays Bach's SAINT MATTHEW PASSION on the piano. Nicholas and Alexei play checkers. Alexandra and her daughters read the lines from the PROPHETS AMOS and OBADIAH.

OLGA

(reading)

...And their king shall go into captivity, and he and his princes together...

ALEXANDRA

(reading)

Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the Lord.

INT. CORRIDOR -- IPATIEV HOUSE -- NIGHT

A guard creeps down the corridor to peer beneath the closed double doors of the drawing room. The lights within are extinguished.

INT. COMMANDANT'S OFFICE -- JULY 17 -- NIGHT/DAWN

The CLOCK ticks. It is one thirty A.M. Yurovsky looks at the clock impatiently. The telephone RINGS. Yurovsky hurries to pick up the receiver.

YUROVSKY

Hey, what happened?

CHAUFFEUR (V.O.)

I apologize for the delay. I'm now on my way.

Yurovsky hangs up the phone and rushes out of his office.

INT. DRAWING ROOM -- NIGHT

Dr. Botkin lies on a chaise when he is awaken by a knock on the door. Dr. Botkin gets up and opens the door. He is surprised at seeing Yurovsky stand outside the room.

DR. BOTKIN

What happened?

YUROVSKY

Everyone has to be woken and dress quickly. There's trouble in the city.  We'd have to take all of you to another safer place. You don't need to take anything with you.