Battleship Potemkin
Scenario and script by Sergei Eisenstein

Original webpage: http://geocities.com/classicmoviescripts/scripts/battleshippotemkin.txt

Back to: PART ONE: MEN AND MAGGOTS

PART TWO: DRAMA ON THE QUARTER-DECK

= The bugle sounds

= shrilly and uneasily.

= Seen from above -- past the muzzles of the cannons menacingly overhanging -- the sailors quickly fill the quarter-deck, forming themselves in double file along either side of the deck. At the prow of the battleship the flag of St. Andrew flutters in the wind.

= The bugler sounds his call.

= The petty officers arrange themselves in single file in front of the sailors.

= A group of officers fall in behind the hatch in the middle of the deck.

[TITLE:] COMMANDER GOLIKOV

= From the hatch appears the figure of Commander Golikov, resolutely ascending the ladder.

= The officers salute him.

= Commander Golikov steps onto the deck and

= salutes.

= He walks up to a capstan and

= stands upon it.

= The sailors in their ranks stand stiffly to attention,

= and so do the petty officers.

= Nobody stirs. The muzzles of the cannons hang menacingly over the ranks.

= Commander Golikov, one hand by the side of his frock-coat, the other behind his back, looks threateningly round the motionless rows of sailors.

= The officers are at the salute.

= Restraining his fury, Commander Golikov orders:

[TITLE:] 'Those satisfied with the borshch --'

= A pause.

[TITLE:] '-- two paces forward!'

= He raises an admonishing hand.

= A number of petty officers step hesitantly forward.

[TITLE:] THE PETTY OFFICERS

= The petty officers who have kept rank falter. After a while, one of them takes two steps forward. The officers stand motionless, at the salute.

= Only two of the petty officers have kept rank.

= Whereupon, two of the sailors break rank and step forward.

= Commander Golikov, one hand by the side of his frock-coat, the other behind his back, looks threateningly about him.

= A young petty officer, not knowing what to do, mechanically fingers the strap running over his shoulder.

= The muzzles of the cannons hang menacingly over a motionless rank of sailors.

= The senior petty officer looks apprehensively at the men who have not moved.

[TITLE:] 'Come on!'

= The young petty officer, not knowing what to do, mechanically fingers the strap running over his shoulder.

= Enraged, Commander Golikov shouts:

[TITLE:] 'Hang the rest on the yard-arm!'

= and he points

= at the mast.

= A young officer with a small moustache, turning his eyes in the direction of the mast, can hardly repress a smile.

= The words of the Commander strike terror in the hearts of the sailors.

= They turn their heads in the direction of the mast.

= Before the eyes of one old sailor, there begins to swim

= the vision of the sailors hanging on the yard-arm.

= The old sailor looks fearfully in the direction of the mast.

= The two petty officers turn their eyes towards

= the mast.

= One of the petty officers turns towards the other with a nervous smile.

= Commander Golikov shakes his hand threateningly.

= The tensely smiling face of the petty officer immediately becomes serious.

= Commander Golikov fixes his eyes ominously on the sailors.

= The petty officer is stiff with fright.

= Commander Golikov shouts:

[TITLE:] 'Call out the guard!'

= and does not remove his gaze from the sailors.

= Seen from above -- past the muzzles of the cannons menacingly overhanging -- a sailor breaks rank and quickly runs past the gun-turret.

[TITLE:] MATYUSHENKO BREAKS RANK AND EDGES TOWARDS THE GUN-TURRET

= Matyushenko exhorts the sailors.

= The sailor returns and runs quickly up to the Commander.

= Matyushenko says to the sailors:

[TITLE:] 'To the turret '

= and he points at the gun-turret.

= The sailors convey the message one to another:

[TITLE:] 'To the turret.'

= Matyushenko directs the sailors:

[TITLE:] 'To the turret.'

= The sailors quickly convey Matyushenko's direction one to another.

= The sailors in rank, their faces gloomy, stand motionless.

= Seen from above -- past the muzzles of the cannons menacingly overhanging -- the armed guard, dressed in black uniforms, move past the gun-turret.

= Two evil-faced officers converse agitatedly.

= Beneath the muzzles of the cannons menacingly overhanging, past the ranks of sailors, the guard move, rifles in hand.

= The officers exchange glances with one another significantly.

= The guard pass by the ranks of sailors

= and fail into line in front of the Commander.

= Matyushenko turns to the sailors:

[TITLE:] 'Lads '

= He shouts:

[TITLE:] 'It is time!'

= The sailors break rank and,

= quickly,

= according to Matyushenko's direction,

= race towards

= the gun-turret.

[TITLE:] MOST OF THE SAILORS ARE GATHERED BY THE GUN-TURRET

= Seen from above -- past the muzzles of the cannons menacingly overhanging -- most of the sailors have gathered by the gun-turret,

= and only a small knot of sailors remain on the prow of the battleship.

= From this knot of sailors, a number detach themselves and run towards the gun-turret.

= Senior officer Gilyarovsky frowns viciously.

= The crowd of sailors is agitated.

= Gilyarovsky, raising his hand, shouts at the sailors remaining on the prow of the battleship:

[TITLE:] 'Stop! Into rank!'

= The sailors remaining on the prow of the battleship look in terror

= at the infuriated Gilyarovsky, and

= try to run towards the gun-turret, but they are driven back by the officers.

= The captain of the guard awaits the orders of the Commander.

[TITLE:] THEY TRY TO MAKE THEIR WAY THROUGH THE ADMIRAL'S HATCH

= Some of the sailors remaining on the prow of the battleship advance towards the admiral's hatch.

= Commander Golikov shouts at them in fury:

[TITLE:] 'Back, you villains! This is no way for you!'

= and he springs at the sailors with his fists,

= catches one of them, and

= hurls him at the feet of the other sailors, and then

= catches another.

= The sailors raise their fallen comrade.

= Commander Golikov shouts at the sailors in fury:

[TITLE:] 'I'll shoot you like dogs!'

= and he shakes his fist threateningly.

= The sailor looks bitterly at him and

= rejoins his comrades.

= Senior officer Gilyarovsky

= commands the guard to turn about towards the sailors remaining on the prow of the battleship,

= climbs up onto the capstan,

= and, with a triumphant smirk, orders:

[TITLE:] 'Cover them with a tarpaulin!'

= Three petty officers break rank.

[TITLE:] 'Aye, aye, sir.'

= They come to a halt,

= salute,

= then turn and

= go back, one

= after another. Two more petty officers follow them.

= A triumphant smirk on his lips, Gilyarovsky twirls his moustache.

= The petty officers take hold of a tarpaulin.

= Gilyarovsky continues to twirl his moustache.

= The petty officers

= carry the tarpaulin

= past the guard. One of the sailors in the guard turns his head and looks dejectedly at the tarpaulin.

= The petty officers continue to carry the tarpaulin past the guard.

= The sailor in the guard who had looked at the tarpaulin turns his head back and stands upright.

= The petty officers carry the tarpaulin past the guard.

= The sailor in the guard dejectedly lowers his head.

= The petty officers with the tarpaulin draw close to the sailors remaining on the prow of the battleship, throw the tarpaulin down on to the deck and begin to unroll it.

= The sailors gathered by the gun-turret follow tensely the actions of the petty officers and the guard.

[TITLE:] 'Cover them!'

= The petty officers unroll

= the tarpaulin.

= The knot of sailors remaining on the prow of the battleship press themselves in terror against the handrail of the deck, covering their faces with their hands.

= The petty officers raise

= the tarpaulin

= and cover the sailors with it.

= The tarpaulin

= covers the sailors.

= The guard stand motionless, rifles at ease.

= An officer approaches.

[TITLE:] 'Attention!'

= The file of petty officers

= and the officers

= brace themselves.

= The sailors in the guard stiffen.

= The guard stand in front of the knot of sailors covered with the tarpaulin. Gilyarovsky runs up to the guard.

= The muzzles of the cannons look menacingly down.

= The reflection of the battleship dances on the waves.

= The ship's priest appears on the deck and raises his hands to the sky.

[TITLE:] 'Lord, let these sinners understand.'

= Some of the sailors covered with the tarpaulin fall to their knees.

= The priest raises his cross and speaks.

= Senior officer Gilyarovsky orders:

[TITLE:] 'At the tarpaulin -- aim!'

= The sailors in the guard load, and

= raise their rifles

= to the shoulder.

= The sailors in the guard consider with horror the imminent shooting of the knot of sailors covered with the tarpaulin and

= lower their heads.

= Several of the sailors covered with the tarpaulin are on their knees.

= The heads of the sailors in the guard are dejectedly lowered, but,

= on the command,

= the sailors raise their rifles to the shoulder.

= Three officers look on tensely.

= The priest, counting off the seconds, mechanically slaps his cross against his palm

= several times.

= The face of a young petty officer twitches with fear. Tormentedly counting off the tense seconds, he strokes the knife in his belt.

= Gilyarovsky shouts furiously.

= Almost all the sailors covered with the tarpaulin have fallen to their knees.

= Standing in a row, the officers are motionless.

= The sailors in the guard level the muzzles of their rifles

= and aim at the knot of sailors covered with the tarpaulin.

= The sailors standing near the gun-turret look on with terror

= as the guard aim their rifles at the knot of sailors covered with the tarpaulin.

= The priest slaps his cross several times more against his palm.

= It is as if time had stopped the deathly hush before the storm.

= On a life-belt, the clear inscription Prince Potemkin Tavrichesky.

= The prow of the battleship -- with a Tsarist eagle.

= The bugler holds his bugle in readiness.

= The tension is at its peak. Vakulinchuk makes a decisive movement.

[TITLE:] VAKULINCHUK DECIDES

= Gilyarovsky orders the guard:

[TITLE:] 'Fire!'

= Vakulinchuk shouts to the guard:

[TITLE:] 'Brothers!'

= With horror on his face, he again shouts to the guard:

[TITLE:] 'Who are you shooting at?'

= A sailor in the guard continues to take aim.

[TITLE:] THE RIFLES WAVER

= Several sailors in the guard lower their rifles. The incident has reached crisis point.

= Gilyarovsky, raising his fists, shouts at the guard in fury:

[TITLE:] 'Shoot!'

= One after another, the sailors in the guard lower their rifles.

= One of the sailors in the guard does not know what to do.

[TITLE:] 'Shoot!'

= His fists flying, Gilyarovsky throws himself

= at the guard who have refused to shoot at the sailors on the prow of the battleship,

= and he shouts:

[TITLE:] 'Shoot, you villains!'

= The priest, his cross raised, stiffens with terror.

= Gilyarovsky's face is distorted with rage.

= The sailors in the guard,

= one after another,

= return their rifles to the position at ease,

= or lower the muzzles.

= Again Gilyarovsky shouts,

= and hurls himself at the guard with his fists,

= and tries to snatch one of the sailor's rifles.

= Matyushenko shouts to the sailors:

[TITLE:] 'Seize the rifles, comrades!'

= He races to get a rifle.

= Gilyarovsky snatches the sailor's rifle.

= Vakulinchuk gives orders to the sailors.

= The storm has burst. Sailors race for the rifles.

= Sailors encircle Gilyarovsky.

= Vakulinchuk shouts to the sailors:

[TITLE:] 'Smash the dragons! Smash them!'

= He shouts again:

[TITLE:] 'Smash every one of them!'

= He continues to shout.

= The sailors remaining on the prow of the battleship fling off the tarpaulin and

= run towards

= the group of officers.

= The sailors encircle the officers.

= One sailor tries to snatch Gilyarovsky's rifle.

= The sailors on the prow of the battleship, having flung off the tarpaulin, run quickly.

= Sailors in the guard raise their rifles.

= The tarpaulin, picked up by the wind, descends slowly to the deck.

= The sailors knock the officers down

= and attack them.

= Sailors with rifles run rapidly around the upper deck.

= The flag of St Andrew flutters

= above the fighting on the battleship.

= The sailors attack the officers

= and the Commander.

= Sailors with rifles run rapidly around the decks.

= Sailors rush to the armory,

= and one of them

= quickly dispenses rifles

= to the sailors who come running up,

= one

= after another

= without interruption.

= Gilyarovsky and Commander Golikov start to descend the admiral's hatch, but Golikov is seized by sailors.

= Elsewhere, sailors attack an officer.

= Golikov throws off the sailors.

= The sailors knock the officer down onto the tarpaulin.

= Elsewhere, Matyushenko, with other sailors, attacks a group of petty officers.

= The flag of St Andrew flutters.

= Near the admiral's hatch, the young officer with the small moustache repels the sailors' attacks.

= Sailors with rifles run rapidly around the decks.

= The sailors roll the officer up in the tarpaulin.

= Rifles,

= one

= after another,

= are passed through

= to the sailors who come running up.

= The sailors roll the officer up in the tarpaulin.

= Gilyarovsky, armed with a rifle, chases after Vakulinchuk.

= Vakulinchuk climbs across a circular bastion and lets himself drop,

= trying to hide from him.

= From a hatch protrudes a hand with a crucifix,

= standing out clearly against the background of the grating.

= Vakulinchuk, raising himself slightly, grasps the handrail near the hatch.

= From the hatch appears the figure of the priest, cross in hand, ascending the ladder.

= Vakulinchuk looks at him uncomprehendingly.

= The priest speaks to him:

[TITLE:] 'Fear God,'

= and stretches out the cross to him.

= The crucifix stands out against the background of the grating.

= Matyushenko and his comrades attack the officers.

= Vakulinchuk shouts at the priest:

[TITLE:] 'Get out of the way, you sorcerer!'

= and he pushes him

= down.

= Running up, Gilyarovsky raises the butt of his rifle against Vakulinchuk,

= but Vakulinchuk seizes the rifle and tries to tear it from him.

= The sailors roll the officer up in the tarpaulin. He resists, clutching at a ring on the deck.

= Vakulinchuk and Gilyarovsky fight for possession of the rifle.

= The officer lets go of the ring. The sailors drag him away from it.

= For a moment appear the legs of Vakulinchuk and Gilyarovsky, fighting for possession of the rifle.

= Vakulinchuk runs down the ladder, but, again,

= for a moment appear the legs

= of Vakulinchuk and Gilyarovsky, fighting for possession of the rifle.

= On the deck, the crowd of sailors continues to attack the officers.

= The priest, stepping out of the hatch, extends his cross to Vakulinchuk.

= At that moment, Gilyarovsky seizes the rifle from Vakulinchuk.

= The crucifix falls

= and sticks upright into the floor of the deck.

= The priest falls

= into the hatch

= and, hitting his head against a pipe, loses consciousness.

= Vakulinchuk

= quickly runs down

= the ladder into the hatch,

= chased by Gilyarovsky.

= Vakulinchuk turns, sees

= the crucifix stuck into the floor of the deck, and

= runs on.

= Through the ship's galley an officer runs,

= seeking safety from the sailors.

= Up onto the wardroom piano

= an officer clambers, struggling with the sailors pursuing him.

= He treads on the keys

= and on the candelabra,

= and, having got on top of the piano, he fires his revolver at the sailors,

= but the sailors pursuing him drag him down from the piano,

= upturning him.

= An officer hangs by his hands from the muzzle of a cannon.

= In the wardroom, the sailors beat the officer against the floor.

= On one side of the battleship, an officer notices a sailor swarming along a ladder in pursuit of him.

= The officer, seeking safety from the sailor, clambers up the side of the battleship, clutching at the holdfasts, but the sailor's leg kicks him over the head. The officer clambers back, and the sailor descends after him.

= In the wardroom, the sailors continue

= to attack the officer.

= Two sailors run up the ladder to a hatch.

= On the side of the battleship, the sailor, descending by the holdfasts, again kicks the officer over the head.

= In the wardroom, a sailor attacks the officer with a music-stool.

= Hanging over the arm of a chair, only the hand of the dead officer can be seen.

= On the side of the battleship, the sailor propels

= the officer into the sea.

= The water receives the officer greedily.

= On a life-belt, the clear inscription: 'Prince Potemkin Tavrichesky.'

= Sailors with rifles run rapidly around the decks.

= With the butt of his rifle,

= a sailor attacks

= an officer who has run to the end of the muzzle of a cannon.

= The officer loses balance,

= somersaults in the air,

= and falls

= into the sea,

= where he struggles to get out.

= Smirnov, the small, short-sighted ship's surgeon, tries to conceal himself behind a row of hose-pipes,

= but he is detected

= and encircled by sailors,

= who drag him away.

= He clings helplessly to a rope.

= The sailors try to tear him from the rope,

= and they carry him away,

= head downwards,

= the rope trailing after him,

= down a metal ladder.

= In his deathly fear

= he clutches with his hands at the steps.

= The priest, fallen into the hatch, opens one eye for an instant and closes it.

= Smirnov clings with his hands to the steps.

= On the ladder, the legs

= of the sailors and of the struggling officer.

= On the deck, sailors with rifles hunt down the fleeing officers.

= Ship's surgeon Smirnov

= is snatched up by a couple of sailors.

= With a swing, they hurl him

= overboard.

= Head downwards, he flies through the air and

= falls into the sea,

= raising a fountain of spray and

= foam.

[TITLE:] GO AND FEED YOUR MAGGOTS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA !

= And on a cable hang the pince-nez of ship's surgeon Smirnov -- those same pince-nez through which, with indifference, he regarded the maggoty meat.

= On the deck, the sailors continue to attack the officers.

[TITLE:] 'Comrades! The ship is in our hands!'

= The sailors on the deck throw their caps high in the air with joy.

= The smashed keys of the piano: evidence of the struggle in the wardroom.

= On the decks, the sailors continue to hunt down the officers.

[TITLE:] FLOWING WITH BLOOD, VAKULINCHUK SEEKS SAFETY FROM THE BESTIAL GILYAROVSKY . ..

= Gilyarovsky watches closely,

= as Vakulinchuk climbs onto a yard-arm

= and moves along it.

= Gilyarovsky, his rifle in his hand, draws closer to Vakulinchuk,

= not once lowering his gaze from him.

= Vakulinchuk looks at Gilyarovsky.

= Gilyarovsky turns,

= takes cover behind a buttress,

= aims with his rifle

= at Vakulinchuk on the yard-arm,

= carefully screwing up one eye,

= and he fires.

= Vakulinchuk clutches the back of his head with his hand.

= Gilyarovsky looks at Vakulinchuk.

= Vakulinchuk, mortally wounded, falls from the yard-arm and,

= catching hold of some ropes,

= slips down the ropes

= into the cradle they form above the sea.

= The sailors on the deck throw their caps high in the air with joy.

= The ropes descend on a pulley, and

= the unconscious Vakulinchuk slips down towards the sea in the cradle they form.

= A sailor shouts:

[TITLE:] 'Vakulinchuk's overboard!'

= and runs along the yard-arm,

= followed by a second sailor, and a third.

= Grasping the ropes,

= they hasten to the aid of Vakulinchuk.

= Vakulinchuk lies on his back in the cradle of ropes, his head hanging down.

[TITLE:] 'Save Vakulinchuk!'

= The sailors jump into the water.

= Vakulinchuk hangs over the cradle of ropes above the water,

= and he falls into the sea.

= The sailors quickly swim

= towards the sinking Vakulinchuk.

= The sailors slowly carry

= the body of the dead Vakulinchuk up the gangway.

[TITLE:] AND HE WHO WAS THE FIRST TO TAKE UP THE CRY OF REBELLION WAS THE FIRST TO FALL AT THE HAND OF THE EXECUTIONER

= A cutter, with sailors in file on either side of the deck and with the body of Vakulinchuk on high,

= moves

[TITLE:] TOWARDS THE SHORE

= The passage of the cutter, with the body of Vakulinchuk, hero and victim of the rebellion, on high

= gives impetus

= and intensity

= to the noble spirit of mourning and triumph which prevails.

[TITLE:] ODESSA

= On the still quay in the moonlight: a solitary tent.

[TITLE:] THE TENT AT THE END OF ODESSA'S NEW JETTY -- VAKULINCHUK'S LAST RESTING PLACE

= In the tent lies the body of Vakulinchuk.

= An inscription on a sheet of paper: 'On account of a spoonful of borshch.'

= In his hands is a lighted candle. His body is turned towards the town, which is visible in the distance through the opening in the tent.

= First, the cutter passes before the tent,

= then a large sailing-ship heading in a different direction floats by and obscures the view of the town.

 

 

Continue: PART THREE: THE DEAD MAN CRIES FOR FOR VENGEANCE