TSAR'S DAUGHTER MARIE（5）

INT. OFFICE -- WINTER PALACE -- DAY

Nicholas sits at his empire-style desk, staring at his fidgety PRIME MINISTER.

PRIME MINISTER

Gravest upheavals may be expected, Your Majesty.

NICHOLAS

For twenty two years, I've tried to act for the best. But it turns out that all is a mistake. How can it be possible?

PRIME MINISTER

Your Majesty, for twenty two years, you've followed a wrong course.

Nicholas paces forth and back. He rushes to his desk and picks up the phone.

NICHOLAS

(on the phone)

General Khabalov, I command you to stop the disorders in the capital tomorrow. They are inadmissible during this difficult time of war against Germany and Austria. I order you to put an immediate halt to the riots.

PRIME MINISTER

Your Majesty, the imperial troops have set off from headquarters toward the capital. The machine-gun battalion is ready to repress the mobs.

EXT. STREETS -- PETROGRAD -- DAY

The number of strikers swells as masses of STUDENTS volunteer to join the battered workers. Victor marches ahead and leads the demonstrators pouring in a torrent down the street.

STUDENTS/WORKERS

(shouting provokingly)

Overthrow the autocracy. Overthrow the Tsar. We need bread. We need bread. We need bread.

MONTAGE

In the distance, demonstrators cheer and applaud the speeches held by political orators.

ORATOR

(evoking response)

...We revolutionaries shall overthrow the Tsar who despises us, mistreats us, and massacres us. We're human beings, not cogs in the wheel of empire...

DEMONSTRATORS

(responding)

Hurrah, Hurrah.

PEASANTS are stirred up to kill aristocratic landowners and set fire on their properties.

Shops and houses are looted. Bakeries are sacked. People clamor for bread.  Scuffles with the police occur here and there. Mobs exchange shots with policemen firing from rooftops.

EXT. WINTER PALACE -- DAY

Workers and students march on toward the palace, hand in hand, singing revolutionary songs. The imperial soldiers run out of the garrison and take aim at the demonstrators.

COMMANDER

Fire.

Guns are fired. Whistling bullets hit the demonstrators. Many demonstrators in the front line are mowed down, wounded or dead. Other demonstrators behind storm into the soldiers' procession, wrestle with them and try to snatch guns from them.

Victor, one arm injured by gunshot, struggles to get free while a Sergeant grasps his neck to strangle him. Victor kicks against the Sergeant's grip. The Sergeant sees Victor's NECKLACE, rips it off and runs away with it. Victor chases the Sergeant, his arm bleeding profusely.

VICTOR

(yelling)

Hey, damned bastard, give me back my necklace. It's from my dead parents. Give me back.

Marie stands behind a pillar of the palace, watching the repression of the demonstration.

MARIE'S POV BEHIND THE PILLAR

The Sergeant runs toward the garrison, gasping for breath.   A young man pursues him, panting and bleeding on the arm. Gradually the young man's face can be discerned.

MARIE

Oh, my God. It's Victor. It's him.

BACK TO SCENE

Marie darts across the street toward Victor who stoops down in pain. Marie helps stand Victor on his feet.

MARIE (CONT'D)

Victor, are you okay? Oh, your arm is injured. It's bleeding. Let me stanch it.

Marie takes off her silk scarf to bandage up Victor's blood-drenched arm.

VICTOR

(panting)

Marie, how come you're here? Thank you for first-aid bandage.

MARIE

What happened? Why did you chase that guy?

VICTOR

I need to go. I'm gonna catch up that scum. He snatched my necklace. It's a gift from my parents.

MAREI

Victor, you need to see a doctor. Let me take you to the hospital.

VICTOR

No, don't worry about me. I'm fine. I'm gonna get my necklace back.

MARIE

But you need to take care of your wound first. I can't leave you like that.

Some imperial soldiers run toward them. Marie hastens to support Victor. They scurry in the direction of the palace.