55 Days at Peking

Peking - China.

The summer

of the year 1900.

The rains are late,

the crops have failed,

a hundred million

Chinese are hungry

and a violent wind

of discontent

disturbs the land.

Within the foreign compound

a thousand foreigners

live and work,

citizens of a dozen

far-off nations.

Priests and missionaries,

bankers and businessmen,

engineers and adventurers,

diplomats,

soldiers and students...

People with families, homes,

jobs.

Many have lived here

a lifetime and feel secure

as they go about

their daily routine.

What is

that terrible noise?

Different nations

saying the same thing,

We want China.

Sha-shao!

Separated from the compound

by only

a wall and a gate,

is the Forbidden City.

Here, in untouchable isolation

lives the Dowager Empress,

last of the Manchus.

Protected by

an army of eunuchs,

she holds court

and confers with her ministers,

mandarins and generals.

Halt the execution.

But Prince Tuan s orders!

Now

you have my orders.

The nightingale will recover.

The Court physician s

arts will work.

Only yesterday

I listened to its song.

The execution

has been stopped.

Who?

Jung-Lu,

Your Majesty,

I come to ask

your displeasure.

My life instead

of the Colonel s.

We cannot spare you.

I gave the order

to fire on the Boxers.

They were burning missions,

killing foreigners.

We have sad news.

The nightingale...

it was your gift.

Do you remember, Jung-Lu?

I have not forgotten.

I live to serve Your Majesty.

How does the attack

on the Boxers serve

Her Highness?

If they are unchecked,

foreign armies will fall

- on China.

- We are tens of millions.

Does the Empress believe that

where the imperial Army has failed,

the rabble will succeed?

- Our Gods are with the Boxers.

- The nightingale is still.

I hear only

the sound of crows.

Your Majesty,

a violent wind

is short-lived.

The Boxers have arisen

like the wind and rain,

and like the wind

and the rain, will die.

May the Boxers be guided

by the will of the gods.

About the Colonel, Your Majesty.

His end

will be a sign,

and a warning

to the foreigners.

His death

is of no consequence.

But his life has set

my Prince against my General

and this disturbs

the morning s tranquility.

Let him die

for this offense.

You are concerned, Jung-Lu?

If the Boxers fail,

I will give the foreigners

Prince Tuan s head.

Eyes front, soldier.

All right,

Marines, eyes front!

We re almost in Peking,

the capital city of China.

This is an ancient,

highly cultured civilization,

so dont think

you re any better than them

because they

can t speak English.

A few Chinese words

go a long way.

Repeat after me.

The word for yes is shih.

Shih.

- The word for no is poo shih.

- Poo shih.

it s the same here

as anywhere else in the world,

everything has a price.

Pay your money and

dont expect any free samples.

Yes, sir.

Right turn!

Column... Halt!

We going to stop that, Major?

Stay right there!

- Murphy!

- Yes, sir?

Ni hao.

Tell the Boxer chief

I want to do business with him.

I want to buy

the old man.

But he's not American.

Twenty dollars.

Hold it!

Tell him the old man

must be alive.

Nothing if he s dead.

Forty dollars.

All right.

He s dead.

But he say

you pay

for spoiling the ceremony.

Nothing doing.

Twenty dollars.

Tell him

I'll still do business.

I'll buy

the dead Boxer.

Forty dollars.

Twenty dollars.

- Did you fire that shot?

- Yes, sir.

Nice shooting, Sergeant.

Thank you, Major.

That'll cost you twenty bucks

out of your pay.

Fall in!

Alright...

Fall in!

- Take them to the barracks.

- Yes, sir.

- Murphy!

- Sir?

Madame.

Tell her Im waiting.

I have sent her

a note, Excellency.

You re the owner.

Tell her.

Here s your key, Count.

Excellency, please.

As Russian Minister here

I order you to get her down.

As you wish, Excellency.

But remember she is still

a guest. I cannot order her.

Excellency, I think

you need a cold drink.

- And so do I.

- Champagne, sir?

How are you?

it's been a long time.

Natasha!

Baroness Ivanoff!

Yes, Sergei?

You keep me waiting

and then ignore me.

You are a little

nervous, Sergei.

I suggest something cool

for all of us.

Excuse me.

Natasha...

Thank you.

I won t talk

about the necklace.

But you are.

- As Russian Minister in Peking...

- Please, Sergei,

speak as

my brother-in-law.

Natasha,

I've told Bergmann

your visa s canceled.

So you cannot stay

in this hotel.

Or in Peking

or even in China.

- By law you dont exist.

- That s frightening.

Where will you go?

To your Chinese friends?

How you hate me, dont you?

No, you re wrong.

I dont hate you.

Go!

You fool.

Is it my fault,

if you lose everything

and end up naked

in the street...?

Not completely naked.

There s still the necklace.

Today...

- She has to go today.

- Yes, sir.

I'll see to it.

Good evening.

I want a room

with a bath this time.

- Have you reserved, sir?

- You're late, Lewis.

Hello.

Hello.

When did you arrive?

- Today.

- Why so late?

We walked

the last 10 miles.

Dont the trains work now?

Gentlemen, the railroad

is no more.

- Major Lewis!

- Bergmann.

- Is there a room for me?

- They re all taken.

But if you'll wait

- a short while...

- Fine.

Thanks, Chiang.

Here you are.

Any time you need me.

Half my life s here.

Take care of it.

And more of your lifes here.

Oh, yes.

Let me use the bin.

Wont you open it?

Open it and

you must read it.

Then you must answer.

Lewis!

- Ah, Carlo!

- My dear chap!

- Captain.

- You re late.

What kept you?

I lost 2 men.

Had to bury them.

- Come on, let's get a drink.

- Alright.

Try and get a room

here too, Andy.

I want to look up the kid.

Ah yes, your little girl.

- How old is she now?

No, she must be 12.

It s a pity. No mother

and practically no father.

What can I do?

She s in a French mission

for Chinese orphans.

You re better than most.

You do try to see her.

But leaving her in a mission

is no way to raise her.

But what do I do?

Take her to Illinois?

How would she make out there?

They'd treat her

like a freak.

She s better off

among her own kind.

- You really think so?

- Sure.

May I have your key?

I need it for

the American officer.

Thank you.

Besides,

you have to live

your own life.

I've just had an invitation.

Please sit down, Major.

Ask him and

we'll drink together.

He d tell us his troubles.

What shall I tell you?

That you're happy Im here.

You re very direct.

Im a marine.

Im short on time.

How much is there for me?

All you want.

Have you found

this approach successful?

Not really, no.

I dont know another.

Keep drinking, Major.

The uniform

will hold you.

- Clever women make me nervous.

- No, please...

Please dont go.

What can I offer you?

My life?

My room.

They gave it to you.

Is that too much to ask?

My life isn't worth much,

but hotel rooms here

are at a premium.

Do you always offer

your life to strangers?

To a soldier, strangers

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