Anastasia Page #4

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- All right, go.

This entire household, everything has

been turned upside down just for you.

To make you comfortable,

to help you get well.

- I don't like borscht.

- I don't care whether you like it or not. Eat it.

I specifically warned you not to say

one word to that committee.

You could have ruined everything.

- I told you about Nini, didn't I?

- Maybe, I don't know.

Yes, I did, or Petrovin did, or you

overheard us. But the important thing...

Are you angry because you're

beginning to wonder who I am?

Or because you want me to do

nothing except what you tell me?

I know who you are not, just as I know

that unless you do as I tell you...

I'll have an extra

cigarette girl at my club.

We now have a breathing spell

we need badly.

You still have a great deal to learn to

achieve what we have agreed. Understand?

Yes, I understand,

Excellency.

Then finish your dinner and get to bed.

Work begins again in the morning.

- And now, royal etiquette.

- All right? One.

One, two, three, four.

A queen.

- Your Majesty.

- A prince of royal blood.

- Your Highness.

- A prince of ordinary station outside of the royal family.

Prince, I suppose, or Your Excellency.

- Cabinet ministers of...

- This is absurd!

- Even Anna Koreff would know all of it.

- Pick up the book.

- But why do I need it?

- Pick up the book.

Put it on your head,

and walk over there.

You don't seem to realize

that the gesture, the grace...

- the carriage of a true daughter

of a tsar... cannot be taught.

Either she learns as a child how to hold

herself, or it's too late, Excellency.

- Did she like to play as a child?

- No.

- But your mother wanted you to.

- I still don't like it.

My hands don't have

the strength anymore.

All right, we can use

that as an explanation.

But listen to this.

Now, this is important.

Your tutor wanted you to learn this,

to prove to your mother...

That the lessons were not in vain.

Did I ever learn it?

Yes, but you hated it.

Mm, mm, mm

I like it now.

It's quite pretty.

Now around. That's it.

Once more.

All right. Now the Polonaise.

- Can't I rest?

- Yes, after dinner. Here we go.

- I can't!

- You will. Head up.

Back straight.

One, two, three.

One, two, three, one, two, three.

- Please.

- Please concentrate.

- And one, two, three, one, two, three...

- My feet hurt. I can't anymore.

- A little rest.

- There is no time. The waltz, Petrovin. Come on.

I'm sure you won't mind doing this.

This is the waltz you like so much.

The back, the back.

With ease, style...

Didn't you say the other day

it reminded you of something?

Yes, of my first boy.

- And your first love, no doubt.

- Yes.

- Who was he?

- I can't remember.

Was he fair, or was he

dark with a mustache?

I don't know. One day

he's fair, the next he's dark.

I don't know.

One, two, three, one, two, three,

one, two, three, one, two, three.

- What are you doing here?

- Oh, I can't anymore.

I don't know who I am anymore.

I don't know what I remember,

and what I've been told I remember.

- What is real? Am I?

- Anna...

Anna. Am I Anna?

Why not Tamara, why not Lisa?

Why not Tatiana?

Yes, why not Tatiana?

I can't anymore.

I want to be me, whoever I am.

I want to be me! I want someone

to tell me, someone to accept me.

You have been working very hard,

and you're overtired.

- But we're almost finished now.

- Are you?

- Well, then you know who I am?

- A good night's sleep...

- But you must know. You must!

- Just go to bed.

- No, I'm leaving! I'm leaving! L...

- Stop it!

Go to bed at once!

My father was very strict.

I did not like to obey,

but he was ringmaster in a circus.

General Bounine?

- Yes?

- Who am I?

I don't know.

- Excellencies

Countess Iliana Petrovna...

- and Prince Tigantseff.

- My dear madame!

Her Highness and the general

will be here shortly.

May I thank you again

for all of us for what you're doing.

Oh, I should not be thanked. It makes me

happy to do anything that will help restore...

- what is rightfully...

- Yes.

Oh, Excellency!

I cannot tell you how important

your presence is here today.

My dear Irina, I promised your

late father I'd keep an eye on you.

And occasionally,

it's a little trying.

I promise you will not

regret coming.

That's a promise you may

have some difficulty in keeping.

- May I sit down?

- Oh, do, please.

- This abominable gout.

- This way.

Albert, a chair for His Excellency.

Take care of His Excellency.

You know how he is.

- Baron and Baroness Royalvich.

- The old fox himself.

- I never thought he would come.

- Well...

we may wish he hadn't.

How many are you taking?

- People will think you're hungry.

- Hungry?

I'm not hungry, I'm nervous.

No, thank you.

His Excellency, Count Marzumov.

- Xenia!

- Grischa!

I must say,

a truly wonderful occasion!

- Yes. Red caviar.

- What?

- You mean...

- Yes.

- If the caviar were real...

... she would be real.

- Vasilli Dimitrovich, please remain

here, Your Excellency.

- Hmm?

- Remain here! We will see that they come to you!

- I understand. So many dear old faces.

- Ah, yes.

- And it is their dear old names we want...

- Hmm?

We want their names on signed statements

that will convince the Bank of England...

- Yes! Yes!

- Yes, yes, convince...

Her Imperial Highness,

the Grand Duchess Anastasia.

- This way, Your Highness. Close by the alcove.

- Stepan.

My dear general,

this is all so exciting.

Your Imperial Highness, please.

So, Piotr Ivanovich, here we go.

Ladies and gentlemen, dear friends...

- Oh, I would like to say a few words, but...

- Too much. She's doing too much.

It is very difficult

for me to speak today.

General Bounine,

would you, please?

As you all know, I am the last one to

believe in miracles or resurrections.

But reality cannot be

established without help.

Legal help. Witnessed

and signed statements.

It is frankly our hope,

and our need...

that those among you who believe will

come forward after the reception...

and sign these testimonials

voluntarily.

Now, I am quite sure...

that some of you have

come here to obstruct.

The reasons... political, monetary...

we all know.

There are some who have been made

understandably cynical by the revolution.

And there are some who will testify

to anyone, and anything, and have.

To none of you do we bring

any pressure.

To all of you we bring someone who has literally

suffered worse than death for ten lost years.

It is our duty to restore this extraordinary

person to the world of the living.

If you are sentimental, say it is

because she has suffered enough.

If you are humane,

say justice must be done.

If you are Russian, a loyal subject

of His late Majesty, then say with me:

Our only hope is his daughter...

Her Imperial Highness,

Anastasia Nicolaevna.

Her Excellency,

Countess Baranova.

Your Highness. When Irina...

When Madame de Lissenskaia told me...

I confess I really had doubts.

You can understand.

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