The Death of Stalin Page #19

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Maria’s playing Chopin. We’re with Khrushchev as he weaves

his way round.

Zhukhov is regaling DIGNITARIES with a war story.

ZHUKHOV:

The greatest enemy any soldier has

to face? It’s not guns, or fear, or

hunger. It's chafing...

Svetlana is with Vasily who's smartened up and sobered up.

She scans the room.

20 May 2016 Draft 10 100.

VASILY:

I’ve made enemies of everyone here.

Oh Christ, sober’s HARD.

SVETLANA:

(encouraging)

You're doing well. I almost believe

that smile.

VASILY:

It’s easy. All I have to do is say

hello, shake their hands, and not

call them c*nts.

The HUNGARIAN PRESIDENT comes up to them, shakes hands.

Vasily’s about to say something...

We’re now with Beria as he enters the room, creating a

gravitational pull.

Back with Vasily and Svetlana.

HUNGARIAN PRESIDENT

All of Hungary sends you our

deepest condolences. Anything you

want from us, just ask.

SVETLANA:

Vasily, anything you want from

Hungary?

VASILY:

A horse, I would like. Big horse.

Khrushchev comes into the room and looks around. DELOV comes

up to him with a spotty, awkward TEENAGE GIRL.

DELOV:

Comrade Minister. I've found her.

Khrushchev looks at her, full of contempt.

KHRUSHCHEV:

She’s too big! She looks like a

baby giraffe fell down some stairs.

Delov takes her away. Kaganovich and Bulganin join

Khrushchev.

KAGANOVICH:

Heard you were “canoodling” with

the pianist?

BULGANIN:

Yeah, she give it plenty of left

hand, Nicky?

20 May 2016 Draft 10 101.

KAGANOVICH:

Did she sit on your Presidium?

KHRUSHCHEV:

(ignoring them)

This is classic Beria. Nail the

woman as a spy, link her to the

man, nail the man. I need someone

with an army. Now!

Svetlana spots Mikoyan. He tries to avoid her gaze, but she’s

insistent.

SVETLANA:

Comrade Sickle! You look very

dashing tonight!

MIKOYAN:

(disdaining Vasily)

Thank you. I hope your brother

isn’t armed this evening...

SVETLANA:

He’s not even loaded!

VASILY:

F*** me!

Mikoyan pretends he’s being called away. He’s off.

VASILY (CONT’D)

“He’s not even loaded”?

KHRUSHCHEV:

(joining Zhukhov)

Comrade Field Marshall. A word?

ZHUKHOV:

I’m in the middle of a...

Khrushchev steering Zhukhov to a door.

KHRUSHCHEV:

(to Zhukhov’s companions)

He either planted the flag on

Hitler’s bunker, or knocked the

bear out with one punch.

(to Zhukhov)

There’s an urgent military matter.

He guides him away.

ZHUKHOV:

Bloody rude, actually, Nicky. It

wasn't Hitler's bunker, it was

Goebbels’. And it genuinely

happened.

20 May 2016 Draft 10 102.

They pass Bulganin, who’s a little agitated.

BULGANIN:

What’s going on, Nicky? They say

the streets are heaving with

people...

Zhukhov and Khrushchev exchange a glance.

Back with Svetlana and Vasily.

Molotov approaches, his arms reaching out.

VASILY:

Here’s Molotov. A hundred rubles

says he calls us ‘comrades’ then

hugs us.

MOLOTOV:

(to Svetlana and Vasily)

Comrades!

VASILY:

(sotto)

I’m not kissing him.

Khrushchev steering Zhukhov to out the doorway of the main

reception and across the large stairway.

KHRUSHCHEV:

(conspiratorial)

Could I count on you if someone we

both know was out of control,

dangerous...

ZHUKHOV:

(sotto)

Yes! Wanted to deal with him for

bloody ages. I'm in.

Khrushchev shows them into...

148 INT. KREMLIN - EMPTY ROOM - NIGHT (CONTINUOUS) 148

Khrushchev and Zhukhov are alone.

KHRUSHCHEV:

(that was easy)

Really? Good. Because he's planning

a coup.

ZHUKHOV:

What? Come on, Nicky. He’s so

pissed all the time he can’t tell

his arse from his windpipe.

Khrushchev pauses.

20 May 2016 Draft 10 103.

KHRUSHCHEV:

We ARE talking about the same

person. Yes?

ZHUKHOV *

Vasily? *

KHRUSHCHEV (CONT'D) Beria. ZHUKHOV

Beria? Well, someone's grown balls

the size of Kremlin domes. Yes,

bravo. Bloody Beria. How DARE that

hookworm try to out-manouevre the

army!

KHRUSHCHEV:

He wants to hijack my reforms, make

the people love him...

ZHUKHOV:

The people are a pendulum of

idiots. They can be made to hate

him...

(clicks fingers)

Like that. But listen, Nicky...

(closer)

I’ve got the soldiers. What have

you got..?

KHRUSHCHEV:

All I’ve got is the funeral, and

flowers and f***ing trains.

A beat.

Khrushchev picks up a phone.

KHRUSHCHEV (CONT’D)

(down the phone)

Get me the Transport Minister...

Zhukhov slamming doors, opening cupboards.

ZHUKHOV:

You’d think there’d be vodka. Even

beancounters drink vodka...

KHRUSHCHEV:

(shushing him)

Double the train services into

Moscow.

He hangs up.

They head back the stairway to the reception.

20 May 2016 Draft 10 104.

ZHUKHOV:

Moscow’s full already. It’ll be

total bloody chaos. Well played,

Comrade.

KHRUSHCHEV:

I'm the peacemaker round here and

I'll f*** up anyone who gets in my

way!

ZHUKHOV:

Cock the size of an atomic bomb.

149 INT. KREMLIN RECEPTION - MAIN ROOM (CONTINUOUS) 149

Maria at the piano, playing. Beria leans in and whispers,

cleaning his glasses.

BERIA:

So what does Nikita taste like? I

assume it's shitty traitor, like

you. What do YOU taste of, I

wonder?

She stops playing. Dramatic silence.

MARIA:

I will carry on if you step away

from the piano.

BERIA:

(innocent, to the room)

I always thought that piece ended

in an odd place!

Beria steps back from Maria and she carries on playing.

Malenkov is with Delov and a LITTLE GIRL who looks very like

the one from the picture.

MALENKOV:

Smile, sweetheart.

The girl reveals terrible teeth.

MALENKOV (CONT’D)

With your mouth shut?

(off her closed mouth)

Lovely.

MOLOTOV:

Now I must take my dog out. For an

evacuation! Perhaps two!

Molotov leaves.

20 May 2016 Draft 10 105.

SVETLANA:

(you’re the biggest)

When this is over, go home and

drink vodka until you pass out. I

never want to see you sober again.

150 EXT. NARROW MOSCOW STREETS - NIGHT 150

We cut from street to street, and see them fill with people.

Wider shots reveal them coming in all directions. Hordes of

people on narrow streets, getting very crowded.

An NKVD colonel, ENTIN is having a quiet cigarette. He looks

up. At the end of the street, the crowd are heading towards

him.

He's on a barricade made of trucks and armoured cars with gun

turrets, manned by about 20 NKVD SOLDIERS.

Entin motions for the loudhailer.

It's passed to him. He addresses the crowd.

ENTIN:

Halt! This is a secure area! Return

to your homes, comrades! Now!

The crowd hesitate but don't stop. Some hold images of

Stalin.

WOMAN:

(shouts)

We've come to see Comrade Stalin.

Others in the crowd roar approval.

ENTIN:

Please, stop! Or we will have to

open fire!

They're still coming. The streets are jammed, heaving. People

straining, crying, children being passed over heads.

ENTIN (CONT’D)

(to his soldiers)

On my order, fire over their heads.

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