The Death of Stalin Page #4

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NKVD and put in vans. One is a MIDDLE-AGED MAN, who clocks

the young man hiding in the shadows. He knows he's to blame.

36 INT. LUBYANKA - INTERROGATION ROOM - NIGHT 36

A FRIGHTENED PRISONER sits on a chair in the middle of the

room, hands cuffed behind his back. A door opens and Beria

comes in. He stands right behind the prisoner and massages

his shoulders, whispering in his ear.

37 INT. CONCERT HALL - MAIN AUDITORIUM - NIGHT 37

A serene Maria and sweating Bresnavich bring the concerto to

its conclusion. There's a brief silence - relief - then

applause. The Big Woman is still eating pickled onions.

38 INT. CONCERT HALL - DIRECTOR’S OFFICE - NIGHT 38

Andreyev jumps and grabs the recording.

SERGEI:

Shouldn’t we check it...?

Andreyev is already running out with record.

ANDREYEV:

No time! If it’s screwed, so are

you!

39 INT. KHRUSHCHEV'S APARTMENT - BEDROOM - NIGHT 39

Back with Khrushchev and Nina.

KHRUSHCHEV:

Beria did the tomato-in-the-pocket

thing. Arsehole. You'll have to

clean the trousers. Then...

slippers...

20 May 2016 Draft 10 17.

NINA:

(looking for slippers)

I think they’re...

KHRUSHCHEV:

Shh!

(swaying as he tries to

get out of a trouser leg)

Oh God, what was the slippers

thing? Stalin’s slippers?

Molotov’s? F***. WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

CUT TO:

40 INT. CONCERT HALL - ENTRANCE STAIRCASE - NIGHT 40

Andreyev manically pelts down the staircase towards the NKVD

men, brandishing the new record, followed by his staff.

ANDREYEV:

I HAVE IT! I HAVE IT!...

He sees Pervak ahead, waiting. Andreyev slows to a walk, he’s

done his duty. The staff follow suit.

ANDREYEV (CONT’D)

(more low key now)

I have the recording. We needed to

find a new... sleeve.

He looks down at the sleeve. It's plain and white.

ANDREYEV (CONT’D)

A white one. Because the other one

was.. blue. It looked very... sh*t.

PERVAK:

The delay has been logged.

ANDREYEV:

I’ve done my duty. Any “delay” is

being incurred now By YOU.

A hand takes the record from him.

Maria places a folded piece of paper into the sleeve.

MARIA:

I wish to convey a special message

from my heart.

Andreyev and Pervak both disapproving.

PERVAK:

I wish to convey this record to

Comrade STALIN.

20 May 2016 Draft 10 18.

Pervak and Maria wrestling for the record.

MARIA:

I want Comrade Stalin to know the

full intensity of my feelings for

him.

ANDREYEV:

No. This is unauthorised

narcissism!

He tries to retrieve the note. We can see the record bend.

Pervak grabs it back.

PERVAK:

(indicates clock)

So. The item is in my possession.

After a significant “delay”.

(to NKVD Officer)

Log the time.

The officers turn to leave. Maria watches them go. Andreyev

drops to the floor, destroyed.

41 EXT. CONCERT HALL - NIGHT 41

MUSIC.

The crowd, including the nervous man, leave. Spotting the

NKVD limousine, Pervak and the other NKVD man outside the

main entrance, he grimaces, turns and walks away quickly.

Two NKVD MEN suddenly bundle him into a car. It's over.

42 INT. NKVD CAR - NIGHT 42

The record speeds through the city, on Pervak's lap.

The car passes some frightened people being bundled into a

van. There are fewer buildings as we reach the countryside.

43 EXT. RUSSIAN COUNTRYSIDE - NIGHT 43

The car drives down a forest road.

Two barriers are lifted in front of it by Army soldiers.

44 EXT. STALIN'S DACHA - NIGHT 44

The car speeds into the grounds of Stalin's dacha.

20 May 2016 Draft 10 19.

45 INT. STALIN'S DACHA - HALLWAY - NIGHT 45

The record travels under Pervak's arm, past various soldiers.

A SERGEANT and another SOLDIER stand and salute.

The door opens. A frail hand carefully takes the record.

STALIN:

What took you so long?

The door closes. The officer breathes a sigh of relief.

MUSIC ends.

46 INT. STALIN'S DACHA - OFFICE - NIGHT 46

Stalin removes the record from its sleeve. Maria's note falls

unseen onto the table. He puts the record on. The stylus

scratches, plays. He sees the note. Opens it and reads.

Stalin laughs. Then chokes. Silently shaking, he collapses.

His body convulses, he’s suffocating.

SLOW-MOTION. Title: "JOSEF STALIN, General Secretary of the

Central Committee of the Communist Party". As he falls, urine

streams out.

We see the note fall from his hand and flutter down. We hear

Maria in V/O.

MARIA (V.O.)

Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin.

Tyrant! Murderer! You have sinned

against God and against His church.

You have betrayed our nation and

destroyed its people. Repent. And

beg for His forgiveness, while you

can.

Stalin’s face hits the floor. A pool of urine spreads out.

47 INT. STALIN'S DACHA - HALLWAY - NIGHT 47

The sergeant and soldier on guard outside hear the noise. The

sergeant does a "he's drunk" gesture.

SOLDIER:

Should we... investigate?

SERGEANT:

Should you shut the f*** up before

you get us both killed.

20 May 2016 Draft 10 20.

48 INT. STALIN'S DACHA - OFFICE - NIGHT 48

Stalin on the floor, twitching. The record on a loop. A bar

of the concerto cuts hard into scratching, repeating again

and again. They really should have checked the recording.

A puddle of urine on the rug.

49 INT. STALIN'S DACHA - HALLWAY - DAY 49

More time has passed. The soldiers sit there, bored.

MATRYONA PETROVNA (77) arrives with tea. Knocks. The soldiers

share a glance. A beat. She opens the door, enters...

50 INT. STALIN'S DACHA - OFFICE - DAY 50

The room’s a mess. Matryona tuts.

MATRYONA:

Comrade Stalin. How many times? You

cannot drink like a young man...

She goes to scream. We cut before the sound comes out...

51 INT. LUBYANKA - INTERROGATION ROOM - DAY 51

C/U POV of Beria's face. We're a prisoner being interrogated.

BERIA:

I just need some names. Each name

you give me is one less bit of you

I'll cut off. Shake? Oh, you can't.

We cut wide as we hear a knock on the door. Beria,

bloodstains on his shirt, stands over a beaten prisoner tied

to a chair. Ilyin is in the room.

BERIA (CONT’D)

Enter!

SLIMONOV, an NKVD officer, enters. Someone in another cell

shouts 'Long Live Stalin', before a gun shot.

SLIMONOV:

(nervous, scared of Beria)

Sorry to interrupt, Comrade

Minister. It's Comrade Stalin...

Beria turns to Slimonov, who looks down at the prisoner.

BERIA:

Don't worry about him. Those ears

are full of blood anyway.

20 May 2016 Draft 10 21.

SLIMONOV:

Comrade Stalin is very ill...

Beria gives nothing away. In the background, we hear another

voice shout 'Long Live Stalin' followed by a shot.

BERIA:

Tell them... Beria is on his way.

They are NOT to touch a thing. NOT

to call anyone else. Understand?

Slimonov gives a nervous nod.

BERIA (CONT’D)

Tell me you understand my

instructions?

SLIMONOV:

I understand. Your instructions.

Beria goes to leave.

BERIA:

What's your name, lieutenant?

SLIMONOV:

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