coastal towns were built
by our ancestors
Those lands are our inheritance;
they must be returned to Moscow
Who would be fool enough
to give them back?
Anything that falls off the back
of a wagon is lost
If they won't return them
voluntarily
we shall take them back by force
By force?
And where will we find
this force?
You have wasted
Russia's strength
it has been frittered away
by the boyars
O Lord! I'll die laughing
Take it off
Off, I say
Get off my mother's bed!
My mother, who was murdered
by you, you dogs!
A dog, am I?
Well your mother was a bitch
She used to sleep with that dog
Telepnev
No one even knows who your
father was!
Race of dogs!
Seize him!
Seize him!
The leading boyar handed over
to the kennel men!
I shall reign alone!
Without the boyars!
I will be Tsar!
Now... I hold great power
The people support me
My personal guard form
an iron ring around me
My enemies are kept at bay
But I have no close friends
God refuses me the sweet
consolations of friendship
On whose shoulders can I rest
my head?
With whom can I share my joys
and sorrows?
I am alone, abandoned
I had a single close friend-
Anastasia
She has left me
I had a friend, Kurbsky
He has betrayed me
No, not just myself...
but our great cause
I don't fear the trouble-makers
I don't fear the sword, poison
or betrayal
I fear not for myself
But I tremble for our great
cause
A new cause, on which one had
hardly embarked
There is no higher destiny
than to reign
according to ancient traditions
As our ancestors did.
Pay heed to the boyars
Share your authority with them
You lie, monk!
These are old wives' tales!
You reject the counsel of
your spiritual guide? Very well!
Remain alone!
Condemned, accursed...
and alone!
It is no longer the Tsar
who pleads with you
but a friend crushed by
the burden of authority
Don't leave me in my isolation.
Stay with me
Help me to re-establish
Russian power
And for this accept
the office
of Metropolitan
Bishop of Moscow
Will you allow me the right
to plead
in favour of those you accuse?
I never accuse the innocent
Wait!
Very well. It shall be
as you say
Why give the bishop
such power over you?
Why let yourself be humiliated
by an ignorant priest?
None of your business, dog!
I know I am a dog...
But a faithful dog
You are wrong, Tsar,
to prefer a priest to a dog
I know, you want friendship
You languish without friendship
For friendship you are ready
to bow at his feet
Do you not see that Philip
has only one idea:
to conceal your enemies
under his own skirts?
A friend, eh?
He's hardly worth more than
Kurbsky!
You dare pronounce that name
Ah!
I know you love Kurbsky!
It's not his treachery which
wounds you
It's the loss of a friend!
You don't sleep at night!
Hold your tongue, dog!
You don't show any gratitude
or affection
to those who are loyal to you,
who'd give their lives for you,
who carry the weight of your
power on their strong shoulders
My power is carried by
the shoulders of the people
and their will is my strength
I hear the voice of God
through them
and I carry out His holy designs
Tsar, I beg you, don't let the
priest do as he pleases.
Don't trust anyone.
You hold the power. Use it!
I understand. You've given
your word to the priest
You've made him promises
You can't go back on your word
I understand
So we must see that the Tsar's
word is respected
and wipe out the traitors too
It's just going back on your
word that worries you, isn't it?
There is a way out...
use a cat's paw
No, a red-headed dog - me,
Malyuta
I'll take the Tsar's sins
on my shoulders
I'll give my soul for the Tsar
I'll go to hell if need be,
but I'll keep the Tsar's word
What does the hound do when the
game tries to go to earth?
Flies straight as an arrow
to the lair
He outwits it...
heads it off
outruns it
Outstrip the priest?
Is that what you're suggesting?
So he won't have time
to double back?