GERMAN FILM LIBRARY MUSEUM OF FILM AND TV
BATTLESHIP POTEMKIN Film from the series "The Year 1905"
Produced by the 1st studio of GOSKINO
Supervised by J. M. BLIOKH
Script by N. F. AGADZHANOVA-SHUTKO
Director Assistant Director S. M. EISENSTEIN G. ALEKSANDROV
Head cinematographer EDUARD TISSE
Director's assistants: A. ANTONOV A. LEVSHIN M. GOMOROV M. SHTRAUKH
Administrators A. P. KRYUKOV and A. KOTOSHEV
Part one. "MEN AND MAGGOTS."
The spirit of revolution soared over the Russian land.
A tremendous, mysterious process was taking place in countless hearts.
The individual personality, having hardly had time to become conscious of itself...
dissolved in the mass, and the mass itself became dissolved in the revolutionary élan.
Sailors Matyushenko and Vakulinchuk.
We, the sailors of Potemkin, must support the workers, our brothers...
and stand among the front lines of the revolution!
Heavy and gloomy is the sleep of the off duty.
Attentive, but clumsy.
He vents his anger on a young man.
Hurtful...
Vakulinchuk
Comrades! The time has come when we too must speak out.
Why wait? All of Russia has risen! Are we to be the last?
Morning.
We've had enough rotten meat!
Even a dog wouldn't eat this!
The ship doctor Smirnov.
It could crawl overboard on its own!
These aren't worms.
They are dead fly larvae. You can wash them off with brine!
Russian prisoners in Japan are fed better than we are!
We've had enough rotten meat!
It's good meat. End of discussion!
Senior Officer Giliarovsky
Impotent rage was overflowing.
The ship's store.
The sailors refused to eat the borscht.
GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD
Part two. "DRAMA ON THE DECK."
Commander Golikov
Whoever is satisfied with the borscht
take two steps forward!
The petty officers.
You're free to go!
I'll hang the rest on the yard!
Call the guards!
Matyushenko, under the guise of breaking ranks, calls the sailors to the gun turret.
To the turret...
To the turret!
To the turret...
Guys!...
It's time.
Most of them gathered by the turret.
Stop! Don't move!
They try to sneak through the admiral's hatch.
Back, scoundrels! That way is not for you!
I'll shoot you all like dogs!
Cover them with canvas!
Got it!
Cover them!
Attention!
Dear Lord! Make the disobedient see reason!
Fire right into the canvas!
Vakulinchuk decides.
Fire!
BROTHERS!
Who are you shooting at?!
The rifles quavered.
Shoot!
Everyone shoot!
Shoot, scum!
To the rifles, brothers!
Smash the dragons! Smash 'em!
Smash 'em all!
Have fear of God!
Beat it, sorcerer!
To the bottom to feed the worms!
Brothers! We've won!
The bleeding Vakulinchuk flees from the furious Giliarovsky.
Vakulinchuk's overboard!
Save Vakulinchuk!
And he who was first to sound the cry of rebellion was first to fall at the executioner's hand.
To the shore.
Odessa.
A tent on the new pier in Odessa is the final resting place for Vakulinchuk.
FOR A SPOONFUL OF BORSCHT
Part three. "THE DEAD MAN CALLS OUT."
Mist lingered on from the night...
Rumours came from the pier.
Together with the sun, the news hit the city.
The battleship raided...
...rebellion...
...shore...
A killed sailor...
We'll remember.
For a spoonful of borscht.
"Citizens of Odessa! Lying before you is the body of the brutally killed sailor Grigory Vakulinchuk...
killed by a senior officer of the squadron battleship Prince Tavrichesky.
Let's take revenge on the bloodthirsty vampires! Death to the oppressors!
Signed: Crew of the squadron battleship Prince Tavrichesky."
Eternal memory to the fallen fighters!
All for one.
One
for all.
Down with the executioners!
Down with tyranny!
Mothers and brothers! Let there not be differences or hostility among us!
Smash the Jews!
Shoulder to shoulder.
The land is ours.
Tomorrow is ours.
A delegate from shore.
The enemy must be dealt a decisive blow!
Together with the rebelling workers from all of Russia
WE WILL WIN!
The shore watched Potemkin tensely and attentively.
Part four. "THE ODESSA STAIRCASE."
In those memorable days, the city lived together with the rebellious battleship.
Like a white-winged flock, boats flew to the battleship.
AND SUDDENLY
Let's go! Let's convince them!
Listen! Don't shoot!
My boy is badly hurt.
COSSACKS!
And then the brutality of the military authorities in Odessa was answered with the battleship's shells.
The target— the Odessa theater.
The generals' headquarters.
Part five. "RENDEZVOUS WITH THE SQUADRON."
Turbulent meetings went on until evening.
The people of Odessa are waiting for the liberators! Land the troops and the army will join you.
Landing is not possible. The admiral's squadron is coming our way.
With one heart, they decided to face the squadron.
Night came, full of anxiety.
The squadron was sneaking up in the darkness.
Sore from constant speech, throats breathe heavily and unevenly.
Squadron on the horizon!
All hands on deck!
Prepare for battle!
Full speed!
Hearts forward!
Top speed!
Potemkin and destroyer No. 267.
The admiral attacks!
The squadron draws near!
Give the signal: join us!
Join!...
...us!
The enemy is within firing range!
All against one.
ONE AGAINST ALL.
Shoot?...
or...
BROTHERS!
Above the heads of the tsar's admirals thundered a brotherly hurrah.
And proudly waving the red flag of victory, without a single shot, the rebellious battleship passed through the rows of the squadron.
Directed by Sergei M. Eisenstein 1925
Starring Members of the Proletkult Theater Sailors of the Black-Sea Fleet
The Sevastopol Fishermen's Association Inhabitants of Odessa
Motto according to Leo Trotsky, Russia, during the Revolution
A reconstruction of the Russian premiere version directed by Enno Patalas in cooperation with Anna Bohn
An Initiative Project of the German Federal Cultural Foundation
GERMAN FILM LIBRARY MUSEUM OF FILM AND TV
Supported by German Federal Film Archive, Berlin and British Film Institute, London
Titles Moser+Rosié, Berlin
Film laboratory Taunus Film, Wiesbaden
Colorization of the flag Gerhard Ullmann