From the dueling code of the Russian Empire:
1. A duel can be held only between equals.
5. A nobleman cannot refuse a duel.
58. An insult to a nobleman's honor is personal...
...so, too, must be the revenge.
59. If the offended nobleman is unable to defend his honor...
...another nobleman may stand in his place.
101. Only blood can avenge...
...a nobleman's honor.
The weapon is not loaded, gentlemen.
The weapon is loaded.
The pistols.
Prince Reine.
Mr. Yakovlev.
A fortune teller told me that I wouldn't die from a bullet.
On the count of three.
One...
two...
...three.
Mr. Yakovlev...
...if you consider your honor satisfied...
...and have no further intentions, let us consider this duel over...
...and I shall proclaim an end to the affair.
Mr. Yakovlev.
You're a noble?
That is correct.
You didn't even know him.
No, I did not.
I curse you.
You're too late.
I was cursed long ago.
SAINT-PETERSBURG, 1860
Sir, your hand...
...is truly a breadwinner.
You're petitioning for Mr. Kolychev.
That's correct.
The documents say Kolychev was stripped of his nobility...
...exiled from the capital, and met his death shortly after.
Your stated aim, Mr. Yakovlev, is to restore Kolychev's nobility.
Kolychev is dead.
It will not be possible to grant him amnesty.
100,000 rubles.
Issues of heraldry...
...are handled by the Governing Senate.
The prosecutor general personally reports to His Majesty.
Our Sovereign would have to confer nobility by decree.
Issues relating to blood are...
...the most delicate.
One hundred thousand?
One hundred thousand.
I thought Wiesbaden was hell...
...but here is beyond my worst nightmare.
-You have profited from this dirt. -I won't argue.
There's plenty of money here.
I've known you five years, baron...
...and not once have you turned down a profit.
When you came to St. Petersburg, you were toothless...
...and ugly as a toad.
But look at you now, such a handsome man.
According to Delabar's dental atlas...
...one false tooth is 1000 rubles.
Each of these is a jeweler's masterpiece.
Hippopotamus tusk...
...diamond studs, gold tip...
...burnt enamel.
I don't trust banks. I keep my money in my mouth.
Your good luck has brought us riches.
I should be happy, yet I feel that I will perish here.
Stop crying, baron. I can see you have an order.
A person of high rank.
Who is the customer?
Mine is a secretive business, Mr. Yakovlev.
No questions.
You shoot, I find the clients.
'Shooter Today and always'
I need 100,000.
Get my coat.
Prince, come back.
Count Beklemishev is not what he seems.
So who do you think he is? A villain?
You're enamored with a monster.
One who is bankrupt. Ask Basargin if you must.
He called Beklemishev bankrupt in public.
Basargin wouldn't lie.
Neither you nor Basargin know the count.
He's wicked, and you, Princess Martha, are my sister.
I must defend your honor.
You are such a bore.
Maybe you should be a little wicked too.
Basargin.
The grand duchess is a foreigner.
She's being snubbed by society.
Your words are like gunfire, Basargin.
Our open English-style auction...
...must raise 10,000 rubles...
...for the needs of an orphanage affected by a flood.
Bidding starts at 100 rubles.
First lot: 100 rubles.
Thank you, Count Beklemishev.
Ten thousand.
Second lot.
Count Beklemishev, you can't hide.
You are tedious, Basargin. You only talk about money.
It is shameful, count.
You swore you had no income, but just threw away 10,000.
-You don't keep your word. -You gave the loan as a friend.
So be a friend now and wait.
You insult me, count.
I shall not wait any longer.
You don't say no to me.
Beklemishev, you can't get out of this.
Return the money, or pay in blood.
Blood runs cheaper.
Wait for the seconds.
If I could, I would duel Beklemishev every day.
You issue challenges with such bravado...
...but punching the rogue is enough, a punishment fitting the crime.
Putting a fist in someone's face is a sideshow for the mob.
Noblemen, fortunately, are able to shoot each other.
Pardon me, sir, please forgive my clumsiness.
My manners are the result of my provinciality.
We live in an uncultured area, sir.
Please allow me to resolve this.
Oh, I'm so sorry.
I never introduced myself, I'm so provincial.
Vasily Semyonov, nobleman of the Volhynian Governorate.
Get lost, you ape.
How can you...
...berate a cripple like me in public?
Surely you see...
...that I cannot demand satisfaction.
You will not duel with a cripple, Basargin.
If you refuse my challenge, I'll beat you right here.
But how may I duel?
I will allow you a proxy.
Got any relatives or colleagues who will duel for the one-armed ape?
I will be his proxy.
Prince Basargin.
Yakovlev.
First, we duel until ﬁrst blood is drawn after we both shoot.
Second, we shall shoot from a fixed distance:
Five paces through thick fabric.
A flare or misfire doesn't count.
The seconds must reload and cock the pistols.
Regarding gunpowder:
Use the minimum amount to inflict maximum damage.
Death will be treated as suicide.
Basargin is a superb shot.
Eleven duels in the capital alone, and eleven opponents killed.
Then killing him will be a great pleasure.
Yakovlev, don't drink any cognac. Stay sober.
It is your magical hand that feeds us.
I don't believe in magic.
Ladies and gentlemen!
Please welcome the shooting knight.
The knight will shoot the target.
The bullet will ricochet twice.
...it will hit the knight in the chest.
One false move...
...and the knight will die from his own bullet.
And now, ladies and gentlemen...
...a death-defying feat!
Mr. Yakovlev.
This is a special attraction. The audience loves it.
Don't pray for me.
It doesn't help me.
You're late, Mr. Yakovlev.
You don't honor the rules of a noble duel.
The sun.
I am obliged to ask whether matters can be settled peaceably.
-This isn't a duel, it's murder. -Be quiet.
I cannot keep quiet about this act of villainy.
You're an accomplice, Prince Tuchkov, so keep your mouth shut.
One...
two...
...three!
The duel was conducted fairly, and the matter is resolved.
Noble honor is restored...
...and no further claims may be made.
Your fee.
Not enough, baron.
You acted your role well.
Remember, you must keep quiet.
You know where to find me.
The customer wishes to extend the utmost respect...
...and gratitude to you, Mr. Yakovlev.
With your luck, we will be millionaires.
Yakovlev.
The bullet is lodged inside.
It struck an artery, but also plugged the wound.
You are lucky, Mr. Yakovlev.
I'll have to remove the bullet.
And sew up the artery.
Get started, Mr. Arndt.
It's a difficult and painful procedure.
Blood will return.
It's blood which is afraid of you.
I give you protection.
You have died many times.
Now you will not die.
Show nobody your tears.
Cry on the inside.
Strong soldier. He will live.
Take it. It's yours.
A fine thing.
-He's nearly dead. -Finish him to be sure.
Piece of shit.
This is mine.
I've never seen such primal images before.
It's worthy of a museum.
I bequeath it to you, doctor...
...along with the skin.
You're a funny man, Mr. Yakovlev.
I like your sense of humor.
Your fee.
I frequently see similar scars...
...on the corpses of convicts...
...who had run the gauntlet.
Mr. Arndt, you are my friend.
And I ask you to remain as such.
Mr. Yakovlev, please come with us.
Captain Yakovlev served on the Aleutian Islands...
...under Rear Admiral Maksutov's battery.
On his way to the garrison, Yakovlev disappeared...
...and was recorded as deceased.
In the spring of 1855, Captain Yakovlev reported for duty.
He informed the garrison commander...
...that he had been captured by Aleuts, held prisoner, and escaped.
The same year, Yakovlev requested discharge...
...due to ill health following his imprisonment.
Retired, Captain Yakovlev then moved abroad...
...where he has lived until now.
In the census, you are recorded as a retired captain...
...and a nobleman of the Yenisei province named Yakovlev.
Is that correct?
I am Yakovlev.
Mr. Yakovlev, you are a nobleman...
...so you cannot lie.
Who is questioning me?
You stand before His Majesty's society of officers.
Am I on trial?
If you value the honor of a nobleman, you must defend it here.
What are your suspicions?
You arrived in St. Petersburg less than four months ago...
...but have already shot five persons.
You are a duelist.
Did you know Khodyrev, Stukenberg, Mordvinov, Prince Reine, and Basargin?
I know that all of them had a fondness for duels.
I dislike duels, but duelists even more.
I see no reason to fault me for their deaths.
The aforementioned persons were in the same circle.
We believe they were killed in a conspiracy.
His Majesty's society of officers...
...contends that you are not who you claim to be.
Who is questioning my honor?
I, for one.
Please step forward.
The heir of the noble Yakovlev family, your half-brother...
...has traveled to St. Petersburg...
...to exclude any possible confusion in matters of honor.
Do you recognize your relative?
Answer me: yes or no?
The six-shot Francotte revolver.
It's empty.
Sir, shall I stop the fight?
An issued challenge cannot be stopped.
Please.
One chance in three.
Two chambers, one bullet.
Two options, life or death.
I think this will suffice to maintain honor.
I can see you are a duelist.
You don't fear death.
-A pity. -I dislike duels.
Who wishes to question my honor?
Insane, but a nobleman.
I can always tell.
Please join me.
You said nothing.
What do you want for your silence?
Money?
I want to know:
Did you kill my brother?
No.
Passport: Pyotr Petrovich Yakovlev
I buried your brother...
...and took the documents proclaiming him a nobleman.
I've been living as Captain Yakovlev for five years.
You have every right to inform the police.
What is your name?
Kolychev.
I believe that you played no part in my brother's death...
...although your actions were dishonest.
You are clearly suffering for your crime.
If you are a nobleman...
...then I am sure you feel shame for such ignobility.
Why are you here?
Who gives you the orders?
I've never asked who you are, Mr. Yakovlev...
...or why you make a living as a dirty gunslinger.
I've never brought up the issue of honor.
Your honor is your own business.
My business is my private affair.
Don't touch my teeth. They're my entire fortune.
-Who writes out those cards? -I don't know.
Give me a name.
Name.
Name! Name!
Tell me his name.
If I talk, I'm a dead man.
Count Beklemishev.
Did you have fun?
It was hard work, but I managed.
Spilling blood, that's what I enjoy.
I am sure you will enjoy it too.
Women derive even greater pleasure from it than men.
You're joking, of course.
No.
That bicycle cost a lot of money.
I have never sought money, only love.
I remember.
I'm going to ask your brother.
He will refuse.
And you?
Princess Martha, a word.
-Don't say you admire him. -I never lie to you.
-Tell me the truth. -I will not.
Beklemishev surrounds himself with scoundrels.
He preys on women's love.
And now he's looking for a new victim.
I don't believe you.
You need money. You've borrowed from everyone.
You must find a way to repay your debts.
I have never sought money, only love.
I've noticed you looking at Princess Martha Tuchkova.
You love her.
Don't you dare do it.
That's enough.
You are imagining things.
Make me a promise.
I saved you from prison, or have you already forgotten...
...about your shooting incident at the gathering of nobles?
Now you are mine forever.
Make me a promise.
Anything.
You will not touch Princess Martha.
No.
You're only mine, Beklemishev.
Only mine.
Only yours.
Tuchkov should be shot in the stomach.
Give the prince a turnip.
Turnip?
What do you mean by "turnip"?
A turnip-shaped paper medal.
A joke among the cadets.
They craft the medal and award it to the biggest failure.
Prince Tuchkov will get his turnip.
But Count Beklemishev...
...must be beyond suspicion.
We must obey now.
You don't say no to Count Beklemishev.
Austerlitz.
Ten thousand rubles.
You put me down for 10,000, baron.
Ten thousand rubles.
But I didn't lose 10,000.
We have met before, Mr. Yakovlev.
I would have remembered you.
Ten thousand rubles.
Pay the baron.
I didn't lose that much.
The baron wrote it down.
And I think what was written should be enough.
I'll prove it to you.
I'll shoot you if you make a move.
On three, I shoot.
-One. -Two.
Stop.
Gentlemen.
Please, not in public.
I have a gold watch worth 500 rubles...
...and a five-ruble note in my wallet.
Five-hundred and five rubles...
...will be all you get if you kill me.
But when the police come, Mr. Yakovlev...
...you'll need a few thousand to cover up the crime.
So how do you intend to profit?
Let us make peace over a glass of champagne.
You will pay 10,000.
I will not pay.
But I can challenge you.
A duel suits me.
I ask you, Mr. Liprandi...
...to be my second.
It would be an honor.
The Tuchkov family is rich.
There are only two heirs: a brother and a sister.
Princess Martha would be a covetable bride.
A parallel duel at 10 paces.
It should not exceed 15.
You are a death machine, Yakovlev.
You and I will make millions.
Name a booth at the market as the location.
In the middle of the city?
That's dangerous.
That's too dangerous, Yakovlev.
A new pair of Kuchenreuters, Mr. Yakovlev.
Note the 20 grooves.
The bullet flies with precision, negligible dispersion...
...a true killer.
The weapon of the future, Mr. Yakovlev.
Please, try the Kuchenreuter.
I don't enjoy shooting.
I am Princess Martha Tuchkova.
I know who you are, Yakovlev, the duelist.
Mr. Yakovlev, I forbid you to fight my brother.
Mark my words: I will have my revenge.
Wherever you go, wherever you visit...
...I, Princess Tuchkova, will be there.
And I swear that you, murderer, will regret you were ever born.
I demand that you call off the duel.
If my brother doesn't shoot you...
...one day, I will put a bullet in that evil head of yours myself.
You're right, princess. I am a murderer...
...and I will duel with your brother.
The stomach.
Save my brother, count.
There must be no duel.
Here's what will happen.
Mr. Liprandi will officiate the duel...
...and add rope strands to the gunpowder.
The guns will misfire...
...which will count as shots fired.
No harm will come to your brother.
He must not know about this trickery.
Mr. Yakovlev is a duelist...
...and a bloodthirsty one at that.
Five of my friends were killed by his hand.
Stopping a murderer is a matter of honor.
I will be indebted to your kindness.
I know that you need more money.
Name the amount...
...and I will save you.
I will not take your money.
Why not?
I love you.
I know about you and the grand duchess.
I was 7 years old...
...when my father shot my mother.
Then, he took a second pistol...
...and invited me to watch closely...
...as he shot himself in the head.
Before he died, my father said:
"Never fall in love yourself.
Make them love you instead.
Beware of love's trap."
I have never loved.
I have only been loved.
I never pity anyone.
Lies surround me, I am their king...
...but I cannot lie to you.
I'm trapped.
Princess Martha...
...I love you.
I believe you.
You shouldn't fall, prince, until you get shot.
Mr. Liprandi, should I go to the barrier or stay where I am?
You're about to die.
You'll be shot in the stomach and die in agony.
Princess Martha will marry Count Beklemishev.
And he'll possess the entire Tuchkov fortune.
You fired, you missed. You do not say no to the count.
I pray for your hand.
Turnip.
Mr. Yakovlev, you shot my second.
A ricochet.
If you have even a shred of dignity, swine...
...be here tomorrow, pistol in hand, to face justice directly.
Though a duel will spare you disgrace, it will end your filthy life.
If you refuse, you'll die like a coward.
No matter where you hide.
Count Beklemishev is protected by His Majesty's society of officers.
I'll kill them all. And then, Beklemishev, I'll kill you.
You're a criminal, Kolychev.
I'm not Kolychev.
I'm a nobleman who lost his name...
...a son who lost his mother...
...an officer turned murderer.
But you, Beklemishev, forgot that I am a person.
You cannot toy with me.
I will live to restore my honor.
How will you do that?
No officer will fight you.
Kolychev, you are no nobleman.
You're a killer.
A dog.
I can spit in your face, and you'll just rub it off.
A nobleman will not duel with a dog.
A ricochet.
Noblemen are honor-bound to duel.
Only dogs run away from a challenge.
We're not all animals.
What's your name?
Kolychev.
You're a nobleman, Kolychev...
...so you presumably have honor.
Honor demands blood.
You are obliged to duel.
I don't enjoy dueling.
You will.
To duels.
You're not the one who will make me shoot.
Your turn. Shoot.
I wonder what whore spawned you.
Congratulations, Kolychev. You're a nobleman after all.
You're a swine unworthy of a duel.
You should be beaten with sticks.
Enough! Enough!
Enough!
I will punish you.
Fire!
Vostronosov, go visit Kolychev's mother.
Get to know the lady.
For the murder of nobleman Vostronosov...
...proved by the testimony of an eyewitness...
...His Excellency Count Beklemishev...
...hereditary nobleman Kolychev is hereby stripped...
...of his officer rank of lieutenant.
By order of the Governing Senate...
...confirmed by His Imperial Majesty...
...Kolychev will forever be stripped of his hereditary noble rank...
...and a record thereof will be made.
Upon receipt of this edict today...
...Kolychev shall be made to run the gauntlet.
If you can endure a thousand lashes...
...you'll serve as a soldier on the Aleutian Islands.
Give thanks to God that you'll not be a prison laborer.
You may even survive.
Protect your shoulders, friend. Let them hit the flesh.
Sticks can break bones, but the flesh endures.
When it hits you, shout, "Toad."
Strike! Flay him good!
Again!
-Toad. -Again, you bastards!
Again! Again!
You don't say no to me.
We're in your debt, Mr. Yakovlev.
Thank you.
Khodyrev, Stukenberg, Mordvinov...
...Prince Reine, and Basargin were all Beklemishev's creditors.
They planned to expose his financial misdeeds.
The shame would have been the end of him.
He has surrounded himself with criminals.
The Tuchkovs are in danger.
I would like you to be a friend to me and Princess Martha.
And I will pay for your protection.
Khodyrev. ..
...Stukenberg...
...Mordvinov...
...Prince Reine...
...Basargin...
...were killed by me.
Beklemishev paid me for each death.
By reaching out to me, Prince Tuchkov...
...you are insulting your family name.
You are a murderer.
I will not be your guard dog.
You will pay off your debt to me, but in a different manner.
I want you to duel Beklemishev.
You are a nobleman.
You shall challenge Beklemishev, and you shall kill him.
Prince Tuchkov will not duel.
I despise duels.
But I'll challenge Beklemishev.
-Will you teach me to shoot? -Prince.
Shooting isn't difficult.
But killing...
...that's a real science.
Teach me how to kill, then.
Shoot him in the stomach...
...and he will die a slow and agonizing death.
Shoot him in the head or heart...
...and he will die instantly.
Count to at least 30.
Shoot between inhaling and exhaling.
What idiocy.
It's known as a head-to-head duel.
One pistol is loaded, the other is not.
Right or left, pick one.
Right.
It will not fire.
You don't know that.
But I know you.
You're as much of a scoundrel as Beklemishev.
You called me a murderer.
You must pay for your words.
Mr. Yakovlev is provoking you.
Get up.
Get up!
One. Raise your pistol.
Why??
It's a miracle.
I don't need miracles.
It was a mistake to wait for me at the hotel.
Keeping this visit secret will be impossible.
-I'll cut your nose off, you pig. -Take the money and let me live.
Turn your head and look at the floor, you bastard!
Good evening.
Of all the duelists in the city, you brought my enemy.
You wanted results, and I found the best person.
Mr. Yakovlev guaranteed success.
I was deceived myself.
I said eyes on the floor, bastard!
This matter has become overly conspicuous, Your Excellency.
Too much bloodshed.
Very good.
You sell blood, and I buy it.
When the Tuchkov incident comes to light...
...Captain Chichagov will swear before the court...
...that you, count, are not guilty.
You will flee, but I--
I will remain.
Here's something interesting.
A bundle revolver...
...made by the masters, Allen & Thurber.
Rifled barrels fire six bullets in one shot.
Six barrels discharge at once.
Stomach or head?
We've already done one stomach today.
Has Yakovlev taken my money?
Yes.
Very good.
If the Tuchkov incident comes to light...
...then not Captain Chichagov, but you, dog...
...will swear before the court...
...that all the murders, both past and present...
...were committed by you personally!
Yakovlev is the devil.
Bullets won't stop him.
Then chop him up...
...and burn the pieces.
I'll fix everything.
I hate you.
I know.
I wanted to shoot you dead.
I know.
No, you don't know.
You don't know me.
Prince!
Break his bones.
Who sent you? Beklemishev?
Tell me, and I might spare you.
The baron.
The baron paid us to kill you.
Beklemishev!
I know you're here.
You're always watching.
Beklemishev.
Watch this, then.
Yakovlev.
Thank you, Mr. Arndt, for all your help.
I will issue orders to send your fee.
I'm sorry for your loss.
I hated you...
...and I asked Beklemishev to intervene.
It's my fault.
Mine alone.
Please, Mr. Yakovlev...
...kill Beklemishev.
I can't challenge Beklemishev.
I'm not Yakovlev.
I'm not a nobleman.
My father's surname was Kolychev.
The Kolychevs...
...are an ancient noble family.
My mother was very beautiful.
I was afraid to touch her face and hair as a child.
That's how beautiful she was.
I was the sole cause of her death.
Beklemishev insulted my mother.
His henchman Vostronosov violated her body.
And I shot Vostronosov in the street.
Beklemishev reported me to the police.
I was convicted of murder and stripped of my nobility.
The Kolychevs were declared to be a family of low birth.
My mother...
...couldn't endure the disgrace.
She threw herself out of a window.
Her head smashed on the cobblestones.
Her face twisted to the side, her nose and lips...
...out of place.
My mother is punishing me.
Every time I look at a dead person...
...I see her distorted face.
Always.
Forget revenge, princess.
...helps nothing.
Let it go.
Forgive me.
You're silent.
Do you want me to confess first?
You shouldn't love me.
Are you sending me away?
Yes.
You have superior shooting skills.
I want to learn.
Count to 30, I remember.
Teach me.
You lived among the Aleuts.
They know no mercy.
You learned much from them. Now teach me too.
Don't send me away.
I'm a slave.
You're a slave.
And I do not love you.
And you shouldn't love me.
Count the money again.
Reine
Basargin
These cards prove nothing.
Your grief has gotten the best of you, Princess Martha...
...and of your judgment.
Has Mr. Yakovlev been consoling you?
Mr. Yakovlev is a duelist.
He desperately wants Count Beklemishev dead.
What connection do you two have?
Princess Martha Tuchkova, you have made an error...
...thereby putting into question the noble dignity...
...that is your birthright.
You are the last of the Tuchkovs.
You must not tarnish your family name...
...and remain worthy of your title.
I don't like what I can read in your eyes.
I don't know Mr. Yakovlev.
Say no more.
You want to avenge your brother's death...
...but you don't know that you're being manipulated.
Mr. Yakovlev is a practical man...
...so he operates through others...
...using Prince Tuchkov, or even...
...Princess Martha...
...through you.
Please accept my love and protection.
I want you to know...
...that for the sake of my love for you...
...I will kill anyone...
...even you...
...if need be.
All this money could certainly be put to use...
...but our officials will drag out the matter...
...no matter what we do.
If only we had a new chief prosecutor....
With our current leader, there's no chance.
You feed off of your position, so feed on this.
Mr. Yakovlev, we shook on the Kolychev deal.
But despite his nobility, it's impossible.
His noble rank cannot be restored...
...even in death.
One hundred thousand. One hundred thousand!
His Excellency Count Beklemishev personally asked the attorney general...
...to refuse amnesty to Mr. Kolychev.
No amount of money can override that.
Get rid of the weapons. We're going back to Wiesbaden.
When your nobility was stripped...
...and you were taken away...
...they swore to me...
...that you'd never come back alive.
I didn't believe them.
I waited a longtime.
All the Kolychevs died...
...but I waited.
I knew you'd be back.
You are a nobleman.
Do not back down.
Only you...
...have such strength.
Go now.
Want to start over? Good for you.
State your name and title.
A duel is impossible.
Too late, Kolychev.
I know Mr. Yakovlev.
He's my brother.
On my noble honor, I vouch for my brother.
If you refuse one Yakovlev, I will take his place.
Mr. Yakovlev, a duel is impossible.
Count, you are honor-bound.
Count Beklemishev.
Not a slave.
You're not a slave.
A bullet.
It's a miracle.
I don't believe in miracles.
Pyotr Fyodorov
Yuliya Khlynina
Martin Wuttke
Franziska Petri
Pavel Tabakov
Sergei Garmash
Alexander Yatsenko
Yuri Kolokolnikov
Yuri Kuznetsov
screenplay & direction Alexey Mizgirev
producer Sergey Melkumov
producer Alexander Rodnyansky
co-producer Gleb Fetisov
composer Igor Vdovin
executive producer Natalia Gorina
director of photography Maxim Osadchy R.G.C.
production designer Andrey Ponkratov
make-up artist Marina Krasnovidova
costume designer Tatyana Patrakhaltseva
casting Olga Dubovitskaya
editor Igor Litoninsky
sound designer Rostislav Alimov
visual effects Arman Yakhin
Copyright - Non-Stop Production, 2016
Subtitles Translated by: Ninh Hoang
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