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Saint, The (1997)
BOY: Simon Magus was a magician
and a sorcerer... in...um... PRIEST: In Sumeria. What happened to Simon Magus, Bartolo? SECOND BOY: Jesus' disciples performed miracles. When Simon Magus saw the miracles... he offered Peter gold for God's powers. PRIEST: How did Peter respond... John Rossi? Stand up! Answer, John Rossi. SIMON: That's not my name. PRIEST: You and all the other bastards... lucky enough to be here... children of sin, spawn of the damned... are all named for saints... saints who are disciplined, saints who are chaste. You are named for John Baptist Rossi... a Capuchin priest who gave away all his possessions. A man who had nothing, like you. Now what is your name... you ungrateful cur? [Whipping] PRIEST: Your name, boy! Have you lost your tongue? What is your name? PRIEST: All the girls... will remain locked in their dormitory... and no food will be served to any boy... until you acknowledge your namesake before God. [Banging] BOYS: Food! Food! Food! Food! Food! Food! Food! [Banging stops] [Boys whispering] [Boys gasp] [Cheering] SIMON: Yes. Yes. BOY: They should name you Simon Magus, the magician. SIMON: No. Simon...Templar. Agnes! Agnes! Agnes! Agnes! AGNES: When they catch you, they'll cane you. SIMON: Won't happen, 'cause we're leaving tonight... this hearty brotherhood, on a crusade. That's why I risked everything, Agnes, my love... to bid you farewell. I can't leave you behind without a kiss. Hey, watch this. [Clang] NUN: We've lost some girls! The girls are missing! There are girls missing! BOY: Come on, boys! AGNES: Wait, John Rossi. My kiss. [Barking] PRIEST: There he is! Get him! AGNES: Aah! SIMON ON TAPE: October 3. Entering foyer of Tretiak industries. Heavy security on elevators. Guards in uniform. Heavy security on elevators. Guards in uniform. Elevator to vault on 26th floor requires separate passkey. [Sighs] Maybe use stairs. No traffic there. October 4. Personal tidbits. Tretiak's former partner died suddenly in 1995. It left Tretiak as sole owner of a gas and oil empire. Tretiak's first son killed in car crash five years ago. SIMON: Who are you? SIMON ON TAPE: Vehicle was driven by younger son Ilya... now 27. Wife now lives in Geneva... following assassination attempt in 1996. [Russian accent] I am...Ivanovanovitch. SIMON ON TAPE: October 5. Ilya spent most of today in Cafe Eldorado... with bandito buddies. Gangster rap, coffee, flirting with teenage girls. Small firearms in coats. Machine pistols in cars. [Speaking Russian] [Crowd chanting] [Crowd chanting] MAN ON P.A.: There were three great empires... that dominated the world both culturally and militarily... Rome, Constantinople, and Russia. All three have fallen. Only one can be restored... and only one man can restore it... Ivan Petrovich Tretiak! [Cheering] TRETIAK: Friends... countrymen... Russians! TRETIAK: You people here in this room... are the cream of Russia... and the whole nation is listening with us. But why do you all listen to me rave? Set aside my oil company... forget about my best-selling book... and all I am is a lunatic... haunted by the fantasy of an empire... that reclaims her former might, her former size. [Applause] All I am is a poet spinning rhymes of a Russia... not cut off at the knees, but armed to the teeth. Not ridiculed, but revered. [Applause] No! More than revered! Feared! [Cheering] TRETIAK: But who am l to dazzle you with this dream? All I've done is... YURI: How does it look for the leader's son... to walk out when the leader speaks? ILYA: You'd prefer the leader's son... to piss his pants on live TV? Hmm? TRETIAK: And still the people freeze to death! SIMON: I love this country. [Click] [Singing in Russian] [Filtered breathing] [Beeping] [Beep] [Beep, Clunk] [Taps cane] [Speaking Russian] SIMON: [Australian accent] I don't speak Russian. ILYA: In that case, stand up... put your hands behind your head... and turn around slowly. Wrong place for a condom. Take it off. SIMON: Listen, if I give this to you... you'll give it to your daddy. What's he gonna give you? Not even a Christmas bonus. The guy I'm stealing this for will give me $1 million. If we go in partners, we'll split 50-50. Half a million hard currency. Think of the drugs you could buy with that much cake. You'll be discoing for a decade in Moscow, mate. I don't need your small change. That's your first problem. Here is your second. Microchip...please. Freeze! Sorry. Guns make me nervous. Suck me...sideways. [Alarm] ILYA: Aah! Uhh! Uh! My eyes! Ohh! [Alarm] [Alarm] ILYA: Give it up! ILYA: You got no place to go! ILYA: A goddamn button! [Water sloshing] ILYA: Back of the building! Come on! ILYA: Where's the body? GUARD: No body. Just some guy in rags. [Crowd chanting] [Rock and roll playing] NEWS ANCHOR: As the bitter chill of winter... descends on Moscow... Russians are warming to the angry rhetoric... of former communist boss Ivan Tretiak. Now a billionaire oil magnate... and leader of his own political party... Tretiak predicted that the civil unrest engulfing Russia... will only worsen, unless Reformist President Karpov... can overcome the heating-oil shortage... that has already killed scores of Russians. WOMAN: What beautiful work. Ah. Cloisonne. It is old. SIMON: [Spanish accent] Yes. It belonged to my grandmother. Please. Tonight I feel like the oldest person on this plane. My husband, he's sending me to England to live... until things change. You are married not even a year... and already this bastard has a girlfriend?! I am sorry. It's not my business. How come you know so much about me? It is a gift. I'm Martin de Porres. I am from Spain... but I'm named for a Peruvian saint... who could cure the sick or the injured... by the laying of hands. INSPECTOR: Hmm. He's the same build... as the description the Russians gave us... but he doesn't sound like an Aussie. WOMAN: No. WOMAN: Could be faking it. SECURITY GUARD: X-rays are clear. He hasn't swallowed the microchip. Anything? SIMON: You English with your chips, your fish and chips. On the airplane, I had chicken. WOMAN: Van Gogh theft, Netherlands. Last year. Same eyes. INSPECTOR: Different chin. DRIVER: Halcyon Hotel, guv. [Dreaming] PRIEST: Stand up! What is your name?! Answer the question! [Echoing] What is your name?! Hey! MAN ON TELEPHONE: Lou, the microchip arrived. I put the dough in your account. SIMON: Sorry I didn't get back to you about that diamond. Moscow's like Dodge City now. All them greedy Commies have turned into crazy capitalists. It's disgusting. It's made 'em sloppy. One or two more easy scores like this last one... -l top 50 mil, I'm quitting. -l heard that before. SIMON: Not from me. I don't know nuttin'. You don't believe me? Try and find me. -Fuck you, Lou. -See yourself. Can't seem to break 50. [German accent] "One million U.S. dollars... "nonrefundable... "reserves you a quiet table... "at a romantic little spot in Berlin called Templehopf... "which has a cozy transit lounge. "To get inside, you walk through the metal detectors... "and I walk through the metal detectors. "Since you know I'm not armed, and I know you're not armed... "we can both fall in love, and nobody gets hurt." ILYA: I can't see him. TRETIAK: Then look for him. SIMON: You have a long and beautiful cane... along with your beautiful eyes. That photograph doesn't do you justice. TRETIAK: Who are you? SIMON: My name is Bruno Hautenfaust. I was named for a saint who was a very wealthy man. Had the wine, women, songs... then took a vow of poverty and became a hermit... went to live in the forest... in the nude. TRETIAK: Please leave. SIMON: I represent the professional you hired. I'm his business manager. I speak for him. ILYA: We don't deal with underlings. Come on, Father. Let's go. TRETIAK: Wait. Sit down. Listen and learn. SIMON: Ah. Youth. TRETIAK: Who runs this thief? CIA? Ml-6? Libya? SIMON: He's not a racecar. Nobody runs him. He's an independent contractor. TRETIAK: Good. Then no one will mind if I kill him. Oh, yes. I can have a man killed and stroll away like that... even with metal detectors... even in this transit lounge. SIMON: Oh, it's so early. You guys wanna get coffee or something? TRETIAK: Sure. Be quiet. SIMON: What is it you request of my employer? TRETIAK: Do you know what cold fusion is? SIMON: Of course. It's the theory... of nuclear fusion at room temperature... free energy forever. TRETIAK: Yes. SERVER: Kaffee? SIMON: Klein, Bitte. SIMON: As far as science goes, it ranks just above astrology. Those who claim to have achieved the experiment... have never been able to duplicate it. TRETIAK: Until now. There is an electrochemist working at Oxford. We believe that this good lady... made a breakthrough in cold fusion. Your employer will obtain the formula for me. He's very busy, and you are very boring. Your offer must inspire him. This woman has repeatedly avoided... my agents' attempts to find the formula. She's cagey, difficult. Maybe your agents are stupid. I think this inspiration would cost you three million dollars. TRETIAK: [Chuckles] Ridiculous. SIMON: Why? You will have the world market in energy. Cost you a nickel for every million you make. His deposit should go-- Hey. It is not for me. It is for mother Russia. But you want mother Russia, too, Mr. Tretiak. Three million in a bank account in Zurich. Agreed? Yes. How long to get your employer's agreement? I'll ask. Your offer has inspired her. I'll do it. Bank account number in Zurich. Auf wiedersehen. Bye, sonny. TRETIAK: Bye-bye. I really love this guy. Ha ha ha! ILYA: Too bad we have to kill him. Yeah, too bad. WOMAN: When the electrochemists Pons and Fleischman... announced in 1989... that they had discovered cold fusion... a revolutionary process of generating energy... they were at first acclaimed as geniuses... and then condemned as charlatans. The protocols of cold fusion... SIMON: What are those? Drugs? Could I have one? My head's pounding. She's boring the life out of me. -They're for my heart. -Oh. You have very pretty eyes. You're a pretty lady. -Who are you? -Me? I'm here to do an interview with that Dr. Russell. I'm gonna expose her as a fraud. You don't put any stock in this cold fusion mumbo jumbo? -Actually, I do. -Really? WOMAN: Dr. Emma Russell. Oops. EMMA: Well, I didn't prepare any formal remarks. I'm actually more interested... in what questions you all have about cold fusion... so I thought we would start with those. Any questions? Please? MAN: I have, Dr. Russell. Can you explain the actual process of fusion... you know, the theory? Yes. Oh, there it is. This is the--the apparatus. And very simply... when positively charged deuterons... are attracted to the palladium cathode... they cram together... and there are millions of them inside the cathode... getting closer and closer, and then they fuse... and they create energy in the form of helium. WOMAN: But I read somewhere... that the experiment couldn't be replicated... so how do we know it works? EMMA: We don't. Not yet. But if you remember Einstein... he knew the theory of relativity to be true... long before he could prove it. I mean, he felt the truth. And, uh, some of us feel the same way... And, uh, some of us feel the same way... about cold fusion... because it's there. It's in nature... the raw, natural power just waiting to be harnessed. When we ignite that cold fusion fire... I mean, just imagine. There's more energy in one cubic mile of seawater... than in all the known oil reserves on earth. I mean, you could drive your car 55 million miles... on a gallon of heavy water. It would be the end of pollution... warmth for the whole world. So why don't I demonstrate for you... why other people in the past have been so unsuccessful? They used very complex... SIMON: November 17, 11:30 a.m. Entering flat of Dr. Emma Russell. High Street, Oxford. No alarms on outer doors. Strange. TAPE: No messages. SIMON: Shelley Monument. Entering bathroom. Books. More books. Walls covered with reminder notes. Poetry. [Click] Ah. Dad. [Click] "Stop and talk to Shelley every day. "How can I love a man named Percy?" "Isn't there someone in the world... "who can consume me like that." Magic. Romantic. No recent applications. "Cold fusion notes." "Although I pass the Shelley Monument every day... "its sadness strikes me every time." "l feel a very personal loss when I look at it. "So much pain and so much passion." "To give light to them that sit in darkness... "and in the shadow of death." "Luke 1; verse 79." Tretiak's wrong. She's not cagey. She's not difficult. She's just... eccentric. She's innocent. Maybe it's in her head. She needs a poet... an artist... someone who... understands truth. She needs Thomas More. [Taps paper] SIMON: Do you like it? EMMA: What? The sculpture. Do you like it? Oh...yes. What do you love about it? The way it...glows. And how the light... holds him in silence... taking care of him. That's what I like about it. Are you an artist? No. I'm just a traveler searching for purity. -What do you search for? -Energy. Yes. Have you ever been on a long journey? No, not really. Perhaps I'll take you to my home... in Africa. You should experience the energy... of where all life began. Sorry. I'm not very good with people. Me, neither. EMMA: "l see my angel for the first time... "know my purpose, feel my birth..." "hear, at first faintly, then distinctly... "the sweet strains of our union..." "Our love heats up the cold universe... "and gives my tired, desperate hope..." SIMON: "purified by our kisses... "are eternally healed." Do you like it? Who did you write it for? SIMON: You. You're following me, or it's destiny. Either way, it's weird. Very weird. Destiny then. This must look strange. It's, uh... something that I'm working on... a formula for... creating energy. That you carry around in your underwear? Yeah, I do. How did you do that? Magic. EMMA: Give it back. SIMON: It looks like Sanskrit. Give it back. I'm sorry. I just wanted to watch you put it away. What else do you keep in there? Nothing. SIMON: That's not true. SERVER: Can I get you anything else? SIMON: Drink your wine. Latour '57. WAITER: The Latour, sir, is $400 a bottle. Then we'll have two bottles. There. You count it. SIMON: All these little tubes and microbes and things. EMMA: Molecules? -Those, too. -[Laughs] EMMA: Can I tell you something? SIMON: What? You must. Everything. EMMA: [Whispering] It's a secret. SIMON: What? I'm done. My energy research-- I'm finished. I still have some sequencing that I have to work out... to make sure that it's safe, but I did it. It's just been you against the whole world, hasn't it? How have you done it and stayed so positive? The gift of faith. To see... Well... to believe in something that's all around us... but hidden from our sight. SIMON: That's a beautiful thought. EMMA: I can't believe I'm telling you this. I don't even know your name. Well, my name is... I don't want to tell you. I don't want to do that. I don't want to do that. What difference does it make? What's your name? -Emma. -Emma. Now I know everything about you. Your...genius. You have a weak heart. You have beautiful dreams, great courage. You're not afraid in this world. You get that from your father. You can't cook to save your life... and you love fish. I do love fish. That's weird. I want to try that. -No. -Yes. I don't want you to. Drink your wine. EMMA: Yes, I do. What's your name? My name is Thomas More. I was named after the saint... who died for his faith. OK. Your work... is very dangerous... and alive... and I love your poems. They move me. But that's not who you really are. You're running away from... your past and your pain... and yet you keep it so close to you. So you don't have to be afraid of who you are... because you're beautiful. What are you doing? EMMA: Oh, my God, you're bleeding. What happened? SIMON: Don't know. I was... weeping, and I slipped. I was thinking of you. I don't know. EMMA: I live right down the street. I could clean you up. Why do you cover your mouth when you laugh? -l don't know. -Wait. I'm glad it stopped bleeding. Don't need stitches. [Glass clatters] We're gonna have to disinfect it, though. You really are an angel. You are. It's gonna hurt. -Aah! -Aah! Oh, sorry. I'm sorry. Are you all right? Yeah. I'm sorry. I was just joking. l... -l should go. -Oh, no. Yes. You--you...I... Take off your pants. Pardon? I mean, your sweater. EMMA: There's blood on it. I'll wash it. SIMON: Very domestic. There's blood on your blouse as well. I'll wash it. Do you have any wine? EMMA: I'm so overwhelmed that you even noticed me. SIMON: How could I not? You make me feel so good. I wish you... I wish you could understand. I want you to know who I am. Oh, my heart. Don't disappear. I'll be right back. FEMALE VOCALIST: Calm it down. Bring it round. Too way high up, your street. I can see... like nothin' else... in me, you're better than I wanna be. Don't think, 'cause I understand... Don't think, 'cause I understand... I care... Don't think, 'cause I'm talking... SIMON: Oh, I can't do this. She's so great. EMMA: I can't believe this. I can't believe this is happening. VOCALIST: I'm open... to falling from grace. [Song continues faintly] EMMA: Hi. ILYA: "To spider: "Must fly. Have better offer." Greedy westerner. Wants more money. TRETIAK: Who cares? Can't spend hard currency in hell. Send this message-- "Fly, don't buzz off. "I'll double your fee... "or send my own boys to take care of the woman." EMMA: You OK? SIMON: Let's... let's just lie here. Can't we just be like this tonight? Is that what you want? SIMON: It's so magic. It just feels so perfect. [Beeping] RADIO: It's 7:00 a.m., and here are the news headlines. EMMA: Thomas? TRETIAK: Lev Naumovitch, it's here! Good man! DR. BOTVIN: It's revolutionary, sir! She's boldly cast aside a slew of stale ideas... but I think the formula is incomplete. It will take months... TRETIAK: That won't do... because now that the people are nicely beginning to freeze... Tretiak must sweep in with a miracle to save them. MAN: How high do you want it, Mr. Tretiak? TRETIAK: To the top. Good morning, Yuri. YURI: Good morning. BOTVIN: Perhaps l can confirm the validity... of this formula more quickly if I dispense... with certain protocols. But, Mr. Tretiak-- YURI: How long, Dr. Botvin, since you received... your last salary check from Moscow University? BOTVIN: Ukrainian Independence Day. Last August. [Beeping] Ivan, he's on-line. TRETIAK: Do it. SIMON: To spider... You've got the recipe. YURI: "Where's my dough?" TRETIAK: To human fly... Recipe incomplete. The cake won't rise. Hence, no dough. SIMON: I am not the baker... YURI: "...but don't make me the butcher." I like this guy. No play, no pay. I'm certain you kept the cookbook. ILYA: Holland Park. RECEPTIONIST: I'll check that for you. Yes, that seems to be fine. One moment. Aah! SIMON: He's keeping me on-line. MAN: You wait here. [Sirens] [Beeping] [Beeping] POLICE OFFICER: You, beside the car. Now, turn around. Step away from the vehicle. SIMON: He's armed! ILYA: Drive! ILYA: Go the other way. Go! MALE VOCALIST: You're all I've got tonight. You're all I've got tonight. INSPECTOR: What about him? What about this one? EMMA: Yeah. That-- INSPECTOR: We believe they're all the same villain. Oh, my God. They're all him? INSPECTOR: We believe so. He eluded a hit squad this morning in Holland Park. Then he fled the U.K. out of Heathrow. WOMAN: We've got a handful of false identities... used on visas, passports, leases... Nicholas Owen... Louie Guanella... Peter Damian... Charles Borroneo. EMMA: Of course. Thomas More. All names of Catholic saints. Can you access Heathrow's passenger lists... for the last eight hours? I think it might be possible. Good. [Bell rings] [Crowd cheering] ILYA: Go! CROWD: Yeah! [Singing in Russian] MAN: Yes! TRETIAK: See, my friends... you back the biggest rats. [Speaking Russian] Hello. TRETIAK: Out, out. Freeloaders, out. I want to drink alone. Close the curtain. -What? -What? SIMON: Don't look down. You know who I am? No. I'm the thief you tried to cheat. This is your accountant. Talk to him. SIMON: The phone goes the other way, you moron. Hello. Tretiak speaking. That money to Zurich, send it now. I said now. Yeah. Thank you. You know what the hardest part about being you is? Pretending to be so bad in bed. You son of the bitch. SIMON: There is an impostor. Get him out. TRETIAK: Hey, hey, hey! Take your hands off me, you idiots! Are you crazy? It's me. Go, go! Catch him, go! Ilya, get the bastard! [Siren] [Radio dispatcher speaking Russian] SIMON: Fifty million. I'm out. SIMON: Mr. Ferrer checking out. CLERK: OK. [Speaking Russian] [Speaking Russian] EMMA: I'll have one, too. SIMON: Emma. EMMA: Hi. I'm...I'm overwhelmed. You found me. Wasn't very hard. Two men with saint's names flew into Moscow yesterday. Isadore Bakanja is a short, bald African... whereas Vincent Ferrer-- SIMON: Named after a saint who betrayed his best friend. How could you do it? Emma... l--l had to. I'm a thief. I want my cards back. SIMON: You flew all this way for your cards? Yes, I did. No. It's because you're in love. I rest my case. Who are you? No one has a clue, least of all me. EMMA: And why would you steal cold fusion? It's free. Why would you do that? [Bartender speaking Russian] Eight million reasons. Eight million. Wow. That's all? I would have given them to you... if you'd only asked. You've got to get away from me. I'm not going until you tell me why you lied to me. -You lied to me. -l lied to you? You almost got me killed. The guy says it doesn't work. Well, screw him. I don't think you'd enjoy that. EMMA: You're right. I don't think I would. [Speaking Russian] Emma, you don't know what you're dealing with here. EMMA: What? -They took my pills. -No, they didn't. I palmed them from your purse. I need one or two. I need... I have a bad heart. -I know. -It's starting to pound. SIMON: It's OK. I've got your pills. OK, I've got two in my hand. OK, I've got two in my hand. EMMA: I'm gonna pass out. Sit down on the floor. Just get down on the floor. That's right. That's right. Eat two out of my hand. That's right. OK? While you're down there... Get the pocketknife out of my boot. This formula makes certain assumptions... which contradict all we know about cold fusion cathodes... so testing at any level becomes futile... without further information, Mr. Tretiak. TRETIAK: Don't despair, Dr. Botvin. Help is here. The two came very quietly. Oh. TRETIAK: And they left even more quietly. Close the city. Kill him, and bring her...alive. [Sirens] Why are they after me? Tretiak, the guy I work for... he owns this city, cops and all. We have to convince him there's nothing more he wants from you. EMMA: What do you want from me? -Everything's on those cards? -Yes. SIMON: So the formula works? Oh, kiss me again. -No. -Make up your mind. Oh, it's--l have to figure out the order... before the formula works, and I'm not giving it to him. -Tretiak will find you. -No. He found me, and that's hard to do. -l found you. -Yes, you did. What do you need? I need some time... and I need... I need a place to work... and... EMMA: Where's everyone going? SIMON: To their country relatives to cut firewood. There's no heat in the city. [Dialing telephone] [Loud rock music playing] How long will it take you to finish the formula? I don't know. Two hours, maybe. I don't know. Should be enough time to get our passports together... and for us to get married. -We're getting married? -Yes. I want you to be Mrs. Martin de Porres. -You're not Martin. -No. Who are you? I don't have a name. That's sad. Will you have a name when we get home? I don't have a home. When we get back... you do the science, I'll do the math. We'll market your formula around the world. We'll make a fortune, and then... we'll see. OK? Emma! [Horn honking] MAN: No trouble, OK? If you want to live, never leave my side. Ohh! [Splash] [Music blaring] Spice room, sun room... Shadow room, night... EMMA: I've got you. EMMA: Come on. Here we go. Up. We've gotta get you warm. We're almost there. EMMA: Come on. Come on. You'll wait till Christ comes to Moscow. Elevator was made of mahogany. Tenants used it for firewood last winter. EMMA: We need your help. He fell in the river, and he's freezing. -Need clothes. -We're just people-- You're not people. You're Americans. Yes, but we ran into trouble with your Mafia. [Tires screech] [Speaking Russian] [Speaking Russian] She disapproves of what I do, but eats the bread it buys her. No heat for sale... but these clothes will make him warm. [Speaking Russian] I tell her, Mashenka, go back to bed. She's always puttering around. It's here. Built to escape Secret Police. In you go. EMMA: You've got hypothermia. We have to get these wet clothes off... keep you warm. ILYA: They must be in one of these buildings. Check every apartment. EMMA: How you doing? Talk to me. SIMON: Snug as a bug in a rug. OK. We're gonna... We're gonna have to do this before your body temperature... falls below 95 degrees. MAN: Two kids talking about foreigners. [Bell rings] ILYA: Listen to me, tenants! Show me where the Americans are... and you'll be paid in American dollars. Five hundred bucks reward. Daddy... have you seen, by chance, two Americans? Just one American and one polar bear. [Woman laughs] Do we get 250? [Woman speaking Russian] ILYA: We check upstairs. [Door closes] EMMA: What's your name? Who are you really? Simon. Simon? So you are named for a saint. No, Simon the magician. I did tricks... tricks for Agnes... and that's how I got things. Priests took everything, took Agnes. Dogs too big. Teeth. Teeth. She fell. I escaped. I always escape. I don't believe in magic anymore. EMMA: I do. I've never felt like this before. How? I'm freezing. WOMAN: These are here! EMMA: We gotta get out of here. Are you OK? They're coming. WOMAN: Americans are here! EMMA: Hurry. Here, put this on. MAN: Ilya! [Siren] Upstairs. Go! EMMA: Maybe we can jump. Let's jump. Come on. Wait. We need her alive, idiot. SIMON: Embassy's east of here. [Arguing in Russian] WOMAN: You're late. Where have you been? I've been waiting two hours. I've got some beautiful paintings for you to buy. In here. Come on. Don't fret. It's just my curator, Toli. I am Alexa Frankievitch, but being you're Americans... you can call me Frankie. SIMON: OK, Frankie. I've got money. We want-- FRANKIE: I know. The icon of the Virgin of the Damned. -Are those maps of the tunnels? -Yes. We're not here to buy art. Take us to the American Embassy. FRANKIE: Right. I need $10,000 up-front. SIMON: No. OK. 7,000 and not a penny less. TOLI: Shh. [Whispering] Police. SIMON: No. Tretiak's goons. FRANKIE: Wait. ILYA: Sasha, go east to the embassy. -Are we lost? -What's wrong? FRANKIE: You're in Russia, sir. Everything is complicated. But you know the way? Like the face of a Bulgari chronograph. I remember. This way. FRANKIE: At last. Water main. They shut it down each afternoon in winter. SIMON: What time do they turn it back on? FRANKIE: You have five minutes, plus or minus. EMMA: Plus or minus? TOLI: That means several minutes earlier or later. FRANKIE: Don't worry. Third opening is your embassy. Quick. Someone's coming. Come on. Come on. SIMON: Here's the second one. Embassy's next. -About two more minutes. -Yeah. Unless it's minus. SIMON: Damn. It's sealed. We'll have to go back. EMMA: Come on. [Distant rumbling] Hurry. SIMON: Up you go. MAN: Yankee, go home! Down with Yankee! [Crowd chanting in Russian] Embassy's only about 100 yards away. There's a car right above us. Watch your head. [Hissing] [Crowd chanting in Russian] SIMON: I'll create a diversion. It should take you 10 seconds to run to those gates. They'll open them when they see you coming. EMMA: OK. I can do that. You can do it. Wait. When am I gonna see you? I'll find you. You found me. Yeah, I did. Aah! EMMA: I'm an American! Open the gate! Open the gate! I'm an American! MARINE: Back off from the gate. Back off. I said back off. Stand back from the gate. I said back off! SIMON: She outran you? How humiliating. One...shot left. Can't come all the way to Russia... and not play Russian roulette. Before you shoot me, want to know where the money is? [Clicks] Whose money? Tretiak's, yours. He treats you like dirt. You could have it all. ILYA: What are you saying? I'm saying your father stashed billions... and I know where it's hidden. Let's make a deal. So...where are all those hidden billions? I know...but I don't think I'm gonna tell you. [Sirens] MAN: Joseph, what's the holdup? I said get 'em inside! DOCTOR: You're worse than all the others. However, burns will heal. Maybe a little chance of scarring, perhaps... but all in all, I'd say he's a very lucky boy. ILYA: Lucky? Look at me. I am a damn devil. TRETIAK: Christ. Yes? BOTVIN: I have run every test on this cold fusion formula... and must conclude it is not merely incomplete... but rather...impossible. You may as well try to create perpetual motion. I invest millions... and you can't make it work! What are you doing with my money? Do you think it comes so easy? No! BOTVIN: But, sir... I have been working for nearly two weeks without sleep. At first blush, the theorem appears quite convincing. It does? Yes. It does. Good man. We can use it to destroy our enemies. TRETIAK: Only Dr. Russell can spoil my plan. If she gets back to London and speaks to the press... YURI: From here to the airport are three army checkpoints... all of them loyal to us. TRETIAK: Make certain they get the message-- she doesn't leave Moscow alive. Mr. President. As former Vice-minister of Energy and Power... I hear all manner of schemes that provide cheaper energy. And as our countrymen freeze to death... I've become aware of a marvelous new technology... about which I'm hopelessly out of my league... from a scientific viewpoint. That's why I brought our eminent physicist here... Dr. Lev Botvin from the University of Moscow. AIDE: Before we are dazzled by the good news... let's dispense with the bad. What is the price of this marvel? YURI: The cost of research and development are there... which is all you are asked to defray. Ten billion in hard currency? I can't even pay my teachers, my miners, my doctors. Where are you heading? I thought we'd drink some vodka to get warmer. Like the miracle of socialism... our miracle of cold fusion failed. But no matter. We have sold cold fusion to President Karpov. We will use the scandal of its failure to destroy him. The army must be mobilized by midnight tomorrow. You're a man in a hurry. That's only one day. ILYA: Not now, old witch. We're working. TRETIAK: Yes. Think of it. One day, you can be proud again to be a Russian general... with a big nuclear missile where your prick used to be. AIDE: You must complete a form before you get on a flight home. Any medical problems? EMMA: I have a heart condition. AIDE: Do you need me to arrange any medication for you? EMMA: Well, I haven't needed a pill. That's strange. MARINE: Get a form from table three down the corridor. I'll be back in 10 minutes... by your side, all the way to the airport. EMMA: Thank you. REPORTER: ...Across the street in central Moscow... where a mob attacked several companies with ties to America. Apparently, four U.S. citizens were injured in the attack. I'm told that all American citizens... have been asked to report to the American embassy... for immediate evacuation. MAN: [Southern accent] Excuse me. You look lost. -No, I'm fine. -May I help you? Allow me to introduce myself. My name is August Christopher. Named after Saint Augustine, who coined my favorite phrase-- "Give me chastity and give me constancy... "but do not give it yet." [Protesters chanting in Russian] Simon, I'm on the next flight out of here. Are you coming with me? No. But they are. I'll need you to develop a sudden fear of flying. Find a quiet room. Finish the formula and fax it back to me. My number's on the back. I don't understand. Why are you keeping my cards? I've got to deal with the Russians... or you'll never be safe. Be good at school. Wait. -Don't you trust me, darlin'? -Trust who? SIMON: That hurts, Emma. EMMA: I'm serious. What's your name? My name is August Christopher. Of course I trust you, August Christopher. I mean, Vincent Ferrer... I mean, Martin de Porres... Thomas More. After all, you are my personal saint. You have to be a very good... and, usually, a very dead person to become a saint. And more importantly, you have to work three miracles. Now, get to work. Who's that man? AIDE: You're leaving on the transport at 9:00, ma'am? Probably be your last chance out of here. Better hurry. It's leaving. YURI: Your troops will depose the president... and install Ivan Tretiak as leader of Russia. TRETIAK: Moscow must be ringed with tanks by evening. Don't worry. The people will follow me. They will be crying for revolution. YURI: Still, no one's guessed the simple truth... of where the heating oil went. [Laughter] TRETIAK: Who would believe that a sea of oil... was hidden under this very building? [Laughter] Yuri, I understand your Nataly is to... WOMAN: Francis, you devil... I heard you came here, and you didn't call me. -Hello, Dominic-- -Give me a ring, Charles. MAN: Lou, I've heard on the grapevine... you're brokering a revolutionary new energy source. If it's as good as it's cracked up to be... I have friends who can double your best offer... on deposit in Zurich... within one hour of delivery and confirmation. I'll be waiting. [Door opens] The work could be here. This machine could work, couldn't it? [Guards shouting in Russian] Who are you? SIMON: A friend of Dr. Russell's. BOTVIN: Dr. Russell? What's this equation? It's so simple. This is the key to Dr. Russell's formula. Yes. [Guards speaking Russian] The alarm. You had better go. I need a miracle. You've got 12 hours. But Mr. Tretiak's rally is tonight. Can you make it work? Make it work. GUARD: What is wrong here? BOTVIN: Uh, the alarm... Uh...uh... I tripped. [Russian accent] You are Nikolai Petrovich. You are Nikolai Provovich-- Petrovich. [Doorbell buzzes] Tunnel built by KGB... Leads to machine room in Kremlin. SIMON: Do you know where the president's quarters are? FRANKIE: President Karpov is there. But there are many guards, so I suggest-- An alternate route? Money. Now. SIMON: Oh, ye of little faith. NEWSWOMAN: Russia stands tonight... on the brink of a second revolution. As the number of deaths from freezing mounts... hundreds of thousands of protesters... have taken to the streets. Even as Russian President Karpov... is promising a mysterious solution... to the crippling heating-oil shortage... troops opposed to the elected government... and led by General Leo Sklarov... have begun to ring the Russian capital city. Angry, frightened citizens... are gathering outside the Kremlin in Red Square... but they're not braving the bitter cold... for yet another political rally. They've been drawn here by the promise of a revelation... whatever that may be... in what's become a life-and-death struggle... for the future of democracy in Russia. [Protesters shouting in Russian] [Door shuts] SIMON: Mr. President? I'm your friend. KARPOV: What do you want? I want to help you to destroy Tretiak. I need you to listen for about 30 seconds. I'm all right. Stay outside. Please, continue. Tonight you'll stand trial in Red Square before the world. Whatever Tretiak accuses you of, I need you to admit to it. Agree with this criminal? If you want to destroy Tretiak...yes. Gruschev, take Mr. Karpov downstairs. The wife stays here. [Mrs. Karpov speaking Russian] Get your hands off! What you are doing is illegal! The people won't stand for it! The people are too cold to stop it. Who are you? CROWD: Tretiak! Tretiak! Tretiak! [Crowd cheering] Friends... countrymen... Russians! You heard about this morning's sensational events. Many shocking documents were recovered... from the president's secret files... locked within his private safe. The documents which will be published in today's papers... prove that the traitor Karpov... was about to steal over 40 trillion... of our precious Russian rubles... in a reckless scheme to save his hide! To add insult... millions of dollars were to be paid... to this international criminal! [Crowd reacting] TRETIAK: And for what was your president... hoping to bankrupt our national treasury? What you see is a fairy tale called cold fusion. You pass electric current into the machine... and there is supposed to be a chemical reaction. Watch. [Beep] It can't even light up a tiny light bulb! Do you dare deny this, Mr. Karpov? KARPOV: Absolutely not! I proudly admit it! TRETIAK: But enough puny failure. Failure's in the past! Begging is behind us! The balance of power is about to shift! Miracle one. CROWD: Karpov! Karpov! Karpov! Karpov! Karpov! Karpov! Karpov! Karpov! Karpov! Karpov! Karpov! Karpov! Karpov! Karpov! Karpov! Karpov! Karpov! Karpov! TRETIAK: Ilya! Ilya! ILYA: Go! Go! Go, go, go! SKLAROV: I order all troops loyal to mother Russia... to seize the criminal Tretiak! A thousand apologies, Mr. President. There was a miscommunication in the chain of command. [Thinking] Miracle two. NEWSWOMAN: The billionaire industrialist and his son... were taken to the infamous Lubyanka prison... where they await trial along with General Leo Sklarov. Moscow woke today to the forgotten sensation of warmth... as millions of gallons of heating oil... flowed from a storage depot beneath Tretiak's mansion. INSPECTOR: He made no threat to contact you in the future? EMMA: He never had the chance. You'll tell us if he makes contact? EMMA: Yes. Which he may well do. He's a proper rogue. Which he may well do. He's a proper rogue. He charms women, this so-called Saint. It seems it's his stock in trade. No offense. Well, I am offended. All I got from this Saint... was a series of near-death experiences. Count yourself lucky. I have a very important conference I must prepare for. INSPECTOR: We understand. You have a life. WOMAN: We appreciate your taking the time. EMMA: No problem. INSPECTOR: She's in love with him. [Giggling] SIMON: I wanted to call you and tell you everything. It hasn't been safe. EMMA: I couldn't stop thinking about you. SIMON: So...have you been busy? EMMA: Yeah. I've been working real hard. Thank God I have my cards back. SIMON: You don't believe in this cold fusion mumbo jumbo? You know, you're a very pretty lady. EMMA: Oh, my God. That was you? SIMON: That's who I thought Dr. Russell would like. I thought you were some old biddy... not some gorgeous soon-to-be-trillionaire. You know you're going to be the richest woman in the world. EMMA: I am? SIMON: Why do you think I'm hanging around? -Emma. -Yeah? My life is very strange. I just... I don't do anything normal. I'm--l can't even-- I know. I know you. I know your life. -What do you want? -l want you. For how long? It doesn't matter. Tell me you love me. l--l love you. Simon. I love you, Simon. Miracle three. EMMA: Dear Simon... the pin is something I've kept for years. A graduation gift from Catholic school. But don't worry. You don't have to wear it. I just wanted you to have something of mine... something I loved. Simon, if sainthood requires three miracles... then I'd say you've made it, my love... and so I hope you'll understand. Last night, it became clear what I have to do this morning. I'm going to give cold fusion to the world. It's the only way, if we're ever together again... that I'll know it's for you, and you'll know it's for me. If cold fusion is free, then you and I will be free. If you think giving away everything before the world... preventing us from making an unimaginable fortune... will accomplish anything... you're absolutely right. Simon, what are you doing here? There are police. They're everywhere. I wouldn't miss it for the world. -You wore the pin. -Of course. You better go. How will I find you? [Giggles] I'll find you. You found me. [Applause] Although our next speaker requires no introduction... after last week's Moscow fireworks... please let me welcome Dr. E.J. Russell. SIMON: Excuse me. Is this seat taken? No. CHAIRMAN: Dr. Russell? You don't believe in all this cold fusion mumbo jumbo, do you? EMMA: Thank you. Good morning. INSPECTOR: No. We all know cold fusion has had a... a difficult childhood. Those of us in the field are orphans... bastards, at best. But difficult childhoods make the most interesting adults. I know most of you thought that cold fusion... SIMON: I'm her biggest fan. I think she's a fox. Look at that. EMMA: Even though some of you may feel... EMMA: Even though some of you may feel... that its practical application is still somewhat speculative... I've come here today to share how that dream is slowly... becoming a reality. Yes, it may take years to finally learn... SIMON: Look at the time. Got to go. EMMA: ...stabilize its power, but with your help... we can all work towards making the--the... dream of cold fusion finally come true. Quickly! We got him! Hyah! INSPECTOR: Hands behind your back! Got you, you slippery-- MAN: What's going on? Damn! REPORTER: Donations totaling three billion dollars... were made today to the Red Cross.... the Salvation Army... and the United Nations Children's Fund. The funds were wired from the account... of jailed Russian tycoon Ivan Tretiak. In other philanthropic news... a nonprofit research foundation... has been established to develop cold fusion technology... funded with an anonymous donation... and to be headed by Russian physicist Dr. Lev Botvin. The E.J. Russell Foundation... is charged to develop inexpensive... SIMON LE BON: [Singing] Light a candle. Lay flowers at the door... for those who're left behind... and the ones who've gone before. Here it comes now... sure as silence follows rain... the taste of you upon my lips... the fingers in my brain. Ever gentle... as it kills me where I lay... who am I to resist? Who are you to fail? Got to get you out of my mind... but I can't escape from the feeling... as I try to leave the memory behind. Without you, what's left to believe in? I'm so sorry... for the way it had to go. Now I feel your presence... in a way I could not know... and I wonder... do you ever feel the same? In the spilling darkness... do you ever hear my name? Got to get you out of my mind... but I can't escape from the feeling... as l... try to leave the memory behind. Without you, what's left to believe in? Deep in the back of your mind... Deep in the back of your mind... And how could you dare... to come so close... when you're just a ghost to me? And I've got to get you out of my mind... but I can't escape from the feeling... as l... try to leave the memory behind. Without you, what's left to believe in? Here in the back of your mind... [Ballad begins] CRYSTAL: [Singing] It's just black-and-white... or color. Those postcards... sent from heaven... says, "Make the most... "of never-never." Horizon starts right here. The future's always near... and l... I know this time... is borrowed. I try to remember and forget my sorrow... celluloid... monochrome... or color. Don't want to end in tears. I'll leave before my fears are found. Scared to love... wasted knowledge... into the brink... these four walls... are lost forever. I will never... be that clever. |
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