Patriot

Patriot

In Imperial Russia, Tsar Paul I rules through fear, paranoia, and erratic cruelty. A tyrant haunted by dread, Paul lives in constant suspicion of everyone around him, believing that he, like some of his ancestors, is doomed to be assassinated. Despite his mistrustful nature, he places intermittent trust in one man: Count Pahlen, his Prime Minister. Pahlen skillfully manages the emperor like a child, maintaining an unassailable political position. Privately, Pahlen is in love with Countess Ostermann, the wife of a military officer. Their affair is interrupted when her husband unexpectedly returns. As he picks up one of Pahlen's boots to hurl it out the window in a rage, he is shot and killed by a Cossack guard—one of the Tsar's decrees forbids anyone from being visible at a window during his passage. While Pahlen is deeply loyal to Russia, he is also tormented by the suffering Paul inflicts on the nation. Torn between duty and patriotism, he determines to bring about the Tsar's downfall. He recruits Stephan, a soldier recently punished by Paul for minor uniform violations, promising him vengeance and assigning him as his bodyguard. At St. Michael's Castle, Paul obsesses over trivialities like the number of gaiter buttons, while foreign and domestic affairs languish. Meanwhile, Pahlen begins to rally conspirators at court. He appeals to Crown Prince Alexander, an idealist who dreams of a better Russia.

Director

Ernst Lubitsch

Release

17 Aug 1928

Run time

113 min

Language

English