Anastasia

Your Highness...

There was a time, not very long ago,

when we lived in an enchanted world

of elegant palaces and grand parties.

The year was 1916

and my son Nicholas

was the Czar of lmperial Russia.

Hello, darling.

We were celebrating the 300th anniversary of our family's rule.

And, that night, no star burned brighter than that of our sweet Anastasia,

my youngest granddaughter.

She begged me not to return to Paris,

so I had a very special gift made for her to make the separation easier for both of us.

For me? Is it ajewellery box?

Dimitri. You belong in the kitchen.

Look.

It plays our lullaby.

You can play it at night before you go to sleep

and pretend that it's me singing.

On the wind

'Cross the sea

Hear this song and remember

Soon you'll be home with me

Once upon a December

Read what it says.

"Together in Paris."

Really? Oh, Grandmamma.

But we would never be together in Paris,

for a dark shadow had descended upon the house of the Romanovs.

His name was Rasputin.

We thought he was a holy man, but he was a fraud,

power-mad and dangerous.

How dare you return to the palace?

But I am your confidant.

Confidant? Hah!

You are a traitor. Get out!

You think you can banish the great Rasputin?

By the unholy powers vested in me, I banish you with a curse.

Mark my words.

You and your family will die within the fortnight.

I will not rest until I see the end of the Romanov line for ever!

Consumed by his hatred for Nicholas and his family,

Rasputin sold his soul for the power to destroy them.

Go.

Fulfil your dark purpose

and seal the fate of the Czar and his family

once and for all.

From that moment on, the spark of unhappiness in our country

was fanned into a flame that would soon destroy our lives for ever.

- Help! - Hurry, children.

- My music box. - Anastasia!

Come back! Come back!

Anastasia...

- Please, hurry. - Come this way. Out the servants' quarters.

- Hurry, Anastasia. - Rasputin, she's getting away.

- My music box. - Go! Go!

Comrades, in here!

Where are they, boy?

- Grandmamma... - Keep up with me, darling.

- Rasputin! - Let me go. Please!

You'll never escape me, child. Never!

Bartok!

Master!

Anastasia, hurry. Hurry.

- Grandmamma! - Here, take my hand.

- Hold onto my hand. - Don't let go!

Anastasia.

Anastasia!

So many lives were destroyed that night.

What had always been was now gone for ever.

And my Anastasia, my beloved grandchild,

I never saw her again.

Saint Petersburg is gloomy

Saint Petersburg is bleak

My underwear got frozen standing here all week

Since the Revolution our lives have been so grey

Thank goodness for the gossip that gets us through the day

Have you heard there's a rumour in Saint Petersburg?

Have you heard what they're saying on the street?

Although the Czar did not survive, one daughter may be still alive

The Princess Anastasia

But please do not repeat

It's a rumour, a legend, a mystery

Something whispered in an alleyway or through a crack

It's a rumour that's part of our history

They say her royal grandmamma will pay a royal sum

To someone who can bring the princess back

- Vlad! - Dimitri.

A rouble for this painting

It's Romanov, I swear

Count Yusupov's pyjamas - comrades, buy the pair

I got this from the palace, it's lined with real fur

It could be worth a fortune if it belonged to her

Well, Dimitri, I got us a theatre.

Everything's going according to plan. All we need is the girl.

Just think, Vlad, no more forging papers, no more stolen goods.

We'll have three tickets out of here: One for you, one for me and one for Anastasia.

It's the rumour, the legend, the mystery

It's the Princess Anastasia who will help us fly

You and I, friend, will go down in history

We'll find a girl to play the part and teach her what to say

Dress her up and take her to Paree

lmagine the reward her dear old grandmamma will pay

Who else could pull it off but you and me?

- We'll be rich - We'll be rich

- We'll be out - We'll be out

And Saint Petersburg will have some more to talk about

Have you heard there's a rumour in Saint Petersburg?

Have you heard what they're saying on the street?

Have you heard there's a rumour in Saint Petersburg?

Have you heard? Comrades, what do you suppose?

- A fascinating mystery - The biggest con in history

The Princess Anastasia

Alive or dead?

Who knows? Sh!

I got you ajob in the fish factory.

You go down this path till you get to the fork in the road. Go left...

Bye!

- Are you listening? - Bye, everybody!

I'm listening, Comrade Phlegmenkoff.

You've been a thorn in my side since you were brought here.

Acting like the Queen of Sheba instead of the nameless no-account you are.

For the last ten years, I've fed you, I've clothed you, I've...

Kept a roof over my head.

How is it you don't have a clue who you were before you came to us,

but you can remember all that?

- I do have a clue to... - Ach! I know.

"Together in Paris."

So, you want to go to France to find your family?

Little Miss Anya, it's time to take your place in life.

In life and in line.

And be grateful, too.

"Together in Paris"!

Be grateful.

"Be grateful, Anya."

I am grateful. Grateful to get away!

"Go left" she says.

Well, I know what's to the left. I'll be "Anya the orphan" for ever.

But if I go right, maybe I could find...

Whoever gave me this necklace must have loved me.

This is crazy. Me? Go to Paris?

Send me a sign!

A hint!

Anything!

I don't have time to play right now, OK? I'm waiting for a sign.

Would you please leave me alone? Gimme that back.

Oh, great. A dog wants me to go to Saint Petersburg.

OK, I can take a hint.

Heart, don't fail me now

Courage, don't desert me

Don't turn back

Now that we're here

People always say

Life is full of choices

No one ever mentions fear

Or how the world can seem so vast

On ajourney

To the past

Somewhere down this road

I know someone's waiting

Years of dreams just can't be wrong

Arms will open wide

I'll be safe and wanted

Finally home where I belong

Well, starting now

I'm learning fast

On this journey

To the past

Home, love, family

There was once a time I must have had them, too

Home, love, family

I will never be complete

Until I find you

One step at a time

One hope, then another

Who knows where this road may go?

Back to who I was

On to find my future

Things my heart still needs to know

Yes, let this be a sign

Let this road be mine

Let it lead me to my past

And bring me home

At last

- One ticket to Paris, please. - Exit visa.

- Exit visa? - No exit visa, no ticket!

See Dimitri. He can help.

- Where can I find him? - At the old palace.

But you didn't hear it from me.

- Go, go, go. - Dimitri...

Nice. Nice. Very nice.

- And I look like princess. - OK...

- I dance like a feather. - Thank you. Thank you. Next, please.

Grandma, it's me.

Anastasia.

Oh, brother.

That's it, Dimitri. Game over.

Our last kopeck gone for this flea-infested theatre

and still no girl to pretend to be Anastasia.

We'll find her, Vlad. She's here somewhere, right under our noses.