Young Catherine (1991 TV Movie)

Julia Ormond: Catherine

Quotes 

• [Catherine's betrothed, the Grand Duke, is ill] 

  Catherine : Did you know, after two months, hardly anyone has spoken to me. It's as if I didn't exist!

  Sir Charles : Well, my dear, you hardly do. You are, I hesitate to say it, on the very brink of extinction. If the Grand Duke should die, you become the tiniest footnote to history. Everyone at Court knows that. But if he lives, however, you would certainly find yourself surrounded by thousands of new friends again, fawning all over you like puppies.

  Catherine : And you?

  Sir Charles : Ah, well. I am a foreigner, and an old man. I can afford the luxury of true friendship.

• Grand Duke Peter : I said no mourning!

  Catherine : I am told that black becomes me. And I mourn. I mourn for a woman who once loved Russia, and I mourn for the Russia she loved.

  Grand Duke Peter : To the royal family!

  Catherine : Pray, tell the Grand Duke Peter, that the royal family consists of he, myself, and the Grand Duke Paul, our son. That is all.

  Grand Duke Peter : You are a fool!

  Catherine : Every court has its clown, don't you think?

• Catherine's Father : Now, have you finished your Geography lesson?

  Catherine : It's boring.

  Catherine's Father : Without learning, my dear, we are as beasts of the field.

• Frederick the Great : Accept the gift from the hand of the loves and graces. A king's offering. Fit for a queen.

  Catherine : Out of the strong came full sweetness.

  Frederick the Great : Who wrote that? Voltaire? Shakespeare? Or me?

  Catherine : It comes from the Bible, sir.

  Frederick the Great : Oh. Bravo!

• Catherine : May I try a little vodka, Mama?

  Johanna : Certainly not!

  Count Gregory Orlov : It would do her good, Your Highness. With a little water, of course. We have an old Russian toast: May your heart be light and your purse be heavy.

• Count Gregory Orlov : Your Highness, please remember, that if ever you need them, both my sword and my life are your's to command.

  Catherine : I will remember that. Always.

• Catherine : He never consults you, does he, on affairs of State?

  Johanna : Why should he? That's a man's work.

  Catherine : Is it? Russia is ruled by a woman, England has been, so has Sweden?

• Grand Duke Peter : Its nice to have a friend. I don't have many friends to play with. Do you like playing hide-n-seek?

  Catherine : [giggles]  Well, I used to when I was...

  Grand Duke Peter : Good! Then you'll know the rules.

• Catherine : I owe it to Papa.

  Johanna : But, you risk everything.

  Catherine : When I meet him again, in this world or the next, I want to be able to look at him, I promised him, I did not risk my soul for a crown - however great.

• Sir Charles : So, you are about to embrace the Orthodox faith, are you?

  Catherine : I am considering it.

  Sir Charles : Well, of course, you must. You must! And with a clean conscious. You know they say in the Reformed Church of England, it was born in Henry the Eighth's codpiece.

• Sir Charles : God, my dear, is very forgiving. It's his job.

  Catherine : I suppose it is.

  Sir Charles : Of course it is! And as the scriptures put it, "He moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform." So, who are we to say that you will not be part of his grand design for Russia!

• Catherine : What do I do? What happens?

  Princess Deshkova : I don't know.

  Catherine : I've never seen a naked man.

  Princess Deshkova : Neither have I. I know they're different.

• Princess Deshkova : Good luck. I mean it must be fun or people wouldn't talk and write about it so much.

  Catherine : I just wish they wrote about what actually happens.

• Catherine : If I'm going to play Chess, it is not as a pawn.

  Princess Deshkova : As a Queen?

• Empress Elizabeth : Over two years - and there is not the single sign of your fulfilling your primary function: to give Russia an heir!

  Catherine : Your Majesty, I have tried...

  Empress Elizabeth : Ah, tsck-tsck-tsck-tsck-tsck! The Court is full of the stories of the Grand Duke's conquests. Yet, you have totally failed in your duties. You are attractive. Clearly, you are resisting his advances. Either that or there's something physically wrong with you. You will be examined today by my personal physician. Go!

• Catherine : I don't know what to do?

  Empress' Confidante : There are other men. I can help. You take a lover. You become pregnant. Everyone is happy. Your husband would think it was his. Who's to know? You should think about it. Think about it most carefully.

• Count Gregory Orlov : You don't know what you're saying. You're offering to fulfill my wildest dreams.

  Catherine : I did hope you would feel something for me.

• Count Gregory Orlov : To me, you're everything a man could desire - could love. To you, I'm a stud. Your husband, the Grand Duke Peter, surely...

  Catherine : He hates me. And I don't think of you as a stud. That's not how I think of you. Not at all. I want you - to love me. I need to feel your strength.

  [passionate kiss] 

• Catherine : Apart from Papa, you're the first man who ever kissed me.

  Count Gregory Orlov : The world is full of fools.

  Catherine : You do know what to do, don't you?

  Count Gregory Orlov : Yes. Yes, I do.

  Catherine : I want you to teach me everything you know.

  Count Gregory Orlov : I will. I promise. But, have a little patience.

  Catherine : I'm not feeling very patient.

• Princess Deshkova : But, did it hurt?

  Catherine : Well, a little bit, the first time.

  Princess Deshkova : You did it more than once?

  Catherine : Yes. He has a head of God and the body of an athlete.

• Catherine : If I get pregnant, can we go on meeting?

  Count Gregory Orlov : For awhile, of course.

  Catherine : I just never want this to end.

• Princess Deshkova : How do you manage to be with him so often?

  Catherine : That's easy. Most of the day Peter is out drilling his soldiers.

• Grand Duke Peter : Can you take disciple?

  Catherine : If - - if it is necessary.

  Grand Duke Peter : Every soldier must, if I order it.

  [removes the military jacket Catherine's wearing, unsheathes his sword, uses it to spank Catherine's behind, she says nothing] 

  Grand Duke Peter : Good.

  [he spanks her again] 

  Grand Duke Peter : Good!

  [feels Catherine's buttock] 

  Grand Duke Peter : And warm.

• Sir Charles : May I give you a piece of advice?

  Catherine : You know you can.

  Sir Charles : Keep all your friends in the Army - and never turn your back on the Vorontsovs. I've seen burning ambition in my time; but, theirs - gives out a heat - the like of which - I have never felt before.

• Catherine : How can I thank you?

  Sir Charles : By becoming ruler of all the Russias. This is a great country. It deserves someone like you. You could bring it light and learning. You could take it out of the dark ages. Forever! Do it.

• Catherine : Each and every one of you who's served in this noble regiment have been forced to watch in silence as he brings foreign troops to the soil of Holy Mother Russia. Have been forced to watch in silence as he throws away your victory.

• Catherine : What is past, cannot be rewritten. But, it is in our power to write the future! Today, I appeal to you to cast him out. Root out this evil. And restore the true Russia!

• Count Gregory Orlov : I don't think you should sleep in this room.

  Catherine : Very well. Just as long as you come to me.

  Count Gregory Orlov : I promise, I will.

• Catherine : Why you? I know why. But, what a sacrifice for us both.