British Agent

British Agent

Year: 1934

Runtime: 80 mins

Language: English

Director: Michael Curtiz

DramaRomanceWar

In the months before the Russian Revolution, Stephen Locke, a junior British diplomat stationed in St. Petersburg, falls for a Russian spy. Torn between loyalty to her country, which demands she take a man's life, and her own yearning for love, she faces a dangerous choice.

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Timeline – British Agent (1934)

Trace every key event in British Agent (1934) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Rioting outside the consulate and a pivotal confrontation

In the days before the revolution, Elena Moura shoots it out with a Cossack as streets erupt with rioting. Stephen Locke intervenes to safeguard British extraterritorial rights, and a spark of attraction forms between them. Elena departs, leaving momentum for a future clash of loyalties.

Days before the Revolution Streets near the British consulate
2

First reunion and romance rekindled

After the upheaval, Elena returns as a Soviet official and reconnects with Stephen. They fall in love again, though their political loyalties are in tension. The romance grows amid the new power structure.

Shortly after Elena's return Moscow
3

Western diplomats evacuate; Stephen waits in limbo

Most Western diplomats evacuate the city as the Soviet state takes hold, leaving Stephen behind with only a servant, Poohbah Evans. He endures days of waiting for unclear instructions, sharing the limbo with fellow stranded diplomats. The isolation deepens his longing and frustration.

Immediately after revolution Diplomatic compound / Moscow
4

Elena rises in the Soviet government; romance deepens

Elena becomes a key member of the government, now working for Trotsky, and she and Stephen rekindle their romance. Their relationship becomes complicated by conflicting loyalties and political realities. The affair intensifies as they navigate competing priorities.

Shortly after Elena's return Moscow
5

Stephen learns UK aims and Elena's counterplay

Stephen receives a confidential directive from Britain to prevent a separate peace with Germany, and he reads it in Elena's hearing. Elena passes the information to her boss, exposing Stephen's unofficial status. The Soviet side begins to doubt his sincerity as negotiations grind forward.

When orders arrive Moscow
6

Archangel mission launched without his knowledge

Britain secretly dispatches a force to Archangel to fight alongside anti-Soviet elements, a move Stephen discovers only later. He remains unaware of the British action that shifts the war's balance on Russian soil. The strategic moves add tension to the diplomatic drama.

Shortly after the order incident Archangel, Russia
7

Tsar is executed; counterrevolution gains traction

Following the Tsar's execution, Medill, LeFarge and Del Val persuade Stephen to back counterrevolutionary forces. The move marks a dangerous turn as Western agents attempt to influence the internal conflict. Moscow becomes a theater of shifting allegiances.

After Tsar's execution Moscow
8

Lenin wounded; crackdown and deaths

Lenin survives a serious assassination attempt, triggering a harsh crackdown against anti-Soviet elements. LeFarge and Del Val are killed while contacting rebel leaders, and Medill is tortured for information on Stephen's whereabouts. The tension escalates quickly under the new danger.

During the crackdown following Lenin's shooting Moscow
9

Medill's capture and near execution

Medill refuses to reveal Stephen's location and is sentenced to die by firing squad. He endures torture as Elena, who loves Stephen, is pressured to uncover his friend's whereabouts. The stakes rise as loyalties are tested to the limit.

The day after capture Prison / interrogation site
10

Elena's covert move and the reprieve

Ordered to extract Stephen's whereabouts, Elena reluctantly feeds the address to Trotsky, who orders a building to be leveled. Elena sneaks in to die with Stephen, but the pair are reprieved when Lenin recovers and orders all political prisoners released. The moral compromise hangs in the balance.

During the crackdown Moscow, government building
11

Lenin's recovery and prisoners released; journey to Britain

Lenin's recovery prompts the release of imprisoned political figures, easing the crisis. Stephen and Elena decide to depart for Britain, signaling an end to their immediate peril. The political turbulence recedes enough to allow a departure.

Shortly after reprieve Moscow
12

Final farewell at the train station; bubble gum request

At the train platform, Stephen and Elena prepare to leave for Britain. Medill asks them to send him bubble gum as a quirky last request from the East. The couple's relationship ends for now as they step into an uncertain future.

At departure Train station

Last Updated: October 07, 2025 at 08:11

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