Part I: Men and Maggots
The sailors of the battleship Potemkin grow increasingly uneasy as war and revolution rock their native Russia. A sleeping sailor becomes the victim of unprovoked hostility by a petty officer intent on beating him. Seaman Vakulinchuk encourages revolution against the Tsar's oppressive regime by urging his fellow sailors to join their striking comrades back home on land. Come the morning, the situation only intensifies as the sailors react angrily to the maggot-infested meat which they are served. The ship’s doctor, Smirnov, inspects the meat and pronounces it fit for consumption as the fly larvae can merely be washed away. The senior officers order the dispersal of seaman before more protests can be lodged. Everybody dutifully performs their expected jobs without incident until the call for lunch, which is refused almost unanimously, the sailors opting instead for bread and canned food from the storeroom. The officers are angry, but can do little about the boycott. This section ends when a sailor who is doing the dishes smashes a plate emblazoned with the slogan “Give us this day our daily bread.”
Part Two: Drama on the Deck
Officers and crew assemble on the deck. The commander of the ship, Golikov, orders those who are satisfied with the ship’s food to step forward. Just a handful do and this sends Golikov into a rage culminating in a threat to executive the insubordinate sailors. He then calls up the guards to shoot a handful of the sailors as an example. One of the seaman breaks rank and urges the rest to move toward the gun turrets. This creates a tense standoff between the guards and the rebellious sailors while the officers become increasingly anxious. An Orthodox priest prays for those condemned to die and the order is given to fire. The firing squad does not shoot, however. A second order is given to fire, but Vakulinchuk suddenly appears and calls for the guards to realize they are shooting their own comrades and brothers. One by one, the Marine squad lowers their rifles. The sailors overrun the ship, overthrowing the officers and tossing Dr. Smirnov overboard. However, Vakulinchuk is shot and killed during the fight, and his body is brought to shore, where the sailors build a makeshift memorial on the pier of Odessa.
Part Three: The Dead Man Calls Out
Vakulinchuk’s memorial is observed by huge crowds of people in Odessa. He bears a sign reading “For a spoonful of borscht,” signifying the small but essential things for which the sailors and the people of Russia are fighting. The sailors succeed in making a martyr and hero of their fallen shipmate as the people of Odessa arrive to welcome the sailors home. There is a robust public debate amongst the people about how best to respond to these events, eventually leading the people to support the revolution. By doing this, they also draw the unwanted attention of the authorities.
Part Four: The Odessa Steps
The people of Odessa send fresh food and supplies to the Potemkin as a token of comradery. They gather at the top of the Odessa staircase to watch the ship and show their support for the sailors. Against this feeling of fellowship and comradeship hangs the watchful eye of the Tsar’s troops. Without warning, the troops attack the crowd and chase them down the Odessa steps, opening fire on all civilians—whether man, woman or child. Cossacks mounted on horses wait at the bottom of the staircase and join the assault, which turns into a crazed slaughter of the innocent. After the massacre, the crew of the Potemkin responds by bombarding the Tsarist headquarters at the Odessa theater.
Part Five: Rendezvous with the Squadron
Aboard ship, the citizens of Odessa call for the sailors to team up with the army in active and open rebellion against the Tsar. The Admiralty squadron has been sent after the Potemkin, however, and so the sailors decide to head out to sea to engage the battle there. Overnight, the ship slowly heads toward the squadron, and all of the sailors are extremely tense. The next day they approach each other, ready to fight. The sailors seem prepared for their impending likely deaths. But at the last moment, the crews of the enemy ships refuse to open fire and all the sailors rejoice in their mutual comradery as the Potemkin passes safely by the squadron.
