Original subtitles

[sighs]

[grunts]

Get up. We can't be late today.

There's no rush. He's just a man. You go. I'll be there later.

Is there a problem? Second thoughts?

No. It's just that, uh...

It's just that we both have a mutual passion

for making love and for making food,

but we don't want the sex to ruin everything.

Antonin Carême.

Let's be very clear.

I don't expect anything from you.

What's this?

[sighs]

Some old stuff.

Some old stuff?

-It's my life. -[box shuts]

What do you care?

Yeah. What do I care?

[door opens, closes]

CITY OF PARIS - BIRTH CERTIFICATE - HÔTEL DE GALLIFFET

"Marie-Antoine Carême, born June 8th at Galliffet..."

[Talleyrand] I want all of this cleaned up. Be careful.

Do you actually think that the Pope will believe you come here every day?

The Pope will stay at Galliffet for the coronation.

I must provide a place for him to pray.

You have convinced my husband that I should not be crowned empress.

No woman has ever been made an empress, never in the history of France.

Never in the history of France has a bishop married a whore.

But you succeeded. There's a first time for everything.

The Pope was reluctant to come.

He'll use any excuse possible to refuse to crown Bonaparte.

I'm not going to take any risks. Hmm?

Move these benches. Three feet that way.

Why is it that you hate me so much?

I don't hate you.

On the contrary.

All things considered, I admire how much you have achieved.

But now it is time to step aside.

You're no longer in a position to help your husband.

He shall become emperor and he will need a spouse

who can offer him alliances and a descendant.

My daughter, Hortense, is with child.

There's no need to worry about a descendant.

Then let us pray that it is a boy.

It'll be your last chance. Hmm?

I'll see you at lunch.

Prince.

There will be no coronation without me.

What? You believe in God?

Better to be sure than to be sorry.

This is not the time for prayer.

She's got some nerve. She just arrived five minutes ago.

At least she's here. Not like some others.

New recipe?

It's my birth certificate.

How would I know? I can't read.

Liliane, did you know I was born at Galliffet?

-I'm too busy right now. -How can you be too busy?

The Pope arrived early. We need your help to get things ready.

His Holiness, the Pope.

Madam Bonaparte.

Your Eminence.

Madam, your reputation precedes you.

-A positive reputation, I hope. -Mmm.

[Talleyrand] My son, Charles.

And my wife, Princess de Talleyrand-Périgord.

A married bishop and a father. That's original.

It's what your new philosophers consider progress, I'm sure.

The predecessor of Your Holiness had the magnanimity

to excommunicate me to be married.

You were not excommunicated because of your foible for women

but because you sold all the properties

belonging to the Church during the Revolution

instead of defending Rome's interests.

[servant] Madame Louis Bonaparte!

Hortense, what are you doing here in your current state?

Mother, I'm so happy to see you too.

I've come to greet His Holiness the Pope, like you.

I hoped for your blessing for my child.

Herein lies the future of France, the last fruit of the Bonapartes. Hmm.

Time to eat. You must be famished.

Hmm?

[Talleyrand] Antonin Carême, the best cook in France.

Unless I'm mistaken, it's Friday.

Yes, Friday.

White meat, fresh vegetables and fish.

A Friday meal served as per traditional Catholic rites.

My mouth waters quite simply by feasting this with my eyes.

Do I need to remind you, young man, that gluttony is a capital sin?

And if God gave me a talent, it must be to use it.

God gave you a talent and pride too, it appears.

But that particular gift may have come from your master.

For the moment, I prefer prayer to debauchery.

Where can I find your chapel?

[Catherine] I can take you.

Jesus was accompanied by Mary Magdalene.

Yes, but Mary Magdalene had repented.

I will accompany His Holiness.

-[Talleyrand clears throat] -I know the chapel.

Stop everything! No, that's enough.

-What do you mean, "that's enough"? -The Pope will not be eating.

But why not?

Carême, will you answer me, please?

It seems this is my only means.

What do you want from me?

This says that I was born here, here in Galliffet.

June 8th, 1783.

-You worked here? -Yes. So what?

You're not the first and not the last child born here.

[gasps]

Did you know I was born here?

Of course not.

I didn't know until I saw that portrait of your mother

on the medallion in your belongings.

Because you knew my mother?

Yes. She died while giving birth to you.

Tell me it's not him.

I see that you still have those dreams of grandeur.

Tell me he's not my father.

How would I know?

Where's the fucking medallion?

[breathing heavily]

[breathes heavily]

[drawer closes]

[glass shatters]

Father! Father!

Where is he?

-What's going on? -It's Hortense.

Your Holiness, I was just looking for you to finalize the plans together.

Ah, but, Prince, there can be no coronation.

The Pope cannot, in good conscience,

consider crowning a man who lives in sin with his mistress. Mmm?

Bonaparte and his wife are married in the eyes of the law.

But this has no value in the eyes of God.

Your Holiness, I'm begging you, please reconsider your decision.

[chuckles]

Mmm.

You let the French government nominate bishops in my place.

Catholic priests in France are now mere ordinary civil servants.

These humiliations I've endured because I want Catholics in France

to practice their faith openly and without fear.

But what you're asking me is impossible.

This time you've gone too far, Prince.

Hmm.

Prepare my luggage. We leave for Rome tomorrow.

She's just manipulating you. Don't you see?

Are you questioning the integrity of His Holiness?

You're not doing this just for the coronation.

You demand a church wedding

to prevent Bonaparte from divorcing without his permission.

But maybe I can persuade him to divorce you today.

Hmm? Right now, divorce is simply a formality.

Naturally.

And tomorrow you will crown a divorced emperor.

I didn't think you naive.

Not so naive, Madam.

I'm actually looking forward to advising him

that it was you who destroyed his coronation.

Then we will see if he thinks an imperial crown

is worth the same as your maggot-infested pussy!

I survived the Revolution's prisons because I knew

the only possibility of escaping the guillotine was to be pregnant.

We would beg the guards to fuck our pussies to survive,

and after we'd puncture our bellies to abort the fetuses!

Do you believe, Prince, your petty schemes threaten me?

Oh, bravo. I just love theater.

[breathing heavily, whimpering]

-She needs help, please! -She needs your doctor!

[Hortense screaming]

[straining]

Push harder.

[sobbing]

[doctor] I'll need your opinion, gentlemen.

-I'm concerned for Madam's safety. -[doctor 2] Madame is young...

Have you ordered them to murder my daughter?

They know what they are doing.

-[door opens] -They're doing nothing.

My darling. We will have you moved home immediately.

No.

[crying]

Louis, stop this foolishness.

Come, Louis.

[Catherine] Gentlemen. This way.

[Joséphine] Catherine, I don't want to see you here.

Be quiet.

[Hortense panting]

-[shushes] -[heavy breathing]

[groans]

[speaking Tamil]

-[in English] What did she say? -She said...

the baby's body is inverted.

The baby is in breech position, cross-legged, with feet on the buttocks.

And none of you have ever given a vagina the attention it deserves,

and that if we let them continue...

then the mother and child will die.

-But can she do better? -She delivered my daughter.

And she will continue to deliver all the children of those I care for.

Thank you.

You will thank me when we're done.

Have these gentlemen sent home and bring us some women.

[Hortense whimpering]

[pope] Only priests are permitted to approach the altar.

I have come to pray for that poor young woman.

And you?

I'm not sure.

Is this an offering? Do you mind?

Mmm.

What did you expect in return?

Holy Father,

-please, can you... -[clicks tongue]

"Your Holiness, may I ask you..."

Your Holiness, may I ask you to hear my confession?

[Hortense screaming]

She tried to turn the baby. She did not succeed.

-We must prepare for the worst. -[screaming continues]

Hurry up. Help her.

[Hortense sobbing]

[screaming]

[groaning]

Now you must make a choice.

Save Hortense or the baby.

No.

No, no.

No, no, no, no.

No! No, no, no, no, no.

[groaning]

A mother would save her child.

But an empress would save her heir.

[Hortense whimpering]

No. Save my daughter.

[Hortense] No!

No!

-My baby! Please, save my baby! -[shushes]

Save my baby, please!

-[Hortense crying] -[shushes]

[Hortense] My baby!

My baby!

Please, I'm begging you! Save my baby, please!

My baby...

[Carême] Your Holiness.

If a man commits evil deeds...

am I not doing a good deed if I kill him?

Christ says that as Christians faced with evil, we must do good.

What if this man destroys everything?

Myself included?

Ever since I met this man,

he has corrupted me.

Continue.

My hands are covered in blood.

I unwittingly participated in an attack.

An innocent man died because of me.

I have manipulated.

I've betrayed.

I have lied.

I've disappointed everyone.

[pope] Continue.

And what if, if I do nothing,

am I not an accomplice to his future crimes?

His future crimes?

There will be more. For sure.

All the pain he inflicts...

he says he does it for the good of France.

For the good of France...

You admire him?

He might be my father.

[pope sighs]

And you fear you'll be like him.

My son, if the pain is too much to bear,

maybe you should break the bond between you.

He's a very powerful man.

Yet even the powerful shall be subject to divine justice,

and shall be punished.

Sometimes it happens

that in his infinite wisdom, our Lord chooses one from among us

to become the instrument of his vengeance.

Killing one's own father, wouldn't that be to commit mortal sin?

The Lord Almighty sacrificed his only son.

Many times, the greatest decisions require the greatest courage.

And then if the sinner repents sincerely...

your Pope has the power to absolve you.

[door opens]

[Agathe] Carême.

Thank you, Your Holiness.

My son...

The mighty are always on their guard,

except this once when at the peak of their glory.

At that moment, they think they are invincible.

They are wrong.

The potion.

They need your potion.

-The laudanum? -Yes.

There's no more.

Hortense needs it. She's in too much pain.

[Hortense sighs]

Holy Father, bless my child.

Whatever happens.

[whimpering]

Take it.

It didn't have time to macerate.

So I decided to add some opium to produce the same effect.

I hope she pulls through.

Thanks, Carême.

[Agathe] This is for the pain.

[speaking Tamil]

[Hortense sighs]

[in English] She says your hands are small enough to turn the baby around.

[speaking Tamil]

[Catherine, in English] You're our last chance to save the mother and child.

[Agathe] I've never done this before.

[speaking Tamil]

[sighs]

[water pours]

[Hortense whimpers]

[grunts, coughs]

[groans]

[whimpers]

-[in English] It's a boy. -[baby cries]

[baby wails]

The mother?

She's fine.

Louis, you may enter.

[speaks Tamil]

[baby gurgles]

[in English] All is well that ends well.

[baby cries]

[Hortense chuckles]

[door closes]

We need to talk.

Leave us.

What do you want?

I know you believe this child is a problem.

[Talleyrand chuckles]

But for me it's an opportunity.

My own cook who persists on giving me his opinion on politics.

Such a lucky man.

You know, this child,

it changes everything.

Obviously.

For the moment, he is Bonaparte's only heir.

And it's thanks to Joséphine.

He's not going to abandon her.

Unless, of course, the boy's real father is not Louis.

Really? And what would that change?

Even if it was the Pope, he'd still be Bonaparte's heir.

It's your own son, Charles. He put the child in her.

It's your own blood that one day will sit on the throne.

Not bad, huh?

That should be enough for you to bury the hatchet with Joséphine.

[Talleyrand chuckles]

You'd be wise to make her empress.

You'll do anything to cook for this coronation.

Anything.

And assassinate your worst enemy.

That's the plan.

[door slams]

[birdsong]

It's your prayers that saved us, Your Holiness.

Maybe it was your pugnacity.

Would the Holy Father accept to celebrate

the marriage of Madame and Bonaparte later today?

As you can see, I am ready to leave.

I realized I cannot do this without you.

You, sir, will continue plotting until you draw your last breath?

You admonished me for selling the Church's assets to the revolutionaries.

And what if France compensated you?

[scoffs]

Is this your attempt at corrupting me?

No. In fact, it's my attempt at repentance.

You never stop, do you?

Your Holiness, I believe my husband is prepared to repent.

How moving it is to see two people who just yesterday were fighting

suddenly reconciled by the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

It is proof that the birth of a child can change the world.

One must admit, you look magnificent.

Thank you.

I can't wait.

The ceremony will be unforgettable, and the wedding night...

intoxicating.

[Catherine] Mmm.

Surprising, isn't it, that two people with so much contempt for each other

would have so much in common.

Two women who succeeded in a man's world.

[Catherine] Mmm.

In this game of chess, our husbands think they are kings.

[chuckles] But forget that the queen is the most important piece.

[chuckles]

The most powerful piece.

[baby gurgles]

-[Hortense] Hello. -[Charles chuckles]

[gurgling continues]

Your father wishes to see you.

We will be celebrating the church wedding of Joséphine and Bonaparte.

Is that good news?

Absolutely. [chuckles]

And I believe we have you to thank for it?

Will you not tell him what you just told me? Hmm?

[chuckles]

What, the cat got your tongue?

Are you feeling guilty, maybe?

-You betrayed me? You son of a... -Silence!

You've disgraced yourself, your station and your lineage!

-Father... -That thing between your legs

could have cost us dearly.

My career.

My life. All of our lives.

Imagine.

Imagine what Joséphine would do if she finds out.

And one of these days, she will find out.

What have I done to deserve a son that is so completely different to me?

[door slams]

[Talleyrand sighs]

If only you knew how disappointing you are.

Deep down, you know that I'm right.

[Carême sighs]

[door opens]

You've come back?

[chuckles]

[sighs]

[kissing]

[sighs]

Thank you.

Don't worry, I'm fine.

Thank you.

No.

[Carême, Henriette panting]

[kissing]

Subtitling: DUBBING BROTHERS