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Thank you.

I dream only of you

My dear granddaughter,

I am writing because I feel that I did not answer your questions.

In the first place, you should know

that not one day,

not one night,

my thoughts have left Georges, your father.

My beloved son,

whom I forced to leave France for his safety's sake.

I want you to understand that everything I've told you,

happened at a tragic moment in our country's history.

I think that, in order to open my heart to you,

a letter will spare us an overflow of emotions,

an the tears that'd go with it.

- Mrs Reichenbach? - Yes.

- Hello. - Hello.

I am Joachim Ascher.

At your service.

Thank you.

It's me who was appointed to manage this falconer's house.

OK.

Strange, isn't it?

However, it was constructed by Reichsführer Himmler,

for hunting and watching animals.

Come in, Mr Blum is eager to see you again.

If I didn't leave with Georges,

it's because I realised the dangers Léon was facing.

The man for whom I had decided long ago

to sacrifice everything.

Three years earlier

I took these decisions in Bordeaux.

When he deserted from the German army,

my second husband rented an apartment there,

while he considered his future.

It's not bad.

Right, anyway, it's temporary.

- We won't stay here forever. - I hope so.

They fled from France.

And we, what are we going to do?

We'll see, we'll figure it out.

It's the war, not the end of the world.

We'll adapt.

I'll get tickets for New York.

Doesn't work.

See your room, it's at the end.

- I have the address of dad's hotel. - Very good, take your suitcase.

My first husband, Georges' father,

left Paris for Bordeaux,

at the end of May, 1940.

The city was invaded by thousands of refugees.

And by politicians, who followed the government.

There was indescribable chaos in the streets.

In the hotels, there was no vacancy.

Those who had obtained authorisation to sleep in the corridors,

were considered privileged.

Hello.

Eh, master Henri Torres?

That's here.

- Are you Jeanne? - Yes.

Pleased to meet you, Vera Korène.

Likewise, Jeanne Reichenbach

Our son, Plouf.

Stop that mama, it's Georges.

Ah, that's sweet and delicate.

Especially when you're 17.

I know you, you're an actress, right?

Didn't you play in Tamara la Complaisante? Not bad.

Ach, I've played better parts.

At the Comédie Française.

Sorry, I don't go to the theatre.

- But Henri is crazy about actresses. - Are you talking bad about me?

No.

Your wife isn't with you?

Ah, she flew away.

To Algiers on the Saint-Exupéry plane. Not bad.

That's good. After all, you never could keep a woman.

Remember, you wanted a divorce.

I was fine with just the two of us and our son.

Well, we were never "Just the two of us",

your friends, mistresses, poker all night,

If you go settling scores, I'd rather leave.

I've a ticket for you, to Brazil.

Brazil? Why Brazil?

Because it's not at war, and we have family there.

What will we do there? Me, I want to fight.

It's from abroad that one plans for reconquest.

I remind you that your name is Torres and there are 70 million Germans

who don't like Jewish names.

True, he is right, when are you flying?

Tonight, on the train to Lisbon.

There's a seat for you, Georges.

And you, what will you do?

I don't know yet. Reichenbach wants to go to New York.

That's the best thing to do.

That's your solution, go with your husband to America.

Right, I think everything is said.

Is it true what they say, your relationship with Léon Blum?

That's be swell, leave everything behind to follow an old political no-hoper.

Could be your father!

Come!

Careful Georges, this woman is out of control.

She's my mother.

And I am your father. You be here tonight at 8pm.

I didn't hear anything from Léon,

and I had no way to join him, I was despairing.

Thank you, Tipa.

Are you OK, Mr Blum?

Yes.

I'll manage, thank you.

The Defeat

I'm exhausted, went on all day.

Is there something to drink?

Yes.

I have the tickets for New York.

Ah, right.

- Did you see Torres? - Yes, I saw Torres.

He'll take care of things for Georges.

They will meet in Lisbon, and then, they'll be off to Brazil.

I didn't know that the government had retreated to Bordeaux.

I heard that Blum is in town,

if that's what you want to know.

Georges Mandel,

his old right-wing adversary,

wants him to convince the socialist ministers

to withdraw the executive branch to Algiers.

An why was it to Blum that he posed that question?

Perhaps because he is a providential man.

I'm not going to teach you that.

I have the address of his hotel,

but I doubt your farewell will be romantic.

But when are you leaving? For how long?

Why are you leaving?

There's talk of the government leaving for Algiers.

And why to Algiers?

Algiers, that's France without the Germans.

And right now, resisting means leaving.

Is that right?

Are you going out armed now?

It is Reichenbach's.

You don't need that to defend yourself.

It discourages those who prevent me from joining you.

You too, you will have to leave the country.

You're a Jew and rich, flaws in the France promised to us.

Your husband was right getting tickets to New York.

He may be right, but I can see further ahead.

I'm going with you to Algiers.

No. You will leave, but not with me.

Never! What are you afraid of?

What do you fear?

I could play at being your secretary.

But this is not a play. These are serious events.

Me too, I am serious.

The coming defeat will be terrible.

They will make me pay dearly for it.

Think of your son,

of your husband. Think of yourself.

When I think about myself, I think about you.

You're talking nonsense.

When I think of you, I think of myself.

No, don't make me authoritarian.

- I'm staying with you. - No Janot, no. You're leaving.

No, I'm not leaving. Are you kicking me out?

Yes!

You don't want me anymore?

- No. - I hate you.

Come. Didn't forget anything? Do you have all your stuff?

Sure. Don't make that face.

Soon we'll meet again. You to New York, me to Sao Paulo.

In America, we won't miss each other.

Yes, that's right, it's only 8,000 km.

In any case, I don't plan on staying there long.

I fully intend to return.

What do you mean, return? Why'd you want to return?

And weapons in hand.

I'm afraid for you. I'm afraid.

Mama, I beg you, don't worry. I'm leaving in order to better return.

I told you, and I will keep my word, OK?

No, don't come back. don't come back.

You're too much of a foreigner

to survive in the France that's being prepared for us.

And you, are you perhaps not?

OK, let's go?

Did George get to his father?

Yes.

Not too anxious?

No, not much. It surprised me, actually.

He was very determined, sure of himself.

It touched me.

Not so long ago, he was just a teenager.

Yes.

Hardships build character.

OK, everything ready here.

Departure New York, tomorrow morning, 4:30.

I'm not leaving.

I'm not leaving with you, I'm staying.

But, at this moment,

Blum is on his way to Algiers.

That's why I want to join him.

But the war is lost.

I don't believe for a moment in the future of this expedition.

I'm not asking you to believe anything.

It's just like that.

What do you see in him?

Nothing.

Everything.

He's the man I've been hoping for since I was a teenager.

You knew that. I never hid it, even before we got married.

He wasn't available.

Now, he's a widower.

If he lets you believe that you have a future together,

he's a swine.

Not for me.

- Are you expecting someone? - No.

- Who is there? - It's Georges.

What happened?

We were turned back before Spain. They made us get off.

We didn't have visas, they are in Lisbon.

Ah yes.

Go get some sleep.

Wait.

Your mother doesn't want to leave.

Come with me. Once there, we'll work it out.

It's horrible.

The more generous you are, the more my heart is dry.

I don't like being like this.

Because that's not like you.

Don't mistake this for generosity.

It's self-preservation.

I want to see you in good shape when the war is over.

Here, the keys to the safe deposit box at the bank.

I've left a power of attorney in your name,

with instructions to give what is necessary to my Jewish employees.

In case of problems, you have my mother's address in Genève.

The owners of the apartment agree that you may use it as much as you wish.

The taxi is on the street.

I hope, my dear, that this is not farewell.

Have a good life, Mom.

Take care of yourself, my darling.

A page was turning for me,

but how could I imagine that I would be happy

in the midst of the disaster that was befalling the country?

You are here!

- I feared that you'd have left. - But I have left.

We left for Port-Vendres to take a boat to Algiers.

On the way, we learn that boarding is cancelled,

and it will be in Verdon, at the mouth of the Gironde.

So we set off full speed with Tiffa,

but when arriving in Verdon, the boat had just left.

But... you haven't left either.

No, as you see.

I disobeyed you. I stayed.

You just do what your head tells you.

In my head, there's only you.

My friend Montel offered to put me up.

My daughter-in-law Renée and her daughter Catherine will...

But did you miss me or not?

I didn't really think about it, no.

And now, do you think about it, Blum?

Now?

- Ladies and gentlemen. - What's the matter?

It's an alarm, leave the rooms please.

Leave the rooms.

Are the Germans already here?

No. It's bullying.

- Is that right? - Yes, this too, is bullying.

I loved this man more and more.

And my carelessness made me forget my guilt.

Hello, Léon.

Eugène, hello.

You were fast. We didn't expect you so early.

This is Jeanne, my secretary.

- Nice to meet you. - Very pleased.

- Sophie, my wife. - Hello, ma'am.

And Michelle and Vincent Auriol, eager to see you again.

- Hello, Michelle. - Hello, Léon.

- Hi, Vincent. - Hello, Léon.

You know Jeanne, my secretary.

- Minister. - Call me Vincent.

- Mrs Auriol. - Nice to meet you.

- Léon. - Yes?

Renée, your daughter-in-law arrived from Genève with her daughter.

Ah, Renée...

- And Catherine. - Father,

- how are you? - Very well, and you?

- I'm happy to see you again. - Me too.

And you, my little Catherine, how are you?

Well, grandfather, but I'm very exhausted.

No. Not "very exhausted", because exhausted already means very tired.

Okay?

It's true that the trip was very tiresome.

Three stopovers with endless waiting.

She didn't sleep.

- Did you hear from your husband? - No.

I believe you know each other.

Yes, we've met before.

Hello.

You have grown.

- Hello. - Hello.

We are wonderfully well here.

It doesn't feel like we're at war.

But the war is over.

Pétain signed the armistice, so he wants to destroy the Republic.

All available members of parliament are summoned to Vichy.

So...

We have to show them that we still exist.

We must make ourselves heard,.

as long as there is a parliament with democratic debate.

- Do you want us to go to Vichy? - Yes.

The fascist far right is gathering all its thugs there.

It's not the fascists I fear.

And that will prove Paris-Soir wrong,

which is claiming everywhere that Judge Blum

fled to New York with all the silverware.

You, you are in danger.

My dear Sophie,

I have been, and still am, a public figure.

When we have the possibility to make ourselves heard,

We have to do it. That's it.

I will go Vichy.

We will go to Vichy.

I came to unpack it, it's me who packed it. Leave it.

Leave it alone.

Do you have news from your son?

Yes, all is going well.

No, in fact, all is going badly.

He left for America with my second husband,

to join his father in Brazil.

I don't know if they will manage to meet.

Shouldn't you be with them?

The duty of a mother and a wife.

That's how it's called, right?

Not hearing from your husband

does not give you the right to lecture me about family values.

Without wanting to argue with you,

I don't think my father-in-law, in his situation,

needs any more emotional complications.

Who is talking about "complication"?

You don't like me much.

That, that came from my husband.

Take it back,

if its his.

You'll find out,

with Léon Blum, there's nothing but politics.

There is History, and it's not easy to live with.

I understood that when I married his son.

I understood that very well, rest assured.

I'm bound to him, that's how it is.

I can't help it.

I know Firmin Leblanc. Do you know him too?

- Yes. - He will ensure our protection.

Very important.

Please excuse me. Sorry to interrupt.

Léon, I'm going.

You know, I had booked a room in a small hotel near Toulouse.

It's modest but very clean.

Don't even think about it. We have al the rooms here that you want.

- Right, Sophie? - Of course.

That's very kind, but we prefer this solution, with Léon. Thank you.

My driver will go up and down, don't worry.

True, we prefer it this way.

I'll carry your suitcases.

- Thank you. - Of course.

- Please excuse me. Goodbye. - Goodbye.

- What's going on? - Ask her.

Morality is intact.

I'll disappear during the night.

Please.

Léon left for Vichy.

A week without him.

Time for the National Assembly to liquidate the Republic

and give full powers to Marshal Pétain.

Until then, I hadn't realized the horrendous hatred that Léon provoked.

Ma'am, a telegram from America.

That should be good news.

I hope so.

Yes, it's my son.

- Everything's fine. - That's good.

My Janot.

But you're going to win!

Father,

Robert is alive.

Ah!

He's captured but alive.

Such good news!

Robert is alive.

He is in a camp in Alsace.

He wrote me a letter,

he says they didn't fight.

He says he's happy to be alive,

he complains about the food of course,

- and is concerned about your fate. - Yes.

- Daddy is alive. - Yes, dad is alive.

Robert is protected by his military status,

which will spare him from being the son of the Jew Blum.

But perhaps I'm being an optimist.

Me too, I want to stay optimistic.

- Hello, Victor. - Hello, Mr Montel.

- What's going on? - I'm here on orders..

You have not completed the certificate of residence for Mr. Leon Blum.

I'll stop by city hall this evening.

Thank you sir.

See you later, then.

- What does he want, exactly? - A simple administrative check.

- Unnecessary paperwork. - A French disease.

Vichy won't cure it for us.

Indeed.

Come on.

It may just be a way of checking that you're here.

You see menaces everywhere.

Yes, of course. What?

This power has not forgotten that you were a threat.

Me? But I am nothing any more.

Stop saying that. What does that mean, nothing anymore?

Well, Janot, that means that with what I've been through,

I understood that I should retire.

I thought of that little house in Saint-Raphaël,

that I already talked to you about,

with the sun, the mimosas, the olive trees.

We we'd be very comfortable there.

You will help me to write my memoirs.

I feel like being idle, that's all.

I need to start a different life.

I want to go to Saint-Raphaël.

To go there or elsewhere, you need a pass.

Leave.

You will never get that pass.

Daladier, Mandel, they all were arrested.

They were members of government. Not me.

Marshal Pétain couldn't care less about my old carcass.

Come on.

Come on.

Mrs Reichenbach.

Police have surrounded the Montel property,

and they've arrested Mr Blum.

He is at Bourrassol castle, near Clermont-Ferrand.

My dreams of quiet happiness were demolished.

I had sworn that one day, Leon couldn't do without me.

The course of events would put my oath to the test.

You are not on the list.

But do check! I am his secretary and he's expecting me.

Can you please check?

I have important papers...

The secretary is not on the list.

I am Jeanne Reichenbach, I have papers to give to him...

I cannot let you in!

But that's impossible!

I'm telling you, it's very important, I have papers...

That's enough!

I'm asking you 5 minutes.

I'm not asking you for anything. What does it cost you?

Enough. You are not on the list.

Hello.

What are you doing here?

This guard refuses to let me see Mr Blum,

because I'm not family.

I beg you, please tell him.

- I am his secretary. - He is obeying orders.

Come, I beg you Renée,

I just have a package and a letter.

I can't take anything. The reprisals.

I beg you, give it to him for me. Please.

Okay, drop all that off at the Liboux boarding house.

I cannot risk to aggravate the detention of my father-in-law.

Thank you sir.

Thank you.

- Thank you. - Please sit there.

Thank you.

Good evening.

I know I'm not part of the family, but...

I think I'm legitimate. I'm staying.

How is it?

He's feeling cold.

They are going to install a stove and electricity for him to work.

Do you know about his apartment in Paris?

No, what about it?

Pillaged.

Papers, personal documents, correspondence.

It all went to Berlin.

The books too.

It's horrible.

How's he feeling?

That's fine.

He's not the type to complain or confide in others.

But the disappearance of his books has affected him a lot.

I can imagine. I know how much they mean to him.

I left the letter and the package for you at the reception.

This time, I'm counting on you.

Thank you.

Listen, Renée, I...

I know.

My father-in-law needs everybody to keep going.

Keep one thing in mind.

I am Swiss.

I could very well return, flee to my own country,

But I know that Léon Blum counts on me,

just like I count on him,

because his will gives me strength.

And courage too, to endure the wait.

Waiting, hope, and disappointment.

My thoughts and imagination help me to share my daily life with you.

Even while being apart, our love grows stronger.

It changes its character, by going through ordeals.

I regularly enjoy my hours of walking.

My chaperone remains discreet.

- Hello, Alexandre. - Mr Blum.

He follows me without bothering me.

Thank you.

Your absence weighs on me, physically,

to the point of pain.

So close,

and so far away.

The time we don't spend together isn't like anything else.

It doesn't make sense.

I don't exist.

Thank you.

My dear Janot, sometimes I feel deeply discouraged.

In these times of chaos, I am not the one to be pitied the most,

but often, our distance makes me feel depressed.

Yet, we must be happy.

- I can't do it - To do what?

To be friendly to you, I can't do it.

It's not more difficult than to fix a chain.

my father-in-law insists.

The more he begs me to love you, the more he pushes me away from you.

About that, I can't do anything for you.

You'd say that you're upset with me about something.

No. Why do you think that?

I don't know.

I think you're afraid of something about me.

Surely not.

But this relationship you claim to have with Léon...

I don't like the image you're projecting.

But what image?

Who does it bother? Does it bother you?

Your friends or your daughter? I don't care.

No, that's not it.

Then what is it?

Here you are.

You're not jealous, are you?

Of course not!

No, I find you...

annoying.

And thank you, all the same.

I'd love to see you sleep.

I imagine you lying there,

your mouth slightly open, and I hear your steady breathing.

Right now I regret

not having made better use of those precious moments,

often having slept instead of watching you dream.

You write me letters like a schoolboy, Léon,

you tell me that I'm your youth,

but youth is within you.

I have nothing to do with it.

And your vigour, which I miss so much, is proof of that.

My Janot,

even seeing you from afar moves me deeply.

I think of your shady slit.

I run my hand over the soft grass and place my mouth

on your curly moss.

May I?

What?

They want to take Blum to court?

Pétain's dream.

Make him seem responsible for the war.

Spanien.

What, 'Spanien'?

He absolutely needs Samuel Spanien as his lawyer.

I'm a friend of his wife, I knew them when with my first husband.

Do you know where to reach him?

No, I know that Simone and he live in Clermont-Ferrand.

It's not very far from here. A good reason to choose him.

I absolutely need the permit to visit him.

Tell them that Léon needs you for his trial.

Yes, that's what I thought. Thank you.

Apply, you have nothing to lose.

Yes, come in.

Mrs Liboux gave me this for you.

Ah.

Open it, perhaps it's good news.

And?

Authorized to visit Bourrassol castle.

- Thank you! - Why 'thank you'?

Because I have permission from the department.

But I had nothing to do with it.

I know,

but I am happy.

And it pleases me to say thank you.

May I?

It's kind of you to share your joy with me.

And Léon's.

And Léon's.

Write to him fast, I'm leaving in 15 minutes.

My love,

Next Thursday will see the end of our punishment.

I just received the letter from the department,

which gives me at last the right to visit.

I don't know if we'll be able to do everything you wrote to me about,

because it's your secretary

whom you are going to receive.

- And the key? - Not locked.

- Janot. - My poor love.

My Janot.

I've missed you so much.

- My Janot... - So much!

You are smelly, Blum!

I can't kiss a man who is so dirty and unshaven.

Gentlemen, please.

Do you know who he is, Léon Blum?

It's thanks to him, paid vacations, so let's get moving!

That's OK gentlemen, you can go now.

Thank you.

Okay, come on. Your turn now.

Come on, don't be so coy. I'm not going to jump on you!

- That's a pity. - We'll see about it later.

Come on, in bath now!

Mr. Blum, into the bath!

Warm water.

Since I am here, that's the first time.

- Is that so? - Yes.

When you are who you are,

it's not very difficult to have a little authority.

- You think so? - Yes.

- When is Spanien coming? - He should be here tomorrow.

Renée and I got him a room at the Liboux boarding house.

Tomorrow I'll cut your hair.

- You know how to do that too? - I can do many things.

Stop fidgeting, I might slit your throat.

That's impossible, you are my guardian angel.

You know, one never knows.

That's it, am I clean now?

- Yes. - You like me now?

Yes, you are absolutely desirable.

- Do you have my documents? - Yes.

The main criticism you will get is that you did not prepare for war.

I have proof here

that rearmament has never been as strong as it was under the Popular Front,

unlike under previous governments.

One of them had Marshal Pétain as its Minister of War.

And it was he who pushed through the vote to reduce the military budget.

I'll study all that, thank you.

But I don't have access to all the documents.

And the investigation is biased, that's obvious.

Anyway,

the marshal already declared me guilty, so...

Guilty,

but still alive.

What do you mean?

Your...

- Your friend, Max Dormoy. - What?

- He was murdered. - What?

A bomb under his bed, in a hotel.

There's talk of a group of former members of La Cagoule.

Hello.

Hello.

Blum has left.

What? What do you mean, 'left'? Is he set free?

No, he's been assigned to Fort Portalet.

What? But why? Where is that?

In the Pyrenees.

There,

below Pau.

Ah yes, that's the Spanish border.

With Daladier and Gamelin.

Georges Mandel and general Weygand are already there.

The Marshal will sentence the defendants to detention in a fortified enclosure.

- Hello, ladies. - Gentlemen.

- Access to the fort is prohibited. - Yes, we know.

We come to visit an interned person.

Do you have permits?

No.

Impossible, in that case. My soldiers will escort you back.

Listen sir, I am the secretary of Mr Léon Blum,

I have important papers to give him. I'd just like to see him for a moment.

Ladies, please.

Very well.

- We'll be back. - With a permit.

Mrs Bretty Beatrice for the prisoner Mandel.

Mr Abramowitz and his lawyers.

And me, you haven't called me.

Who are you?

Baba Diallo, Mr Mandel's valet.

I didn't call you because your permit is pending.

And why would Georges Mandel need a valet?

He's a convict like any other.

Judged without trial.

You can't call that a conviction. You know that very well.

And I want to see my dad.

I don't have Mandel's daughter.

She is on my papers. I am her tutor.

"Bolchesi Béatrix, known as Bretty Béatrice,"

of the Comédie-Française.

And her mother? Doesn't she have a mother?

You are here to issue us visitor permits,

not to lecture us.

One visit per day, no longer than an hour.

Mrs Blum,

Mrs Reichenbach, Mrs Reynaud and miss Mabire.

You are?

Christianne Mabire, secretary of Paul Reynaud.

May I?

I am Paul Reynaud's lawful wife.

You wrote that you were in the process of getting divorced.

That's why I made this long journey.

Here.

Thank you.

Hello.

Thank you.

In order.

Finally, here you are.

Did you hear from Robert?

A letter from time to time, when it doesn't get lost along the way.

He thinks of you a lot.

His imprisonment can't be much better.

- He's a soldier, it's different. - Yes.

- They are in a group. - Yes, that's true.

O Janot, you really think of everything.

It's not real coffee.

We'll pretend.

At least, we drink it together.

As a vacation spot, one couldn't imagine a more original location.

I find it magnificent, this scenery.

Sure.

If this wouldn't be a prison,

you could say 'conducive to melancholy', 'romantic'.

Incidentally, Alfred de Vigny was commander of this fort.

Do you know why they sent you here?

To humiliate me, Renée. To humiliate all of us.

Mandel, Reynaud, the others.

By treating us like dogs, Vichy ensures our decline.

You think it will happen, this trial?

For sure.

If not, they would already have deported us to Germany.

That said, Mandel...

thinks they'll never hand us over to the Germans.

Are you speaking with Mandel?

Yes, that's a surprise for us too.

But I must say that we appreciate each other a lot.

No intimacy, but...

a lot of respect.

- Blum, your new friend? - Yes.

Not bad, your coffee.

I made it with love.

But I hesitated to give it to him.

Yes. Prove yourself wrong, he'll love it.

He loves everything that comes from you.

Wait, wait.

Don't move. Hold this for me.

Claude!

- What is that? - Claude!

Why is she carrying that around?

Béatrice!

My God!

Clemenceau is his mentor, he never strays from his side.

He entrusted it to me so I could polish it up a bit.

They're talking politics all day, up there.

But God knows they're opponents.

Mandel on the right and Blum on the left.

Yes, but they share a horror of defeatism and a willingness to resist.

- Yes, and a sense of... - A sense of humour.

Yes, I meant something else, I wanted to talk about...

a sense of civic duty, a commitment to the values of the Republic.

- Blum has no sense of humour? - Sure he does

Yes, but in the current circumstances...

- No more sugar. - I figured as much.

There are those who profit from it.

You know who's eating it? Those of Portalet.

Because of these politicians we're in this mess.

They got plenty to eat, in the fort.

The Jew Blum and his clique live like princes there,

and we, we tighten out belts.

How can you say that?

You have no shame? And your little one?

Thanks to whom does he go to school until age 14?

And the salary raises, that's not Blum perhaps?

Of course, their wives, you have them as clients.

No more sugar, I can't help it.

If it's not Blum's fault, then whose is it?

Ma'am,

- did you hear? - Yes, I heard it.

That's bad timing, I came to get some sugar.

But I heard.

I wanted to thank you for what you said.

Don't pay attention. They say anything in the village.

I get carried away because I'm an 'activist'.

And I am Léon Blum's girlfriend.

People like me, we owe him a lot.

We are not forgetful, we know what he did for France.

Just in case, I'll do what's necessary. And my husband too.

I know the mountains and the passages to Spain.

I want to talk about a project.

I met a militant of the SFIO, [French branch of The International]

who is in contact with a network of smugglers.

My Janot, what were you thinking?

But they have pathways to Spain. It's very near.

She's proposing to organise an escape next week.

But that's impossible! |The trial...

But this trial is rigged.

You say it yourself. You are already condemned.

Listen,

the trial they're preparing,

is not against Blum, but against the republic.

And if the republic is attacked, and it will be, I think,

I cannot desert.

I have to be at my post. I have to fight,

as a witness and as a defender.

Christmas, 1941

A knitter from the village made it for you in secret.

And it's made to size.

It's for the winter.

Better if it's been simpler, but her machine was set to jacquard.

In any case, it's nice and warm. No luxury with this weather.

I have something too.

I'm not sure if you like it, but that'll go with the sweater.

The beanie, I didn't dare.

It's true that the mountains are more about skiing than prison.

Wait. Me too, I have something for you.

Yes.

Present from the Red Cross.

And books, stolen from the library.

This one is for you.

The Songs of Bilitis, by Pierre Louÿs.

"This little book of ancient love

"is respectfully dedicated

"to the young women of tomorrow's society."

But that's dirty, isn't it?

Is that where you find inspiration for your passionate letters from Bourrassol?

Not at all. These desires were dictated solely by feelings you inspire in me.

This is for you.

It's a Bon Marché edition.

Thank you father. It's a beautiful present.

In any case, Alfred de Vigny is soldier's literature.

Do you remember The Death of the Wolf?

Yes, the ending is marvellous, listen.

"Moaning, crying, praying, is cowardly as well.

"Carry out your long and heavy task energetically.

"on the path that fate has chosen for you.

"Then, like me, suffer,

"and die without speaking."

That's not so bad.

That's right.

It's a bit pompous, but it doesn't lack grandeur.

Come on, take a picture for me.

- Excuse me? - A photo.

"A diligent student, Catherine had a good term."

That's good, you must be happy.

She is a very mature, very strong child.

She understood that her father is prisoner,

and that her grandfather is also threatened.

Is she still in Genève?

With my parents. And she will remain there until...

Until what?

Until all this ends.

Ah yes?

Because you see an end to this disaster?

But I, I don't see any.

We are here. We wait, we wait.

I don't have news from anybody.

Not from my husband, nor from my son.

Did you come to the premieres with your ex-husband, the lawyer?

- How chic! - Yes, he loved the theatre.

Without these anti-Jewish laws, I'd be at the Comédie Française.

Mrs Colette.

Good evening, Mrs Reichenbach.

- Good evening. - Good evening Mrs Blum.

Good evening Mrs Mandel.

You wanted to see us, Colette?

My cousin, gardener at the fort, told me that the prisoners have left.

They're going back to Auvergne.

I believe Mr Mandel is not coming on the trip.

But Georges will follow, he will be the second cart.

Blum is on trial for not having prepared for war.

The next move will be for Mandel, who wanted to declare it.

Unfortunately, I only have one room for you and Mrs Reichenbach. Will that be OK?

That's not what we agreed on the phone.

Sorry, but that's all I have left, and you won't find it anywhere else.

The hotel is assaulted because of the trial. Reporters everywhere.

French, Americans, Germans.

Tonight at 8pm, everyone will be in the dining room.

Mrs Gamelin, Mrs Zay and Mrs La Chambre,

wife of the former Secretary of the Air Force.

Do you how who she is?

No, should we?

Cora Madou,

Vincent Scotto's star singer. She's going to sing.

An exchange. She sings tonight, and I give her two days free.

We must help each other, right?

The little one went to the post office, there's your mail.

Thank you.

- Here's the key. - Thank you.

What a mess! I thought he'd never shut up.

I'm sorry for the lack of privacy.

This clever chap was careful not to warn me when I made the booking.

It will rejuvenate us, like when we were young girls.

Bad news?

No way.

It's my son, Georges. He joined his father in Brazil.

That's rather good news.

Exactly, that's why I'm crying.

- You miss him, is that it? - Yes.

Brazil, that's the other end of the world.

What am I doing here, far away from him,

in this shabby hotel, in this sordid town?

Listen Janot, you have made a choice,

and it's a courageous one.

The man who you love, and who loves you, needs you.

He keeps telling you that.

I know, but I'm tired.

Listen to me, Janot.

You mustn't let yourself go.

Otherwise, Léon will fall apart.

And then, we're two of us here, we'll help each other.

Why are you laughing?

Because you just addressed me informally.

You too, address me as "tu".

So we're not saying "vous" anymore?

- Do you agree? - Yes.

The Germans are demanding that the lawyers' file be disclosed to them.

We oppose that. And Spanien will invoke the defence's right to confidentiality.

You are right.

I am happy to see you still fighting as hard as ever.

I'm not going to give up.

I expect no less from you.

I left you a small bottle of Marie Rose at the cloakroom,

for you to get rid of your lice.

The thought of my straw mattress covered in those nasty creatures

is not exactly... thrilling.

Given our situation, it might be for the best.

Jeanne, I miss you. It's terrible.

Me too, I miss you. But I am here every day.

Yes, yes, but behind this wire fence.

- One day, this nightmare will end. - Yes.

- We'll make up for it.. - Yes.

Unless old age catches up with me before then.

- Stop! - What?

You're looking for compliments there.

It seems that the wife of Jean Zay is in your hotel, is that right?

Yes.

Her husband's appeal has been rejected, so he will remain in prison.

So do me a favour, talk to him.

Be affectionate with her daughters.

All right.

I will tell him that this initiative comes from you.

If Jean has to stay here in prison, I will need lodging.

- And do you need money? - No, thank you. We'll manage.

You know, when my husband was a minister, we saw the Blums a lot.

Yes, I knew Thérèse too.

They used to have dinner at our house in Jouy-en-Josas.

An activist. A real one.

Yes, I know. The complete opposite of me.

Have you known him for a long time?

I've loved him since I was 16.

It was love at first sight.

My mother had remarried a rather important man.

Every Thursday evening, my stepfather hosted a gathering of Parisian society.

That's where I saw him for the first time.

I was a slightly skinny and very shy kid.

And he, he was there,

surrounded by the finest minds. He shone in the drawing room.

It was impressive.

That's where I saw him talking about Goethe's poetry with Marcel Proust.

And then one day, when I saw him leaving, I fainted.

The first time I met him

My whole heart was troubled.

Overwhelmed.

It's been 30 days since I saw him.

30 nights that I haven's slept anymore.

I only dream of him.

He haunts me,

torments me,

Day and night, incessantly,

his image hounds me.

And, intoxicated, I think I hear

his voice, so gentle and tender

that fills me with excitement,

in spite of myself.

Yes, incessantly, he hounds me,

I only dream of him.

Bravo!

That was a song by Vincent Scotto.

Bravo!

Bravo, it was very moving.

- Have a seat. - Thank you.

It was the perfect opportunity. I haven't sung in public since I got married.

That's a shame. Yet, you were in full glory.

A minister's wife doesn't sing in cabarets.

The minister is in prison! Charged like the others.

We came back voluntarily from the US ma'am,

so that my husband could surrender himself to French justice.

He will be cleared in this trial.

But it's a foregone conclusion. In a political trial,

there must be at least one acquittal to demonstrate impartiality.

One day, we'll have to review all this.

Of those civilians who bear responsibility,

but also of the military. Isn't that so, Mrs Gamelin?

My husband was preparing a counterattack on the very day of his dismissal, ma'am.

Ladies, stop please.

We all are here because our husbands,

our companions, our friends,

are imprisoned a stone's throw from here,

to be held responsible for the defeat.

So please,

let's stick together and show solidarity

in the face of this baseness.

Let's drink to the courage of women.

To the courage of women!

To the courage of women!

And to the end of our misery.

To the end of our misery!

Such an orator!

You surprise me a little more every day.

Women are not allowed in court

How did it go today?

Still the same.

Vichy wants to condemn those responsible for defeat,

But the Germans want Daladier and Blum to be response for the war.

Here, our scribe has given me his work.

He has trouble writing everything down on the fly.

Yes.

And Blum, how is he?

Uncompromising and determined.

He presents arguments as if he were someone else's lawyer.

So... "The present trial

"isn't the trial of France anymore,

"but it will inevitably be the trial of the Republic."

Loving Léon, it was also the hours spent every evening

in room 21 at the Hotel des Voyageurs.

Excerpts from the lawyers' closing arguments submitted by Spanien

were then quickly duplicated

and distributed through our networks in France and London.

"...Were excluded in advance.

"It's an assault on the truth

"and an attack

"against the republican regime."

He's incorrigible.

He wants to rally support around the values that forged unity of the left.

Damn, it's Clermont-Ferrand.

- We haven't finished. - Such a disguise,

you're going to get noticed.

How is it going, in Clermont?

OK. The network is expanding.

Now, for the trial reports,

in addition to London, we have a correspondent in New York.

Are we being read in America? Let's hurry up.

- How old are you? - 17.

Plouf's age.

- "Plouf"? - That's my son.

You call him "Plouf"?

That's his childhood nickname. He loved water.

He hates it when I call him that. Me, I like it.

Like when he was little and I held him in my arms.

My train is in 45 minutes.

It will be ready.

Tell Mr Texier to give you dinner.

Let him charge it to my account.

OK, thank you.

What, what's up?

Hey, he's a good-looking guy.

Stop.

They say that Hitler does not like the turn of events at all.

The more Vichy and its magistrates try to prove that the Popular Front

sabotaged our country from within,

the more the German army appears to be a force without heroism.

which won the war during a walk in the park.

That's not well received in Germany.

Exactly.

And that's it, the trial is adjourned.

What does that mean?.

Will they deport them or send them back to prison? Tell me.

You have to leave France.

the situation will become impossible.

That's out of the question! Never!

If they lock him up in Bourrassol, I'll go to Bourrassol.

Hello.

Mrs Reichenbach, we doubted if we'd see you again.

I kept my room in the hotel in Riom. I haven't changed it.

It's only a little bit farther.

- 3 km farther. - Yes. Thank you.

Did Mr Blum keep his cell?

- Yes, he asked for it. - Alright.

Finally, your arms.

You are the first to see me like this, Janot.

- Oh yes? - Yes.

And how do you think I look at you?

Very deep down.

With you, one cannot cheat.

And why would we need to cheat?

So, I got you some decorations.

I took some posters of the Sistine Chapel,

and copies of your beloved Italians.

How kind you are.

I thought of everything, even brought thumbtacks.

No need, there's plenty on the workbench.

I even have insecticide.

I got you a scarf, some chocolate,

cigarettes, matches, gloves, and even a book.

There.

What would I be without you?

I don't know.

I have no intention of abandoning you.

Now that I have you, I'm not letting go.

I love you, Blum.

Yes?

Excuse me. Telegram for you.

Thank you.

No! No...

- Who is it? - Cora. Just to ask.

Reichenbach, her husband.

Do we know under what conditions?

It's a suicide.

His family sent a telegram from Switzerland. No details.

No date, just "New York".

- 5 minutes, max. - Thank you.

Don't ask questions, time is very short.

My Janot.

My Janot, you need to pull yourself together.

Yes.

I understand what's happening to you,

but you need to renounce misfortune.

Right now, it's important for you to look ahead.

Too many people count on you.

I know.

It's my fault.

The last moments between us were so painful.

He was packing his suitcase,

pretending to believe that I was going with him.

I couldn't start to talk to him.

I was too clumsy.

I saw his desperation,

when he realised that he lost me.

He didn't understand.

He loved me so much.

The pain will remain intense for a long time, you should know that, but...

suicide,

it's against oneself.

The others can't do anything about it.

And even if the past cannot be forgotten,

it must not tarnish the future.

But how can you talk about the future?

We have to.

My future remains uncertain, but I have a proposal for you, listen.

My Janot, I love you,

and if you allow me, I want to marry you.

The circumstances are a bit painful, true,

but think about it.

I'm not rushing you, but...

Sorry Mr Blum, but time is up.

Yes, OK.

Thank you.

Come in.

Plouf, is that your son?

- Yes, why? - On the radio, a message.

- Plouf found Sherlock. - Oh yes?

That means he is in London.

There is no love like mine

Everything about me belongs to him

He holds me

And I feel the sweetest of thrills

Just by say...

Well, Cora, why stop? Keep going.

I dream only of him

He haunts me

Torments me

Day and night, incessantly,

his image hounds me.

And intoxicated, I think I hear

his voice, so gentle and tender

that fills me with excitement,

in spite of myself.

The Germans have invaded the free zone.

Léon remains calm, but I know he is worried.

Close to him, I'm not afraid.

If they keep me in prison, it's because they want me dead.

No, don't say that. We don't know. Why do you say that?

- You are in danger. - Not less than you.

- You are a Jew. - But you too.

But I'm a celebrity.

I have bargaining power. I am a hostage.

Exactly, no one knows what fate awaits hostages.

Listen Janot, never forget that you are free.

I loved you, you loved me, but you have to save your skin.

Mine has had its day.

No, stop, don't say that.

I don't want to hear that. We love each other!

It's the war. Gone, the days of feelings.

But I cannot believe it.

No, look at me.

We are here, alive, we will stay together.

Yes, my Janot.

- We will stay together. - Yes, yes.

Come.

Wednesday, the Gestapo came to get me.

I understood that I was being taken to Germany.

I'm going to leave this prison for who knows what destination.

My heart remains with you and will continue to do so.

I promise you to do anything to come back intact.

I kiss you.

What are you going to do now?

I have instructions from Léon.

You, leave.

Go join your son.

Do like me, wait.

Wait, but wait far away from this hell that's driving us crazy.

I didn't listen to Renée.

For six months, I tried everything to join Léon.

Until the day of that meeting.

Mrs Reichenbach, Mr Laval will see you.

Thank you.

Dear Jeanne.

It's been so long.

Take a seat, please.

I don't dare ask you if everything is OK with you.

I imagine, sir, that your time is valuable, so I won't be long.

I came to ask for something...

I know why you are here.

Mrs...

Reichenbach.

And I won't hide the fact that your case is thorny.

You are the ex-wife

of a lawyer who is spreading propaganda from abroad,

defamatory to me,

but, before the law, you are still married to a Jew.

Very rich.

I took the steps to marry Blum.

Despite the support of the Minister of Justice,

the civil service is doing what it can to block my marriage.

They are asking me for a death certificate,

and it's impossible to provide one at this time.

But the law is there to be respected.

So you are a married woman who wants to join her lover.

It must be difficult to legitimate your request.

I am a widow, sir,

who wants to join her future husband.

One word from you,

and this obstacle is gone.

The Reich authorities, to whom I am accountable,

do not look kindly on the wives of political prisoners

joining their husbands in captivity.

That's strange, because Mr René Bousquet told us the opposite.

He went there himself,

to guarantee the prisoners the possibility of having someone visit them in Germany.

Bousquet, really?

He failed to inform me of this.

Ah, that's a pity.

Because he informed the Reich ambassador in Vichy.

He gave his consent, too.

You are well informed.

Absolutely.

So, please be so kind sir,

to tell me if, yes or no, you're going to sign this authorisation.

You have a lot of friends.

Some, we have in common.

A childhood friend intervened

in your favour.

He claims that without you, Blum will let himself die.

Since you insist on going to hell at all costs,

I will facilitate transport for you.

You will travel with Léon Jouhaux's companion,

the ex-secretary general of the CGT [union].

He is interned in Bavaria.

I preferred Léon Blum when he was a literary critic.

I greatly admired his book on Goethe.

He is incarcerated near the hill

where Goethe used to go for walks.

Buchenwald, it's called.

Buchenwald.

the "beech forest".

Your determination to take risks is admirable.

Between us, we don't really know

what fate the Germans have in store for their hostages.

I wish you a good trip, dear Jeanne.

Thank you, sir.

Wait.

Thank you.

Come here.

What Renée and I lived through together,

our trials and our bond,

her calmness in the face of my unreasonable passion,

remain unforgettable memories.

She was reunited with her husband, Robert, as soon as the war ended.

Are you afraid?

Yes, a little.

Thank you.

What do they want?

Read it yourself.

"The authorities of the Reich

"request the president of the Council... exceptional measures...

"...Jeanne Reichenbach."

When will she arrive?

Don't know a damn thing about it.

You'd have to be crazy to surrender to the enemy

without knowing what fate awaits you.

This woman is unstoppable.

You mean "uncontrollable"?

I mean...

Can't find the right words. I'll shut up.

"Silence is the adornment and safeguard of youth",

Plutarch tells us.

That's all they gave me.

And that's it until tomorrow.

The miserable wretches!

It's okay, Joachim.

- Stay strong. - Thank you.

Are you sure about what you did?

Because now, you're in prison.

I'd rather be in prison with you than free without you.

Oh, excuse me.

Georges! Georges, come here.

Do you know each other?

Not personally, no, but we crossed paths at Fort du Portalet.

- Georges Mandel. - Happy to meet you.

Béatrice spoke warmly of you.

Claude, my daughter, likes you a lot.

Have you heard from her?

Yes, a letter from time to time.

I don't have Léon's charm to win over the love of my life

down to the depths of hell.

Obviously, he's jealous.

I just brought Madam's bags up to sir's room.

Thanks, Joachim.

Can I serve dinner?

She will first take possession of her apartment.

Thanks.

And discover the romantic medieval flavour

of Reichsführer Himmler.

I don't get it, who is that?

Joachim?

A Jehovah's Witness, conscientious objector

and agricultural engineer.

What is he doing there? What is that sign?

- The violet triangle? - Yes.

He was deported for refusing to bear arms.

And the camp administration assigned him to our department.

An aide-de-camp.

But he lives here, his bed is in the kitchen.

In the kitchen?

In war, as in war.

What is there, behind it?

A prison camp.

The conditions look terrible.

Joachim comes from there, but he doesn't want to talk about it.

Today, there is no smell.

What smell?

A smell that catches in your throat.

You have to get used to it, but often,

it's ghastly.

There's something strange.

- What? - You don't hear the birds.

There's forest all around, but you don't hear the birds sing.

That's true.

- What's that? - Come.

- Doesn't he speak German? - No, he's speaking Russian.

They're prisoners from the East front, who traded their lives

for enlistment in the German army.

They are bullies.

It's time to honour my promise.

What promise?

The one I made to you in Riom two years ago, when I told you:

"Allow me to marry you."

No, that can't be true, not here.

It's the reason you gave for coming to join me, right?

If we win the war,

there will be no Third Reich, our marriage will no longer be valid.

Nothing stops us from marrying again,

in a peaceful France, with a restored republic.

Maybe we shouldn't drink with these pigs.

Crémant de Bavière, lukewarm, foul-tasting, it comforts me.

But that's what gives the ceremony a festive character, right?

I have perhaps the right to kiss the bride.

You're welcome.

Do you speak German?

No, but I love that tune.

Excuse me. Does it bother you that I'm singing in German?

In the present circumstances.

Yes, sorry.

And you?

What I sing?

No, do you speak German?

I swore not to speak it anymore

as long as the Nazi flag flies over Paris.

Yes, I understand.

All the same, it's with Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert

that we will bring Germany out of barbarism.

They also have been taken hostage, like us.

Georges, I can't get your collar to stay up without starch.

Starch is made from potatoes, isn't it?

Indeed.

You want me to rub your collar with a potato?

I hope you're better at radio than ironing.

Not to sound important, I want to remind you that I was minister of the PTT.

I don't see the connection.

Of course you do. Radio was my responsibility.

Ah.

London here.

Turn it off, for God's sake.

As minister of the PTT, I don't know, Georges,

but as a radio engineer, sorry.

...of the allied expeditionary forces

has just issued the following statement:

"Under the command of general Eisenhower,

"the allied naval forces,

"with the support of powerful air formations,

"have started this morning

"the landing of the allied forces

"on the coasts of Normandie."

London here.

That concludes our 8pm edition for Europe.

- It's over, Léon. - Yes.

Is that OK?

- Perfect. - Can I have another?

Yes.

If the colonel catches us, he'll send me back to the camp.

Stop Joachim, that's enough. It is your birthday,

so we peel the potatoes for you.

Don't nazis celebrate birthdays?

But, Mrs Blum...

What?

Ah?

That's not good for us.

- What happened? - Philippe Henriot has been murdered.

- Who's that, this Mr Henriot? - The French Goebbels.

This murder will change a lot of things.

I won't bet too much on the lives of us hostages.

Georges.

Tell Béatrice, tell my daughter,

that I don't regret a thing, that I believe I acted correctly,

and that, whatever happens, they won't have to be ashamed of me.

Yes.

I've left you the bust of Clemenceau.

I'm not so foolish as to think it protects us.

I simply think

that he gives us courage.

Come on.

A few days later,

the news of the murder of Georges Mandel

convinced us that the same fate awaited us.

We get no news. We don't know who is alive, who is dead.

Is Robert still a prisoner?

And Renée, why doesn't she write?

Looks like the mail functions badly.

And Plouf, is he still in London?

How is he, what's he doing?

He wrote me:

"I want to show them how a Jew can fight and resist."

We are alone in the world.

- But together. - Yes, together.

Move, move on.

After the bombardment by the allied planes,

overwhelmed, we discovered the reality,

and understood the fate of our neighbours,

being held 800 meters away,

but invisible until now.

That is how we realized with horror

what Buchenwald really was,

how people lived there,

and above all how they died there.

We were repatriated in April 1945.

Léon and I went to live in my house in Jouy-en-Josas.

Put it here.

You need to sign the receipt, ma'am.

- Thanks. Where? - Here.

- Thank you. Goodbye ma'am. - Goodbye sir.

It was when receiving what remained of Georges' belongings

that I realized my son had joined the Second Armored Division.

And that before being killed during the Ardennes offensive,

he had married in London.

As he disappeared, Georges left me a gift.

It's you, my dear granddaughter,

who came into my life.