Original subtitles

So, because of you

I killed Tom for nothing?

Not for nothing.

He had a partner with whom I get along.

Does Jérôme know?

Jérôme...

Since you're with us, he's been a basket case.

It's over now, Gus.

What Gustave said had been bothering me.

But I wasn't sure.

Why did you double-cross me?

It's such a shame.

I liked you.

Me too.

You're going to the land of safe love.

We could go together to Marseille.

I don't really like the sun.

I'm a mountain kind of guy.

After what I just did,

I can't leave you behind.

A French Town

Well.

Duty to remember

That's too bad.

Hi, Jérôme.

We've been looking for you.

- Your guardian angel? - No.

He's just an asshole cop.

How did you find us?

I was in the area.

And you're kind of noisy.

What's your plan?

Put the gun down and come with me.

You can't be serious.

You're alone.

So you're here for the kid.

If you arrest me, I'll say he took the Yank out.

Whereas if you let me go, I'll change of scene...

for good.

I met cops who would've shot me by now.

But you're not cut out for that.

Well?

I'm going with you.

- Shut up, Gustave. - No, you shut up!

Come on, get out.

I'll report the murder in six hours.

Bye, Gustave.

Too bad. I would've prepared you for real life.

Where's the gun you killed Tom with?

There.

You're at a crossroads.

Either you learn to shut up and listen

- do what I say and you'll be fine -,

or you don't learn

and it won't be OK.

It won't be OK at all.

Bastard!

Silence, please!

- Silence, please! - Scum!

Mr. Marchetti has been sentenced to death.

Serves him right!

I can clear this room!

Please, go on.

I was saying that,

with regard to the arrests of Jews

and the fight against terrorists,

I always followed the orders of Sub-prefect Servier.

You don't seem to have any remorse.

I was obeying my boss. He himself obeyed the Marshal,

who was regularly appointed to office by representatives of the people.

That's not true! Not all representatives were present

at the congress that elected the Marshal to Vichy, in July 1940.

A very large number of deputies and senators were missing,

like the Communists.

The Communists...

They were allied to the Krauts. Let's not forget that.

Order, please! Quiet!

Silence!

In any case, the Marshal was elected

by most of the national representatives.

So to blame Servier today, is to blame France.

The real France was in London, mister Marchetti.

There was absolutely no one in London in 1940.

Except for three Breton sailors

and a retired general who was totally unknown.

Order, please!

The population supported us in 1940 and 1941.

People didn't care about politics.

They wanted supplies, the return of the prisoners,

to regain dignity after defeat.

They didn't get any of that.

If we judged politicians on their results,

they'd all be in jail.

The French state clearly failed.

But we have to ask ourselves today if it was legitimate,

since Servier and I are accused of serving it.

So yes, it was a legitimate state,

no matter what de Gaulle says today.

Right.

Tell us about your relationship with Mr. Larcher.

It wasn't very good.

Unlike me,

Larcher didn't believe in national revolution.

- He was a bad collaborator? - You could say that.

He interfered when the Jews were arrested.

Can you be more specific?

He was opposed to those arrests, decided by the top authorities.

He tried to remove the police officers I needed.

Fortunately, Mr. Servier's determination allowed me

to accomplish my mission.

Accomplish your mission?

Did you know that the 28 Jews you arrested that day

all died in Auschwitz

soon after they arrived there?

A public servant shouldn't question

the State apparatus. He should make it work.

I...

I hanged a Resistant.

I will be executed for it.

Servier didn't kill anyone.

He made the State work the same way you do today.

DIE, BASTARD, DIE

Marchetti did a good job, didn't he?

I don't know.

He doesn't seem to have any questions.

Do you have questions?

Marchetti's right. A public servant should just make the state work.

But we are no longer in the game.

I often think about the Jewish children in that school.

I don't feel responsible of their death, at all,

but I think of them anyway.

There was this little girl

with braids.

Hélène Crémieux.

I remember her well.

She's the one I think of the most.

I don't know why. There was nothing special about her.

Memory's a funny thing, isn't it?

Yes.

- I have a meeting with Madame. - She's already on a meeting.

- You are mister...? - Schwartz.

Raymond Schwartz.

I'll see what I can do.

What are you doing here?

I told you you'd be back with Jeannine.

Don't be silly.

With her, I do the worst thing in the world -

politics.

Really?

The worst thing is the only thing that excites you.

You're cold.

You always said I was.

Take me with you, Marie.

I'm all yours.

We said 11 am.

Mister Schwartz.

- It is a pleasure to meet you. - Likewise.

Ms. De Cantillon says you're interested in the German market.

Like everyone else.

You're not everyone else, Mr. Schwartz.

You're recommended by the cream of Villeneuve.

And you'll soon be mayor.

- The voters will decide. - Right.

- Scotch? - No, thanks.

- You quit drinking? - It's just too early for me.

I don't have your training.

Lanzac is very enthusiastic.

He thinks you're the perfect candidate.

Maybe I should show him this.

Totally irrelevant.

We should find out who sent you it, though.

Will people go to the ceremony?

All of Villeneuve, minus the commies.

- I've thought about my speech. - Great. And?

I'll talk about my transition from Collaboration to Resistance.

- In simple words. My words. - No, Raymond.

On no account should you talk about Collaboration.

You said the photo wasn't a problem.

Collaboration is a good fairy

who will get you elected with the Resistance Fairy.

But you must never speak of the Fairy Collaboration.

People know it, that's what counts.

To talk about it is to bring up a problem,

because collaborators are bad people.

I can say what I want, right?

Trust the people who know this nest of vipers, as you say.

Here, I prepared you a draft of your speech.

Read it. Make changes to it, adjust it to your liking.

Why should I trust you?

Because I want you to be mayor.

I want it more than you do.

And in politics,

the power of desire rules the world.

Thank you, doctor.

- Goodbye. - Goodbye, doctor.

So, you're preparing my funeral?

Not at all.

- The Resistance's. - That's good news.

Let's not overdo it.

- What did the doctor say? - I'll live 100 years.

No, seriously.

I have two things to ask.

Go ahead.

Could you do

the farm work until my granddaughter finds a buyer?

Gran...

What?

You asked me to tell you what the doctor said,

and I'm giving you the answer.

Don't be sad.

We'll all leave someday, Geneviève.

Well?

I'll do the work. I don't have a career plan, anyway.

Thank you.

- What's the other thing? - Are you handy?

I get by.

I would like you to make my coffin.

Everything you need is in the shed.

- I've never made a coffin. - It's not complicated.

My brother and I made my father's coffin.

It would be my pleasure to rest between four boards

assembled by a man like you, the last one I met on Earth.

You're eavesdropping?

No.

And you lie to me.

You know what happens to liars?

- You're hurting me. - Exactly.

You put up resistance.

Why are you so difficult?

Why eavesdrop on your father? He can't talk.

There's nothing to hear.

Sometimes daddy talks to me.

He talks to you?

Yes.

- You're lying again! - No, I swear.

OK, then make him talk.

Come on, make him talk!

Make him talk.

Make him talk!

I can't hear you!

Make him talk!

Move.

Sit down.

- So... You were able to work it out. - I guess so, yes.

I still have some clean up to do.

Can we talk in private?

- Léonore, go to your room. - But...

Do what your mother says!

You got us in trouble.

We'll be fine, but you have to do as we say.

He's right. Do what he says.

- Will he stay? - I don't know.

You'll be able to say goodbye. Now go.

Eat.

I'll give the murder file to de Kervern.

We'll see how it goes.

Then we'll decide.

I'm sorry.

I read the Gospels.

I did it every night.

- What did you think, my child? - It felt good.

I see, but I'm asking you about your thoughts.

You're talking about sensation.

Sensation is important, too.

Sensation can be deceiving.

Sensation is the animal part of humans.

Thought is what makes us different.

But sensation dictates our actions.

Alas, that is how we commit the greatest sins.

Pleasure is a trap, don't ever forget it.

If God didn't want us to have pleasure,

then why do we experience it in the carnal act?

He told us to procreate, but...

He could've made the process of making babies

more like... drinking a glass of water.

Temptation is necessary. Otherwise, how can we build morality?

You become a human being by resisting temptation.

Have you experienced temptation, Father?

I'm a human being.

Have you always resisted it?

We are straying from the subject, which is you.

If you could tell me how you resisted temptation,

I would know what to do.

My child, I'm having a hard time following you.

What temptation are you talking about now?

I don't dare to tell you.

You are here to dare, now, aren't you?

Sometimes, at night, in my bed,

right after prayer...

I sleep alone.

We've been sleeping in separate rooms for a while.

I think of Kurt, the father of my daughter.

- And I have bad thoughts. - And?

I feel like a warmth.

A warmth in the lower abdomen.

I don't think I can help you, my child.

How can I put it? I'm ashamed, Father, but...

No! I can't keep listening to you.

You're...

You're not opening your heart to God.

Read the Gospels again.

Mrs. Larcher?

Good grief, answer me! Mrs. Larcher!

- It's not him! - Look again!

- He was right there. It's not him. - You barely saw him.

He was younger, and he had lighter eyes and hair.

- You hooked up with him too? - Are you kidding me? He was a pansy.

Did you know the killer?

- I saw him once, at school. - The file.

But he's not the murderer. The killer was with a girl.

This guy is a pansy.

Thank you. Bring me the Gustave Larcher file.

There.

Read your statement and sign it.

You'll be summoned again. You better remember.

Are we progressing?

The Yanks need to be certain.

- Aristide did it. - The witness says otherwise.

- Henri, his prints... - "Mr. Prefect", if you don't mind.

His prints were on the gun, sir.

They dealt together.

- A witness saw them argue. - Who?

An anonymous informer.

Aristide was gunned down this morning, am I right?

Probably by Jérôme, his lover, who's on the run.

Let me tell you something, Alain.

Your case has as many wholes as a Swiss cheese.

I can't give this to the Yanks.

Alright.

I'll keep digging. You can count on me, Henri. Sir.

Also, I saw you had Gustave Larcher in custody here

four days ago. - Yes.

Why did you release him? I hear he was extorting money.

Mr. Prefect,

I'm currently living with Suzanne Richard,

ex-partner of Marcel Larcher, his father.

I did her a favor. It's the done thing.

Yeah, it is.

Keep me informed. I need a solid case for the Yanks.

Did you win the lottery?

How are you?

Why didn't you answer my letter?

I got it yesterday.

I was in Palestine and... I only got it yesterday.

- You went to Palestine? - Yes.

A peopleless land for landless people.

It's not peopleless.

And it's beautiful.

- We're fine there. - You obviously are.

Ezéchiel is the only survivor of his family.

The others stayed in Warsaw.

They disappeared in the ghetto

or a camp.

One of his uncles was very rich.

Really, very rich.

So you're rich.

That's pretty amazing.

Life is...

Is David gonna be rich?

Yes.

Why are you in France?

Ezéchiel wanted to find the body of his son and his first wife

to bury them in Palestine.

I'm not responsible of their death.

I never said you were.

I saved Ezéchiel and his daughter.

Do you expect a medal?

There's a gap between a medal and the firing squad.

You won't get either from me.

Seriously,

Jean...

What do you want from me?

Is David in Villeneuve?

The witness must not run into Gustave or Léonore.

It'd send us both to jail.

And de Kervern has it in for me since last year.

That must be Edmond.

He's all we needed.

- You're alone? - There's been a change.

- Detective. - Comrade.

The federation has decided that...

your presence at the ceremony for Marcel...

is not advisable, so to speak.

That's disgusting.

- She was his partner for 3 years. - I warned you.

You know what to do to fix it.

I know that kid. Who is he?

- Marcel's son. - Really?

- You stayed in contact with him? - Kind of.

You said what you had to say.

Wait.

I was friend of your dad's, you know?

A very close friend.

I've never seen you before.

He could come to the ceremony.

- Without me? - You're not his mother.

And then, there will be a training program for young people,

supervised by the UJRF.

One week in the woods of Moisset: sports,

lectures, reading,

political debates...

- Your daughter could come too. - Absolutely not.

Hold on a second.

- Where will they sleep? - In 8-person tents.

Girls and boys apart, of course.

A week in the woods,

in a healthy atmosphere.

- Sounds nice to me. - Are you serious?

What do you think, Gustave?

Fine.

You're pretty accommodating, for a cop.

I talked about...

what you told me with my spiritual advisor.

What did he say, Father?

What you told me about is a sin.

A serious sin.

You must no longer give in...

to what you told me.

Do you realize that it's futile? That it's wrong?

- Yes, Father. - Good.

Henceforth, if you do it again,

it will be a very serious sin, for you are fully aware.

You won't be allowed to take communion.

You must ask God for forgiveness, do penance,

and lengthen your time of prayer.

And, of course,

you must absolutely channel your lustful cravings

into your relationship with the man

you married before God - your husband.

The other man,

whose memory is clearly a symbol of the devil,

must be absolutely and definitively expelled from your mind.

At this price, and at this price alone,

you will receive absolution.

I understand, Father.

Don't come back unless you say

you've banished his image from your mind.

- Do you think it'll last forever? - Like this?

I don't know.

I don't think so.

Why?

Because we live out of time,

out of the world.

We meet in secret, sheltered from view.

We're always alone.

Sometimes, I wonder if you're real.

What?

Let's see if I'm not real.

Stop it, you're hurting me.

Stop!

We'll make too much noise.

- My boss could hear us. - Who cares about your boss.

I like him. He's nice.

You never know what he's thinking.

Why wouldn't it last forever?

I don't know.

Look around you.

People get married, then they get tired.

They get bored.

We'll never get bored.

Besides, there's no "forever".

Everybody dies in the end.

Are you sure that love can survive death?

Glory be to our comrade Marcel Larcher

- You're going? - Yes.

I want to be there before everyone else.

See you later.

See you later.

I'm saying goodbye. Goodbye, David.

Who are you?

Go. Go with your mommy.

Go with Judith. Shall mommy read you a story later?

OK, sweetheart.

Take him with you to the hotel, please.

Give me your hand.

Thank you so much. Really.

That's OK.

I mean, it's not OK, but...

I think it's good...

for him.

- What will you tell him? - Little Red Riding Hood.

I mean... What will you tell him about me?

I don't know.

That his dad made a mistake.

People make mistakes.

No, listen...

I wrote my story.

Since my childhood.

The police, the war.

It's for David.

Please, have him read it when he's around 15 or 20.

I don't want him to see me...

the way I will be portrayed in newspapers

and history books.

He'll see you that way.

I don't want him to see me only that way.

I promise you.

- What's going on? - Nothing.

Jean?

- What's the matter? - My plea for clemency was denied.

I will be executed Monday or Tuesday.

I'm sorry.

If there's anything I can do...

Yes...

One last thing.

Tell me.

I...

I don't want to die in front of a firing squad.

I want to die clean.

At my time.

Go to this address.

A guy will give you a flask for me.

Get that flask and bring it to me, please.

You might not remember, but you loved me.

You loved me.

Because you lied to me.

Every love story starts with a lie.

David's my son. I saved your life.

I ask you to save my death.

Please.

- What are you making? - Chestnut mash!

With some cheese. It's going to be a treat!

OK, we're setting off. Hurry up!

Just take the essential. Every minute counts.

Antoine's up there!

He wants us to join him.

- Who wants to go first? - Me!

Stop it, stop it.

No one says you're sentries.

You're guarding ramparts -

you protect a city from destruction, you are under siege.

You are soldiers.

It's not easy.

We need real ramparts, walls.

No, we don't need walls.

Representing reality is not reality.

What?

Representing reality is not reality.

You and Fernand just argued over the chestnut mash.

What would you say happened?

Well, Fernand and I...

argued over the chestnut mash.

What time was it?

Where were you?

What were you wearing? What was your tone?

What's your relationship with Fernand?

What is the chestnut mash made of?

What is the role of chestnuts in the maquis, and so on.

Of all those questions, you will never agree on the details.

Things happen. That's the real thing.

And that's it.

The same experience isn't told the same way twice.

Traces of facts exist, but are always partial or damaged.

You can't fully convey reality to someone

who wasn't experienced it.

- How dreadful. - No!

Faced with this impossibility,

bad people do journalism,

good people make history,

and geniuses...

do drama.

We take reality and make something with it, a story.

Reality stays in its obscure mediocrity.

OK, let's start over.

Show some drive!

Hey, Geneviève!

We're having a party since we're moving to Germany.

So, we need some wine, some bread,

some flour, some chickens...

I don't have much, you know.

My grandma is sick.

But you can surely find something.

If you want, you can come and join us at the party later on.

Yes! Come to the party!

As I said, my grandmother is sick, so I can't leave her.

We might come to see you after the party.

I got to bed early.

Daniel Larcher

is a cold, wicked, calculating man

who found no one but a depraved wife,

a Nazi war criminal

and a collaborating police officer sentenced to death

to try to defend him.

As you come to a verdict,

remember that he contributed

to the horrendous acts that took place

while he was mayor, and a lot was done.

Mr. Larcher is a good,

generous man...

He's a humanist.

He's brave.

And I'd like to add an even rarer quality:

he's sincere.

I'm going to use one Mr. Prosecutor's words:

"Remember".

Yes, remember

that with his unrelenting energy,

he smoothed the fate of the people of Villeneuve,

while continuing to be the generous doctor he has always been.

Remember that this man stole a child

and had his father killed.

Remember that he made us believe

that the Resistance had never existed,

and that all France was collaborating.

Remember that he was anti-Semitic,

and that he envied his Jewish colleagues.

Remember he was tortured by the Gestapo...

And then jailed.

Remember that he lodged

and then loved

a young Jewish girl...

who was presumably deported.

If Larcher's a fake nice guy,

his sidekick Servier...

is a real bad guy.

It was Servier

who sent ten communists to their death,

settling his accounts with such a brutality

that makes us suspect

an absolute fascination for Nazism.

It was Servier who presided over the utter horror

of July 25, 1942,

when children were separated from their parents.

He manipulated them, lied to them,

penned them up like cattle,

and then sent them to the antechamber

of the death camps.

Mr. Servier's case is even more dramatic.

He is depicted as a wicked monster

who takes pleasure in committing crimes.

He is portrayed as anti-Semitic.

If that were so, would I be defending him?

Me, who lost ten family members

in the night and fog?

For Servier,

the dedicated public servant

who separated the Jewish children from their parents,

who had ten Communists shot,

who firmly executed

every single order that came from Vichy and Berlin,

I request...

the death penalty.

The only fair punishment.

For Daniel Larcher,

a traitor to his country, his honor and the laws of mankind,

I request...

national unworthiness,

ten years of forced labor,

and the absolute prohibition to practice medicine.

Bring that mike.

Roger! Here he is.

Comrades! I brought you a surprise guest.

Gustave Larcher, son of Marcel.

It's due tomorrow.

Be brave.

Here he is.

Hello. How are you doing?

- Sorry I'm late. - No problem.

- We're gonna start. - Hello.

Gentlemen, please.

Thank you.

No...

No...

No,

the Krauts didn't get Alsace and Lorraine.

Freedom,

the dignity of France,

its independence and, ultimately, its victory

were obtained by outstanding men.

Firstly, General De Gaulle,

whom I joined in London

in November 1940,

when there were only a few dozen of us.

Secondly, those who, in connection with General de Gaulle,

stayed in France to lead the fight from the shadows,

the Resistance and then the maquis.

Many of these exceptional men died with guns in their hands.

We are here

to celebrate the memory of four very brave men,

who sacrificed themselves

so the maquis of Villeneuve could live.

Oh, shit!

We are honored to have one of these four heroes among us today:

Thierry Grand. Let's give him a well-deserved applause.

It's OK.

Henri, it's your turn.

Henri de Kervern will speak now.

He was a Resistant in Villeneuve from March 1941,

a Français Libre since 1943, and today, he's our prefect.

Henri.

I'll be brief. I hate long speeches.

I'm not saying it for you.

We fought to be free.

And damn! It feels so good today.

We're here.

We made it through. We won!

We're enjoying it.

But...

We think of those who are not here.

To recall the life of the Four of the Maquis,

tell us who they were,

how and why they sacrificed themselves,

I will give the floor to the true hero of Villeneuve.

He organized the November 1943 march

that echoed throughout France and around the world.

He's the head of the maquis that will forever bear his name:

Antoine.

Bravo!

How...

and why...

did the Four of the Maquis

sacrifice themselves?

Why...

And how... they sacrificed themselves?