Original subtitles

I would like 10 francs, please.

You can't withdraw money here.

But I have my card.

This is your Social Security card.

It's for doctors, hospitals, pharmacies.

Next, please!

- But I need 10 francs. - Sir...

For groceries, madam.

I don't understand.

I just need 10 francs.

I was here at the opening, I've been in line all morning.

Here you have, sir.

Take it.

- You work at Social Security? - No.

But I helped create it.

Thank you.

Wait a second, I have number 642.

- When's my turn? - The computer's locked up.

Sir.

Why do you press the button if it's not working?

It's for statistics.

How can I help you?

My name is Antoine Martin.

I'm here about my wife,

Geneviève.

She has a long-term illness, fully insured.

Long-term illness, as in...

- Alzheimer's. - And?

She hasn't been paid for three months.

I wrote you,

I called you, but nothing happened.

Do you have her health card?

- She lost it. - Well, that's a problem, sir.

- I told you, she has Alzheimer's. - So?

So, she loses everything.

In that case, she has a guardian, right?

Her guardian is our eldest daughter, who is abroad at the moment.

Without a card, my hands are tied.

I have her records and her number.

I need her card to process the payments.

Make an effort.

I can't change the social security computer system, sir.

Find her card or make a new one.

I told you, her guardian is abroad.

Take mine.

No, sir. Thank you.

Listen, with her Alzheimer's,

it is very expensive to keep her at home.

I can't keep paying. I'm going to be overdrawn.

There's nothing I can do, sir.

- Next, please! - Wait!

We fought to create Social Security.

People died for it!

Nobody cares, sir.

I have a dialysis appointment.

Social security is the symbol of solidarity,

and protection for all!

You should be proud to work here!

What makes you think I'm not? Madam?

You didn't even look at her file.

- It's pointless without the card. - Listen,

I have sent my paystubs twice...

- Are you alright, sir? - Yes.

Are you listening to me?

Sir!

Gaëlle, call an ambulance!

It's OK, sir. We're calling an ambulance.

Undo his collar.

Maybe some lavender scent could work.

Can you hear me?

A person just fainted. Can you come right away?

Geneviève...

A French Town

On Strike

Pierre will lose his left hand.

His arm...

the surgeon will try to save it,

but he'll probably be paralyzed.

What are you gonna do?

We'll hire two Krauts,

thanks to Ms. de Cantillon's father.

I don't mean that.

What are you gonna do about Pierre?

Raymond will pay a compensation in addition to insurance.

How much?

We don't know.

We'll see how Social Security

deals with work accidents.

It's still under discussion.

And how do you plan to improve safety here?

That's totally different.

Of course not!

We are overworked.

What happened to him could happen to us.

- Keep the safety lock. - We had to take it off.

I never asked you to do that.

You came to bust our nuts with productivity.

How to increase it?

The danger comes from management pressure.

Listen...

It's too recent. We don't have all the answers yet,

but we'll find them, and we'll make suggestions to you.

In the meantime, we need to get back to work.

We're gonna have a team meeting.

I warn you, that means pay docking.

Then it will be a general assembly.

Wait. That's not how you...

Do your meeting, no pay docking.

And we'll take stock tomorrow, OK?

OK.

Come, Hubert.

Daniel.

He can read my mind.

- Is the soup good, darling? - Yes.

Very different from Aunt Marthe's cooking.

Did you hear what I just said?

You know they still eat rutabagas at Martha's?

There's cake at Aunt Martha's on Sundays.

- Sarah told me about this, you know. - Sarah?

Yes.

"That kid can read my mind".

- She said it about six times. - Stop!

Stop it. Not now.

Is cake at Aunt Martha's good?

No, it's not good.

We have good cake here.

After the soup and the salad. You'll have to eat the salad.

I'll be in my room.

It's alright, darling.

Mama Hortense doesn't like soup?

Right.

It all started here.

My car was there...

The soldiers were here...

And their truck was there.

Your mother was...

in the back of my car.

She had lost a lot of blood. She needed a transfusion.

The troops promised to take her.

Did they?

No, I don't think so.

When I saw her at the church,

a few days later, she was dead.

And I don't think she ever got a transfusion.

Probably not.

Why didn't you take her yourself?

Hortense was in Villeneuve, which was being bombed by the Germans.

Believe me, I wanted to go home.

What about me?

Where was I?

You...

You were...

in the back of the car, wrapped up in blankets.

A blue striped blanket and a red blanket.

We kept them.

I took you to the soldiers,

here, so they could take you with your mother.

But the sergeant refused.

If the woman died, he wouldn't know what to do with the baby.

Hortense couldn't have children.

I don't know what I...

I didn't think about it.

I took you home.

It's funny...

The sky was roaring that day, too.

It was the bombings.

You think she died on this bridge?

No, I don't think so.

She was conscious when I took her to the soldiers.

Was she beautiful?

Yes.

I think she was beautiful.

Was she...

kind?

You know, I didn't know her very well.

Yes.

I think she was kind.

What was her name?

Carlotta.

And she told me "Te quiero", is that right?

When I pulled you out...

"Te quiero..."

I thought it was the name she was giving you.

I really wish I'd known her.

Father?

I'm out of polish. Do you have any left?

- Are you sure? - Yes. Look.

Be careful. That polish is very toxic!

Wipe your hands.

I didn't know.

I read in the paper that a laundress from Besançon

poisoned her husband with it. Can you believe it?

How awful!

She'd pour some polish into his soup everyday.

Since it has no taste...

Killing her husband that way, after all we've been through...

The mysteries of the human soul.

I'll get you some.

A strike is the only way we have to make things happen.

There.

I can't lose any money.

Maybe one day's pay, but no more.

Me neither. I've six mouths to feed.

Not even one day.

We must try to come to an agreement with the management first.

- No kidding! - That's what the law says.

When a strike is legitimate, laws don't matter.

Hey! We want money, not laws!

- I disagree. - What do you mean, you disagree?

Quiet, please!

Quiet!

It's our right to strike, but we have duties.

Let's submit our demands to the management.

If they refuse, then we can go on strike.

Pierre is crippled for life because of Chassagne and her deals.

We're real workhorses! We've said it over and over again.

And the bosses do nothing!

So, we go on strike.

I agree!

If we want to win, we need to have the law on our side.

Law is a balance of power, Amélie.

A conflict is won by force.

You think we kicked the Jerries out by respecting the law?

Right.

I put the immediate and unlimited strike

to a vote of this assembly.

Who's for?

- We go on strike? - Yes.

Really, this is a bad time.

Your factory's on strike...

- It's not our fault. - No.

But there's no strike when a boss is a good manager.

You sold me Raymond as the ideal candidate.

If you foul up the election,

your father's ears will burn in Paris.

- Who are the leaders, Antoine? - I'm no longer an officer.

- But you're our employee. - Not your fink.

The leaders are Anselme, Suzanne Richard

and my wife.

You talk to your wife, and we kick out the two others.

Wait, Suzanne Richard is a Resistant.

The first in Villeneuve.

- November 11, 1940. - Don't kick her out, then.

We can't spend our lives judging people on what they did.

This life and the next one, dear lady.

Legally, we can't fire them.

They were supposed to give us a notice of strike.

What do they want?

Money,

respect,

better working conditions...

- New employees. - They believe in Santa.

You don't?

- Not since the war. - Well,

to win an election, you have to believe in Santa.

And make the others believe, too.

Give them something. They must resume work before Sunday.

The world must know that Schwartz is a good, caring,

generous boss.

- I'll walk you. - I know the way.

I'm counting on you.

Why don't we ask Loriot to send the riot squad?

The riot squad? You're out of your mind!

Why not?

I'm not some bourgeois from Vichy.

Almost all of them switched to the Resistance,

starting with you.

We cannot let the Bolsheviks rule the roost in Villeneuve.

A strike? There is no way you're going on strike.

Believe me, we are. It was approved by a wide margin.

We will contact loggers, quarries...

- Haven't you read L'Huma? - When it was secret.

The line defined by Thorez is clear:

the workers' duty is to produce, produce and produce.

Strikers are either saboteurs or former collaborators.

- That's nonsense. - It's the line, dammit!

We are striving to rebuild this country,

Marcel Paul is Secretary of Industrial Production.

Edmond, the workers at the sawmill voted.

- Let them vote again! - Pointless!

Rates are infernal, wages are low.

We had a bloody work accident.

If a strike breaks out,

the Party will have to disown it, and so will you.

Come on...

It's great for your election, isn't it?

I don't know.

But the municipal election is far behind the Party policy.

Thorez and Duclos have disowned all strikes since the Liberation.

Right. So, Gustave and Léonore...

how are they? - Fine.

- They're helping with the campaign. - Downtown?

- Yes. Why? - No reason.

I wanted to know. Léonore's my daughter.

Right. We need to stop that strike.

That's impossible.

If I tell the workers the Party is against it,

they'll turn away from me and the Party.

- Are you sure? - Absolutely.

They are fed up. They want to fight it out.

Alright.

If you can't stop the movement, go with it.

Officially, the Party will decry the strike.

Unofficially, it may allow us to torpedo Schwartz.

Polish Poisoner

You're here? What a surprise!

- I'm helping the priest. - How noble of you.

- And... will it take you long? - Oh, yes!

You know, I've been working on this statue for days.

That is admirable.

But...

You do take a break from time to time, don't you?

Because we could go for a cinnamon mulled wine.

Quickly, of course.

Mulled wine is good when you're making physical efforts.

Actually, I...

I need to ask you a favor, for my nephew.

His father wants him to start 10th grade at Villeneuve High.

But he couldn't sit his exams because of the circumstances.

That shouldn't be a problem.

Talk to my husband.

No, no. I don't want to bother him.

I just thought I could ask you, since I ran into you.

I came to burn a candle in memory of two of my comrades

killed in action. - That's funny.

- I didn't think you were a believer. - I'm not really a believer.

But they were.

And now they're up there.

It's so cold, I thought I could warm them up a little.

- In fact, your husband knew them. - Oh?

We were together when they were killed.

- In Lyon? - That's correct.

- How did you know? - Jules told me.

Since he killed a German...

You must be confused. He didn't kill a German that day.

We just ran away as fast as we could,

leaving Robert and Mathieu behind.

But was it in Lyon, in November, 1943?

Yes, on the 27th.

There are dates we never forget.

Did you escape any other arrests with my husband?

Good heavens, no!

Why are you asking me all these questions?

Under the Occupation, I would've been suspicious.

I'm just interested in his activity as a Resistant.

- It's normal. - Of course.

And your husband is a hero.

- Just so you know. - Yes.

So, about the mulled wine...

Some other time.

I have a lot of work before Christmas.

Maybe some other time.

I'm looking for Dr. Larcher.

If it's for a consultation, he's not here.

- When will he come back? - I don't know. Tonight.

Tonight? I can't wait until tonight.

If it's urgent, there's the hospital.

It's not medical.

Are you his wife?

Yes.

A woman sends me - Sarah Meyer.

Does that ring a bell?

Of course. I knew her. How is she?

She died in my arms.

Please, come in for five minutes.

I'm sorry. I didn't expect that...

Would you like something to eat or drink?

I'm in a rush. I have to catch a train to Marseille later.

I was deported to Birkenau in October of '44.

That's where I met Sarah.

Were you friends?

She used to sleep above me in the barracks.

She spoke many times about your husband.

He was a good boss, if I understood correctly.

She was his mistress.

Don't worry, I knew about it.

When did she die?

Three days after the Liberation, in the mid-January.

It's as if she waited until she was free to die.

She got typhus.

Many deportees died of it, at the end.

How terrible.

I sat with her for the last two days.

Before going into a coma,

she made me promise I would go and see Dr. Larcher

in Villeneuve, France,

if I ever came here,

to... tell him about her last moments,

tell him she had thought a lot about him.

I think she really loved him.

Yes, I think.

I don't think he loved her, though.

I don't know about that.

Right. I kept my promise.

Will you tell your husband?

Yes. You can count on me.

Sure you don't want something to eat?

I'm not hungry.

- How is it going? - Badly.

The workers refuse to negotiate,

and Chassagne wants to send the police.

If they occupy the place, you'll have to.

Thank you.

- You're adding molasses now? - It's better, isn't it?

No, but it's nice you're using it.

An American colonel came to see me.

The three soldiers that assaulted me

were finally tried.

One of them was sentenced to death.

Death?

He'll be hanged tomorrow.

It's the black one.

The one who did nothing.

The colonel said that the US military does

racial segregation, and that it's easier to....

punish a guilty black man than white man.

And they think they're the champions of democracy and freedom...

Finally, he asked me to withdraw my civil complaint.

- He offered me money. - He won't buy you...

I accepted.

You accepted money?

30,000 francs.

But...

Are you sure?

I figured that with 30,000 francs,

if you're tired of the sawmill, we could sort things out.

Come here.

I'm lucky to have you.

Is it true you fought for Social Security?

Yes.

I mean, more or less.

Were you a unionist?

No. A Resistant.

I see.

OK, let's go. Quick.

- We're taking you to the hospital. - What am I going to do there?

We'll run a few tests and you'll get some rest.

How can you leave children outside?

We need to do something. Pass me my coat.

Calm down, sir. No more talking, OK?

I'm proud to work for Social Security.

He needs to be quiet now, alright?

Are you OK?

Don't worry. I'll be fine.

I have my health card.

I wasn't expecting you this early!

- I would've waited for you. - It doesn't matter.

- You're in a good mood. - I was at Madam Berthe's.

There's an American girl with black skin.

Black and soft like velvet.

- I don't care. - That's why I'm telling you.

She dances like a goddess.

Have you ever seen a naked woman dance?

Do you want some cheese?

No.

- I'll have some wine. - Wine?

What's going on? What are we celebrating?

I should go to church more often!

The confessional must be quite comfortable to...

You're downright obnoxious today.

I had a few drinks, Lucienne, that's all.

You know, Lucienne,

one word from you would suffice.

I could...

So this is what wine tastes like?

Well, yes.

- It's good. - It depends.

About what you told me yesterday...

I told you something yesterday?

We don't talk anymore.

When you killed a German.

Ah, yes... What about it?

- Was it in Lyon? - Yes.

- In November of '43? - Yes.

- With Lanzac? - Indeed.

This German...

Do you remember his face?

I shot him in the back. It was a Kraut back, like any other.

Why all these questions?

And you were alone that day with Lanzac.

I see... You talked with Lanzac.

I forgot he said he'd go and light and candle.

He told you about what happened in Lyon.

I had a lucky escape that day!

Is it true that you killed a German?

In Lyon?

I may have embellished it a bit.

Or anywhere else?

I'm thinking maybe you were trying to show off

in front of the journalist, or me.

Show off?

I've nothing to show, Lucienne.

Do I?

I only care about inner beauty.

That's what I'm talking about.

Yes, Lucienne, I killed a German.

Once.

And from what I recall...

I very much enjoyed it.

Goodnight, Lucienne.

Did something happen?

No, no.

I mean, I'll tell you later.

Later? When?

- Are you hungry? - I need to sleep.

How was Tequiero's

ride back to Martha's?

He asked me why you were mad at him.

I told Marthe that you were sick.

Tequiero won't be coming here next time.

I will go to Marthe's.

I'll have a shower and then to bed. Goodnight.

- Daniel. - What?

- I have something to tell you. - Look...

Something difficult.

I'm tired. We'll talk tomorrow.

It's about Sarah.

I'm sure it can wait till tomorrow.

Daniel, she's dead!

You read that in Tequiero's mind?

A woman came today and told me.

A woman?

- Hortense... - Her name is Rachel.

That's what she said. Rachel.

Rachel who?

I don't know. I don't remember.

Did this woman leave anything? A letter, a message?

No, she had a train to catch...

Yes, she had a train to catch to Marseille.

They were deported together!

Of course...

Deported where?

I don't know. She said something like...

Something like "Barkenau", or "Borkenau", maybe.

- Aren't you tired of this nonsense? - I swear it's true.

The neighbors talk about you and Heinrich,

the cleaner ruins your dresses,

Tequiero wants to kill you and can read your mind,

while you send anonymous letters around!

And now some woman comes out of the blue to tell you

that Sarah, the only woman who really loved me, is dead?

Aren't you sick of it? Because I am!

- You think I'm crazy? - You are crazy!

Completely crazy!

Until today, I thought I'd be able to put up with it...

to put up with you!

But now you torture me, saying Sarah's dead. That's too much!

I've had it, Hortense,

with your selfishness, your immaturity,

your delusions!

- I swear it's true, Daniel. - Shut up!

Shut the fuck up, like the poor say!

Don't talk to me about truth again. You don't know what it means.

- I'm going to leave. - Yes, please. Leave.

Leave! Go to Marseille, go to "Borkenau"...

Go find Heinrich, go to hell...

But leave Sarah alone. Leave me alone!

But it's true. It's true.

Mrs. Larcher?

Françoise Bériot.

I'm glad you could come.

Hello.

Your husband said you were slightly unwell.

Really? He said that?

Deep down, Daniel is a comedian without knowing it.

We're finishing up the hanging.

- You brought another painting? - Yes.

- It's my latest. - Fantastic!

- Your self-portraits are amazing. - This isn't a self-portrait.

- It's not? - No.

That's intriguing.

Can I? Yes?

Oh, wow...

It's very...

different from the others.

So, where can we hang it?

Here, maybe.

No.

There.

Russian Revelations at the Nuremberg Trials

Millions of Jews Killed

- Have you seen my wife? - No.

I didn't hear a single noise,

neither in her room

nor in the bathroom.

Solange,

I'm sorry, but I won't be able to keep you.

Not even six hours a week. I can't pay you.

Oh, doctor, your luck will change!

I can wait a little.

Mathieu gets his pension, so...

That's kind of you.

You almost saved my life last year.

I'll never forget that.

- Larcher. - Captain Loriot here.

I have some bad news. Your wife...

Yes?

A patrol arrested her at the station.

She was talking to people.

I'm sorry to tell you this, but she was completely naked.

She took her clothes off in front of everybody,

shouting that people...

had to see the naked truth.

The prosecutor won't press charges,

but it must not happen again.

- I'll take care of her. - There are children at the station.

Hortense.

- Are you coming? - No.

You're not gonna stay.

I am.

I feel good, I feel at home.

You have no clothes.

- I have a blanket. - Come on, you can't stay here!

I don't want to go with you.

Listen...

I'm sorry about yesterday.

I didn't mean to say all that.

Do you really think I'm crazy?

I think that...

the events of the last year disturbed you,

and you need to see someone.

Someone?

- A doctor. - No, no.

I don't like doctors.

Not a doctor like me.

"A real doctor", as you would say.

What's the use, anyway?

He'll give you pills that'll make you feel better.

- Really? - I can assure you of that.

There are specialists in mood disorders.

They get results.

I'm sorry I didn't realize your condition was serious.

What I said about Sarah was true.

I didn't lie, it was true.

Listen, let's not talk about that now.

Come on.

Let's go home.

You know I know things.

- I could keep you for days. - I'm not lying!

You're early! Are you alone?

Today, I make the coffee and soup.

For the strikers?

- Are you mad at us? - Not at all.

- To strike is a right. - That's not an answer.

I've always loved difficulties.

Is that why you're running for mayor?

Among others.

No offense, but it's not a job for you.

Why is that?

I worked at the prefecture in the days of Servier.

That world isn't for you.

You need fantasy or freedom.

Did Edmond send you to dishearten me?

Wait, let me help you.

- Are you hurt? - It's nothing. I just fell.

Alright... So.

- Which way? - There.

Here we go.

My goodness!

That is unbelievable.

In only one week, you washed away 150 years of dirt.

- It's nothing. - You're too modest.

To modest to be honest.

Go ahead.

Mrs. Siguier is here for her Thursday confession. Duty calls.

Father, I...

Yes?

I have a cast iron pot at home

that I've been longing to restore.

You don't mind?

Are you kidding?

It's a ridiculously low salary for such a colossal job.

Problem is, we can't do milk and meat at the same time.

Gran used to say if we did both, we'd have no life.

- Which one do you prefer? - Milk.

Raising animals and then killing them...

Go with the milk.

I can't do it on my own.

Anybody home?

Come on in.

- Hi. - How are you?

I was in the neighborhood, I'd stop by.

You didn't go to the factory. Hey.

Raymond gave me the day off.

- Want some soup? - I won't say no.

So, where are you at?

Still on strike.

What do you ask for?

Informally and unofficially.

If you wanted official, you wouldn't have come here.

It's nice to see the farm again.

Good times here.

It's good.

Not sour at all.

It's Gran's recipe.

So, we want a 20% increase in the basic rate,

a 10% reduction in productivity,

four hires for the guys and two for the girls.

Anselme, if you ask too much, you'll get nothing

but the riot squad.

- Is that a threat? - No.

It's just the way things are.

I take that as a threat.

So you're gonna tell Chassagne

that we have seized her tie stock.

We'll keep it until we reach an agreement.

Very well.

Subtitles: ECLAIR