Fantomas: The Man in Black (1913) - full transcript

Part One
THE ORIENT EXPRESS DISASTER

The Man in Black won the first round

but Inspector Juve swore
he'd win the second.

Juve lists the criminal's crimes:

Robbery of Princess Danidoff,
murder of Lord Beltham,

attempted execution
of the actor Valgrand.

And now, the Chaleck affair...

Here, Jérôme, read my report.

Report by Inspector Juve
to the Chief of National Police.

The female corpse
found at Dr Chaleck's

could not be positively identified
as the victim was totally disfigured



but she carried identification
in the name of Lady Beltham,

accomplice of the murderer Gurn
who escaped prison on his execution day.

Is it really Lady Beltham or a ruse
for her to be believed dead? An enigma .

Another enigma: How did
the body end up at Dr. Chaleck's?

He seems above suspicion because
he immediately informed the police

upon finding the body in his apartment,
after being away for a few days.

Lastly, the coroner could not determine
the exact cause of death.

The body appears to have been mangled.
The investigation continues. Juve.

Calm down, kid.
Old Juve knows what to do.

The next day on rue Frochot,
as Dr. Chaleck exits his home...

Tailing the Doc:tor's car,

Juve and Fandor
reach Boulevard de la Chapelle.

During the trip,
the elegant Dr. Chaleck

transformed himself
into a shady character.



While Juve followed the ruffian,
Fandor tailed the strumpet.

My beloved Loupart,

be at the train station
at 3 o'clock with some henchmen.

The old coot I told you about, Mr. Martialle,
from Kessler & Barru Wines,

will be carrying 150,000 francs.

He's mad about me
and believes me lily-white.

That's why he wants me to go
on the trip with him.

Your Josephine.

Another ruffian follows Juve...

Fandor, luckier than Juve,
hasn't lost the girl.

METRO LINE 2

Dear Juve,
I'm on the right track.

The bird has returned to her nest
and I'm on watch.

Fandor.

One hour later, the strumpet,
transformed, exits her home.

She goes to the train station
to meet Martialle, wine merchant.

As planned, Loupart's accomplices
are waiting on the platform.

Good idea to have chosen
to last car, dear Joséphine .

Here we'll be ideally alone...

To what fate does this train
lead Martialle and Fandor?

In the unhitched car, Fantômas's gang
may now operate at leisure.

Fandor, dozing in the next compartment,
experiences a similar misadventure.

There was only one track,
that of the Orient Express .

And now the incline is causing
the car to roll backwards.

The Orient Express .

Loupart's car awaits the crooks.

Kessler and Barru, Wine & Spirits

Mr. Bordier and Mr. Pontarlier:

Following our discussions

and to seal our partnership
in the St. Blaise distillery,

please receive from our representative
150 thousand-franc notes, cut in half.

The other halves
will be delivered in 30 days,

after the contract's clauses
have been honoured.

Sincerely, Kessler & Barru.

Loupart decides to get
the missing halves from Kessler & Barru.

But also to rid himself
of his arch enemy.

To Juve, National Police, Paris.

All is well.

To close the case, be at the Bercy warehouse,
alone but armed,

tomorrow night at 11 o'clock,
near the Kessler wine cellars.

Your friend, Fandor.

The following night,
Juve arrives at the Bercy warehouse

carrying his trusty pistol.

Fandor, expecting the bandits to come to Bercy
to get the rest of the banknotes,

is also there.

Fantômas's gang
sets fire to the barrels.

Part Two
AT THE “CROCODILE”

A few weeks later, Joséphine,
in the company of an American boxer,

is popping the champagne
at the Crocodile.

Juve and Fandor,
to relax their frayed nerves,

had also come to enjoy
a night out in Montmartre.

But... It's the strumpet,

Loupart's accomplice,
the woman on the train.

Allow me to introduce my friend
Inspector Juve, National Police.

Where is Chaleck?
Answer me or I'll arrest you .

A gentleman
is waiting for you outside.

And 10 minutes later...

Part Three:
THE HAUNTED VILLA

Seeking to forget,

Lady Beltham, Fantômas's accomplice
from when he called himself Gurn,

now resides in a convent in Neuilly.

Lady,
Do you still refuse to see me?

Last night, I visited your empty villa
and was shocked to find it up for sale.

There, alone in the dark,
I relived our past.

Lady, I must speak with you.

Meet me Wednesday at midnight
in what was once your room.

Gurn

Wednesday, shortly before midnight,
in the shadows of the garden.

Again under his spell,

she promises to return to the villa
every Wednesday at midnight.

One morning shortly after,
two figures patrol near the villa.

Pretending to be potential buyers,
Juve and Fandor visit the house.

This pen was used
less than two days ago.

Do you come here
to do your correspondence, my friend?

There's a light
in this room each Wednesday.

I think the house is haunted .

Obviously.

Ghosts come here every Wednesday
to pen love letters .

It's the heating vent
for the furnace in the basement.

The cistern for rain water.

The following Wednesday at midnight.

Lady Beltham arrives as usual.

Without noticing Juve and Fandor,

Fantômas closes the vent
to block the cold draft.

Yes, we'll run away together
but in four days,

when my silent executioner
will have finally gotten rid of Juve .

Four nights later, with Fandor's help,

Juve prepares himself for the visit
of his mysterious silent executioner.

Shortly before dawn.

The silent executioner.

The steel spikes
turn out to be ineffective.

Help me, Fandor .

Part Four
THE MAN IN BLACK

That morning,
Fantômas daydreams of Lady Beltham

in the garden of her empty villa.

The cops want to finish him,
but instead, he'll finish them .

Informed of his presence,
Juve orders his men to storm the villa.

Listen .
It sounds like breathing...

The silent executioner.

Farewell, men of justice.