Seraphine (2008) - full transcript

I left you some bread and roast beef
in the pantry.

Eat here before you go.

Open the shutters downstairs
and give it a clean.

I have a new tenant.

Come on!

Wait!

I found some cups!

Shall I ask her for some glasses?

The landlady.

Definitely not.

- What?
- When are you coming back to Paris?



I don't know.
When I've had enough of it here.

Tell Vollard I'll send my Picasso
article by the end of the week.

- Take care.
- You, too. Drive safely.

Who are you?

Madame Duphot gave me the keys.

She told me to come in
three days a week to clean.

Would sir rather I left?

Can you make some tea?

You know how to make tea?

Yes, sir.

Thank you.

I'm going now, sir.

It’ll be ten sous.

There.



Might I ask your name?

Seraphine, sir.

What are you doing here?

Right, you brought the linen.

Did you get them out?

- The stains?
- Yes

We agreed three sous each.

Are you sure?

Five sous.

After that one, you can go.

What will it be, sir?

Two chops of mutton, please.

Two chops. Fillet?

Let's see what we've got.

Do you know
where I can buy some letter paper?

Duval's, down the street.
He's got all you need.

Not local?
Where are you from?

Paris.

English?
Just asking, because of the accent.

German.

That’ll be eight sous.

One franc.

Wrapped up?

No need.
I’ll take it as it is.

Who's he?

Madame Duphot's new tenant.

What is he, a Boche?

Don't know.
Give me some white.

I'm not a bank, you know.

You owe me

4 francs and 4 sous,
not counting the wood panels.

You'd be better off
buying coal for winter.

You owe me two months' rent.
Seraphine!

Don't you think that's enough?

Just you wait!

Mademoiselle Seraphine
is not receiving visitors

There you are.

I've almost finished, sir.

Can I do the bedroom?

Of course.

Leave it, I’ll do it.

I enjoy cooking.

You know,

when I feel sad,
I go for a walk in the country

and I touch the trees,

I talk to the birds,
the flowers, the insects...

and I feel better.

I swear, I always feel better.

You haven't lost the knack.

It's good. It's very good.

Rich. Full of butter.

I baked it at one of my ladies,
while she was at confession.

I'm glad to see you doing so well.

Are you lacking for anything?

Time, Mother Superior.
Cleaning takes it all.

And in there?
Is everything better?

Are you sure?

Can you make me some tea?

Tea again.

- What's that?
- Drink.

Later, I'm busy.

No, now.

It's strong.

I make it myself.
It's my energy wine.

I'll finish it later.

But I'd still like some' tea.

That's beautiful handwriting
you have.

Whenever you want some, just ask.

Anatole?

Here I am, Mummy.

Have a good drive?
What's the weather like in Paris?

Did the maid let you in?
I was afraid you'd be locked out.

I told you I'd be gone till 6.

Yes, Mummy.

Gracious, it's hot!

I didn't ask you
to change the sheets.

It's done now.

Lose the habit of answering back.

What's this I hear?

Chairman Bouillot
says that you paint.

It would seem you paint.

Answer me.

Yes, what?

Not bad, he says.
Have you sold any?

No, ma'am.

Bring me one tomorrow,

so I can take a look.

Run along.

And next time, for the beds,
wait to be told.

"I have gone to Paris.

"Carry on as usual."

Shall I tell you what I think?
You're wasting your time.

These apples
are anything but apples.

Aren't they, Anatole?
Anything but apples.

Do you think? Not me.

What do you mean, not you?
These apples...

They are supposed to be apples?

Yes, ma'am.

They could just as easily be plums.

Or peaches.

They look like apples to me.

Go back to your cleaning.
You have better things to do.

Leave me alone.

Leave me alone. Go away.

Sleep now.

Your secret's out.
We know who you are, Monsieur Uhde.

I've invited a few artist friends
round this evening.

We'd be honoured to have

a respected critic and art dealer

join us.

Don't say no,

I should be horribly disappointed.

They're dreadful.

In my humble opinion,
they are dreadful.

The problem with our contemporaries

is that people have no taste.

- No sense of beauty.
- Very true.

That doesn't apply to you,
Mademoiselle Delagneau.

- You are a true artist.
- You're too kind.

All these lunatics
who paint like 6-year-olds!

Did you visit the last Salon?

- Apparently, it sells.
- Unbelievable!

What do you think, Monsieur Uhde?

You're not very talkative.

Forgive me, I'm very preoccupied.

Understandably so.

War seems inevitable.
What will you do?

I don't know.
I don't give a fig about the war.

I believe dessert is on its way.

Make the most of it.
It may be the last.

You don't want any dessert?

- Who painted this?
- That? I forget.

Help us do justice
to my baked Alaska.

It won't stay alight forever.

Tell me who painted this.

Seraphine.

What do you mean?

Your...
I mean, our cleaner.

She worked at the convent.

One day, her guardian angel
commanded her to paint.

My son insisted I keep hold of it.

I’ll buy it off you.

You can add it to my rent.

I’ll take it with me.

Do you have any others?

I want to see them immediately.

Wait here for me.

Take a seat.

Look...

It's another
of Wilhelm’s discoveries.

We’ll exhibit it in a garage
at Les Invalides.

Who is it?

Wouldn’t you like to know?

You're already tired out?

A glass of water?

That’ll do you good.

- Shall I fetch her?
- No, please don't.

Willy...

She's here.

Who?

Your genius.

Has she brought another painting?

Your genius is cleaning.

What are you doing?

Mopping the floor.

We waited all day for you.

I showed your work to a collector.

He was as moved as I was.

Sir shouldn’t mock.

- Do I look the type to mock?
- A bit.

Where are you going?

To fetch the wax.
I wash first, then I wax.

Why don't you ever listen?

Everybody was very enthusiastic.

Smart folks always are.

They made
some very flattering comparisons.

If I told you the names...

What's the matter?

Why won't you tell me?

It's very kind of sir to say

that sir's friends said kind things
about my work.

You can't spend your life cleaning

when you have gold in your hands.

"Be ardent in your work

"and you will find God
in your cooking pots,"

said Saint Teresa of Avila.

I'm not very religious, you know.

But the Virgin Mary?

Sir believes in the Virgin Mary,
at least?

It depends.

It depends on what?

On how I'm feeling.

It depends on how I'm feeling.

But I believe in the soul.
Definitely.

I believe
that we humans have a soul.

It's what makes us so sad,

compared to animals.

Animals are never sad, are they?

They are.

Animals are sad.

If you take her calf from a cow,
she cries.

What is it?

It's me.

Wilhelm Uhde.

Open up.

I know you were working last night.

I want to see.

I’ll bring it over tomorrow.
I'd prefer.

You never told me
what made you want to paint.

Someone in your family?

I have no one, sir.

A teacher? Did you take lessons?

No, sir.

There must have been a moment,
something...

It's an intriguing texture.

This red, for example.

What is it?

I have my little secrets.

I keep them to myself,
or else they wouldn’t be secrets.

In any case, it's good. Very good.

I see plenty of flaws in it.

What are you doing?

I'm mopping the floor.

Now I'm going to tell you
what I think.

You're talented.

But you’ll have to work very hard.

Don't worry about
what other people say.

They know nothing.

I’ll look after you.

First, we’ll try to place
some paintings in Paris.

I have a gallery
on Rue Notre-Dame des Champs.

We could start there.

Or perhaps I’ll talk
to my friend, Kahnweiler.

I’ll write to him right away.

You’ll buy supplies from Paris.

Or Chantilly.

I'm only joking.

Duval's is as solid as our army.

We’ll soon bring
the Boche into line.

Kick them out, won't we?

Have you won the lottery?

Could be.

Those are my last ones.
I’ll order more.

It's all there.

Good.

Here, this is for you.

Sir hasn't even
looked at my painting.

I did.

It's very good.

But you can see this is a bad time.

Did you iron my shirts?

They're tidied away
in sir's dresser.

Would you mind fetching them?

Will sir be away for long?

I don't know.

Perhaps I won't even go.

People say the Germans
won't even get across the border,

but I'm German,
so I know the Germans very well.

I'm wary.

What about me?

Whatever happens, keep working.

One day, your talent
will be recognized. I'm sure of it.

And if you don't come back?

I don't want your money.

I can't be bought.

I won't be taken in by promises.

Save that
for Mademoiselle Anne-Marie.

What's this got to do with her?

She can't wait
to get her clutches on you.

You're not making sense.

I have eyes to see and ears to hear.

You really think Anne-Marie...

Sir thinks someone of my rank

isn't able to understand things
as well as him.

Not at all.

Lies!

Don't talk to me like that!

How do you think people talk to me,
ever since I was born?

How do you think people talk to me?

I didn't mean to upset you.

You think you're better than me
because I wash your linen,

your dirty shirts and underwear,

and mop the floor you walk on
in your fine shoes.

I'd better go.

This is silly.
There's no cause to be angry.

Let me explain.

If I hurt you, it was unintentional.

If my compatriots find me here,

I’ll be considered a deserter
and shot on the spot.

I don't think I'm superior to you,

not at all.

Anne-Marie is my sister.

Your sister?

My little sister, Anne-Marie Uhde.

I’ll never marry a woman.

Never.

Why do you think I moved out here?

Go home! Filthy Boche!

They're coming.
They're five hours from here.

We're going to Munich
via Switzerland.

Have you got the money?

Hurry up, for God's sake!

Come on.

It's you.
Have you seen my son?

He said he'd come.
I've been waiting for hours.

Don't just stand there,
you’ll attract attention.

They ransack houses and kill people.

What about Monsieur Wilhelm?

They came for him this morning,
looked everywhere.

I suppose he got away.

Run along,
and don't set foot here again.

Francis Bourdet of Le Temps.

- Sorry I'm late.
- Thanks for agreeing to see me.

Get in.

You were the first person
to buy Picasso and Braque.

What drew you to Douanier Rousseau

and all the Naives
you defend so fervently?

Naives?

I don't care for the term.

It scares me.

I truly prefer the term
Modern Primitives.

Here, look...

I rented a garage before the war

to exhibit Rousseau's work,
near Les Invalides.

I sold nothing, and besides
my sister and some friends,

we didn't have a single visitor.

Now, he's in the Louvre

and you come out here
to ask me about him.

Thank you, Marie-Louise.

You really want tea?

Not something stronger?

Tea's just fine.

Why did you come back to France?

To reclaim my collection!

A collection interprets
the collector’s spiritual education.

You can't break it up with impunity.

Yes, I heard. 17 Picassos,
13 Braques, 6 Douanier Rousseaus...

Not to mention Dufy,
Marie Laurencin,

Picasso's drawings...

Requisitioned and auctioned off.

I had to start again from scratch.

Why not favour confirmed talents?

I don't collect to sell,
I sell to collect.

We're going for a ride.

Do you need anything?

He shouldn’t be riding a bike.

Let me...

It's okay.

Helmut, they're here.

You have to get up.

Sir doesn't want breakfast in bed?

I’ll eat it later.
Please wake Monsieur Helmut.

Good morning.

I told you
he shouldn’t be on a bike.

Is it so difficult to understand?

- You can't keep him locked up.
- Don’t argue.

K- o-I-I-e.

Yes, that's right.

I agree with you,

but he has to start somewhere.

He’ll get there in the end.

I heard your name ten times.

Yes, speak to you soon.

Goodbye.

I have to go to Paris.

Why?

Bernheim's agreed
to take 3 paintings, Helmut.

On condition that I arrange the sale
with Kahnweiler.

I’ll be back by evening.

Well, Helmut, are you pleased?

I wonder why you bother.

I don't care about fame.

I’ll be dead first.

Why do you say that?

Don't talk like that!

Can you bring us back
the newspapers?

A franc for the effort,
but that's it.

Find less tiring jobs.
You're too old, dearie.

Now then, old girl,
what brings you here?

Give me 50 centimes'
worth of varnish.

I'm out of varnish.

There.

Here's some veal
left over from lunch.

I won't eat it.

You may as well have it.

You could say thank you.

Thank you.

Don't mention it.

Open up.

I know you're in there.

I can't.

Open the door, please.
I have something to tell you.

Here...

I made it this afternoon.

It's still warm.

Did you go to the washhouse?

Yes, I was at the washhouse.

You slept a little last night?

Eat.

I’ll save it for tomorrow.
I already ate today.

I’ll wash the bowl.

Go now, Minouche, I'm busy.

Lift up the heart
of your faithful Seraphine.

Leave that, Berthe, I’ll do it.
You can go.

Wilhelm!

Read this.

Senlis.
An exhibition at the Town Hall.

Organized by Senlis Friends
of the Arts,

the exhibition includes the works
of numerous local painters.

Do you think she still paints?

Who?

I'm convinced she's dead.

How can you be so sure?

Who are you talking about?

Seraphine.

Hasn't Willy
ever told you about her?

She was his cleaner in Senlis.

She infatuated him before the war.

When she wasn't mopping the floor,
she was painting.

Willy bought all her paintings
back then.

Then we fled
and we never heard of her again.

Is that you, Minouche?

No, it's me.

Wilhelm Uhde.

Sir's come back.

I was at the Town Hall.

I saw your work.

You have made great progress.

Your paintings are very beautiful.

Honestly?

You think they're better
than before?

Much better.

Like the great artists.

Sir's mocking me.

It's not mockery.

Admiration.

I hardly go looking
for work anymore,

I paint.

But it's very difficult.

My notebook.

My little notebook.

Thank you.

Mademoiselle Anne-Marie?
How is she?

She's back in France, too.

We've rented a house together.

In Chantilly, this time.

Horrible women,
shouting insults at me every day.

Come to see the gentle lamb

The feast of the angels

He came from heaven for us

Adore him one and all...

"Seraphine is our Douanier Rousseau.

"This upstanding person

"swapped her feather duster
for a brush.

"She has had no lessons

"and it is best she never take any."

God forbid!

"She possesses
the temperament of an artist,

"whose alluring naivety
brings to mind mediaeval art."

As if mediaeval art were naive!

They truly have no idea.

Our Seraphine,
who painted on little wooden panels.

has become a fully-fledged artist.

The wondrous thing is
she's an artist ahead of her time.

Just like Van Gogh was.

Will you exhibit her in Paris?

It's too early for Paris.

By the way, what time is it?

She’ll soon be here.

I’ll tell them to set the table.

- What is it?
- Monsieur Uhde, please.

What do you want with him?

I want with him
that he's expecting me.

At last!

We'd begun to think
you weren't coming.

How elegant you are!

What's in the basket?
You're laden like a mule.

You're lucky
to have such a big garden,

with such beautiful trees.

Lunch!

Let's go and have lunch.

She talks to the trees!
I never saw the like!

And she’ll only eat
what she brought with her.

Berthe! Marie-Louise!
Can you bring us the dessert?

What about the lamb?

We’ll start with dessert.
Seraphine adores rum baba.

Yes, ma'am.

From now on, I forbid you
to clean anyone's house.

You’ll receive this amount
every month.

I have also arranged for deliveries
of canvas, brushes and paints.

Don't worry about the paints.

But I'd like some Ripolin gloss.
By the kilo, it's cheaper,

and please make sure the canvases
are two metres high.

Two metres!

It's very important.

Will you write me
a real letter one day

with your beautiful handwriting?

Of course.

And you’ll send it to me by post?

Do you have my address?

Seraphine Louis,
1, Rue du Puit-Tiphaine, Senlis.

Count on it.

What kind of car is it?

What kind of car is it, Helmut?

A Horch.

It's comfortable to sit in.

If you don't mind me asking,

how much does a Horch cost, roughly?

I don't know.

I've no idea. It's Wilhelm’s.

Because I’ll need
a beautiful car, too,

when I'm famous.

Minouche told me
you want the whole floor.

It's empty, isn't it?

- And that you can afford it.
- What's your price?

There are two large rooms.
11 francs a month.

It's expensive.

Fetch me the keys.

Look!

It's beautiful.

- Yes, plates.
- What are you doing?

Ransacking my store?

The soup tureen, too?

Yes, to serve soup.

Soon perhaps,
you’ll be waited on hand and foot.

Yes, the samovar!

What’ll you do with it all?

That's my business.

Do you deliver?

Louis Seraphine live here?

I'm coming!

You don't like it.

I do.

I like it enormously.

We’ll do wonders together.

Several more like that
and I’ll exhibit you in Paris.

She's nearly finished.

Keep your eyes shut.

When I tell you to open them,
you open them, but not before.

Is it true someone
came to buy your paintings?

A Parisian gentleman?

Yes, a real gentleman,
sent by Monsieur Wilhelm.

With a name like a bird or a river.

Monsieur Cazou,
I mean Cassou.

You can open them now!

It's beautiful.

Good gracious!

It doesn't explain the racket!

You paint with a brush?

That's right, with a brush.

Your flowers are strange.
They move.

They look like insects.

They look like eyes, wounded eyes.
Shredded flesh.

Terrifying things.

I know, Madame Delonges.

Me, too. When I look at them,

what I've done scares me.

Are you sure your guardian angel
guides your hand?

More than ever, Mother Superior.

You say nothing, Mademoiselle.

You don't like them anymore?

Have you ever been in love?

Those things are private.

Please...

You won't tell anyone?

Once, long ago, I fell in love.

His name was Cyril. An officer.

He courted me.

We were engaged

and then, one day, he disappeared.

You never tried to find him?

When one paints,

one loves in a different way.

Often, I see him from the inside,

or in other faces.

I say to myself
that if I still think of him,

perhaps he still thinks of me.

Can I take your photo?

Yes.

Look at me.

I have to raise my eyes.

My inspiration comes from up above.

It's known as the Red Castle.

It was built in 1870.

The stained glass windows
are copied from Chantilly Castle.

It has twelve rooms, heated
by coal-fired central heating.

Coal-fired central heating!

In the cellar.

And upstairs, six bedrooms,
including one master bedroom.

How big's the kitchen?

Is there a pantry, at least?

After the Wall Street Crash
devastated the USA and Europe,

the international financial crisis
has hit France.

The weakness of our currency...

I can't listen to their doom saying!

- It's beautiful!
- Magnificent! Superb!

Silk and taffeta.

Just imagine, Minouche.

Me, Seraphine Louis,

daughter of Joseph Louis
and Josephine Maillard,

wearing taffeta and silk!

May we ask who's the lucky man?

You’ll find out in good time.

Will it be ready for next month?

As promised.

And make something for my friend,
a dress...

There's no need.

I insist.
A bridesmaid's dress.

In silk and taffeta, like mine.

Here...

This is a down-payment.

Send the bill to my patron,

Monsieur Uhde,
7, Rue Neuve, Chantilly.

I'm ready.

You need to take it easy.

You've been working so hard.

Anne-Marie's right.
You do too much.

It's not good for your work.

I was told to do it.

An order from on high.

Something very important
is going to happen.

What?

I can't tell you just yet.

But that's not why we came.

I received a letter from the notary.

You want to buy a house?

Yes, I nearly forgot.

It's a big, beautiful house
with lots of rooms.

I'm sure that you’ll both like it.

Shall we go and visit it now?

I'm sorry if this distresses you...

but I can't afford
to pay the 3,000 francs

the notary requires
to finalize the sale.

I can't.

Really?

You probably don't know
about the crisis in Europe?

The market's in bad shape.

I also received an extravagant bill
for a bridal gown.

Yes, I meant to tell you.

But my guardian angel
swore me to silence.

I thought sir would understand.

Understand what?
That you fritter money away.

That's not what Wilhelm means.

The money isn't important.

We're concerned.

We have to be careful
with our spending.

You can just sell a batch
of paintings.

There are no buyers.

Sir has the wrong approach.

He should present my paintings
in pretty gilded frames

and clients will come running.

It's more complicated than that.

What about my exhibition?
When's my exhibition?

I'm ready, you know.

I fear we may be obliged to wait
a little longer.

But I told you, I'm ready.

I know, and it pains me,

believe me.

But I don't have any choice.

You will organise my exhibition,
won't you?

Of course, I will.

You said, next month.
That's what you said!

I told them on high.

The angels are coming,
and not just them.

We don't know what might happen,
but it's very important.

They're expecting a lot of it.

So I've been fold.

I'm sorry, but I can't do any more.

For this year, at least,
you’ll have to be patient.

You no longer like my painting.

That's not at issue.

You don't like it
and you daren't tell me.

Because I spend too much.

Admit it.

At least,
that's what I've been fold.

You don't know what to say now!

Don't say a word! Not a word!

Leave me be!

Anyhow, they’ll come for me
and I’ll be saved!

I think you should come upstairs.

It's me. Open up.

You can't stay cooped up like this.

Leave me alone. I'm working.

Well?

- Should we break it open?
- She's painting.

I doubt it.
When she paints, she sings.

Now, she doesn't sing, she talks...

The angels...

The angels, too...

The angels will be invited.

What's come over you?

Take this,

for this is my body

and this is my blood.

Fetch the police, quickly.

My paintings are blessed.

Bad girl!

Can't you untie her?

She could hurt herself.

I want to talk to her.

That's not a good idea.

Open the door, please.

Clermont Asylum, 1935

In the last months,
she’s calmed down.

She no longer infuriates the others.

I sold some of her paintings.

Do you think I could tell her?

I'd prefer her not to see you.

I'm afraid it would only result
in another attack.

She has to know.

She wants to be left alone.

She says
that painting has gone in the night.

Those are her own words.

What you could do
is make her life more comfortable.

I’ll take it.

Seraphine died in 1942
in Clermont Asylum.

Thanks to Uhde,
her work was exhibited

3 years later in Paris
and worldwide.

She is known today
as Seraphine de Senlis.