The Madame Blanc Mysteries (2021–…): Season 1, Episode 4 - Episode #1.4 - full transcript

♪ Do you remember the first time

♪ That my eyes set on you

♪ Your smile came from nowhere

♪ For some time never

♪ Or some time soon

♪ The road is a long one

♪ I was only passing through

♪ I was only passing through. ♪

So, it's just a French version of a
car-boot sale then?

Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no.

Not just a car-boot sale.



Big event in a Sainte
Victoire calendar.

Only happens every couple of months.

Called vide grenier, translates as
empty attics.

Is that because everybody empties
their attics?

Yeah.

Oh, you're proper funny in here.

Oh, no.

That was the first thing that Rory
ever bought online.

Swore blind it was a nice one.

I should have known.

Was it fake?

Well, he said,

you look bigger in the picture.

Yeah, yeah. We've all done though,
haven't we?



So, he wasn't great with
antiques, then?

Rory?

God, no.

Oh, you wouldn't know it, though.

We met at this antiques fair

and he came across so confident
and knowledgeable.

I just got swept along with it, really.

So when did you find out that...

..well, you know, he weren't
very good.

I think it's when we put the
businesses together.

Well, he described it as a merger.

But thinking back, he didn't really
have anything to merge.

Why did you?

I know, I know, I know.

I'm an idiot.

I was smitten by then

and I got really good at
covering up his mistakes.

I should've known. Stupid.

So, had any interest in the cottage?

Yes, yes.

Barbara's got two viewings this week,

so if I make a fortune
at your vide grenier,

I'll be flying on business class.

Brilliant.

Oh, that reminds me.

I need to ring Barbara.

Oh.

Albert Gilbert, local art dealer,
critical, lucky to be alive at all.

What happened?

He was hit on the back of
the head with a blunt object.

Oh, that's awful.

How can I help?

He kept a very detailed
record of his collection

for insurance purposes, I presume.

There appears to be only one
painting stolen.

I have marked the page.

This is amazing.

That's the one.

Hilma af Klint.

Who?

She was the first abstract artist,

I mean, long before the
big boys came along.

I could do that with my eyes closed.

Yes, she did.

Hey?

She specialised in automatic drawing,

believed you could attain divine
wisdom through spiritual intuition.

She used seances and worked
with a group called The Five,

channelling spirits and writing down
their messages blindfolded.

A bit weird.

This is Primordial Chaos Number 16.

This is from a group of 26.

I saw her exhibition at the
Guggenheim, spent all day there.

Is it valuable?

Oh, it's so rare.

It's red hot.

I'd love to know how Al...

Albert Gilbert.

..Albert Gilbert, I'd love
to know how he got it.

Thank you.

I will keep you informed of
any further developments.

Not at all.

Oh, so she predates Kandinsky then?

Do you know who Kandinsky is?

No idea. Thought it was a gymnast.

That af Klint woman sounds like a
right loon.

What?

Well, magic, seances, covens.

It's just a painting, isn't it?

It looks nice, you hang it on
the wall. Simple.

Well, not to me.

Art is everything.

Everything?

OK.

When I was ten, I went on a school
trip to Derby.

You know the sort.

You pack lunch before you get out of
the school drive

and somebody sick on the back seat.

Normal school trip.

But that day, they changed my life.

We went to the Joseph Wright Gallery.

And I walked in and I couldn't take
my eyes off this one painting.

And it was called Bird In An Air Pump.

And it was of an experiment to see
how long this poor bird

could survive when he took its air
slowly away.

Lovely.

Well, I sat there and I stared at it
all day.

He'd painted light, actual shining
light, bounced off the canvas.

I couldn't get over it.

They had to drag me back on the coach.

And ever since then, every beautiful
piece of art that I see

gives me exactly the same feeling.

So, no, Dom.

It's not just a painting.

Well, not to me.

Sorry, I didn't mean to...

Oh, no, no, no.

Oh, and af Klint,

she was just trying to figure out if
there was some sort of world

beyond the physical.

That's all.

What? You know, a bit like you

staring at the stars all the time.

What's going on here?

You gave us an idea.

Me and Xavi are going to get a stall
at the vide grenier, as well.

Oh, it's very productive of you.

Well, we wanted tickets for a gig,
so I thought, I have a clear out.

Oh, who are you going to see?

Billie Eilish. You won't love her.

Oh, brilliant. No, I love her.

Can I come?

Yes. No.

Why not?

Cos you're my dad.

Hey, I'll have you know I was the
first lad in our school

to get a bucket hat.

And that was before the Inspirals
released Dung 4.

Dad, I haven't understood a single
word you just said.

He's speaking early '90s.

Mancunian is a very rare dialect.

Now, I'm a bit rusty, but translated,

I think he means, he's still down
with the kids.

Word.

Yeah, well, not these kids.

I'm not going to a Billie Eilish
concert with my dad.

I don't mind.

He could drive us home.

Don't panic.

I wouldn't dream of cramping
your style.

Listen, we're going to the pub.

So can your ancient, decrepit,
embarrassing old Dad

at least buy a drink?

You're not that old.

Oh, thanks, I think.

We might pop along when we're finished.

Xavier. All right.

OK, we'll see you later.

I don't believe it.

What?

Look at what we have here!

Ms Baby Spice Bunny!

She's not looking very well.

Are you, Baby Spice Bunny?

You be nice.

You're the reason she only has one eye.

Oh, not this again.

You deliberately ran over her face
on your bike.

16 years and you will still not let
it drop.

It is a bunny.

Oh, you remember what we said
back then?

If we hadn't met anyone by the time
we were 25,

we would get married and Baby Spice
Bunny would be our bridesmaid.

I remember.

I'm totally holding you to it.

You see me running away?

Love you, Xavi.

You, madame, are a thief.

You assured me that this was
an original.

But it is a fake.

Now, I demand my 5,000 euros
be returned

or I'm going straight to the police.

The Rozanova?

You are wrong, monsieur.

I sourced this painting from a
reputable dealer.

My money.

Please accept our apology, sir.

We were assured that
this was an original.

What are you doing?

I still think the police
should know about this.

Please, sir, I beg you.

Our reputation is our business.

You have your money now.

Yes, just a minute.

I'll be right there.

Coming, I'm coming!

Hello, Barbara.

Good morning, Jean.

Sorry to bob around like this,
but I'm getting a lot of inquiries

about the cottage.

But they all keep saying the
same thing.

How? What's that?

Your house is messy.

You just can't see the wood through
the trees in the photos.

Well, sorry for being so
blunt, darling,

but you did ask me to sell your
house for you and sell it I will.

Right.

So, we need to declutter

so we can see the lines of the house,

so we can hear its voice.

Its voice?

Such a shame not to do it the
justice it deserves.

So, the company have bought you this.

Make it look less like a jumble sale.

Looks better already.

It's very nice.

Great.

Well, I'll come back tomorrow
and take the photos.

Can you pick the duster around?

Yeah, yeah, of course.

Oh, good.

I haven't sold the house this
dirty before.

Obviously, I'll call first.

Just in case you're not in, any
chance of a spare key?

Yes. Yes.

There you go.

Well, I'm sure when you've sorted
all this,

you'll get loads of viewings.

This could be a very desirable
property, Jean.

I'll leave you to it.

Hello, Charlie.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Give me an hour.

OK.

Thank you so much for coming over.

I'm in desperate need of an expert eye.

Oh, Rozanova?

Well, it's clearly a fake.

I know.

And this is the second time it
happens to me.

I had a genuine painting and then
the buyer.

He brings it back a fake?

I don't understand.

The first time it happened, it was
a Dali.

Well, it's not uncommon for a Dali
to be a fake, is it?

He signed a load of blank sheets in
the '80s to make easy money.

I know my Dali and it was not a fake
when I sold it.

Oh, do you mind if I?

No, of course not.

Hello, Caron.

Oh, that's great news.

Are you any closer to finding them?

OK, well, keep me posted.

Yeah, bye.

It's good news?

Yes, the gentleman that was attacked,

well, he's taken a turn for the better.

That is great news.

Right, show me your next big sale.

OK.

Wow, a Jacqueline Marval, I haven't
seen one of these for years.

I am loathe to let it go.

I'm in love with this painting so much.

That's the real thing, Charlie.

It needs to be.

It's for an American collector.

And if I lose his custom, that could
ruin me.

I'm sure that that is a real Marval
as I am

that that thing is a fake Monet.

They have run this far.

It was a 21st present for my mother.

She thought it was real.

Oh, but it covers the damp
patch on the wall.

No, I'm not a fan.

It's always been a bit blurry
for me, Monet.

That's probably down to his cataracts.

Pardon?

His cataracts affected his colour
choices until he had an operation.

He was colour-blind for a while.

Really?

Yeah.

I suspect my wife is colour-blind.

I ask her to bring me dark blue.

Oh.

Mm. Mm.

So, I put the Marshmallow
in, but it's wrong.

Is there something
you'd like to tell me?

Who's Sammy? Another
English girl?

Where did you find that?

It was in a book.

Who is she?

"You sing a song only I can hear."

Wow. A girl who quotes Oscar Wilde.

I thought that was just our thing.

How long have you kept this
to yourself?

Oh, it's nothing serious.
There is nothing to tell.

You complete me.

Where did you meet her?

I'm not ready to talk about this.

Well, come on, Xavi. I
need all the gory details.

It's private.

Xavi, I tell you everything.

Come on, ditch the dirt.

I think you need to go now, Claudie!

What?

I can sort the rest of this stuff.

Xavi.

OK. I'll go then.

Hi, love.

You know, I'm loath to get rid of
some of these, you know,

it might be worth a fortune in
the future.

Could sound a little bit cleaner.

It's your inheritance I'm
talking about.

Hey, hey, hey.

What on the Earth's the matter?

Xavi shouted at me.

What did you do?

Dad.

Sorry, sorry, yeah.

I mean, what happened?

I found a card from a girl and I
started to tease him.

Maybe, maybe he's just having, like,
a really bad day.

We always tease each other.

And his reaction was horrible.

You know, sometimes men can get a
bit hormonal, too.

No, not like women, obviously
they get it far worse, obviously.

Yeah.

But sometimes when men are
feeling sensitive,

you know, about something they can't
articulate as well as women

because we're not as emotionally
clever does that sound about right?

Trust me, it won't be anything
you've done.

He's just taking it out on you cos
you're his closest friend.

I don't know, Dad.

I've never seen him like this before.

Oh, love.

You know, when I was a lad,

my best friend was a lad called
Roger Wilson.

I mean, we did everything together.

Now I really, really, really
like Sharon Potts,

who's in my biology class.

Anyway, Roger comes into school one
day and starts telling me about how

he snogged her over the park the
other night

and he's not even that bothered
about her.

And I went ballistic and I nearly
punched him

because I couldn't find the words
to explain how I felt.

What happened?

He ignored me for a week.

Then I told him, he was gutted.

I think Sharon went on to work
behind the pick and mix counter

in Woolworth's.

He'll come around, love. Promise.

Thanks, Dad.

Come here.

No-one can stay angry at you for long.

And I know because I've tried.

Right, if I finish all this,

why don't you make your poor old dad
a little bit of dinner?

I'm the one who needs looking after.

And that's exactly what I'm doing.

You knocking up some comfort
food is just what you need.

It's distraction, isn't it?

Change of pace in your mind.

OK. Go on, then.

That's my girl.

And hey, hey, it's half a bottle of
pinot noir in there that

needs finishing.

I'm bringing it home to you,
my darling.

Caron?

Forgive the later hour,

but I wondered if you could come to
the station?

Now?

It is very urgent.

Of course.

No-one cooks a steak like you.

You're welcome.

I mean, you must have learned from
some kind of expert.

Oh, I thought, you'd bring it back
around to you.

Well, it's the cap fits.

Oh, dad, guess what?

The latest ep of the Wondrous
just dropped.

No way. Yes, I thought we could
crack open another bottle of wine.

Oh, it's a brilliant idea.

Where did we get to? Did you find
out he was having an affair?

Oh, she got a text from the
weird woman!

Oh, I love that show.

I mean, I still maintain The Sweeney
is the greatest show ever made.

But The Wanderer comes a very
close second.

The Sweeney?

Yeah.

John Thaw, Ford Granada.

"Get your trousers on,
you're nicked."

No?

I get you the box set.

It'll blow your mind.

Oh.

Hi, Jean.

Yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah, of course
I can.

Yeah, about ten minutes.

All right. OK, bye.

Sorry to break up the party, love.

Jean needs a lift to the
police station.

You don't mind, dear?

I mean, it did sound quite urgent.

Always does.

Right, you finish that wine and I'll
be back before you know it.

Is it back?

Pardon?
My ring? Is it back?

The ring?

My Ruby?

You said it was urgent, so I
presumed that...

Oh, Jean, no, I'm really sorry.

Your ring is not here yet.

So, why did you call me at this time
of night?

I'm really sorry, darling.

It's all right.

It is not I who requested
your help this time.

Oh, please, Madame White, I am
begging you.

You have to help me.

I'm pleading with you, Caron,
I didn't know it was a fake.

I sold it in good faith.

It is not just your reputation
that needs to be considered,

Madame Porter but the reputation of
the town.

Sainte Victoire relies on the
honest trade of antiques.

I've been trading for 20 years.

I knew this.

The issue is bigger than one fake.

If we allow them to infiltrate,
who knows where it will end?

But I'm not dealing in fakes!

I'm afraid the evidence
tells a different story.

You have to help me!

Madame Porter, please calm down.

What's going on?

He says that the Marval was a fake.

You know, Marval you
saw earlier, it was real.

You saw it, yeah.

The Marval I saw earlier was real.

Apparently, it was not.

It was not a fake!

Can I see it?

Of course.

The Marval, s'il vous plait?

This is not the same
canvas that I saw before.

The hues are all wrong.

Thank you, Madame White.

Where is she? Where is my wife?

So, the expert was wrong.

The painting that I saw earlier
was a genuine Marval,

a genuine Jacqueline
Marval, and that is not.

I will advise my wife now.

Thank you.

Madame Porter.

I will release you,

But ask that you do not
leave Sainte Victoire

until a decision about pressing
charges have been made.

Can I give you a lift home?

Yes, thank you.

Oui?

Merci.

All, stop.

Albert Gilbert has died.

Oh, that's awful.

Died in his sleep this afternoon,
embolism apparently sustained

from the blow to his head.

Oh, man.

Can we go now?

I will keep you informed.

Thank you.

Merci.

You're not going to get your
business class by, you know,

giving away all your stock.

She didn't even ask if it was a
nice one.

Hey, some good stuff there today.

I might have a little wander in
a minute.

You're supposed to be getting rid
of stuff.

My name is Dom and I am proud to be
a maximalist.

Thank you for the lift home last night.

Oh, yeah, you're welcome.

Is Charlie, OK?

Oh, she will be.

It's beautiful, isn't it?

1950s hand-embroidered.

I've seen better.

How much? 50 euros?

15.

45?

15?

Oh...

Alice.

What was that all about?

I think she's called Elise and she
was on the run.

Five euros and that's my bottom line.

I know she's got some missing arm,
but I'm not letting her go

for anything less than five.

Where the hell is Xavi?

I thought he was with you?

You all right, love? Xavi's not
turned up.

We sorted out all the stuff, and
he's not had the decency to turn up.

There's no way we're going to be
able to afford the tickets

with just my stuff.

All right. Calm down.

Don't get upset. I will buy
the tickets.

200 euros each?

200 euros? Does it come with a
free unicorn?

He's not returning any of my
calls, Gloria.

I'm really, really worried.

Well, don't worry, darling.

Here, Dom. You take my van.

I'm going to help Claudie look
for Xavi. I'll text you.

I'll tell you what. Take Madeleine.

Have a little drive around and see
if you can find him.

All right. Come on.

Come here. All right. Come on.

Hey, do you mind watching the stall?

I'm just going for a little
look around.

Oh.

Ahmed.

Bonjour. Bonjour.

Combien?

Five euro.

Tres bien.

Merci.

Oh, Merci, Madame.

Look, who's one step closer to
business class.

How do you mean?

Look at this, I paid five for that.

You've been robbed.

Yeah, and it's worth over 50.

Dutch chocolate company circa 1910.

How do you know?

Look at this.

OK.

What's that?

Art revealed app.

Infrared technology, which shows
you what's underneath the surface?

Wow, that's amazing.

Well, I'm testing a prototype out
for a friend.

Just shows you what lies beneath.

Yeah, no, you're right, yeah.

I used to have an old teacher that
said, whenever you're in a new city,

you should always look up.

Don't just look straight ahead
because you never know what secrets

of the past are hiding.

Yeah, very true.

Should we pack up? Yeah.

30.

Oh, yes, thank you.

I'll pop it in a bag for you.

OK, thanks.

Phone's ringing.

Go on.

Excuse me.

Hello.

Jean, we have found the murder weapon.

It was an ornament from Judith's house.

Was that the blunt object?

Yes.

They found the murder weapon.

I will show it to you later.

Thanks for letting me know, Caron.

No problem. Speak soon.

See you.

I think you bought more than you sold.

I mean, what are we going to do
with this?

I can always find room for
beautiful things.

Yeah, but where are you going to
put this?

I was the same.

One day at the shop, I saw the world
for myself.

I used up to have to clamber over
the occasional table

every time I wanted a drink.

It wasn't pretty.

I just didn't know what to get rid of.

I can't believe I didn't sell these.

It's mostly plastics in here, you know.

Oh, oh, oh, oh sorry.

In England, you would have cleaned
up with them.

It's funny, isn't it?

What's valuable in one country's
absolute tat in another.

Are you calling my precious
childhood comics complete tat?

How did you get on?

Did all right, actually.

Oh. Oh, what's this?

Sit yourself down.

Should the driver be drinking that?

It's a V tradition.

We're allowed one.

Thank you.

Yeah.

Cheers. Cheers.

I did all right today.

All going towards my trip back to
sunny Manchester.

Yeah.

Yeah, you must miss your family.

Well, there's not many of them
left, actually.

Just my mom.

And she's really independent.

Always had a better social life than
I've ever had.

Never had kids?

I never really wanted them.

My mates used to go on about a clock
ticking, but never happened to me.

I was always really into my art and
well, Rory didn't want them.

So...

..it must be lovely though.

Yeah, I mean, from the
moment they're born,

you're in a constant state
of low level anxiety.

So, I mean, lovely might be pushing
it a little bit.

But, no, only messing.

I mean, well they can be a handful,
but it's the best thing I ever did.

Oh.

Oh, oh, gorgeous.

Now, I will miss the quality of
the red.

Anything else you're going to miss?

Oh, I mean, I know it sounds cheesy,
but the cheese?

See what I did there?

Yeah. Like what you did there. Yeah.

Oh, and I'll miss Gloria.

Yeah, quite a list, isn't it?

And you.

Likewise.

Cheers.

Cheers.

You know, I am so chuffed about
picking up this little gem.

Yeah, that app is amazing.

Imagine if you'd use it on people?

Find out what's going on beneath
the surface.

Save an awful lot of time, wouldn't it?

Oh, Dom.

Do you mind if we stop off at the
antique shop?

I've got to give Simone her bag.

Yeah, all right.

Hi Jean, Dom.

Brewing coffee, if you have time?

Oh, lovely, thank you.

OK.

Are you actually scared of her?

No.

A bit, yeah, yeah.

Why? She stares at me.

Stares at you? Are you serious?

She does, she does.

She stares at me like I've done
something wrong.

It's like she's looking at me
all the time,

waiting for me to crack or something.

No, she doesn't.

She's just a very clever,
intense person. That's all.

OK, you are entitled to your own
opinion, but the way,

she's coming back.

Oh, Simone forgot this.

Oh, thank you.

Did you have a profitable day?

Well, I did, actually.

I found this little beauty.

Well, I think you can put that back
from where you dug it up.

Just a minute.

OK.

f

Well, it's an App, it's a prototype
I'm trying out.

Oh, wow.

Yeah.

So, this is worth the best part of
50 euros.

I mean, a profit is a profit.

Will you tell me when it's finished
because I want to buy one.

Yeah, I will.

That is turquoise.

Can't be.

I don't believe it.

Simone!

I knew there was something wrong
when I looked at it earlier.

The greens, they're all wrong.

Even for a fake.

Simone, she has gone.

Everything has gone.

Charlie, I'm so sorry.

What's happening?

There's no easy way to say this.

But I think Simone is responsible.

For what?

For the fake Rozanova, for the
Marval, for the fake Dali?

I don't understand it.

Charlie, I think Simone is an
art copier.

Oh, don't be ridiculous.

Think about it.

Who else had access to the shop?

Dom?

Sorry. Sorry, it's my daughter.

Hi, Claudie, are you all right?
Did you find Xavi?

Yeah, he's with Gloria.

I wanted to stay, but we got a walk
in airport run.

Oh, all right.

I'm on my way now, but lights
come on the dashboard again.

It's my wife.

Darling, the red light is dangerous,
so you need to pull over, OK?

OK, Dad.

Just pull over and I will come
and get you, all right?

Where are you?

I'm en route de Georges next to
the river.

But hurry up, Dad, my customer's got
a flight to catch.

Caron?

She's going to kill me.

Make no mistake,
she's going to kill me.

I'm safer inside a prison than outside.

Who is going to kill you?

I do not know her name,
but she's going to kill me.

Shall we start at the beginning?

I have been an art copier all my life.

It has kept a roof over my head and
eventually brought me a wife.

Although it was always more about
her shop rather than her.

A dealer contacted me through an old
friend of mind

and made me an offer...

..I couldn't refuse.

Big mistake.

What was this offer?

A painting will come into the shop.

I would copy it.

A stooge would buy the copy and then
the same stooge

will come back in a rage, demanding
a refund.

And the original?

I would give it to the dealer and
she will give me a cut.

And it was all working well until
Charlie sold a fake

to a normal customer.

But why would you keep biting the
hand that feeds you?

Greed, I suppose.

Look, the dealer said it was only
going to happen a few times

and stupidly, I believed her.

You do understand that you are an
accomplice to murder?

This is not my style at all.

I absolutely wanted out.

I was just as shocked as you.

She had started to blackmail me,

saying that she would go to the
police and when she heard that

Albert Gilbert has acquired a af Klint,

She became obsessed with owning it

at any price.

Then I had the idea to hide the
painting in plain sight

until it was safe to sell.

So, let me get this right.

You copied Charlie's rubbish
Monet print

and you stretched it over the af Klint.

Oh, that's clever.

So, what I don't understand is, why
didn't you give your dealer the

af Klint when the coast was clear?

Because I'm not stupid.

I found out how much it was worth,
and I decided to sell it myself.

Brave.

But your colour blindness let you
down on that one, didn't it?

Greens were all wrong, like dumping
the murder weapon

in the wrong recycling bin.

Green, not yellow.

I assume if we checked,

your fingerprints would be all over
the murder weapon.

Did she make you get rid of it?

Yes.

Hm.

It's a shame, because if you put
it in the right recycling bin,

we would have never found it.

You do know that it's not a real
af Klint.

How do you know this?

Oh, it's a very good copy, but the
minute I saw it,

I noticed the layered brushstrokes.

What?

Af Klint never went over the same
brush stroke twice.

I thought your dealer would know that.

She'd only seen it in the dark.

Well, sometimes when things seem too
good to be true,

they usually are.

So it was all for nothing.

Hey.

OK?

Yeah, she's a piece of work.

What did she say?

Well, she admitted to everything,
apart from the murder.

Apparently, that's the brainchild
of the dealer she was working for.

I see.

Do you believe that?

Weirdly, yeah.

Yeah, I do.

I think it's dumb, this dealer,
well, sounds like...

..you know who.

What? The other woman?

Yeah, it's got her MO written all
over it.

And it looks like she's going to get
away with it again.

Come on.

Let's go for a drink.

You don't understand. She's your
best friend.

Of course, she will.

Go on. Send her a text.

Tell her to meet you. Go on.

Hey.

Hey.

Sorry, I shouted at you, Claudie.

It's OK.

It's not OK.

We're allowed to have our private
stuff, you know.

No matter how close we are.

Being private is one thing,
but living a lie is another.

What?

Go on, love.

She'll understand.

Claudie, this is Sammy.

Why didn't you tell me?

I thought you wanted to marry
me, so I had...

..you would be angry at me.

Don't be silly.

You're not my type.

Clearly.

And you knew?

I'd known since he put a Kylie
Minogue poster on his wall

when he was six.

Brilliant.

What? Somebody's put an offering on
the house already.

Second viewing tomorrow.

Brilliant.