1789 (1974) - full transcript

Digitized and restored by Éclair Group
and L.E. Diapason for Théâtre du Soleil

with the help of CNC

What a fool.
We are intriguing.

Why do they take pictures?

- Well....
- They like it.

Yeah.

We are so beautiful.

I was first.

There's a seat here.

Is there an empty seat?

Madam, I came to see you
five minutes ago.



I was there.

Why are you like this?

Why aren't you....
Why don't you go....

Why are you wearing boots?

You'll be the ogre?

What will you do?

- I'll climb up, baby.
- What?

You'll eat a baby? Why?

Why will you do that?

He's an ogre like in Little Thumbling.

The father doesn't have enough money.

Oh yeah! Little Thumbling.

That's the Count's.

Will you cry?



- Will you cry?
- If I'll cry? Yes.

- Sage roots.
- Sage.

- Ginger, too.
- Ginger.

We combine them.

I'll see her come up.

Sorry.

Ladies and gentlemen...

...we will now enact for you...

...the king's escape.

Music.

They left at night.

They sneaked away...

...through the sleeping towns
and villages.

Villeparisis....

East of Rheims
they reached Ste. Ménéhould.

They were recognized.

At Varennes they were arrested.

They were forced to turn back.

It was a hot afternoon.

After a big lunch, the king dozed off.

Barnave came to meet him...

...with a delegation
from the National Assembly.

Barnave and the queen
had much to talk about.

Near Paris...

...crowds gathered along the road...

...to watch their king go by...

...in frozen silence...

...with their hats on.

Make way.

Make way.

Make way.

Ladies and gentlemen...

...that's one way to write history.

But we've chosen another way.

And here it is.

Listen to the story...

...of Marie Misery.

She was born old, in misery...

...like her mother and grandmother...

...in a land where two ogres lived.

God bless this house.

My sword protects this house.

My tithes.

My share.

My tithes.

My shares.

My tithes!

My shares!

My tithes!

My shares!

My tithes!

My shares!

Once there was a nobleman.

He was not content
to own men's bodies.

He had...

...to wound their souls as well.

I'm in pain.

Sing, my child. Sing.

I'm in pain.

Everything is ready.

Clean linen, hot water, everything is well

It's starting.

Open up!

Our master!

I'd like to see him buried in dung!

Give me some hot water.

- Wash my feet.
- We have no hot water, my lord!

My boot.

Marie....

Come back tomorrow, my lord!

- I beg you! Come back tomorrow.
- Marie!

No! No!

Superb hunting party!

That year, the entire kingdom...

...suffered a dreadful famine.

Women were too weak...

...to nurse their babies.

Men searched...

...all day long...

...for food...

...and came home empty-handed.

I couldn't find any bread.

I couldn't find any wood!

I couldn't find any milk.

I couldn't find anything.

We're doomed.

A curse is on us...

...forever.

Our son too is doomed.

Give him to me.

Let me rock him.

Let me cuddle him...

...and put him to sleep!

We, Louis...

...king of France...

...by the grace of God...

...request...

...that everyone
throughout our kingdom...

...even in its remotest parts...

...each and all...

...send us their desires...

...and complaints...

...so that with mutual trust...

...and mutual love...

...an efficient remedy
may soon be found...

...to cure the ills
that plague our country...

...so that we in particular...

...may recover the peace...

...and tranquility...

...of which we have long been deprived.

So....

So, throughout the Kingdom of France...

...for we are speaking of France...

...the king's wonderful, soothing words...

...filled everyone's heart...

...with hope.

Listen all, big and small

To the story of good King Louis

He wishes to restore

Prosperity and honesty

If he does, then what will become

Of the scoundrel and the whore?

If he wants men honorable and true

What will our nobleman do?

If he wants women of virtue

What will fancy ladies do?

If libertines he must banish

Must not all wealthy abbots vanish?

If he shuns flattery's show

Where will courtiers go?

If favoritism he cures

Who will have the sinecures?

Must not every villain flee

If all the French his children be?

Everyone wanted to write to the King
to tell him what was wrong...

...who was good, who was bad...

...and who was to be eliminated.

Hear ye! Hear ye!

Good Louis XVI,
king by the grace of God...

...asks his loyal subjects...

...to write in a ledger to be called...

...the Book of Grievances...

...and tell him of all evils...

...and injustices.

Inform him at once!

I will come back for the book in an hour.

Did you hear that?

End the salt tax?

- The nobles' share?
- Abolished!

Property tax, excise tax, flood, hail.

Disease.

- Plagues!
- Death!

Abolished! And plenty of food!

- All for us now!
- And good food too!

- For us!
- For us!

Good schooling!

Good breeding!

- All for us!
- All for us now!

Just think! Refinement!

It's yours now!

What a wonderful king!

I can't believe it!

Oh my God, Gaspard.

Love-making and the pleasures of life!

- For us!
- For us!

Oh my God.

Not now!

Not now!

- Tell everyone!
- Tell everyone!

- You tell them!
- I tell them.

- Tell them, I said.
- I'll tell you.

All the good is for us!

All the shit is for them!

Write it down!

- Get some paper!
- Paper?

I haven't any paper!

Paper is a luxury!

- A piece of our bedsheet!
- No.

Then what'll we bury you in?

Let's not be stingy now!

I'll start with the salt tax.

Write that to the king!

I'll write that to the king!

But I haven't a quill.

I haven't a quill.

Paper and quill!

Salt tax.

I'll write that to the king!

What'll I dip it in?

- Something black.
- I haven't anything black.

- Do you have anything black?
- Do you have anything black?

- Blue or red, anything that writes?
- Gaspard!

We'll have to use our blood.

- Cut me.
- Not this.

I won't cut you for the salt tax.

- Do as I say!
- No, I won't!

Do as he says!

You do it!

I'll do it!

I'll write "salt tax" to the king!

I'll write to the king!

How do you write an S?

How do you write an S?

How do you make an S?

- I can't.
- It's for the salt tax for the King.

Write it yourself!

I can't even write an S!

Who knows how to make an S?

Who knows how to make an S?

Your grievances?

How do you write an S?

No grievances!

- The salt tax!
- The salt tax!

If you don't complain,
nothing can change!

Idiot! Illiterate fool!

We've been had!

I can't write either!

But I thought up a clever trick!

I made a drawing.

See how pretty it is?

I painted Whitey, my cow.

Beside her, that's me. I'm sad.

My cow is sad too, weeping big tears.

Then I painted two more cows...

...Pinky...

...and Blacky.

And that's me, I'm happy.

My cows are happy too!

Beautiful, isn't it?

The king will easily guess the meaning.

I need two happy cows
instead of one sad cow!

Then I'll be happy too, see!

So...

...I'll ask a rich farmer...

...to send in my drawing.

Greetings, good peasant!

I'll see my son again!

I have a drawing for the king!

Very pretty!

Can't you give it to the king?

I'll pass on your grievance.

I'll go light a candle to Jesus for you!

That peasant is a pain in the ass!

What good is his drawing to me?

I've written my own grievance
concerning my pastures.

My friend in town will give it to the king.

I get on my horse...

...and off I go!

- Greetings, good farmer!
- Greetings to you, fellow from the city.

- How are you?
- I'm doing well.

- Your cows?
- They're well.

- Your pigs?
- They're well.

- Your turkeys?
- Them, too.

And your wife?

All in the pink of health!

Then what brings you here?

My grievance concerning my pastures.

Please, give it to His Majesty.

Why, of course!

- I want your land to prosper!
- Yes.

- Goodbye, Sir Dubourg.
- Thank you, my friend.

I'm an apothecary.

I've written to the king...

...about my own trade.

I'll pass it on to our town deputy.

He's a close friend of the king.

He'll give it to him in person.

So I get into my coach...

...and off I go!

Greetings, sir!

Sir, I have a letter...

...concerning the apothecary's trade.

Can you give it to the king, sir?

You will see him in person.

I take my hat off to you, sir.

I take my hat off.

I can't annoy the King
with pills and salves.

The country's interests lie
in business and high finance.

I have a document of great importance.

I'll give it to the king in person.

We now present the famous comedy:

The Assembly of the Notables.

The scene opens at Versailles.

Now, what do we have at Versailles?

Louis XVI doesn't know
which way to turn.

I had an awful nightmare.

I dreamed I was flat broke.

Necker. Necker!

You're my prime minister,
do my thinking!

I'm broke, get me some money!

I've tried, but I can't!

Then you're dismissed!

But I do have an idea!

Okay, just a minute.

Call an assembly of the notables!

An assembly of the notables!

Who are they?

All the rich people in France.

We pretend to ask for their opinion...

...and we grab all their money!

What a silly fool he is.

I'll call an assembly of the notables.

I have to do everything around here!

Notables!

Notables!

Notables!

I am nobility. I suck the people's blood.

I am the clergy, bow-wow-wow!

Monsignor!

My son, let me take you in my arms.

I'll take you in more than once too!

Someday I'll twist the Church's neck!

What did you say?

- Nothing, Father.
- Let's go to Versailles!

I am the people

I've come a long way
And I'm proud to be here

- I smell dung!
- I smell cow patty.

I would even call it shit!

My son, what an ugly word.

Who are you?

I represent the 3rd Estate.

- The 3rd Estate? What's that?
- The 3rd Estate? What's that?

Twenty-five million Frenchmen!

It's treason.

We're doomed. It means our ruin.

Let me handle this.

- Mr. People.
- Yes?

Come close...

...so I can give you my blessing.

Yes, Father.

Bend over!

Just a bit more!

- Now, let's go complain to the king!
- Now, let's go complain to the king!

Meanwhile, at Versailles....

Louis! Louis! Louis!

We're in terrible trouble!

- Louis!
- Yes.

We're broke!

Completely broke!

But we have money!

The notables' money!

The notables?

That's right!

Then dismiss Necker at once!

He can't be dismissed that easily!

Louis dear, you must dismiss Necker.

It's a disgrace!

Stop, or we'll excommunicate you!

To the riffraff

We'll give the horselaugh

Let them give their money to the king

And we'll forget the whole damn thing

The people!

Let's hide!

Why not play a joke on the people?

A joke?

- I've got an idea.
- Yes?

Why not lock the door
in the people's face?

Good idea! Go lock the door!

- Why me?
- You lock the door!

Crack!

Let's do our best for the people!

There's no one here!

Please, Louis...

...do your locksmith act for him!

My friend.

I am the locksmith, so to speak.

The door is locked
and the lock is broken.

You can't come in!

But I represent the people!

The people?

They're making fun of me!

They won't get away with it!

We'll show them
what the people can do!

The royal squash court!

Congratulations, gentlemen.

The ideal place
for us representatives to meet!

We'll swear never to separate!

- Hello.
- Hello, gentlemen.

Since my friend and I...

...just happen to be passing...

...we thought we might all play ball!

- All three of us!
- Of course!

Welcome!

Start the game, my son!

And then....

And then...

...Louis has a terrible tantrum.

We will not act out that scene...

...the famous session
of the Bed of Justice...

...on June 23, 1789.

It opposed Louis...

...the last of those accursed Capets...

...to a superb lion...

...that 18th-century Demosthenes...

...the Count de Mirabeau!

Although he is an aristocrat....

Although he is an aristocrat...

...he has chosen to sit with the people.

Why, Mr. De Mirabeau?

Please, tell us why!

It's in my blood!

- Can I make a speech?
- All right, Louis, go ahead.

You shall hear my opinions...

...and decisions.

- Yes.
- Yes.

It is my earnest desire
to act in the public good.

- "Public good," Loulou.
- "Public good," Loulou.

Remember...

...that none of your bills...

...none of your decisions...

...can become law
without my special approval.

- "Special approval."
- "Special approval."

I guarantee the rights of each and all.

All classes of the State
may rely on my impartiality.

- "Impartiality," Loulou.
- "Impartiality," Loulou.

I have insured the people's
well-being until now.

- "Until now," Loulou.
- "Until now," Loulou.

I order you to stop at once and go...

...to the chambers reserved
for your classes.

I order the master of ceremonies,
the Marquis de Dreux-Brézé...

Me, myself, him...

...to prepare the chambers.

Your turn is over.

It's our turn now!

It's just between us two now.

Impotent fool!

Ready? Let's go.

Here we go.

Let's go.

It is time for you to decamp, sir!

This dictatorship...

...is outrageous!

It uses armed force!

It violates the nation!

It orders us to be happy!

We deputies have been invested...

...with a sacred political ministry!

From us alone...

...25 million people...

...expect happiness...

...which must be...

...given...

...and received...

...by all!

Did you hear the king's wishes?

We did hear the proposals...

...that were whispered in the king's ear.

But you cannot be his tool!

And no wonder!

You have no right...

...to remind us of his speech!

You have no right to speak!

We come here by the people's will!

Only bayonets...

...can make us leave!

Is that your last word?

Sir....

Hang it...

...then let him stay!

Let us now go to the king!

Sorry to disturb you, sire.

I have a very important matter.

I think you must yield.

The people are determined.

You must appease the people...

...and compel the two privileged classes
to join them.

Then the National Assembly
will support you.

Make a decision!

- Yes!
- What?

Yes!

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

It all could've stopped there...

...but the seemingly good-natured king
has an evil soul.

His men are lying in wait.

We now present, in a Satanic vein:

The King's Two Faces.

These raging furies are actresses.

Their real names I cannot reveal...

...lest they suffer from the king's anger.

The first one plays
that lecherous bitch...

...the Princess de Lamballe!

The second plays that fiendish harlot...

...the Duchess of Polignac!

And here is the worst of the three...

...that Austrian shrew, our queen!

Let them through.

You're on, ladies, do your act!

Now I become a demon...

...an incredible character...

...the terrifying wizard, Cagliostro!

Amid all their depravity...

...they come to me
to obtain the secret of my power!

Cagliostro!

Cagliostro!

Cagliostro! That's me!

Look at those shameless bitches!

They want me to destroy France!

What are your wishes?

Your wish, Lamballe?

Dismiss Necker...

...because he defends the people!

Your wish, Polignac?

Slaughter the deputies of the people!

And you, my queen?

I want all our armies...

...to slaughter Paris...

...and restore...

...my absolute power!

Follow me!

Necker...

...get out of my sight!

I am the king!

I command that all the deputies...

...be slaughtered!

I am the king!

I command that Paris be attacked...

...by 20,000 Austrian soldiers!

I am the king!

Paris will be butchered!

Let us leave our imagination...

...and return to reality.

The king sends for 20,000 men
to invade Paris.

See this map of Paris.

Here at Charenton...

...are 2000 troops.

A regiment at Sèvres, 3000...

...here, 2600 Dragoons at St. Denis...

...the Hussards at St. Cloud.

The Royal Allemand's 8000 men
are everywhere...

...Ecole Militaire, Champ de Mars,
everywhere!

They let no wheat into Paris...

...no goods of any kind.

Our deputies are in their claws.

A single order...

...is all they need to destroy Paris!

Are you cowards or what?

Why don't you rebel?

Listen, my friends!

Listen to me!

My name is Charles Martin.

I bought land near Breuil...

...now I'm Charles Martin de Breuil.

Skip the formality and call me De Breuil.

You know me, I'm your banker.

My patriotism dates from way back.

Guess what's happened.

Necker has been dismissed!

Necker, the backbone of France!
We must do something!

You can count on me!

I don't know what we'll do,
but we'll do it.

To begin with...

...we'll close the stock exchange.

I haven't told you before...

...but guess where your taxes go!

I mean, our taxes.

To the nobility!

Follow me.

Prices keep going up.

- Prices keep going up.
- We have money saved.

So much the better!

Lord Benjamin.

Necker has been dismissed!

Necker has been dismissed?

Amélie!

So Necker has been dismissed?

So I closed the stock exchange.

Then I'll close the bank as well.

That'll show those nobles.

How about a little revolution
to top it off?

A revolution?

Who would ever have thought
of a revolution?

- Follow me.
- Follow us, Benjamin.

- Necker is out!
- They sent Necker away!

- I closed the exchange!
- He closed the exchange!

I closed the bank!

- He closed the bank.
- He closed the exchange.

Then we'll close our shop too!

Long live the revolution.

Captain, Necker is out.

- So we closed!
- Everything!

All the shops!

We must save the National Assembly!

We'll form a militia.

A militia!

I am a soldier.

I served under La Fayette in America.

If you want to become soldiers...

...I'm willing to instruct you.

Listen carefully.

- Give me.
- Gentlemen.

This is a gun.
In case of danger, pull the trigger.

Hurry, friend, hurry.

Let's hurry.

Good, now you are soldiers.

Listen carefully.

So you want to be soldiers!

Attention! Shoulder arms!

At the order! Down! Up!

Crawl! Crawl! Crawl!

Fix bayonets!

Right! Left!

To the rear! Crawl!

- Right, face.
- Right, face, left.

Let's go see Mr. Mob!

Yes, to the end.

Silence in the ranks!

Mr. Mob, Necker is out!

We closed the stock exchange.

- We closed the bank.
- And the shops.

Mr. Mob, the time is ripe.

Let the people loose!

I said, let them loose.

I did not say, "Give them guns."

Let the people loose.

Let the people loose.

Let the people loose.

- Let the people loose.
- Let the people loose.

- Let the people loose.
- Let the people loose.

- Let the people loose.
- Let the people loose.

- Let the people loose.
- Let the people loose.

- Let the people loose.
- Let the people loose.

Come here. Come here. Come closer.

Come here. Come here.

Come here. Come here. Come.

Listen to me!

Listen to me!

I have a story to tell you.

I'll tell you how we, the people of Paris,
took the Bastille.

I'm sure you've heard about...

...July 14, 1789.

As you know, on that day...

...we stormed the Bastille.

But you've no doubt forgotten
how and why.

For days and days,
Paris had been starving.

There was a dreadful famine.

1788 was the worst crop of the century.

There was very little bread.

It was very hard to survive.

Grain did not exist.

I saw sacks full of grain...

...on barges on the Seine.

But the barges never came to Paris.

They went to Versailles...

...to feed the king, the nobles...

...and everyone but Paris.

Versailles seemed to be plotting...

...to starve us to death.

At bakeries, long lines waited all night
for little or nothing.

Many, many children died.

Paris had 20,000 beggars.

They joined gangs of thieves.

Seventeen-thousand bandits
from all over France poured into Paris.

They had no bread.

At night, they roamed about
in search of food.

The streets at night were unsafe.
People were cold, starving, scared.

Yet money went to foreigners...

...because the queen advised the king...

...to call in 20,000 soldiers...

...foreign soldiers.

Austrian, Swiss....

But no French, lest we explain to them...

...that they were our brothers
and should not kill us.

Foreign soldiers!

We couldn't communicate.

They were paid to fight.

They ate our bread.

They ate and we starved.

One day, we see foreign soldiers
inside the city itself.

Right in the middle of Paris!

We bump into them everywhere,
armed to the teeth.

We were really scared...

...because if they had come,
there had to be a reason.

They'd butcher us sooner or later.

If the king said so, they'd attack Paris.

Why had they been called in?

To slaughter our deputies.

Do you know how much
our deputies meant to us?

We had just elected them,
we trusted them.

They might improve things.

They alone could do it.
We couldn't do it.

We couldn't write, read,
or make speeches.

We wanted to keep our deputies.

And if they killed our deputies,
maybe they'd kill us next.

We were not only starving,
we were scared!

On top of all that...

...Necker was dismissed on July 12th.

We liked Necker.

He had shown courage.

Ten years before, he had let us know
about the nobility's outrageous spending.

Thanks to him, we all knew
how we got our famous deficit...

...and where our taxes went.

We knew what the queen spent
on clothes....

--face-creams and jewelry.

We knew she owed her brother-in-law
150 million!

A gambling debt!

He had told us about
how we got robbed...

...about the financiers...

...about the outrageous sums...

...the queen gave to anyone she liked.

It was Necker's idea to call...

...an assembly of notables.

So when heard he was dismissed...

...without even consulting
the National Assembly...

...we were furious.
The king had gone too far.

We had to show him and his clique
that they had to reckon with us!

So we staged a march...

...and went to the museums
that had busts of Necker on display.

We draped the busts in black.

Then we went for a stroll
on that Sunday in July.

It was a lovely day.

Everyone joined us,
entire families, everyone.

We meant no harm.

We draped Necker's busts in black...

...and marched them through Paris...

...Palais-Royal, Rue St-Honoré.

Most of us were
in the Tuileries Gardens.

Quite a crowd was there...

...many women and children...

...and they all joined us.

Suddenly, the Tuileries gates opened...

...and 50 Prussians rode in
with sabers raised.

The Prince de Lambesc rode in too,
and charged!

Their horses thundered toward us.

The Prince de Lambesc
trampled an old man.

They had made a terrible mistake.

We were furious.

We decided to form a people's militia.

But we needed weapons.

We were raging mad.

We went around telling the rest of Paris.

Many people were fed up.

They decided to resist, but how?

We went into all the churches...

...and rang the alarm bells all night.

We went to the Palais-Royal...

...and fired the cannon all night long.

We lit fires all around Paris...

...to let the people know
that big events were coming...

...and they should remain on the alert.

No corporations.

We weren't going to let them
get away with it.

But we needed weapons.

We needed weapons!

Blacksmith collected
all the metal they could find...

...even church gates.
Priests donated their gates.

For 36 hours, they kept forging.

They forged 50,000 pikes.

That wasn't enough to resist guns.

We didn't have a chance...

...unless we got guns and cannons.

They were mercenaries
paid to slaughter us.

They had guns.

We needed guns too,
if we wanted to resist.

If you had been a mason,
baker, or carpenter in 1789...

...what would you have done
to get guns?

We went to the arsenal.
We took the gunpowder.

We hauled it to the town hall on barges.
The town hall....

The town hall barely listened to us.

They did give us some powder,
but what good was powder without guns?

The invalids' barracks...

...had guns hidden in the cellars.

We ran over there.

A crowd of 30,000....

--35,000 thousand people....

--50,000 people at the gates.

They saw us coming.
They knew what we wanted.

So they hid the guns.

We weren't the first ones there.

People were already in the cellars
bringing up guns.

The stairs were narrow...

...and there was a mad scramble...

...but we got the guns.

Eighteen thousand guns and 20 cannons.

--32,000 guns and 30 cannons.

--48,000 guns and 30 cannons.

What good were 28,000 guns
and 20 cannons...

...without shells or bullets?

We went into the streets.

Paris had become a new city!

All the church bells were ringing!

Barricades went up, trenches were dug.

Enemy soldiers began defecting
to join us.

Somewhere along the way,
someone mentioned the Bastille.

"Let's take the Bastille!"

"Let's take the Bastille!"

--someone mentioned the Bastille.

"Let's take the Bastille!"

"Let's take the Bastille!"

"Let's take the Bastille!"

"Let's take the Bastille!"

"Let's take the Bastille!"

"There are guns in the Bastille.
Let's go."

We hated the Bastille.

It was a symbol...

...of misery and injustice...

...things we could no longer tolerate.

When we got there...

...it was crawling with people...

...from all corners of Paris...

...and the suburbs.

Forty-thousand people.

Seventy-thousand people on July 14.

A hundred and twenty-thousand people
at the Bastille!

It wasn't easy.

The Bastille was a fortress...

...with thick walls and a drawbridge.

We didn't know how to get inside.

We were impatient, excited.

Who was inside?

De Launay, the commanding officer...

...invalid war veterans...

...French guards
pointing their guns at us.

Swiss, Austrian
and German mercenaries...

...pointing guns at us.

Cannons were pointed at the city.

We negotiated with De Launay...

...asking him for munitions.

We shouted, "De Launay, give us guns!"

"De Launay, give us guns!"

"De Launay, give us guns!"

He negotiated for four hours,
then he said no.

He said it all belonged to the king.

Then a man in the crowd...

...a cartwright by trade...

...braved the bullets...

...climbed to the top...

...and let the drawbridge down!

- They paved the way.
- The drawbridge fell...

...and in rushed the people.

They shot at us.

They shot at us from all sides.

Some of us were killed.

We were scared.

We attacked and a slaughter began.

A delegation arrived with a white flag.

Guess what we did.

We let them through.

But the others shot at them!

We had no weapons!

We set fire to the barracks.

We set the carts on fire.

We tried to smoke them out, like rats.

People lay wounded or dead.

There was blood, smoke,
fire everywhere.

We couldn't tell who was on our side.

Friends dropped dead
before our very eyes.

Their bodies finally filled up the moat...

...so we could enter the inner court!

The suburbs began to rebel.

They sent us 5000 more men.

They talked the National Guard...

...out of shooting at us.

It fraternized with us.

French soldiers joined us
and brought us their cannon.

We aimed the cannon at the Bastille.

De Launay was helpless.

That's how the people of Paris...

...took the Bastille!

--took the Bastille!

--took the Bastille!

We took it!

That's how we took the Bastille!

The king has called off the army!

He has reappointed Necker!

The people win!

Long live the people!

Long live the people!

Long live the king!

Long live the king!

Long live the king!

Come closer, ladies and gentlemen.

That's number 8!

Congratulations!

You win!

- What's your number?
- Eight!

And you?

- One.
- One.

- Four.
- Sorry, number four was left out.

Try your luck at the Bastille Lottery!

Here we go!

The winner is 6!

I won!

Long live the king!

Long live the king!

Long live the king!

The bear is tame.

He eats only honey.

- Me, Sir!
- Me, Sir!

- Me, Sir!
- Me, Sir!

- Me, me!
- Me, me!

- Me, Madam.
- Me, Madam.

- Me!
- Me, Sir!

De Launay's head!

Artoise!

Where's Gérard?

It is now our pleasure...

...to enact for you...

...on this day so meaningful
for our whole people...

...the meeting between Louis XVI...

...and the representative of Paris,
Mr. Bailly.

Mr. Bailly, that's me!

What do I...

Oh, it's you, Louis.

Come on in, Louis!

With emotion and respect...

...the French nation...

...awards you the tricolor badge...

...the emblem of a nation
devoted to you.

You clown!

Sound the drums!

Your speech, Louis. Say something.

My people!

You can always count on my devotion!

Always!

I am your absolute monarch!

Step right up! Hurry!

Come watch our little sketch!

A delightful farce!

It's about to begin.
Hurry, or you'll miss it!

Come on, you canaille!

Come watch two veterans
of the Comédie Française!

Justine.

We haven't started yet.

She really gets on my nerves.

We will now present...

...the escape of Louis' brother,
the Count d'Artois.

And his wife, the countess! Me!

Me!

Here's for the countess!

These two assholes
are scared shitless!

Hold it in, Justine!

Hold it in! That's it!

They're scared fartless! Fart, Justine!

You ham.

You're nothing but a show-off.

You've got a hair in your eyes!

Provincial.

Frump.

Ready? Let's go.

Let's go. Ready?

One, two, three.

Ridiculous. Ridiculous.

- Do you know your name?
- Artoise.

All right, let's start.

How are you?

- Fine, how are you?
- How are you?

- How are you, Artoise?
- I'm well, how are you?

- I'm doing well, thank you.
- How are you?

- What about you?
- I'm very well.

My lord, my lord!

They took the Bastille!

What?

The Bastille?

Why the Bastille?

Who took the Bastille?

The people, my lord!

You think it's funny?

The people.

The....

The....

The masses. Go tell the king.

He's out being decorated.

Decorated?

Bastille.

Bastille.

Decorated.

We must leave.

Get my things! My bustle!

The coach is missing.

Then get a wheelbarrow.

Get some horses.

They galloped off with the coach.

Get me a goat!

There must be a few animals
left in France!

Hurry up!

There's a knot!

Hurry up! Hurry up!

Calm down. Calm down.

Thank God, we've still got the canaille.

- On your knees.
- Hurry up!

- Oh yeah.
- Take my hat.

Here we go.

Is there a tree around here?

Thank you, my friend.

What now?

Where are we going?

We've been betrayed.

A storm is brewing in Paris.

Let's go to Coblenz.

There we can conspire.

Long live our ancestors!

Make way, canaille!

- Let's go, crook.
- Let's go.

- Hurry up!
- Crook.

Crook.

Come here, ladies.

Step right up!

Especially you girls.

I have a nice surprise for you.

The hero of the old and the new world...

...our international hero...

...the Marquis de La Fayette!

Long live La Fayette!

I'm happy to take part
in the people's rejoicing.

I shall be devoted to you...

...always.

General.

Order!

Order!

Silence!

In the name of my fellow soldiers...

...I appoint you in command
of the rich men's National Guard!

I am deeply moved.

Since you place me in command...

...I ask you to stop all this discord.

Go home...

...and no more speeches.

No more meetings or mobs.

No more assemblies.

No more...

...uncalled-for demonstrations!

I forbid all celebrations...

...all forms of happiness...

...that disturb the law...

...and order of the rich!

And remember this...

...the revolution is over!

Break it up.

Break it up.

Break it up.

Break it up.

Break it up.

Break it up.

Break it up.

Break it up.

Make way!

Break it up. Break it up. Break it up.

Break it up.

Dr. Jean-Paul Marat.

Dr. Jean Paul Marat...

...the nation is sick.

Can you heal it?

I detest lawlessness...

...violence and disorder.

But our country contains...

...15 million people living in misery...

...verging on starvation.

After reducing them to this fate...

...the government abandons them
without mercy...

...punishes assembly like a crime...

...and tracks down men like animals.

I am overcome with grief.

I choke with indignation.

I shall inform the nation of its rights.

I shall encourage it to defend them.

I shall goad the people incessantly...

...until they obtain those rights.

When news came
of the revolution in Paris...

...the nobles and rich people
in the rest of France...

...all the propertied classes...

...formed an alliance...

...and did their best
to make the poor distrust their own kind.

They spread frightening rumors...

...that vandals would destroy crops...

...burn harvests,
and kill women and children.

When the peasants learned...

...the people in Paris
had taken the Bastille...

...they bravely cast off the yoke
of ancestral servitude.

Then the following event occurred.

Seeing the population in such despair...

...both the nobility and the clergy...

...fell in love with the people...

...and gave up all their privileges.

On The Admirable Unforgettable
Memorable Night Of August 4, 1789.

Let me reread your decisions
of August 4th.

The National Assembly abolishes...

...private hunting rights...

...serfdom and mortmain...

...of any shape or form...

...special jurisdiction for the nobility...

...all tithing.

It establishes free trials...

...and abolishes venality.

It cancels the special privileges...

...of provinces and cities.

The National Assembly abolishes...

...the feudal system entirely.

A medal will be coined...

...and a Te Deum will be sung...

...to commemorate this day.

You will now witness...

...a genuine parliamentary debate...

...on the rights of man and the citizen.

Our deputies are going to speak.

Give us your closest attention.

Before drawing up Article I...

...we must first decide if we are to put...

...a declaration of the rights of man...

...at the top of our constitution.

It isn't necessary!

It is necessary!

I have been delegated...

...to demand it as a basis
for the constitution.

Gentlemen.

A constitution does not need
a declaration of rights.

Some people would not
even understand...

...the maxims you would put in it.

We shall display it in town...

...and even in churches.

A nation demands its rights.

What rights?

A nation that demands its rights...

...must see them properly formulated...

...and published.

A few persons seem to be afraid...

...to see these principles published.

But the people will obey
the laws better...

...if they know their origin and function.

I don't believe...

...the people must be kept in ignorance.

But I think they should be
taught from books.

They can't read!

I said from books.

Not from a constitution or laws.
That's useless.

Useless!

Useless because
it's written in everyone's heart.

- Demagoguery!
- Dangerous! They will abuse their rights.

The people will take advantage!

- Experience and history...
- Inevitably!

- ...prove that is false.
- Go back and read your classics.

I insist that a constitution must begin...

...with a declaration
of the rights of man.

It's like a treatise on ethics.

Many would not understand
and some would take advantage.

You take advantage of them!

A declaration of unlimited rights...

...will be eagerly welcomed
by the people...

...restoring equality and freedom.

That's what we want!

But do they know equality...

...is merely a philosophical illusion?

Your class is an illusion!

Let us restore the people's rights...

...but with reservations regarding...

...property regulations, justice...

...and law and order.

Let us a void opening the dikes...

...built up by centuries...

...without first insuring our safety...

...from the floods that might...

...spread confusion...

...and destroy...

...the custom of inheritance!

That's reactionary...

...or counter-revolutionary!

Some may say
a declaration of rights is useless.

You even say it's dangerous.

Just because we have
no government now...

...and the people are committing
all sorts of extreme actions...

...you fear even worse to come.

With good reason too!

But the more rights men have...

...the more they will respect the law!

We have, as fellow citizens...

...great numbers of people
without property.

Give them property!

They expect a living...

...a regular job...

...a good police force
and constant protection.

They are justifiably annoyed at times...

...when they see displays of wealth.

Your wealth!

- I think, Sir-- I think, Sir!
- What do you think?

It is necessary for men...

...whom fate has made dependent...

...to see the natural limits
of their freedom.

You traitor!

A traitor to the people!

Enough of your subtle metaphysics.

It forces you to think.

All you need in your declaration...

...are the words "property"...

..."safety" and "liberty"...

...described as the basis for society.

What society?

In any case,
we first have to make laws...

...that enable men to live together...

...before we tell them that,
like in the U.S., they are equal.

- They are equal!
- You lie!

I've been asked to read to you...

...a draft declaration
of the rights of man...

...drawn up by the Board Office.

What's the Board Office?

I, sir, am the Board Office.

Art. 1: Nature has given every man...

...the right to insure his survival...

...and the pursuit of happiness.

Art. 2:

To insure his survival and well-being...

...every man has been gifted by nature.

It is in the uses of these gifts
that freedom consists.

Art. 3: From the uses of these gifts
comes the right to own property.

Art. 4: Every man has equal rights...

...to his freedom and to his property.

Art. 5:

But nature has not given every man...

...the same means to use his rights.

Hence the inequality among men.

Inequality is therefore part of nature.

Inequality is therefore...

...part of nature.

Gentlemen.

You seem to favor the idea
of a declaration...

...of the rights of man.

So all you have to do
is decide how to phrase it.

Then a moderate,
equitable form of freedom...

...may reign throughout our empire.

Excuse me! Excuse me! Excuse me!

Excuse me! Excuse me! Excuse me!

Let me through!

Excuse me! Excuse me! Excuse me!

You have just seen
what has happened in France.

Now let me show you...

...what is about to happen in my country.

My country is also part of France...

...but it is very far away
across the ocean.

It's called an "Overseas Department."

It's an exotic paradise.

Warm breezes caress the palm trees
in the blue sky.

Music is everywhere...

...for some reason.

That's Mr. De St. Domingue.

He's very rich.

He owns half the island...

...with many sugarcane fields...

...and lots of little blacks work for him.

He's very nice to us all.

He's just like a daddy to us.

And that lady you see...

...is Miss Adelaide.

She's black too.

But not as black as me.

Her father was white.

He left her many fields of sugarcane...

...and lots of little blacks
to work for her.

We're all very happy...

...in this island paradise.

Scratch my back.

Yes, sir.

Fan me. Fan me.

One day, a man from Paris...

...comes to our paradise...

...with some very important news.

Greetings, Mr. De St. Domingue.

So you come from
the National Assembly.

- Miss Adelaide.
- Any news?

Very good news!

The Declaration of the Rights of Man.

Article 1:

All men are born free and remain free...

...and equal before the law.

- Me free!
- Me free!

Me free!

We're all free!

Wait a minute!

Wait a minute.

Article 17:

Property is a sacred, inalienable right.

No one can be deprived of it.

Now, don't cry.

The man from the National Assembly
said "men"...

...not "blacks."

Miss Adelaide...

...now we're equal.

In that case, both you...

...and the gentleman from Paris...

...can come to my house
for a glass of rum.

And in Paris, in September 1789...

...the corrupt members
of the National Assembly...

...betray the nation.

They let the king have a veto!

See this woman!

She's beautiful, young and generous.
She will walk among you.

You can talk to her, touch her...

...and even kiss her.
She belongs to you.

She is your daughter,
your sister, your wife.

Her name is Public Will.

She takes her place...

...between two personalities.

One is her spokesman...

...Mr. Legislative Body.

On the other side,
is that loathsome shrew...

...that vile medusa...

...Mrs. Executive Body!

If we don't watch out...

...he will get her pregnant
with a monster child.

It is already kicking
inside its vile mother.

Abominable Baby Veto!

Let Veto wail!

So if Public Will says....

All men are born free,
and remain equal before the law.

What will Mr. L say?

We request ratification
of the Declaration of the Rights of Man.

What will Mrs. E say?

No! No!

If Public Will says....

End the feudal system!

What will Mr. L say?

We request abolition
of all feudal privileges.

What will Mrs. E say?

No! No!

We must rip that monster child
from its womb...

...and hang it from a lamppost!

Hang Baby Veto!

Hang Baby Veto! Hang Baby Veto!

Hang Baby Veto!

The king and queen conspire.

They pay hoarders to starve us!

No bread for the people!

Meanwhile, at Versailles...

...the king and queen stuff themselves!

They connive with foreign armies!

During orgies...

...they defile the national emblem!

This time
it was the women who got angry.

They went to Versailles...

...and got an audience with the king.

- End the feudal system!
- I abolish it.

Ratify the declaration!

I ratify the declaration.

- Give us bread!
- Open up the granaries!

The women go so far
as to bring the king to Paris.

Make way for the women!

Go home! Go home!

Equality!

France! Equality.

Silence! Silence! Go home!

The revolution is over!

In virtue of which...

...the National Assembly...

...declares that freedom builds nations,
but disorder destroys them.

Freedom is not a right
to do as one likes.

It can exist only when laws are obeyed.

The present crisis requires
temporary measures...

...to maintain law and order
and the rights of all.

So we decree a state of martial law.

Article 1:

Whenever any threat
to the peace occurs...

...military force will be employed...

...to restore law and order at once!

Article 2:

If unlawful gatherings
do not disperse at once...

...the police will give them...

...three warnings.

The first warning will be:

"Martial law has been declared.

All gatherings are unlawful.

Good citizens! Leave at once...

...or we open fire!"

For the second and third warnings...

...merely repeat the words:

"Leave at once or we open fire!"

If people are in any way violent...

...or do not leave
until the third warning...

...those arrested will be...

...sentenced to one year in prison
if unarmed...

...to three years if armed...

...and to death
if convicted of any violent act.

Timid citizens...

...who want to preserve...

...their own well-being...

...and who are happy with their lot...

...are very much afraid of uprisings.

Uprisings may destroy their happiness...

...by bringing in a new social change.

Their only thought
is to pacify the people.

They have very compelling reasons...

...because what else do we
owe freedom to...

...if not to uprisings?

An uprising...

...brought down the Bastille.

An uprising...

...crushed the conspiracy
of the aristocrats.

The National Assembly...

...owes its existence...

...to uprisings alone.

It passed good legislation...

...because of uprisings alone.

We owe everything...

...to uprisings.

The destruction of the mighty...

...as well as the liberation of the people!

That law will serve only...

...to annihilate you all!

Open your eyes!

Wake up!

LAW AND ORDER

Thanks to that salutary law,
freedom is given the framework it needs...

...in which to function profitably.

"Profitably" is the word!

The National Assembly will be
composed only...

...of deputies wealthy enough to pay.

Good idea!

Only men of property
are able to run a country.

Obviously.

A man has no interest in government
unless he owns property.

So the rich must govern the poor.

Obviously.

To begin with,
let's auction off all Church property.

Today we'll hold an auction...

...of an important Benedictine property...

...including abbey, granary...

...furniture and utensils.

- Starting price, 5,000.
- Starting price, 5,000.

- Starting price, 5,000.
- Step right up!

- Step right up!
- Step right up!

Step right up!

The auction is about to begin.

Back off!

Stop!

What good was it
to destroy the nobility...

...if the rich take their place?

See how greed and avarice...

...have divided our country!

Now the government wants an excuse...

...to establish martial law
and slaughter the people!

Here is the excuse:

The king tries to escape!

The king! His Austrian wife!
They've betrayed us!

The king has betrayed us...

...so let's immediately arrest...

...everyone who supports despotism!

Let every city close its gates...

...and execute...

...every anti-revolutionary conspirator!

The cowardly king is the enemy
of the people!

His ministers can only be crooks!

I maintain, before heaven...

...and earth...

...that if France wishes...

...to be a republic...

...no power under the sun...

...has the right to prevent her!

In the present state of war...

...only the people...

...so undeserving of the scorn
heaped upon them...

...can defeat...

...the enemies of the revolution...

...force them to respect their duties...

...impose silence upon them...

...and a salutary fear...

...which is necessary...

...if the revolution is to triumph!

Never entrust your hopes to rich men!

Any change now would be fatal.

To prolong the revolution now...

...would mean disaster.

The question is...

...shall we end the revolution...

...or let it continue?

It is very harmful...

...to continue the revolution.

It has destroyed what
had to be destroyed.

It has taken us far as we should go.

It will not cease...

...unless the entire French nation...

...is determined to end it.

If the revolution goes one step further...

...it can only bring danger.

Carry freedom one step further...

...and you destroy...

...monarchy!

Carry equality one step further...

...and you destroy...

...property!

The revolution is over!

Come here, come.

Welcome, my friends!

For centuries...

...we looked for a way...

...and we found it!

It was high time!

It was done with a lock of...

...Samson's hair...

...a bit of bone...

...from Spartacus' tibia...

...and the inspiration...

...of the revolutionaries!

And now, people...

...do what you have to do.

I want my privileges!

Freedom!

Freedom!

Bravo, Mr. Bourgeois!

You see, my friends...

...this comedy wasn't so hard to write.

But someone had to stage it!

Mine!

The National Guard!

Mine!

Hurrah for the National Guard!

Martial law has been declared!

First warning:
"Leave at once or we open fire!"

Second warning:

"Leave at once or we open fire!"

Third warning: "We open fire!"

Come on!

If only I could give...

...my fellow citizens...

...the fire in my soul.

If only I could find 2000 men...

...as determined as I am.

If only I could show the world's tyrants...

...a frightening example
of the people's revenge.

Since our only hope...

...is through civil war...

...I ardently wish...

...for civil war to come...

...as soon as possible.

"Treacherously, you shout
that civil war must be avoided.

What is more revolting...

...than a civil war...

...with only butchers on one side...

...and helpless victims on the other?

Can it be a crime to arm the victims
against the butchers?

Let us begin the battle
on the issue of equality and property.

The people must overthrow
old barbaric systems.

The evil war between rich and poor...

...must cease to be a war...

...between arrogance and fear.

Conditions have reached
their lowest ebb.

They cannot grow worse.

Only a complete upheaval
can change them.

The real goal of society
is happiness for all.

We must change our barbaric,
century-old laws."

Gracchus Babeuf.

1789 was filmed
during the last 13 performances...

...of the Théâtre du Soleil...

...at the Cartoucherie de Vincennes
in June 1973.

Camera, Zitzermann, Michel Lebon
and Jean-Paul Meurisse.

Assisted by Eduardo Serra
and Gérard Stérin.

Recorded by Jean-Pierre Ruh,
Henri Roux, Dominique Dalmasso...

...and Claude Bertrand.

Assistant Director, Emmanuel de Bary.

Script Girl, Lucie Lichtig.

Post-synchronized by
Suzette and Jean Duguet.

Sound Mixer, Pierre Vuillemin.

Editors, Françoise Beloux...

...Frédérique Mathieu
and Françoise Clausse.

Producers, Alexandre Mnouchkine
and George Dancigers.

Film Director, Ariane Mnouchkine.

Premiere, November 1970...

...Piccolo Teatro, Milan.

Three hundred and forty-eight
performances...

...by the Théâtre du Soleil.

B. Bauchau...

...J-N. Cordier, Antonio Ferreira...

...Claude Forget, Guy-Claude François
and Roberto Moscoso...

...for Scenery and Lighting.

Jean-Claude Barriera, Christine Candries,
Nathalie Ferrera...

...Solange Felix, Chantal Forget...

...Françoise Tournafond
and Hélène Séris...

...for Costumes.

Music Director, Michel Derouin.

Prompter, Sophie Lemasson.

F. Descotils, F. Lemoine...

...and Odile Cointepas,
Theater Managers.

Puppets and Accessories,
Nicole Princet.

Posters, Catherine Legrand.

Photographs, Martine Franck.

René Patrignani.

Jean-Claude Penchenat.

Maxime Lombard.

George Bruno...

...Fabrice Herrero...

Jonathan Sutton.

...Daïna La Varenne...

...Franck Poumeyreau...

...Marie-France Duverger...

...Gérard Hardy...

...Anne Demeyer...

Joséphine Derenne.

Mario Gonzales.

Geneviève Penchenat.

Philippe Caubère.

Louba Guertchikoff.

Nicole Félix.

Michel Derouin.

Myrrha Donzenac.

Jean-Claude Bourbault.

Alain Salomon.

Roland Amstutz.

Françoise Jamet.

Clémence Massard.

Serge Coursan.

Lucia Bensasson.

Philippe Hottier.

Marc Godard.

Guy-Claude François.

Jean-Noël Cordier, lighting.

Antonio Ferreira.

Françoise Lemoine.

Françoise Tournafond,
costume design.

Roberto Moscoso, set design.

And Ariane Mnouchkine,
staging and directing.

They also participated
in the play's creation...

...Jean-François Labouverie,
Rosine Rochette, Luc Bartholomé...

...Michel Toty, Louis Samier...

...Gilles Milinaire, Philippe Dubois,
Michel Bricaire, Louis de Grandmaison.

And the audience
of the Cartoucherie de Vincennes.