Sant'Elena, piccola isola (1943) - full transcript

ST HELENA, SMALL ISLAND

The words uttered by Napoleon having

a military and political significance

were scrupulously transcribed from

various memorials from St Helena,

that is,

they are historically correct.

Napoleon, when he was a student

in the School of Auxonne,

summarized in

a notebook his lessons

from the Abbot Lacroix,

Professor of Geography.

Those notes were cut off

in the middle of the page

and end with these words,

"St Helena, Small Island.'

After that, he wrote

nothing more in those pages.

"Geography Notebook

of Napoleon Bonaparte."

"St Helena, small island."

October 15, 1815

Napoleon is in Saint Helena,

defeated, a prisoner.

Sir, who would've imagined it?

- Ah, yes, I brought him here.

However you say

that on the Longwood flat?

there's a house which could serve

as residence for him and his people?

An old building but there isn't

anything better in Saint Helena.

Unless you want to host Napoleon

in the East Indian Company's villa.

Ah, no, no.

Too close to the sea. No!

Longwood! Longwood!

In the mountains, among the rocks.

We shall restore the house.

- But that will take time.

I must land him tonight,

as soon as it gets dark.

Is there a hotel in Jamestown?

Potius House which rents rooms.

Requisition the Potius House.

- Alright.

A poor habitation.

- It's temporary.

I placed trust in the protection

of your country's laws?

but when I saw from the sea?

this nightmare

of an island rise up?

my last illusion about your

generosity towards me has vanished.

I judge your words

to be absolutely unseemly!

Admiral, don't forget that

kings have fought for the honor

to be admitted to the table of

the man you're speaking to.

You're right, Ma'am.

Forgive me, General Bonaparte.

The last time I heard anyone

say "General Bonaparte?"

was at the Battle of the Pyramids.

Let them call me

whatever they want.

They won't stop me

from being who I am.

You shall choose the part of

the island most convenient

to your wishes.

Longwood was pointed out.

When you want,

we shall visit it together.

As soon as possible, Admiral.

Tomorrow?

At 10:00.

- At 10:00.

Tomorrow at 10:00, Marshal.

Good night, gentlemen.

Doctor, come with me.

Dr O'Meara,

Remember that you are

an officer in the British Navy.

And that his Majesty's government

has given you permission to stay

as the prisoner's special doctor?

because it is counting on you.

Does it count on me

because it considers me inept?

Or, at least,

capable of pretending to be?

Doctor,

I am a soldier and a gentleman.

The fondness which the prisoner

has shown for you on board?

must be of great use to us.

And it's up to you

to give me all the information

on what the prisoner does.

Admiral,

I am a soldier and a gentleman.

Above all else, be a soldier.

And I am also a man

who loves pleasant conversation.

Admiral, I shall often

take the pleasure?

of coming to talk with you.

Very good, Doctor.

How many rooms are there?

Can we see?

Is there one for me

and my children?

A moment's patience,

we're all not here.

The house management is under me.

I'd gladly give it to you but

the Emperor just inflicted me with it.

The Grand Marshal is

only responsible for protocol.

Protocol here?

The Emperor wants

the Grand Marshal.

Am I to have no role here?

You're asking me?

If you still have these ambitions,

plead with Count Las Cases,

who is the Emperor's favorite.

I aspire only to serve him.

We are camped in a real tavern.

Injustice is now added to outrage.

But why didn't they

rid themselves of me?

It would've been a crime

but yet a sign of strength.

Marshal, I cannot complain

without lowering myself.

You must protest.

However you can,

with all your energy. Always!

You insisted too much for

the Emperor to surrender to England.

Why didn't you propose

something better?

What could we do against the authority

of the Grand Marshal, Countess Bertrand,

and General Gourgaud?

General Gourgaud may

have been wrong?

but he followed the Emperor

not because he had to like some.

Whom do you allude to?

- Certainly not Count Las Cases.

He came here to write a book

with the Emperor's words.

You are alluding to me. Oh, yes.

When I heard

they were sending him here,

I begged my husband not to go.

And you tried to throw yourself

into Bellerophon's Sea.

If I hadn't grabbed

you by the leg?

I've thanked you, Countess.

Want me to thank you again?

I saved the Emperor's life

and I didn't ask for thanks.

We know.

You've told us many times.

In Brienne, you killed a Cossack?

- ?about to hit him with a spear.

You are a sublime man,

General Gourgaud.

Impetuous but sublime.

I'm?

I'm a man worse off

than anybody here.

Marshal Bertrand

and General Montholon

are here with

their wives and children?

and Count Las Cases is

here with his boy.

But I am alone.

I left my old mother in France,

poorer than me.

Nobody here has the right

to be more unhappy.

We all love the Emperor equally.

- But I adore him!

The Emperor is very sad.

I've never seen him so sad.

This is the place

of our deportation.

An unbearable humidity,

and surrounding it?

the desert.

But better here

than near the city.

Any place is good for me,

if it's far from vulgar curiosity.

I'm delighted that

you are pleased with Longwood.

Why not?

Longwood is worthy

of the hospitality you offer me.

A tree! I will finally have

a friend on this island.

Ah, if I could stay here today.

Ah, finally some shade.

The first I've seen.

The villa of a merchant, Mr Balcombe.

- Do you want to visit it?

I'd like to live there.

It sickens me

to return to Jamestown.

Maybe it's possible.

I'm going to talk to the owner.

Marshal, would you come with me?

Flowers must not be stolen!

Is this villa yours?

- Yes.

I envy you.

- Don't you have any villas?

I had many.

Now, I have none.

Do you come from afar?

Yes.

My name is Betsy, Sir.

- And I'm Jenny.

What is your name?

Napoleon.

Your wish may be fulfilled.

There's a pavilion

at the end of the garden,

which the Balcombe family

will place at your disposal.

Welcome to my home.

If you want to live there,

we shall be happy

to make it available.

Until they make your home

at Longwood ready.

Thank you.

Yours is a great courtesy.

I'm very happy to have

been able to please you.

You can give

Marshal Bertrand an order

to bring whatever you need here.

You can roam freely in the garden

and even outside, if you like,

as long as the captain knows

and can follow you from afar.

You don't need to see him.

He just needs to see you.

His Majesty?

- At the Bramble House.

He orders Count Las Cases and

his son and Marchand, his servant

to join him immediately

to stay with him.

I shudder to think

we have Napoleon in our home.

I couldn't sleep all night.

It's such a bore.

The whole house is upside down.

Mama and Papa want to invite him

but they don't know where to begin.

The servants are busy getting ready

and I had to cook my own omelet.

I advise you to do the same.

- Give me some of yours.

It's not fair

to give you my omelet

just because

Napoleon lost the war.

We already made a big mistake

yesterday by running away from him.

Let's show him that if he was Emperor,

we are two pretty girls.

The less I see him,

the happier I am.

Why?

Everyone's talking about him.

It'll be fun to talk to him.

He's too serious. Too melancholy.

He'll have to get over his melancholy

else it'll become his deathbed.

I'll go to him and say,

"Dear Emperor?"

General.

- "Dear General,

what's past is past.

You can't be emperor anymore.

Put your heart at ease

and be happy."

I'll tell him that right away.

Papa wants to invite him? I'll do it.

- And if papa gets angry?

That's it, you see?

Papa scares me.

But if I become friends with Napoleon,

he'll help me make war on Papa.

He knows war.

Mine was much better.

General?

General?

Don't call me general.

It's highly forbidden

to call you anything else.

The admiral told us clearly.

We must call you?

The admiral is

a very coarse gentleman.

But I used to give

you a worse title.

Which title, Miss Betsy?

I called you "the ogre."

You hated me without knowing me.

I've always been afraid of you.

Not so much though.

I'm not afraid of anyone.

You must let me call you general.

We don't know how

to speak to emperors.

You're the first

to come to St Helena.

Mama is very worried too.

That's why I took it upon myself

to ask if you want to come tonight?

to keep us company,

without overawing us.

Thank you, I'll come.

- But come alone.

Without the other generals.

It'll make us too ill at ease.

Alright, I'll come alone.

- Thank you.

I'll run to take

the load off mama's mind.

Oh, welcome!

And who are those gentlemen?

Miss Betsy Balcombe, our hostess.

Count Las Cases, my chamberlain.

And his son Emanuele.

- Is he a chamberlain too?

No. Not yet.

Cipriani!

Lead the count to his room.

Which is his room?

Up there.

It's lucky that

the chamberlain is not?

is not so tall.

Else, they couldn't even

stand up in there.

How nasty that boy is.

As pale as wax.

The young Las Cases is a pearl.

If you're good,

I'll have him marry you.

I have better things to do.

He'll come down later. Look him

over well. - I prefer to leave!

See you tonight!

Can you play whist?

Not much.

- You'll be in trouble with papa!

With your Majesty's permission,

may I put the room in order?

Since my entire palace is

reduced to this room,

I'll have to go in the garden.

All right, Marchand.

How did you sleep,

Count, in your attic?

I would've slept well

if it weren't for the rats.

They say the rats are

the plague of Saint Helena.

The rats and the admiral.

How are we going to pass the time?

in this forgotten corner

of the world?

Sire, we shall live in the past.

It'll be so beautiful to read

the lives of Alexander and Caesar.

But we'll go one better:

you shall read your life.

Yes.

We shall write

the history of my campaigns.

Good morning, gentlemen.

You look very irritated,

General Gourgaud.

Sire,

I was stopped from coming because

I didn't have a sergeant's escort.

I had to bend over backwards

to ask for this escort.

Marshal, not even

my generals can freely reach me.

You must protest, I repeat.

Irritating the admiral won't help.

You may get more with negotiating.

You are naive, Marshal.

Your Majesty is wrong

not to listen to my advice.

At the Tuileries,

you wouldn't have spoken

to me like that.

Everything I did then was perfect!

You've angered His Majesty.

- Gentlemen,

here, more than ever,

we must remember who he is.

Good morning!

- Good morning.

Move over and let me pass!

Respect those who carry burdens.

- But he's a slave.

What is your name?

Where were you born?

He was taken in the sea,

brought here and sold.

A man torn from his homeland,

he has become a thing to be sold.

Can you imagine

a greater unhappiness?

Poor Tobias.

Yes, poor Tobias.

Poor Tobias, here in St Helena,

is not the only example

of the cruelty of fate.

But my misfortune will

also give me glory.

If I had died

in the splendors of power,

I would've remained perhaps

an unsolved enigma to many.

And now,

everyone can understand me.

Even you, Betsy.

Yes.

Yes, I understand you, Sire.

Why didn't the Empress

come with you?

I didn't want it.

Why didn't you want

your son to come?

What is your son's name?

The King of Rome.

London 1816

Then we are in agreement,

Sir Hudson Lowe:

Next week you shall depart

for St Helena?

to become Napoleon's guardian.

Are you afraid of words?

I don't think so, Minister Sir.

What impression does the word?

"jailer" make on you?

Many would like nothing better than

the post I've entrusted to you.

And remember, that I chose you.

Sir Henry Bells,

I shall know how to be

worthy of your trust.

We're leaving.

The Longwood house is finished.

Why don't you stay

at the Brambles?

It's forbidden, Betsy, forbidden.

Europe doesn't trust the Brambles.

I'd like to say goodbye

to Mr and Mrs Balcombe.

My father's in town

and my mother's ill in bed.

Oh, poor lady.

Take me to her.

Mama, the general.

If I had known, I would've risen.

Don't fret, Mrs Balcombe.

We're old friends.

I came to take my leave.

Thank you for all courtesies.

How many times in your home,

have I forgotten my exile?

I'm very pleased.

Salute Mr Balcombe for me.

For Betsy,

a keepsake from Napoleon.

Oh, is Miss Betsy angry?

Thank you.

Madame, I must leave. Goodbye.

Do not forget the Bramble House.

We shall always remember you.

I'm further off, my little friend?

but I remain in St Helena.

Tell your father to come

and bring you to Longwood.

Will you come and see me?

- Yes.

Goodbye.

Thus,

to the Brambles and Longwood,

has my old camp bed followed

me from Marengo and Austerlitz.

The sentries will surround the area

granted to Gen Bonaparte.

No one must leave there,

unless accompanied

by an officer or a picket.

At sunset, when the first shot

of the cannon is fired,

the sentries will advance

to the edge of the garden.

At nightfall, at the second shot,

they will surround the house.

This heat!

How can we get

54 people inside here?

General,

have you found a few walls

for you and the countess?

Two rooms, Sire.

- Adjacent to your apartment.

Then you shall be

my neighbor, Countess.

Not without timidity, Sire.

You and Countess Bertrand shall

be the grace of our exile.

But Countess Bertrand

will not live here.

The Grand Marshal has rented

a villa, a few 100 meters away.

Countess Bertrand prefers

to have a house?

of her own, separate from us.

Fine.

Marchand!

A gala dinner tonight.

Everyone must attend.

Even the marshal

and the marshaless.

See you later, Sir and Madame.

There'll be a storm!

I'm truly glad that

the Countess Bertrand?

is not living with us.

Our first day in Longwood is over.

The days will be long here.

82 million men obeyed me.

It only took one day

to destroy everything.

The defeat did not

lower the vanquished,

nor did victory raise the victor.

We'll also write the history of

the Battle of Waterloo. - Yes, Sire.

We shall write

the history of all your battles.

And it will be

as beautiful as "The Iliad".

I see Achilles?

but I don't see Homer.

Countess, you have

a graceful voice. Sing.

Cimarosa? Pa?r? Paisiello?

Paisiello.

In my heart, I no more feel

the sparkle of youth.

The cause of my torment,

oh Love, it is your fault.

What is this thing in me?

How many times have I heard

these notes at The Tuileries.

They were delightful concerts.

What life, what elegance!

Never was there a court

as splendid as yours, Sire.

?which makes me despair.

Thank you, Countess.

And this is the music

of St Helena: the rain.

Will you read me

what I dictated yesterday?

Sire, allow my son to read.

But this boy is very pale.

He needs to be treated.

Are your eyes tired, Count?

My eyes are full of shadow.

I see less and less.

And why didn't you tell me?

- Oh, Sire, when I see you no more?

My good friend.

Here is the governor.

Go and receive him too.

Are you General Bertrand?

Countess Bertrand.

Countess Montholon.

General Montholon.

General Gourgaud.

Count Las Cases, Chamberlain.

Admiral Malcolm,

who succeeds Admiral Cockburn?

of the command of

the naval forces of St Helena.

Colonel Reed.

Major Gorky.

Noverase, announce

to His Majesty, the Emperor,

His Excellency,

the Governor of St Helena.

I have come, Sir,

to pay my respect.

How many years of

service do you have?

28.

I have 40 years of service.

Therefore,

I'm an older soldier than you.

History will speak

of our services?

in a very different way.

I cannot say I was satisfied

with your predecessor.

He treated me with a familiarity

that closely

resembled impertinence.

He imposed an English escort,

he forced me to give up

my horseback riding.

So, for lack of exercise,

my health deteriorates daily.

He had me watched over

like a ferocious beast,

under the ridiculous pretext

of providing for my safety.

And he refused to send my letters

if he hadn't read them first.

The admiral obeyed

his superiors' instructions.

It's well you should know that I too,

under my government's orders,

will strictly obey and even

more than Admiral Cockburn did.

Have you anything else to say?

Nothing else, General.

- Neither do I.

He is odious!

Gentlemen, I have the honor

and pleasure to communicate

that everybody in General Bonaparte's

train, including the servants,

must leave the island at once,

if they don't sign

this declaration.

"The undersigned declare that

they wish to stay in St Helena

agreeing to the restrictions

which will be necessary for

General Bonaparte to endure."

I will sign on one condition:

The words "General Bonaparte,"

be replaced with

"Emperor Napoleon."

I agree.

- Me too.

I won't sign.

- Fine.

Then you shall

all leave right away.

Only a cook and a few servants

will remain with Gen Bonaparte.

We mustn't sign a document

that offends the Emperor.

And above all, we mustn't sign

our freedom away.

And must we leave the Emperor

alone in this prison?

Oh, no.

We can't abandon him.

We would be more

cruel than the governor.

Whatever it costs, I'll sign.

We shall all sign.

Everyone signed,

even the servants.

The general must've forced

the servants to sign.

I suspected it too. I had them

come here to be questioned.

I shall question them myself.

You, come here.

Did you read

the paper you signed?

Yes, Excellency.

Can you read?

No, Excellency.

But it doesn't matter.

Do you know what

these signatures pledge you to?

Do you know?

- Maybe to stay here forever.

They intimidated you?

Paid you to sign?

No. They told me

I can go if I want to.

But I won't.

- And you?

I don't want to, Excellency.

Do you all want to stay here?

Isn't there anyone who wants to see

their country, their family again?

No!

It's doesn't suffice

that you want to stay here.

I must allow it.

There are too many of you.

Therefore, some of you must leave.

You.

You.

You.

And you. What's the matter?

Nothing.

Get out!

A bit of coolness.

But it won't last.

Here, there's either a bitter wind

which lacerates my soul

and brings fog and rain,

or a sun that burns

through my brain.

Marchand, give me your arm.

Today, I feel some pains

in my left side?

and I am sad.

Oh, good Cipriani!

What do you want, Cipriani?

Yes?

- You must?

keep an eye on Santini, Sire.

He wants to kill the governor.

Marchand, get Santini immediately.

Killing him would be

a joy for me too,

if it weren't for being hanged.

But afterwards,

they would revenge

themselves on you, Sire.

Ah, Cipriani!

How beautiful our Corsica was!

Everything all green.

And what wine!

What oil!

What fruit!

After so many years,

I can still smell

the scent of our island.

I could recognize it

with my eyes closed,

for that perfume

which is all its own.

You shall see it again.

But not I.

Santini! Brigand!

You wanted to kill the governor?

He's separating me from you.

I have a two-shot rifle:

one for him and the other for me.

You want it said that

I incite assassinations?

I forbid you to commit crimes!

There is a better way

for you to prove your loyalty.

You'll be given a complaint.

If you reach London,

you will have it published.

Go, Santini.

Before leaving, come to say goodbye.

And leave the guns alone.

Doctor, you haven't been

around for some days.

I always want to know

what General Bonaparte is doing.

He lives. And that is much.

And in what terms

does he speak of me?

With every possible malediction.

What does he say?

Let it go, Excellency.

I shall make him feel

the full weight of my power.

Tell me about

his state of health.

Very bad.

Let me remind you that liver

diseases are raging in St Helena.

Gen Bonaparte has a bad liver.

It's a slanderous invention.

Excellency, allow me

to say that I am a doctor.

And I'm your superior.

I don't want this myth of

an unhealthy climate spreading,

making all Europe believe that

he was brought here to die quickly.

I forbid you to affiliate yourself

with the statements of a prisoner,

who in the end,

is nothing but a usurper.

A usurper?

who at 25 years old

was the first man in the world.

You're too warm.

This warmth is suspicious.

I will report it

to the government.

Sire, this jacket is too worn.

You can no longer wear it.

I'll get a new one.

There's no green

cloth in Jamestown.

I'll wear another.

Let's go choose one.

There isn't much to choose from.

I can't wear the uniform

of the First Consul

or the Marengo cloak.

When I was a lieutenant,

I had my clothes sent back.

I shall finish as I started.

Turn the green jacket inside out.

A letter from Calgados.

His Excellency writes

that in America, in France,

plots are organized everywhere

to break Bonaparte free.

My responsibility is tremendous!

We must tighten the circle.

- You're right.

If the 2,500 soldiers

surrounding Longwood,

the 90 cannons, the 20 mortars,

the ships circling

the island are not enough,

then we'll bring more ships,

soldiers, cannons and weapons!

But Colonel, this is not living.

This is anguish, this is fear.

Just think, he could he even be

escaping at this very moment!

Sire?

Sire?

I was dreaming?

of Maria Luisa.

She was holding

my son by the hand.

She was beautiful

and smiling like?

that day in Compi?gne,

when I saw her for the first time.

I was about to hold

her in my arms,

but I felt her slipping away.

And I woke up.

Sire, your face was so frantic

that it was I who awoke you.

Ah, wretch!

It was you who took away the joy

of staying a little longer

with my wife and son.

Forgive me. Forgive me, Sire.

If I could, I'd bring the Empress

and King of Rome to your arms.

No?

It's better my wife and my son?

cannot see my wretchedness.

Did I mistreat you, poor Marchand?

I know you are

the most faithful of them all.

It shall be you

who will close my eyes.

This closed air is bad for you.

But the light is bad for you.

Why did I bring you here?

You didn't sleep last night.

Neither did you either.

Do you really want to give this letter

to that mulatto who's leaving?

Yes, he promised

to deliver it for ?4.

Lady Clavering is the only friend

I have who is trying to help us

without the governor

reading what I wrote.

But won't it be imprudent?

If he betrays us?

If they search him?

Then the governor will

send us away.

You very much need

healthy air and care, Emanuele.

To see Europe again

before going blind?

But it will be a great sadness

to leave the Emperor.

I'm examining the papers

we seized from you after your arrest.

Ah, amusing, eh?

I am a monster, without

morals and without feelings.

I'm an outlaw leader.

One can feel the joy

with which you wrote

your master's injurious words.

Excellency, you can take revenge.

Me? Oh, no!

I don't want it said

that on my own initiative,

I deprived Gen Bonaparte

of the only Frenchman

who speaks English.

It shall be my government

that will punish you.

And pending its orders,

I return you to Longwood.

Of course well guarded

and forbidden to leave.

I don't want

to go back to Longwood.

You deny your name?

The Emperor saw me treated

like a thief, dragged away.

It was a cruel offense

to his dignity.

If I returned to his presence,

I would revive that cruel memory.

Send me back to Europe with

my son as soon as you can.

Alright.

But you must state in writing?

that this is your will.

I want to send

this letter to Count Las Cases.

"My dear count,

my heart shares in your pain.

Your company was necessary

but I urge you,

and where necessary order you,

to ask the governor

to send you to the mainland.

Boast of the loyalty you've shown

and the affection I bear for you."

And us?

It's like Las Cases's leaving

has cast you into deep despair

and that we are less than zero.

Schemers are always lucky!

What are you trying to say?

That Count Las Cases

was betraying me?

I'm prepared for everything.

Men should be villains

to be worse than

the disdain I have of them.

A fine and noble letter, Sire.

When I'm speaking to His Majesty,

I beg the lady not to interrupt.

Mrs Montholon?

- Mrs Montholon?

is my particular enemy.

- Oh, be quiet.

And you be quiet too.

Noverase, a pen.

"Receive my embrace and my

attestation of esteem and friendship.

Napoleon."

I have the accounts here.

There.

Of my own free will,

contrary to the orders received,

I can increase the annual cost

from 8 to 12,000 pounds.

But you spend even more.

It means that the bare essentials

for 45 people costs more.

It means that you like

to live like grand seigneurs.

I won't prevent it,

as long as Bonaparte agrees

to contribute to the expenses.

I'm sure the Emperor is

willing to take on the expenses,

but let me get the necessary means

by means of unopened letters.

He doesn't want to expose his friends

to the persecutions of your government.

Unopened letters

inside unopened letters.

Never!

Then, I've nothing more to say.

But Gen Bonaparte

must supply this money.

I'll come to Longwood myself

tomorrow and ask it from him.

I want to speak to Gen Bonaparte.

Impossible, Excellency.

He doesn't grant unexpected audiences.

Not grant audiences?

- These are his orders.

He'll grant me an audience!

Come, Admiral.

Gen Bertrand's inflexibility

forces me to talk to you directly

about your home's expenses.

Marshal Bertrand has

commanded armies.

This one treats

him like a corporal.

And he treats us like deserters.

I know from experience that

governments use two kinds of people:

those whom they esteem

and those whom they despise.

He is one of those

who are despised.

You don't know me.

- And where would I know him?

On a battlefield,

where no one has ever seen him?

I think I owe your dislike to my

unfavorable, unpleasant appearance.

I don't reproach him

for having that face,

but he is as ugly morally

as he is on the outside.

General, it is the Governor

of St Helena you speak to!

That title is the same

for you as hangman!

I have received precise instructions.

I am only an instrument.

An infamous instrument:

the rack!

You've come to ask me for money.

I don't have any but

I could get some from my friends.

But you prevent me

from addressing them.

Your insistence is,

therefore, a waste of time.

If I'm hungry,

I'll report to

your officers' mess.

They will not repel

the oldest soldier in Europe.

And your rulers and you will

go down in history as tyrants.

History will say that Bonaparte,

a prisoner in St Helena,

has suffered the just punishment

for his political faults.

A vile lie!

History will never say that!

Well, Napoleon won't justify

himself before a man like you.

Ah, you are so odious to me?

I would even give up my freedom,

if you were the one to offer it!

General, you make me laugh.

What? I make you laugh?

The day shall come?

when your country will disown you.

The whole world shall

execrate you.

Remember then the curse?

of the Emperor Napoleon.

The false opinion

you have of my character

and the audacity of your manners

inspire me with pity.

I salute you.

- I must salute you as well.

Ah! I don't want to see

the governor ever again!

The sight of him takes

away my self control,

makes me forget my dignity.

Marshal,

to have the money for our bread

which England demands?

you shall dismantle

and sell my silverware.

January 1, 1818

The Emperor!

Sire, we offer our devoted

wishes for the new year.

The third we are spending here.

Thank you, gentlemen

and I return your good wishes.

Countess,

it took the New Year

for you to come and visit me.

Countess, you are even

more beautiful than usual.

And how are the children?

- Well, Sire.

And yours?

- They send you 1000 wishes, Majesty.

I offer you these violets of Parma

in the name of the King of Rome.

At this moment the King

of Rome is thinking of me,

as he is thinking of you.

And even your thoughts

today are far from here.

But do not abandon me.

You are like my children.

You will not remain here long

because I shall die soon.

Returning to Europe,

you shall be honored

for your loyalty.

You'll be rich because what I own,

I shall divide amongst you.

Happy New Year.

Happy New Year.

- Happy New Year, Countess.

Did you hear that?

The Emperor will divide

between us what he has.

Yeah, if the Montholons won't

give it all away first.

Albina is a very cunning coquette.

I detest her!

I'm sure her insinuations

and husband's slanders

robbed me of

His Majesty's affection.

You must be patient.

The Emperor is selfish

but is just after all.

If Montholon continues

his intrigues,

I'll provoke him and fight him.

The Emperor would detest you.

- Have you seen Albina's last child?

He doesn't look like his father.

- You mean he looks like His Majesty?

Oh, no?

I'm just saying that the nights

at St Helena are very long.

"The Russian troops

marched onto Warsaw?

and a corp of the French army

was sent to great days

to the northwest."

Marchand!

Go wake up General Gourgaud.

Blessed are you who can sleep.

- Excuse me, Sire.

Well, it's 3 am,

you're right to be tired.

But I must also keep busy

my sleepless nights.

Go and rest.

See you tomorrow, General.

Gen Gourgaud will be

here presently.

You too, my boy,

find it hard

to keep your eyes open.

Go on to bed.

Did you not like having

your sleep interrupted?

I don't like being

Gen Montholon's substitute.

You're jealous of everything.

You're angry because

the Montholons love me.

I also know you make malicious

allusions against Mrs Montholon.

And if I liked her,

what business is it of yours?

I'm an honest man,

I say what I think.

Yours are the virtue of a savage.

Coming here you thought

you were my comrade.

I'm nobody's comrade.

I know.

But I was wrong to say

this to Your Majesty.

It is Mr Montholon

I must speak to!

If you threaten Montholon,

you're a brigand and a murderer!

Your Majesty calls me a murderer

but I haven't murdered anyone.

On the contrary,

I saved your Majesty's life.

When?

- In Brienne!

I don't remember.

But really, what do you want?

A brigand can't want anything.

That is, yes:

I want to free you

from my hateful presence.

So be it. We shall separate.

Go among happier people,

since you don't know

how to share my misfortune.

Let us embrace.

On this earth,

we shall never meet again.

We'll say you've asked

for leave due to health reasons.

Bertrand will give you

?500 for travel expenses.

I refuse it.

That is too much for my needs?

and not enough for my honor.

What new complaints

are you bringing me?

I ask you to let me

return to Europe.

Until I depart, put me wherever

you want but away from Longwood.

I can no longer stay there?

without dishonoring myself.

Dear General,

I've always been amazed

how a warrior like you?

could resign himself

to be treated so badly.

Will you do me the honor

of dining with us tonight?

Procure for Gen Gourgaud?

the best apartment

you can find in town.

General,

I look forward

to seeing you for lunch.

That madman sent me a challenge.

I replied that a duel between us

would make

the Emperor's enemies happy.

And soon we'll be rid

of that nuisance too.

But he will see Europe again.

Paris?

To see Paris once again?

When do you leave

for London, Ma'am?

I'm waiting for my brother to return

and then we'll leave together.

If you had come to us first,

you would've made us very happy.

And maybe you wouldn't

have been bored.

Oh, no, Ma'am.

Explain to me why Gen Bonaparte

has so many horrible

prejudices against us.

Bad people around him, Ma'am.

I wouldn't say that: Countess Bertrand

and Countess Montholon are so pretty.

General, what would

they say at Longwood

when they find out you've dined

at the enemy's camp?

They can say what they want!

I will not say one word

against the Emperor,

even though he wronged me.

They wouldn't dare attack me!

- Don't be choleric, General.

Given the state of your health?

- I'm fine!

Marshal Bertrand informed us?

that you wanted to go home

because you're afflicted

with an awful liver illness.

I repeat that I'm fine.

- But Dr O'Meara said?

Dr O'Meara says

whatever he told?

by Gen Bonaparte.

Then it's not true that

Gen Bonaparte is very ill?

It's false!

- That's good news!

I wish him a 1000 years of

good health and detention.

He shall stay as long as he wants.

Leave whenever he wants!

That means then?

- Escape whenever he wants!

Let's not talk of the absent.

Let's just worry about

our nice Gen Gourgaud,

who shall soon

see his family again.

I have only my mother.

- Let's drink to her health.

Yes, after.

General.

Ladies. Gentlemen officers.

To the king!

- The king!

To Gen Gourgaud's dear mother.

Thank you.

Please, Countess, Ma'am,

Cipriani is ill.

Cipriani?

A violent heart attack.

Excellency,

allow me to withdraw.

Say "until we meet again."

I hope you'll honor me with a visit.

I know you're a hunter. Would you

like to shoot pheasants tomorrow?

You can roam the island freely

now that we know you're a friend.

Let us embrace.

On this earth,

we shall never meet again.

How is Cipriani?

I'm going to see him.

- Your Majesty,

if he saw you he would attempt

to rise up as a show of respect?

and would die.

Return to him?

and tell him that?

And thus Cipriani leaves us?

without my saying goodbye to him?

with the words of our Corsica.

Marchand,

my Cipriani?

There's too much silence.

Marchand,

go call Marshal Bertrand.

Even?

with my eyes closed,

I'd recognize my Corsica.

It has a perfume?

which is all its own.

Albina, go and see

how Cipriani is doing.

I'm going.

Let us hope.

You here too, Countess?

You did well to come. Thank you.

I know that you've been indisposed

and yet you came.

Sire, let me disclose to you

that I shall be a mother again.

My son shall be the first

stranger to enter the island

without the governor's permission.

How is he?

He is near death.

Does he know how to die?

Here is another

who has left St Helena?

without the governor's permission.

I sent for you because

I found out from Gen Gourgaud?

that Bonaparte is very well.

So you've always lied to me.

Starting today,

I order you to tell the truth!

Gen Bonaparte is ill.

He had an attack just yesterday.

- That's not true.

Has the general left

the house recently?

No.

- What has he been doing?

I don't know.

You do know and you must tell me.

Even if I did,

I wouldn't tell you.

You didn't think like that before.

Your way of treating me

changed my mind.

And I will also

change your country!

Go tell your patient

that you're no longer his doctor.

And if he really wants to be sick,

I'll send him one who'll tell me all.

He won't receive him.

- He will!

He won't.

Get out!

Get out!

And don't appear before me again!

In a few days,

you shall embark for Europe.

I may embark?

but Napoleon will never receive

an English doctor.

Then farewell, Sir Doctor.

When you are in Europe,

try to see my lady mother?

and tell her of my sufferings.

Go and see my good Maria Luisa

and assure her of my affection.

And if you see my son,

embrace him for me.

"What came from the earth?

will soon return to the earth."

And thus, the British shall no

longer fear a two-cornered hat.

Rome 1819

Abbot Bonavita, Abbot Vignali

and Dr Antommarchi.

Come in.

Have a seat, Reverend.

When do you leave for St Helena?

Hopefully soon.

We've been in Rome a few weeks

and the permission never arrives.

My son has been waiting more than

a year for medical assistance.

The British government authorized

the Emperor's family

to choose and send a priest

and doctor to His Majesty.

Why so many delays?

I don't think the obstacles

come from the Holy Father.

His Holiness, when he met

my carriage at the Pincio,

he got down and

came to greet me and asked,

"How is the poor Emperor?"

"I don't know?

how he is."

Reverend Father,

when you are near my son,

tell him that if I get permission

from the authorities to join him,

I shall be happy to go

and die by his side.

The Grand Marshal and

Gen Montholon beg an audience.

I have news:

Tonight, I slept for 4 hours.

What do you have to tell me?

Gen Montholon asks?

- He doesn't know how to speak?

My wife wastes away everyday?

and the children are growing up

uneducated and sickly.

The general would like

to take the countess to Europe.

No, General. You cannot leave!

The countess may leave,

if you like.

Oh, we'll talk about

this another day.

The Newcastle will sail in 3 days.

Then we'll need to ask

the governor's permission

for Countess Montholon to depart.

Already granted, Sire.

All done?

Do you have some similar

message like that to tell me?

No, Sire.

Oh, I'm expecting it.

Marchand,

I don't want to see

anyone more today.

It is really true? You're leaving?

I'm very sick?

but I'll be back.

One doesn't return to St Helena.

If anything, you stay

there forever, like me.

It's no longer needed.

I want to give you my portrait.

And thank you?

for having smiled

even at Longwood.

The wind?

it comes to take you up?

and steal you away.

Will your husband

accompany you to the port?

Yes.

Don't worry,

he won't remain here long.

Farewell, Albina.

This weeping does me ill.

His Majesty's dinner is served.

Marchand, resume reading "Zaire,"

from where we left off last night.

Lusignan:

"Sire,

I knew the court of

France in all its glory.

When Philip conquered at Bouvines,

I fought with Montmorency,

Melum, d?Estaing,

with Nesle and Coucy,

but to see Paris again,

Fate has me forbid.

My time has passed?

and my tomb approaches nigh."

What's the matter?

Nothing.

- That's not true.

You shall see 2 priests and a doctor

sent by the Emperor's family.

One, a very worthy,

but infirm and paralytic abbot,

another, an insignificant abbot,

and a doctor who has done nothing

but dissect corpses in hospitals.

The old one must leave

or he'll die here.

And must we be decrepit

and infirm to get away?

We can't abandon him.

Montholon is staying and

I'll be no less faithful than he.

For all the good it does you.

He's like ice to you.

He's always been my enemy,

during the voyage and here.

He knows you didn't want me to come

and that you want me to leave.

Call back Albina.

She was his favorite.

What does it matter

whether I stay or go?

He made it clear

that he doesn't like my visits.

And that's why I haven't

been there for months.

It's painful, dear.

He has long since taken away

his confidence and I suffer for it.

But I'll never leave him. Never.

If you want to leave

with the children?

Without you? No, my dear.

Not without you.

Miss Balcombe asks to be received.

Betsy?

The Balcombes are leaving St Helena.

They're going to England.

Even Betsy?

Everyone is going.

Have her enter.

So you're going too, little Betsy?

And so the ogre will

remain alone in his lair.

I have much hope

I'll see you again in Europe.

It would be nice?

if they let me live in a small town,

like an old gentleman.

Betsy, you would bring

your beloved to me,

And you would say,

"Make this good girl happy."

If I have a beloved,

I'll bring him here.

But I won't be able

to tell him anything.

Because I shall have

finished speaking.

No, that's not true.

I don't want that.

Goodbye,

little Betsy.

Are you sending me away

because I cried?

I won't cry again.

I'm tired.

Give me your arm.

I want to show you to the door.

You know my tree.

Break off a branch

and take it away as a souvenir.

Go now.

Have a good trip.

I cannot overcome?

this tiredness.

The bed has become to me?

a place of delight.

How exhausted I feel.

This medicine must be taken.

Oh, you take it!

It will do you better than me.

It has been no help to me.

Listen to the doctor, Sire.

Listen to the doctor.

I don't understand

what you are saying.

I can't hear you.

I can't?

It's very serious.

- Can't you say anything else?

I decline any responsibility.

I request a consultation.

With an English doctor?

The Emperor won't allow it.

He'll reproach me, curse me

but I'm going to get a doctor.

We have a duty to try everything.

When you're in London,

you may report to your cousin,

his Excellency,

the Prime Minister?

that Gen Bonaparte is

well guarded.

Is it true that Napoleon is

seriously ill? - No, it's not.

They want to fool Europe and me,

hoping we'll relax our vigilance.

Longwood is a hotbed of gossip,

that unfortunately, flies everywhere.

Tell me the truth, Doctor.

I'm an old soldier

who loves frankness.

Am I done for?

In my opinion,

it's a stomach inflammation.

Nothing to worry about.

I'm sorry, Doctor,

that I abused you earlier.

I assure you that my presence

here is no longer necessary.

If anything, if you like,

I shall return.

Now I must go into town to be

introduced to Sir Thomas Ricketts,

cousin of the Prime Minister,

coming from India and going to London.

Cousin to the Prime Minister?

You must see him,

you must speak to him.

He must tell them in England?

that there's now no more

need for these tortures.

Marshal, write to him at once.

Tell him I beg him

to come to Longwood.

It's suffocating!

Do you need anything, Sire?

It's suffocating!

That's why they were thinking

of moving the bed into the salon.

You'll have more air there.

Take me wherever you want.

I should have died in Austerlitz,

at the zenith of my victory?

or at Moscow or Waterloo.

Go to your home, Marshal.

Send me Montholon.

Sire,

permit me to assist you tonight.

No, I'm used to Montholon's care.

Why are you so sad, Bertrand?

Does it hurt you so much

for me to send you away?

You have desired

so much to leave me.

Come closer.

How is the countess?

I haven't seen her

for a long time.

Tell her to come to salute me.

Stay here with me tonight,

Bertrand.

We'll let Montholon rest.

Take a chair.

Marchand!

Open the window, my son.

Let me breathe?

the air that God has made.

Bertrand.

Go and pick me a rose.

How refreshing!

The air!

Write this down:

"I leave my son?

my house in Ajaccio

with the garden.

My son must not think of

avenging my death.

If he reigns,

he mustn't try

to imitate his father.

One cannot do?

the same thing twice

in one century.

May he be?

the man of his time."

I must?

compensate?

those who has served me.

My poor soldiers!

Maybe they don't have bread!

Get "The Iliad."

Homer describes so well?

the war councils that I held?

before my battles.

His Majesty calls for

the Abbot Vignali.

He's very bad.

I have no more hope.

We should inform the governor

that His Majesty is dying.

I shall go.

Tell the countess

to come immediately.

Gentlemen, the Emperor is dying.

The army?

My armies!

English subtitles

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