Scheherazade (1963) - full transcript

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In the year 809 AD, Charles 1st
the Great, also called Charlemagne,

King of the Franks
and Emperor of the West,

decided to send a special ambassador
to Harun Al Rashid, the Caliph of Baghdad...

After a several weeks crossing,
they landed in Iskander,

North of Antioch, then rode
into the desert...

- Is she dead?
- Barely alive. Fetch Master Guillaume.

I think she needs God far more
than she needs a doctor.

- Who are you?
- I am Renaud de Villecroix,

a Frank knight bound
for Baghdad.

- Who are you?
- Layla. I...



Don’t try to speak.
We’re going to heal you.

It’s useless. I’m doomed.
But you must save her.

- Shéhérazade.
- Who?

The Princess of Iskander.
Shéhérazade.

She was going to Baghdad,
to the Caliph.

- Harun Al Rashid?
- Yes.

Raiders came and attacked our camp.
They took Shéhérazade with them.

You have to save her.
You have to.

- How could I?
- You have to.

They headed for the mountain.
There: toward the West.

Catch up with them!

Swear. Swear that you
will save her.

Swear, I’m dying.
Swear. Swear!

I swear.



- What will you do?
- What I swore to do.

We’re here to obtain from
Harun al Rashid

free access to the Holy Sepulcher
for Christian caravans.

Tell me how is that related to
the Bedouin hunt you’re planning.

I’m not planning anything, Didier.

I’ll do what I promised to do.
Even if I have to do it alone.

Only those who want to
will follow me.

- Tally-ho!
- Tally-ho!

We’re being attacked!
Someone betrayed us.

Ahmed! Take Shéhérazade
to the lair! Hurry!

Didier! They’re taking her away!

You must give up,
Renaud. Look.

They took refuge in those ruins.
Attacking would cost us half our men.

We must now resume our way
to Baghdad, Renaud.

I think that, for ambassadors,
we already did a lot of fighting.

What if I asked only a few hours
of patience from you?

- To do what?
- That need not concern you.

- Are they attacking?
- No, but their chief just arrived.

- He wants to speak to you.
- And the others?

They stayed down the path,
lined up for battle.

- Tell the man to come.
- Aye.

- Who are you and what do you want?
- I am Renaud of Villecroix,

a Frank knight in the service
of Emperor Charles,

and I want Shéhérazade.

In order to crack a whip,
you must hold its handle.

I have Shéhérazade.
You have nothing.

I’ve got your cattle, your beasts
of burden and your water supply.

I won’t attack. I’ll camp at the
foot of the ruins and I’ll wait.

What will be left of you
in ten days?

What will be left of Shéhérazade.
How will her death profit you?

How will you profit by yours?

You’re as wise as you are brave and
your tongue is as nimble as your sword.

Let’s talk as friends: if I give you
Shéhérazade, what will you give me?

- What I took from you.
- May Allah forgive your blasphemy.

50 dirty sheep and a few waterskins for
the most marvelous pearl of the East?

Did you never hear about
Shéhérazade?

Don’t you know that she enchanted
1001 nights for King Sharria

merely with the sight of her beauty
and the charm of her voice.

- You must have lost your head.
- You’ll have nothing more.

By the Heavens that judge us,
listen to me.

I’m the most honest raider
in the whole desert.

Would you make a beggar out of me?
Give me something more.

- A small fistful of gold coins.
- No! Your life and nothing more.

Your heart is dryer than
the desert sand.

But, first, come and see.
Come.

Look at her, and tell me
who’s the real thief, you or me.

You never saw her before?
It does explain everything.

Do you see this young lord?
He wants to buy you back,

but if I told you how much he thinks
you’re worth, you’d spit in his face.

But you probably want to
see her better still. Wait.

50 sheep...
Surely you wouldn’t dare.

- Is that all?
- I don’t have anything else.

You forget about your ring.

Less than nothing.

- Of course, you haven’t
seen her face yet. - No!

You’d rather do it yourself.
As you wish.

You really haven’t got
anything more?

- I just have this. Do you want it too?
- As God is my witness, I was joking.

Take her. She’s yours.

I’d rather be the benefactor of your
nights than the remorse of your days.

May Allah go with you.

- Are you looking for your star?
- Yes. While I wait for you.

- You knew that I’d come?
- I always knew that you would come.

And now complain: tell me how
ungrateful and unfair I am.

- You’re dying to.
- Not anymore.

Now I just want to look at you
and shut my mouth.

Night becomes you so.

- Why do you flee from me,
Shéhérazade? - I’m scared.

- Of me?
- Of us.

Of what passed between us
in the raider’s lair.

I never saw you before and,
suddenly, I saw nothing but you.

- Everything had vanished.
- I too saw only you.

Is that what scares you?

We told each other in a single glance
what most men and women

admit only after several days,
that’s all.

- And it doesn’t scare you?
- What’s scary about love?

- Especially when it’s got your smile.
- And after, Renaud?

There’s no such thing as
"after" in love, Shéhérazade.

There’s only the current moment.

Once the moment is passed, there will
still be Baghdad and Harun al Raschid.

All of that is for tomorrow.
And tomorrow means never.

There’s another form of courage,
then. Maybe an easier one.

Let me go. Give me a ten men escort
and I’ll go to Baghdad alone.

Certainly not.

Are you forgetting that,
by right, you belong to me?

I paid for you with a battle, not
to mention my ring and 50 sheep.

I belonged to you before that.

For far more serious reasons,
that you are wrong to mock.

Whether you want it or not,
we are both in the hand of God.

- Don’t you believe in anything?
- I believe in what is.

In you, in your beauty, in the
wonderful chance of our meeting.

So you think it was chance
that threw us toward each other?

Of course.

How long have you been
wearing this scarf?

Since you landed
in Iskander, isn’t it?

- How can you know that?
- It’s mine.

The wind tore it from me while
I watched you riding by.

I had to come in the heart
of the desert to find it again.

And to find you.
Who wanted that, Renaud? Chance?

All is chance. Life and death.
Bliss and misery.

Why not your scarf
and my shoulder?

No, leave me.

Come. The storm is brewing
and my supper is waiting for us.

Oh, you, my tender love,

Whom in the Loire country I left,

Who knows whether I’ll ever
see you again?

I just came back from the banks
of the Tigris River.

I saw rowboats sailing
upriver toward us.

I’m scared, Renaud.
What did you decide?

If you want to keep me,
we must flee now.

I’ve been thinking of it
for days and nights.

The mere idea of losing you
is breaking my heart but...

But it’s what you’re choosing.

I don’t have to choose, Shéhérazade.
Everything else is impossible.

No, Renaud. It would have been
merely difficult.

You’ll know the impossible soon.

It’s you without me and
me without you. Goodbye.

Listen to me. We’re but
one man and one woman.

I don’t believe in love challenging
misery and time.

It’s been invented by
poets and guitar players.

Even if we fled together, we would
soon open our eyes on our folly,

no more lovers but accomplices,

and we wouldn’t have enough words
to curse each other.

But I love you.
And you love me.

But how long shall we love
each other, Shéhérazade?

We’ll have mortally offended
the two masters of the world,

Charlemagne and Harun al Raschid.

Even should our love
withstand time,

do you think it could
withstand their anger?

We’ll forget. Time rubs
everything out.

No! Keep me, Renaud.
Don’t let me reach Baghdad.

May peace be with you, my lord.

I bring the greetings of
my master, Harun al Raschid,

the Caliph of Baghdad.
I’m Barmak, his Great Vizier.

May peace be with you.

Greetings to you too,
Shéhérazade.

Forgive me for tearing you so soon
from your new friends,

but my orders are to bring you
this very evening to the palace.

Are you ready?

You have maybe some
farewells to say?

- No.
- The boats are waiting for us.

So the moment has come.
There's still time, Renaud.

Don’t make this instant
harder than it already is.

You’ll understand someday
that I was right.

Don’t.

Only this rope binds me to
you now. Sever it yourself.

Since you weren’t brave
enough for our bliss,

at least be brave enough
for our misery.

Sir Renaud of Villecroix,
ambassador of Emperor Charlemagne

begs for the favour of being
admitted in your presence.

Let him come.

No: rise, Renaud of Villecroix,
my friends do not kneel before me.

Welcome to this palace.

In you, I salute not only the
envoy of the master of the West

but also and mainly

the warrior who took Princess
Shéhérazade from the desert raiders.

I did only my duty
and I was not alone.

I thank you to give such importance
to so mundane an event,

you whose courage and generosity

are held up as an example
in every corner of the world.

The Princess was traveling
under my protection.

By saving her, you saved the very glory
of my name. I won’t forget it.

Here is a message of friendship
from Emperor Charlemagne.

You’ll find in it a pressing request
in the name of the whole of Christendom.

Be assured that I’ll
examine it very soon,

and with all the benevolence
that you might wish for.

But right now, other
obligations claim me.

The three most beautiful
Princesses in the East

are waiting for me to choose
the one who, governing me,

will govern the Empire a little.

Allow me to favour them
over you tonight.

I hope that you and your friends

will accept to honour this
ceremony with your presence.

Shirin, Princess of Bassorah.

Djemilah, Princess of Great Cairo.

Shéhérazade, Princess of Iskander.

You are beautiful
as the night, Shirin,

and you shine just like the pearl
in the middle of the necklace.

Master, a woman’s beauty
is never anything but skin deep.

Only her soul can make her
worthy of love.

I thank you, Djemilah,
for coming from so far away.

It took an Egyptian Goddess to dare
measure up to the Princesses of my Empire.

Master, I dare measure up
to nobody.

And I’m only beautiful when
adorned with your indulgence.

As for you, Shéhérazade,I was
smiling at the praise that poets

heap upon you from one end
of the Empire to the other.

I was wrong.

Why did you hide so long
from my eyes?

Aren’t you proud to be
so beautiful?

No, master. A woman has
too short a time to be so,

and too long a time
not to be so anymore.

Beauty without love
is a blank mirror.

May Allah forgive me,

but I’m before you like a gardener
in front of three equally beautiful flowers,

with a right to pick up only one.
Help me, Al Faqi.

Master, I’m not young enough to tell
which one is the most desirable,

but I’m far old enough to tell
which one is the wisest.

- A mere question will suffice.
- Very well.

Djemilah, a water snake with
two tails saved a whole people

by carrying a child on its back.
Who is he?

Your questions are somewhat
too easy for an Egyptian.

He’s the Nile.

His mouth is double

and he saved the Jewish people
by carrying Moses’ cradle.

Well answered.

Shirin: what tree is constantly
growing of its own accord,

with alternately white
and black leaves?

The year. Days are white,
nights are black.

Well answered too.

Your turn, now, Shéhérazade.

If you prick your finger
when you pluck a rose,

do you complain that
Allah gave it thorns?

No, I thank Him for allowing
a thorny bush to grow roses.

Master, I spoke too hastily.

The three of them are equally wise.
I can do no more for you.

Maybe the second test
will decide between them.

Praise to Allah who made
all of you equally beautiful.

But appearances are
often deceitful.

This thing, on the other hand,
can’t be deceived.

It’s the exact template
of your own perfect beauty.

You will pass through it
one after the other.

Anyone who rings just one bell
while passing through

will be proclaimed a loser.
You first, Shirin.

Your turn, Djemilah.

Your turn, Shéhérazade.

So we must proceed
with the third test.

You’re equals in wit and beauty.

Now I’ll learn if you are
in courage too.

Fill the cups.

It’s Babel wine. Each of you
will chose a cup

then you’ll drink together.

But know that one of the
three ewers contains poison.

Master! This is no more
a game but a torture.

- I beseech you...
- Be silent, Al Faqi.

Since neither you nor me
have been able to choose,

Allah will choose for us.
I have spoken.

If you consider that Harun al Raschid’s
love is not worth risking your life,

you are free to refuse the test.

Even should the three of you refuse,

I won’t have enough
words or present

to thank you for going so far already
in your willingness to please me.

These men have been
sentenced to die.

The two who survive
will be pardoned.

Drink.

Now you’re going to tell me
whether you refuse or accept.

I refuse.

Think. Maybe, one day, you’ll regret that
your courage didn’t match your ambition.

Maybe Allah would have
chosen you.

At such a price, I’d rather
suppose it than know it.

May peace be with you,
Harun al Raschid.

What about you?
What do you decide?

I accept.

I accept too.

Choose, Shirin.

Let Shéhérazade choose first.

Your turn, now, Shirin.

I can’t. I can’t.

Could you?

No!

How did you guess that none
of the three ewers contained poison?

They call you Harun the Fair.

How could you be an example
for half of the world

if you could make an innocent
woman die for your pleasure?

You can now tell your servant to rise.
He played his part very well.

Rise, Ahmed.

I choose you, Shéhérazade.

May Allah be praised to the end
of time for putting you on my way.

Praise Allah!
Praise Harun al Raschid!

Praise the Caliph!

He’s probably gone to drink in one
of the brothels around. Let’s look again.

For three days, he’s been acting
as if he’d lost his head. He’s scaring me.

He who plays with hellfire
always burns himself in the end.

Yakouma! Yakouma!

Here I am, my white lambs!
Patience, patience!

Now, men of Baghdad,
open your eyes.

Yacouma is going to show you
what only Allah may see.

The wedding night of our
beloved Caliph

and the very beautiful Shéhérazade,
the Princess of Iskander.

Look. Look. Here they are,
face to face,

in the bedroom with the gold pillars.

They are alone and burning
of the same fire.

The Caliph approaches her
and the Princess’ lips

obediently open under his.

Look, look! But a pretty girl is like
the fruit of the orange tree

you have to carefully peel her
before you bite.

Look: here she is, now clad
in her sole beauty,

like the rosebush in its roses.

And her breasts are two
white doves ready to take flight.

Now admire the ability
of our Caliph...

No... My lord... what are you doing?
My lord, stop!

Won’t you stop?

Are you crazy?
What did you do?

All I can see is that time passes
and you’re doing nothing.

The situation is not as it was.
We must think.

The Greeks in Byzantium
are not patient

and they pay you well enough
for you to think quickly.

Don’t talk so loud. They pay
you as well as they do me

and the Caliph’s executioner will make
no difference between your head and mine.

You swore that Shéhérazade
would never reach Baghdad.

Without her, I would have
made short work of Djemilah.

And it would be me in the
Caliph’s bed.

The rest would have been easy.

Everything is jeopardized now.
And it’s your fault.

Is it my fault too if you
were stupid enough

to fall in the trap
of the poisoned ewer?

- How could I guess?
- Shéhérazade did, didn’t she?

Shéhérazade... Patience:
I’ll find a way to undo her.

Would you like me to
show you one?

Speak.

First, you’ll ask the Caliph for
an audience. When you see him...

Peace be with you, Shirin.

You wanted to see me?
What do you want?

To thank you for all the favours
you bestowed on me, Master,

and take my leave. It’s time
for me to go back to Bassorah.

Why such a sudden departure?
Aren’t you happy here?

No, master, I couldn’t be,

because... I’m at once too close
to you and too far from you.

Forgive me: I don’t know
how to lie.

At your age, such wounds
close quickly.

Be patient. Another
man will come.

No. I know of only
another man who,

with time, could have found
after you the way to my heart.

He’s no more free
to love me than yourself.

- So, you see, I must go.
- Who is this man, Shirin?

I’ve spoken far too much
already. Let me go.

No: explain yourself. The man you
love loves another woman, is that it?

And you’re afraid to tell me?
Why?

Tell me the name of the man.
And of the woman! I want to know.

Please, my Lord.

Don’t force me to add the weight of your
anger to their misery and their anguish.

My anger, you say?

Only one love in the world can
offend me and you know which one.

Speak! Who dared raise
his eyes to Shéhérazade?

What happened between them?

I was waiting for you.

My rather sudden invitation
must have surprised you

but I wanted your presence
more than anything else.

This is indeed your evening.
You’re going to leave us.

And I’d like you to keep
a happy memory of Baghdad.

Forgive me, my Lord,

how could I go away
when the mission

I must perform in your court
isn’t accomplished yet?

Rest assured.
It is.

Here is my answer to your
Emperor’s request.

It’s wholly in keeping
with his desires.

The sepulchre of your God
is now placed under my protection.

All the Christians in the world
may visit it freely.

You’ll be able to leave tomorrow
with peace in your heart.

- Tomorrow? But...
- Don’t worry.

I understand only too well your
eagerness to go back to your land:

I won’t blame you for this
hastened departure.

I thank you.
Please allow me to go now.

You would disappoint me.

Didn’t I tell you that this
evening was yours?

Take a seat and watch.

Never again will you see
what you’re about to see.

Shéhérazade, you agreed
to dance for us tonight,

for my deepest joy
and the joy of my friends.

I hope you won’t blame me
if I counted among them

Sir Renaud de Villecroix
who will leave us tomorrow.

You are Harun al Raschid
and I am your servant.

No, you are the wife
I chose before God.

Take off your veil, Shéhérazade.

I want everyone to observe
the wonderful face of my happiness.

Dance, Shéhérazade.

I thank you, Harun al Raschid.

But you were wrong earlier:

I’ll always see again
what I’ve just seen.

May I go now?

- May I talk to you?
- Who are you?

My name is Elmyra. I’m one of
the Princess’ ladies-in-waiting.

- Did she send you?
- Don’t speak so loud.

Would you like to see her one
last time before you go? Alone?

What are you saying?
That’s impossible.

Follow me and you’ll see her.

Where are you going?
We leave in two hours.

- I’ll be back then.
- Beware, Renaud.

Oh, leave me alone.

I needed you.
Where were you this time?

I was serving you, mistress,
as always.

I went to see the young
Frank knight.

The one who pales so much
when he sees you dancing.

What do you mean?
Whom do you mean?

The one whose name you whisper
every night while you’re asleep.

Forgive me for finding out
your secret

but you wanted me to sleep
by your bed.

Now you can undo me.
I’m in your hands.

He’s here, in the harem.
He wants to see you.

Are you crazy?
Do you want our death?

Of course not. Today, the merchants
are allowed to visit the women

in order to sell them
jewelry and cloth.

There’s no better day, mistress.

- Why would you do this for me?
- For nothing.

For the pleasure of serving you.

And also to be lucky enough
to find, from time to time,

a necklace or a ring
that you’d lost.

He’ll be here in no time.

Come, and don’t forget that you are Selim
son of Mammud, the caravan master.

Come: my mistress
wants to see you.

- It’s done, mistress. He’s with her now.
- Very well.

- Mistress.
- Yes.

- You promised me...
- Oh, yes, indeed.

Come here.

Take your fee.

No, leave me, Renaud.
You were mad to come here.

And I was madder still to agree
to see you. Go away.

Not without you.

No, Renaud, nothing is possible
anymore, I warned you.

But I didn’t know that
I loved you.

I didn’t know that love,
such a love, could exist.

You had to lose me to know it.

Hell is wherever you’re not,
Shéhérazade.

Don’t push me back to Hell.

We’re in Hell, Renaud, and for ever.
I belong to the Caliph. I swore.

What did you swear?
To be the death of me?

I got you into this palace,
I’ll know how to get you out of it.

Harun will prevent it. We wouldn’t
even see the sun rise thrice.

I accept to see it rise
only once if I’m with you.

No, Renaud, no.

So it was true.

Messour: have her thrown in a cell
in the Tower of Oblivion.

She’ll get out of it only to die.

Nothing forced you
to come to me.

You came freely,
and it was to betray me.

What kind of mud are you
made of, Shéhérazade.

I never betrayed you.
I wouldn’t betray you.

- I swear it to God.
- Are you so afraid to die?

Messour! You’ve been
given an order.

What about the man, Master?
Do you want me to get rid of him?

Go away.

Listen to me.
She’s innocent.

It was all my fault. I forced
myself through her door.

- I...
- You lie.

- She loves you.
- Of course not.

I only had to see her standing
beside you to know it.

At least have the pride
to admit it.

If I were you, I wouldn’t be able to find
a high enough a terrace in Baghdad

to scream it to Heaven.

Then allow me to share her fate.

Your prisons must be large enough
for two innocents.

Why would I lay my hand on you?

You love her: that’s enough.

Her chains will be your chains.
Her prison will be your prison.

And her death will be your death,
without me even touching you.

You’re free.

Let’s go: he’s not here.

Where could a lover be when his
mistress is in danger, except by her side?

Haven’t you read anything?

Shéhérazade is detained up there,

and up there the red flag will
be raised if the sentence is death.

Renaud is on this plaza.
Let’s try again.

As you wish.

- Renaud.
- Leave me alone.

Stop watching the
accursed tower!

I can’t. I’m detained
with her up there.

I’ll die with her.

Shéhérazade,
Princess of Iskander,

you betrayed your vows,
your master and your god.

You are sentenced to die
by the hand of the executioner

after first receiving,
20 lashes of the whip.

Nevertheless, if someone
in the crowd around you

chooses to spare you
the torture of the whip

and endure it in your place,
let him be known.

- The law allows it.
- I!

- I’m ready.
- I know.

I heard your voice
before you screamed.

No: it’s useless.

No use. It’s over.

Stop!

Harun al Raschid, Caliph of Caliphs
and commander of the true believers,

the most miserable among your
creatures asks that you listen to him.

I am Mouloud, the king
of beggars in Baghdad.

- I’m listening. What do you want?
- I want Shéhérazade.

You were her sun, she
turned her back to the sun.

You held your arms out for her,
she spat in your face.

The death you chose for her
is far too sweet.

Give us the bitch, my Lord, and we, in turn,
will give her the nights she deserves.

You may.
The law allows it.

- I give her to you.
- No! No!

Will you suffer this, Didier?
I won’t, I’m warning you.

- Neither shall I.
- All right. Thibaud, see to Renaud.

Stop, Mouloud!

Back!

- Let go of that woman.
- Beware.

The Caliph gave her to me.
No one will take her back from me.

- Not even the Caliph.
- Let go of her.

He we are on the threshold
of the desert, as you wished.

Did you change your mind, Renaud?

Accept to take Shéhérazade
to the Frank country and I’ll follow you.

You know it’s impossible. It would be
an act of rebellion against the Caliph.

- Follow us.
- No.

But you’ll be hunted.
What can you hope for?

Did I say that we hoped
for anything.

May God keep you safe.
Farewell, Renaud.

Farewell.

Renaud, take my sword.
It’s never been in better hands.

The well was filled, and it’s
a two days walk to the next one.

The water in the desert
also belongs to the Caliph.

We’re going to sleep here
and let the horses rest.

Tomorrow we’ll start again
on the North trail.

Have faith.

Renaud!

Why didn’t they take
both horses away?

Why didn’t they cut
our throats on the spot?

It would have been
finished sooner.

Too soon, Renaud.
The dead do not suffer.

We must not stay here.
Let’s go.

Why should we flee?

Harun’s black riders are
everywhere around us.

I don’t need to see them
to know that.

We’re going to die, my love.

- A black rider arrow.
- Cowards!

You’re burning with a fever.
We must stop, Renaud.

You don’t even have the strength
to smile at me anymore.

I’ll have the strength to walk.

We must reach the Tirkit springs.

But it’s another two or
three hours walk to Tirkit.

- At least get on the horse.
- He cannot carry me anymore.

Tomorrow, when we
find water, I promise...

Renaud!

I can’t anymore. I can’t anymore,
it’s over, Shéhérazade.

No, Renaud. I’ll go to Tirkit,
I’ll bring water back.

In what? We don’t own
anything anymore.

I’ll dip my veil in the spring
then press it to your lips:

you’ll be able to get up and
walk some more, to the spring.

I’ll leave him to you.
Stay in his shadow.

May peace be with you,
Shéhérazade.

You. So your black riders were
waiting for you before they took us.

Take, then.
You won’t take much.

A beautiful victory for
the great Caliph of Caliphs.

How many men did you need
in order to succeed?

One thousand? Two thousand?
Ten thousand?

What are you waiting for?
Call them!

None of them will harm
either of you.

You’ll come back to Baghdad
of your own accord, Shéhérazade.

- Never!
- You’ll come back.

You’ll both come back.

You’ll come back, Shéhérazade.

Renaud. Renaud. It is I.
It is I. No!

Harun al Raschid,
where are you?

Where are you? Where are you?
She’s mine now. She’s mine.

Renaud!

My love, my love.

A village, Renaud.
You are saved.

This man is ill.
Can anyone here cure him?

This man is going to die.
You must cure him.

Don’t you understand?
I tell you he’s going to die.

You don’t have a right.
What about the law of the desert?

Is it gold that you want? Here,
I’ll give it all to you. All of it.

Where must we go
so that he lives?

Baghdad...

Baghdad.

I knew you’d come.

I’ve been anticipating this
moment for days and nights.

The moment when you would
finally appear before me,

defeated to the core.
And here you are.

I know everything that
you suffered together.

One near the other
and one for the other.

But there were two of you
and I was alone, Shéhérazade.

And now defend yourself.
Defend him.

I wasn’t the only one who waited
for you. The executioner did too.

Come on: speak. Find a lie.

I gave you time enough
to invent one.

Swear to me that you’re innocent.

I love you.

Every drop of my blood, every
moment in my life bears your name.

What are you waiting for? Lie to me!
I might believe you. Try.

But no: you are Shéhérazade,
you wouldn’t beg!

You’re not afraid.
Who gave you such strength?

He did. We knew everything together
and rubbed everything out, even fear.

Do you know what can be found
beyond despair, Harun al Raschid?

Peace.

Whether you kill us or not is irrelevant.
We died a thousand times already.

Make Renaud die and I’ll die.
Make him live and I’ll live.

The choice is yours.

So that’s what you have to sell?
Your life against his.

You’ll live, you say?
But for whom? For him?

He’ll go, I’ll stay.

You’ll just have to close
your eyes to see him again.

- I’ll be alive, and I’ll be near you.
- Without love.

Do you ask your concubines
if they love you?

Let God judge me. I could kill
you both with one blow...

and I do not dare.

Give me once more to Mouloud
and the result will be the same.

Shut up. Mouloud only claimed you
because I ordered it.

He was to take you to
a safe hideout

where I would have met you,
unbeknownst to all,

and where I would have had
a right to be a coward.

Now, I’ll have to be a coward
in broad daylight.

Take this man, and care for him
as if he were me.

I want him to live.

The man must die, Barmak.

First, it would be necessary
to get near him.

Al Faqi and his janissaries
watch over him as over a treasure.

Then we must give the order to rebel.
That’s our last chance, Barmak.

You can really only rely on the
mercenary troops stationed in Baghdad.

When we hold Baghdad and the Caliph,
we hold the whole Empire.

How long do you need
to assemble those men?

- Ten days.
- That’s more than we need.

Use them to spread the word
that, in forgiving the slut,

the Caliph made himself
unfit to rule.

The most beautiful revolutions have
been done in the name of virtue.

He’s saved, Shéhérazade.
There’s no danger anymore.

- The Caliph kept his promise.
- I’ll keep mine.

- When can he go?
- Tomorrow.

Then he’ll go tomorrow.

Order that his companions
be advised,

and thank you for what
you’ve done, Al Faqi.

- I won’t forget it.
- How could you forget it?

When I cured him, I opened
the gates of Hell for you.

You chose the worst,
Shéhérazade.

He will live. The price
is of no importance.

My love... My love...

- Shéhérazade.
- We are saved.

Nothing threatens us anymore.
We shall live.

If it were true, you wouldn’t cry.

We’re in the palace of the Caliph.

- Who brought me here?
- I did.

Who cured me?
Who saved me? Why? Why?

You saw Harun and you bought
my life from him. That’s it, right?

At what price, Shéhérazade?

Do you really want me to tell you?

What will become of us? What shall
we do, one without the other?

Oh, shut up, shut up,
I can’t take it anymore.

Farewell, Renaud.

- You’ll leave tomorrow.
- No! Shéhérazade!

You’re late, Adballah.

The longest ways
are usually the safest.

- Well?
- All is ready on my end.

The mercenaries are
at my command:

they’ll march on the palace
when you want them to.

- On what conditions?
- They haven’t changed:

100 gold coins for each man,
1000 for each officer,

and the right to pillage the city.

- All right.
- And on your end?

Everything is ready too.

Are you positive that
the people will follow suit?

They will. They always follow when
there’s something to break down.

She’ll give the signal
from the palace.

- What signal?
- An arrow in the sky.

Don’t worry: you’ll see it.
All of Baghdad will see it.

Except for the Caliph.

May peace be with you.

Peace will never be in us
nor with us, Shéhérazade.

Don’t force yourself
to smile at me.

Forgive me. You’ve already been
too generous and too patient.

Too cowardly, they say
in Baghdad.

Time will pass and Baghdad
will forget.

What about you?
Will you forget?

No. Should God give you
an eternity,

there wouldn’t be one moment
for me in that eternity.

I know it. But I’m happy
anyway. You are here.

You are here and I’ll keep you.

Death to the Caliph!
Death!

Master! The city is in revolt!

The mercenary troops
are marching on the palace.

They already passed
the first enclosure.

Who commands them?
Who dares?

Barmak. And all of the people
from the poor districts are with him.

They scream in the streets
that you disgraced yourself

and that your disgrace
is called Shéhérazade.

Give me to them
since they want me.

- Never.
- It would be useless.

You’re just an excuse. What
Barmak wants is the Caliph’s head.

You must flee, master,
you must leave Baghdad.

Quick! Horses!

- You’re going to give me back
my jewelry. - No.

- Give me back my jewelry now!
- Let me go or I kill you.

- Come, hurry, the Caliph has fled.
- You wretch! What did you say?

We were too late.
They were all gone.

- How many of them? - A dozen men,
Moussour, the Caliph and the Sultana.

- They took the road to Kerbellah.
- Mount! Hurry up!

There they are.

It’s a trick. The ford
is on the left. Follow me.

Take him alive.

- You! - Now you won’t prevent
the Caliph from arriving in Kerbellah.

This is the beginning
of your end, Barmak.

I’ll make you pay
for this for so long

that Baghdad will plug its ears up
to stop hearing your screams.

I swear I shall.

They took her, master.
It’s over.

Let’s go. I don’t want
her death to be in vain.

Master. I’ve been told of a great
number of riders and mercenaries

coming from Baghdad.
Barmak commands them.

- How many of them?
- About two thousand.

And five hundred of us.

You don’t have anything to fear.

This morning we found you sprawled
on the bank, near the body of your horse.

- We carried you home and cured you.
- Do you know who I am?

We do. You are Shéhérazade,
the cursed sultana.

And you saved me anyway?

We never ever hurt anyone
and are too old to start now.

I know that the Frank knights
encampment is around here.

I absolutely must
catch up with them.

They were near this place.
They left yesterday.

With Allah’s help, they’re already
far from here, at the desert doors.

Can you lend me a horse?

Renaud! Renaud!

Allah, do not forsake me.

A sand storm.
We must take shelter.

It’s abating. We can see
the sun again.

Shéhérazade!

- I knew I would find you.
- Now I’ll keep you.

No, Renaud, I haven’t
come to join you.

I come to fetch you.
I come to fetch you all.

Where is the Caliph, Moussour?
Did they take him?

No, he could flee.
There. The mountain.

Hurry, Shéhérazade.
I did what I could.

Counter-attack!

Forward!

Tonight, we’ll sup in
the Caliph’s palace. It’s over.

It was about time.
Our men are exhausted.

Look!

So you appear together
before me for the third time.

And nothing in the world
could part you.

Not suffering nor wrath
nor death.

You are linked to each other
just like light is to the sun,

and shadow to night.
May Allah’s will be done.

Take Shéhérazade,
Renaud of Villecroix.

I give her to you.

I do not give her to you
because I stopped loving her.

I give her to you because,
since the beginning of time,

she’s been yours.

All that is written must
be accomplished.

Go now. Get out, all of you.
I want to stay alone with her.

You’re the greatest and noblest
man I ever met, Harun al Raschid.

Why do you cry? You’re going
to enter the gardens of bliss

where every flower grows again
as soon as you pluck it.

I want to see your smile
one last time, Shéhérazade.

You could take everything from me,
and you gave me everything.

You just had to open your hand
for me to roll into darkness

and you closed it
to keep me safe.

I, who brought only
shame to you.

Why did God give me
only one heart?

I would have loved you,

and I did nothing but hurt you.
Forgive me.

I forgave you in advance
the first time I saw you.

Leave me now. Night is about to fall
and I still have many things to do.

But what is it? Are you
wounded? You must call...

It’s useless. They all know it.
I’m going to die, Shéhérazade.

I wish I could hide it from you
until the end, but I can’t.

Leave me now,
I want to be alone.

May peace be with you,
Shéhérazade.

May peace be with you,
Harun al Raschid.

My God, everything is
accomplished.

I just have to walk over the
great bridge that leads to you.

It’s as thin as a strand
and as cutting as a saber.

Help me.

Translation: Goupil66 November 2011

Synchronization R.O.D.