The Emperor of Paris (2018) - full transcript
Under the reign of Napoleon, François Vidocq, the only man who escaped from the greatest penal colony of the country, is a legend of the low-Parisian fund. Left for dead after his last ...
Military music
...
Who wants it?
Not approaching
The man moans.
- You will not be able to say
that you were badly received.
The man shouts.
Look, we're taking you to bed.
Metal scraping
He moaned.
- That's it, Vidocq?
Welcome aboard.
Cruel laughter
General Hilarity
...
- Come on stand up ! Standing !
Go!
Go!
Go!
- Tobacco?
Me, it's Courtaud.
- Vidocq. - Yes...
"The perpetual escapee".
Should be blind and deaf
to not know who you are.
- You sawed it! - No !
- With what ?
He yells.
With what ?
The prisoner screams.
Violent blows...
- If you want to escape, they throw you
overboard.
......
- Continue, you interest me.
- Come on, get him out!
The man screams.
...
- Who does what here?
- The chief is Maillard.
The other, over there.
Green hat. Like you, dangerous.
Sweat with the guards.
He's stopping the breakouts
and they've got it right.
Beware of him. howls
You do not want anything on board.
Cries of encouragement
...
- Come on! - Go ahead, bleed it!
...
- Go ahead, bleed it!
- The eel! - On Fleur d'Epine.
- Thorn flower.
...
- On the eel.
- Come on, Fleur d'Epine! Bleed him!
...
- Cutting!
...
- Bleed it!
...
- Come on!
...
- On the eel! - Kill him !
- The eel!
...
- Come on, Eel!
...
- So ?
- Bleed it!
Kill him, Thorn Flower!
Bleed him!
- It's time.
- Come on! Go, Eel!
...
- There's a reputation
for killing Vidocq.
My name is Nathanael de Wenger.
You owe me a life.
It was the first.
He will send you others.
You'll need someone
to watch your back.
My channels are ready.
If you escape,
I'm in.
- I travel alone.
...
- Come on, bleed!
...
Kill !
...
The clamor diminishes.
...
Maillard chuckles.
Snap of the fingers
Metal clang
Forced laughter
He sneers.
Maillard moaned.
The soldiers are screaming.
...
Shout
- Go back!
...
- Go back! - Go back!
- The bay!
Majestic music
...
...
...
...
Dark music
...
- The important thing is the
feeling under the finger.
Touch that! It is caressing that.
Or else,
I have just received a picture of Jouy.
Touch me this combed cotton.
Shut me those pretty eyes.
How sweet !
I have three colors. Look.
- It's good.
Six meters, you have?
- Yes. What color ?
- The Red. - Well, here!
Six meters of red.
Wise and elegant choice.
Bravo, ma'am!
- Ah, ah, ah... Annette!
Where were you ?
You have nothing for me? Spoken.
- I was looking for you...
- Ŕ others!
- Gentlemen...
Please.
You scare my clientele.
- You're not from here, you.
- I am a street vendor.
I am on the road.
- Your name,
your papers.
You do not move.
- Duval.
Jules Duval.
- Do you get yourself at Masin's?
- No. Rochefort in Valenciennes.
- He stole my watch. Thief !
- Me too, I was stolen!
- Give us the watches!
- Do not accuse me!
- It's you !
- I'm an honest man!
The whole market knows me!
- Exactly, how do you
explain that we were both?
Thief!
- It does not come
from England ? - Sorry ?
- It's not from England?
- Who do you take me for?
- I do not know, exactly.
- Thank you.
- You either tell me names,
or you go back to Saint-Lazare.
You understood ?
She spits.
- Poultry!
Valenciennes?
- Sorry ? - Or Cambrai?
In any case, you're from the North.
- Is it showing that much ?
- I feel it.
My mother was from Calais.
Lace.
- Ah yes ? - You must know,
if you are...
- What are you looking for ?
That's it ?
- Give me that.
- Hush...
- Give me that.
- That's knock. I leave it to you.
That one, I keep it.
- The pension is expensive.
- Eh yes !
You have to pay to learn, my dear.
- I need this watch.
- Calm down. I'm here a few days
and I need a room.
Do you know a landlord?
- Perhaps.
There is a room at the end of my hallway.
- Ah yes ? - I can ask the maul.
If you return the watch.
- What watch?
Hm?
- Stopped !
- Come on, come on!
You're pretty.
I offer you a scarf.
- Scarf ?
He sighs.
- You take it?
- Yes.
- For water, the fountain is outside.
But you have to change the holey pitcher.
- Okay.
- Are we going to warm up?
- Yes.
- After you.
Enter.
- I was there.
With Davout, Soult, Murat!
Ney!
They were all here. And the Emperor
who refuses to back down, standing
in the cemetery, in the light of all.
For the first time,
he has the imperial guard given.
And we held. Held! Held!
And then the earth began to shake.
It was Murat and his 12,000 horsemen,
slashing the Prussians, the Poles
and the Russians! The load of Eylau!
Courage ! The plume!
The blood of my brothers!
Long live the emperor !
- LONG LIVE THE EMPEROR ! LONG LIVE THE EMPEROR !
THE VICTORY IN CHANTANT
WE OPEN THE BARRIER
FREEDOM GUIDE OUR NOT
AND FROM NORTH TO MIDI
THE WAR TRUMPET
- Titine, it's thirsty!...
- Not for you,
you're not a soldier....
- The soldiers, it does not drink, it dies.
He's laughing.
KINGS OF BLOOD AND ORGUEIL
THE SOVEREIGN PEOPLE MOVES
TYRANS, DESCEND TO THE
CERCUEIL THE REPUBLIC CALL US
- She's good, my beer?
...
Cris...
......
A FRENCH MUST LIVE FOR HER
FOR HER, A FRENCH MUST DIE
Happy screaming
- Come on, sweetie. Come warm up.
- AH, WHAT HIS INTERVIEW IS
SWEET, THAT HAS MERIT AND GLORY
SHE LOVES TO LAUGH, SHE LOVES TO
DRINK SHE LOVES TO CHANGE AS WE
Tumult
...
- I saw that you had two watches!
- You hurt me !
- Who took you the watch?
- I do not know his name.
- Stop lying !
- I'm not lying to you!
- You're the queen of the liars!
- Give me the watch.
- It's you !
- I have only one, I tell you!
- Who took you the watch? Who ?
Annette screams.
- On the market,
they were several screaming.
- I got the other one!
- Who ? - What is going on ?
- What do you want,
you?
- That's it
What you are looking for ?
She says true. She had hidden
his junk in my stuffs.
I took it.
I return it to you,
If you want.
"If you are a draper, I am duchess.
You do not remember me ?
98. Bicêtre.
Perrin.
We were in the same chain.
- I do not see, no.
- You can keep the knockout. You can
take the girl too.
But we are teaming up.
- What's the matter with you ?
- It's Vidocq.
Huh?
You were told dead.
- I'm a draper.
- We're getting bourgeois
tonight, rue Saint-Honoré.
You want to be?
- Of course he wants to come
with us.
It would be wrong to learn
that the clothier is called Vidocq.
- Yes, you're not going
to let go of an old friend?
- I'm a draper. You are wrong.
Take back your belongings
and stay here.
Shout
- No !
She's panting.
Stopped !
Stop, I told you!
You will kill him.
Let him go.
Please.
Coup - Go!
... Go!
A dog barks.
The dog moaned.
Soft music
- You leave ?
...
... - Yes.
...
... - I do not care
to know your name.
...
...
- You, maybe, but others not.
...
... - I am coming with you.
...
- No.
... - Why not ?
... - You owe me
nothing, you know.
...
... - I know.
...
The music intensifies
... Sighs
......
Soft music
...
Shout
Vidocq moaned.
...
- Camille Desmoulins,
Mirabeau, Lafayette,
Olympe de Gouges ?
De Gouges, are you kidding?
- I must know everything.
The woman laughs.
- A hysterical courtesan.
She took the rights of man and
replaced "man" with "woman".
What an adventure !
When we went to fetch the king,
she held three kilometers:
she had pain in her feet.
Your library
deserves other women.
Madame Roland, Madame de
Stael, Theroigne de Mericourt.
Theroigne and her phalanges of amazons.
What initiative! What woman !
They interned her.
But I interrupted you.
- No no...
Simply, I wondered if...
Finally, about...
In end of...
From the Legion of Honor.
If you had time to... Laugh
- Ah, men and decorations!
Laughing embarrassed
I'll get a word from Joseph.
- Ah... the brother of the Emperor?
- But no ! Monsieur Fouché.
- Ah! Of course.
- Your superior. - Of course.
- Now, my friend, please...
Sit down and give
me news of Paris.
- What would you like to know ?
- What do you think we're
talking about women?
Campaigns of the Emperor?
She laughs.
Crimes, my dear Henry.
Nothing pleases the ladies
as much as the crimes.
I'm listening to you.
- So...
Someone knocked.
What is it ?
- Sorry to disturb you.
Mr. Dubillard is here.
- Right here ?
- He is not alone.
- Please excuse me.
What is it ?
- Mr. Director.
- What do you want ?
- Receive the scoop
of my last arrest.
It's not a show for a lady.
- I will recover.
- It's Sunday, God!
It could not
wait for tomorrow ?
Sigh Who's he?
- Vidocq, sir.
- Vidocq? - "The" Vidocq?
That's
a meeting that will please the court.
(It's good for your buttonhole.)
He sneers. Sir.
- I'm going with you. Sorry.
Come on.
- Hey !
I am innocent ! - Nobody
is innocent, you know.
I have to confess
that I never believed
at your death.
I thought you were
rather... in America.
- I did not do anything.
- Yes, but at the same time,
there is a person named Flandrin
who was found murdered,
rue Saint-Honoré.
You are accused of murder.
- Who, "on"?
- I dunno. The letter is not signed.
But that does not change the fact
that the so-called Flandrin is dead.
So this time...
It's the guillotine.
- I know the culprits.
- He is complicit.
- No ! They want
to make me wear the hat.
I give you my word.
Free me, I'll bring them back to you.
- Release Vidocq?
Laughs
And what else ?...
No, no... Take it.
shouting
clatter
He moaned.
- Let me go, I tell you!
- Outside !
The man screams.
Vermin!
...
...
He's panting.
... - No !
- Stopped !
Leave him.
...
- Francois.
- What do you want?
- That you spare him.
I need him alive.
What did he do ?
- He insulted my name.
- It's not true !
We were playing dice. And he started
explaining to me that the Republic
confiscated his
possessions and estates.
Given his blase, it made me laugh.
His name is...
- Duc Loďc from Neufchâteau.
- Ah yes...
- Captain at the 5th Hussars Regiment.
- So, why do you wear the uniform
of the Empire?
- Monarchy, republic, empire,
I serve above all France.
- Leave him alone and I'll
tell you: you have my word.
- The word of a convict?
- The word of François Vidocq.
- You were at Valmy.
- And Jemmapes.
- Remarkable battles.
For beggars.
- For soldiers of the Republic.
- Go back here one night,
you'll pay for your tour.
He moaned.
You are my debtor.
Sigh
- Do not trust what you saw.
I'm doing better than that.
We could team up.
- No.
You did your five years
where did you escape?
- I made my five picks.
Barely out that their
fucking army was calling me.
I had to blow up two
arpions to be quiet.
I'm not fighting anymore,
but at least I'm not a soldier.
Ask me what you
want, I am your man.
- Farge and Perrin, two souteneurs
of the district of Les Halles.
- Forget it, Francois.
- Except they swung
me to the cocks. So ?
- Do you remember Maillard?
- The gargoyle of Toulon? - Yes.
To laugh
He got it, his letter of thanks.
It's men to him.
It's a world to avoid.
They do nothing
without asking him.
They sold you with his agreement.
Do not ask me that.
- Farge and Perrin.
- POLICHINELLE! POLICHINELLE!
POLICHINELLE!
- POLICHINELLE! POLICHINELLE!
POLICHINELLE!
- POLICHINELLE! POLICHINELLE!
POLICHINELLE!
- POLICHINELLE! POLICHINELLE!
POLICHINELLE!
POLICHINELLE! POLICHI...
- If you miss our laws,
it will be my knife,
and no longer my nail.
Maillard laughs.
He is one of us.
Happy screaming
...
... - Farge and Perrin
got stuck!
- Explain yourself.
- I was with them.
- And you're free?
- He gave me a message.
- Who is that ?
- Vidocq.
The assembly burst out laughing.
...
- Speak.
"He says he'll send you back to the galleys.
To laugh
General Hilarity
- Did you let him say?
The man moans.
The assembly laughs.
...
- Farge and Perrin.
The assassins of Flandrin.
And their confessions signed.
- Do not be guilty,
it's not to be innocent.
There is not much. Finally Yes,
a little agitation, even a lot.
Still. It's these escapes
that wrong you.
That's it.
- I'm from Arras.
I like big spaces.
Laughing - At the same
time, you have not landed
in prison
by chance. There is
a complaint at the start. - Yes.
- What is the cause, the reason?
- The cause ? The reason ?
A duel with a jealous husband.
To laugh
I am guilty of this only.
- Yes...
- Capdeville,
Beaumont, Florentin,
like!
Those, I would have done it.
- All these shelves
carry the files
most wanted men from France.
- Hm? - Yes.
- And on this one, who do you put?
- This part is reserved
to dangerous men currently
under lock and key.
- It shows the effectiveness
of your policy. - Do not laugh
from my archives, good God!
They are unique in their kind.
- You need me.
- What?
- Let me do it.
Me, I fill you your shelf.
Criminals, I know that.
- I'm not yet recruiting
convicts!
- Nicolin! Said Boulange.
Assassinate his victims by thrusting them
flour in the throat.
Sensitive, he does not like shouting.
Begged in Ghent with Baptiste Spillman.
After four-five years,
he starts as a knight climber.
- Climbing knight, what...
- Robber of an apartment!
- Ah! Yes...
- Little respected by his family, the use being
not to kill the owner.
Henri Pinson!
Said Fleur d'Epine. Sobriquet
received during the campaign of Egypt.
A madman, a dangerous man, a pity.
He would have sawed the neck of a
priest in the light of a candle,
hoping to see his soul come out.
Knowing it, it seems true.
He would have become the
damned soul of Maillard.
- Another of your friends, Maillard.
- I did not get him
commutation of sentence.
He benefited from a grace.
You leave ransackers of bread
and you release this assassin.
- We intervened with the
minister without consulting me.
- Como Maillard!
Slaveryman in Santo Domingo,
slaughterer of September,
he makes a fortune with the guillotine
and leaves 44 prisoners
under his care.
He reigns over the fart like
the Emperor over the Empire.
We do not introduce
a fox in a hen house.
You will regret it.
- You go over the terminals, Vidocq.
You really know the lockers
of these men?
- Yes, their antecedents
and their faces.
I am not resentful,
but I forget nothing.
- So, go ahead: I beg you.
Go for it.
- Millet!
Broken nose, strong neck,
sewer, 4 years in Toulon.
Dupin! He misses the left lobe of the
ear, eaten by a rat.
He also has a woman's
tattoo on the left shoulder.
Mr. Director of Safety,
you do not know anything about it.
- You want me to send my
inspectors to the galleys
for them to learn slang?
And him here?
- Nathanael de Wenger.
Never heard of it.
- Yes, he's one of
your escape comrades.
- Alsatian? - Yes.
- He never gave me his name.
- He's about to make one.
It is said that he
would dethrone Maillard.
In London, he made a name for himself.
And here it comes back.
As if I did not have enough worries.
- To fight against such men,
you must know their
habits, their world.
- I forgot you were one of them.
It is true.
Light laugh.
- No, I'm not one of them.
- It's words all that.
- These are not words.
It's my life you're talking about.
I am not one of them.
- Yes... - So,
you need results.
I can provide them.
- But at what price?
- My letter of thanks.
- Just that ?
- I gave these men.
Now, Maillard will want my skin.
It's him against me.
Sigh
I want to redeem you my freedom.
- You are not in a position
to demand anything.
- All the same...
Tell me, is it yes or no?
- How many ?
- What, "how much"?
- Who says work, says salary!
- Do you hear what I tell you?
I offer you a reputation.
And your lunches!
- With what you engulf
yourself, you win.
- Yeah...
By the way, I am a little sought after.
Some blunders.
- My men will be pardoned.
Take the opportunity to redeem yourself.
So, you answer?
Hold on.
So,
you thought about it ?
- Napoleon returns their
property to monarchists
who did not carry
arms against France.
In these conditions, I am your man.
- I can not promise you anything.
- You will not make a deal
with this swordsman? - Leash...
- My son Charles.
Since it is a question of washing our
name, it will be ours.
- Very good.
Until now, Maillard wanted
my head. But if we hit him,
he will want yours too.
- Anyway,
my head never liked me.
- I admit that this vermin
here can murder as a traitor,
but your walker, she is supposed
to serve what?
- How do you do without
the ear of the street?
And the street is home.
- Ah?
- We'll only be
accountable to Henry.
Our results will determine
the price of our graces.
So ?
So ?
- Hey, Titine!
- What, Moon Maw?
- Two jugs of Navarre!
Monsieur regale.
He bursts out laughing.
- Long live the emperor !
- LONG LIVE THE EMPEROR !
- Long live the emperor !
Majestic music
...
A woman screams.
- The murderer!
Ŕ the killer!
...
He whistles.
...
- Pity !
...
...
- Shut up, shut up, shut up!
...
... Laughter satisfied
... the woman screams.
...
... Mrs.
...
Inaudible discussion
...
- I did not do anything, I tell you!
shouting
...
- A thief remains a thief.
- Yes.
And results are still results,
Dubillard.
- Mr Director,
the worst rumors circulate
on the account of Vidocq.
He's a mess with several bands.
- Yes, but I need proof.
No slanders, huh?
- We would have seen the so-called Courtaud...
- "We would have seen"?
He's laughing.
I want proof,
not conditional...
You're ridiculous, pitiful...
You know what you are? A eunuch.
A eunuch of seraglio.
Since you are powerless,
you think others are incapable.
You do not understand anything, Dubillard.
This man is hoping for his grace.
He's here in my hand. I control it.
I hold it.
He's laughing.
I understand that it
is easier to slander
rather than displaying the
effectiveness of a Vidocq.
Even multiplying your results by
five, six, eight,
you are not level.
Neither you nor anyone in this house.
Nobody !
- With all due respect...
- No, not now ! I have a date.
M. Fouche speaks of giving
me the Legion of Honor.
It's not thanks to you.
Cry in the distance
...
- There is no money up!
...
- Where is he,
the money!
Come on, talk!
howls
- Hey !
Hold me that.
- For me ?
I'll talk to you about the Empress.
I should be able to
get you that favor.
Excuse me, I have a part
to finish.
- My respects, Madam Baroness.
Sigh - I won again.
What is next?
- Where is she, Baroness?
- Get away, the Mamluk.
- Mehmet?
Sigh
Dear friend.
I already told you not to come here.
- Who do you think you're talking about?
Have you forgotten where you come from?
I did not forget.
When it was necessary to suppress
your husband, who did you call?
Who smothered the baron with the pillow?
Who allowed you to inherit?
Without me, you would have nothing.
I am at home !
- Less strong. - So,
get rid of Vidocq!
It can not continue
like that. He has cordoned
off about twenty of my men
and three of my lieutenants.
Mansart, Bransier and Dupin
languish in the dungeon!
At this rate,
I'm going to miss men!
Nothing's been going on for two months and you're playing
cards ?
Suck you want but get
him out of the police.
- Never touch me again.
- I will pay.
- Pay,
do you think that's the power?
Poor idiot !
You do not know what power is.
I have only one word to say
and you do not exist anymore.
- Help me. Talk to Fouche.
Tell him that Vidocq's
place is in prison.
- You got it wrong.
You'll have to fend for yourself.
Metal clang
Gunshot
The horses neigh.
- Not moving !
Send the trunk!
Get out!
...
...
- Hey !
He snaps his tongue.
- What will you do
when it's all over?
Sigh
- I dunno. We'll see.
- What I would like is
to see the countryside.
Because I never knew
anything other than Paris.
I was born next door.
- Hm? - And I never moved.
If I have kids,
I would like them to see
grass, trees, birds...
- Cows, chickens,
ducks, pigs...
- You make fun ? - Trout...
He's laughing. Aďe! Stopped !
No, not here! Hey !
Laughs
- No ! Go away !
Go away ! - Wheat fields...
Happy screaming
The man hisses the air of
"Next to my girlfriend".
...
...
- I'll tear you away
the tongue and I will open you in two.
Shout
Screaming crowd
...
Strangled cry
- Bye, Fleur d'Epine.
He screams.
Nathanael de Wenger: an
old friend of your man.
Annette halting.
- Thank you.
- Francois scares them.
They do not dare to confront it.
They are looking for a bargaining chip.
I would like to see him tomorrow
an hour to the monkey fountain.
She whispers.
- I have something to show him.
It will interest him.
Sustained breathing
Brouhaha of the city
...
- Hello,
Francis.
It's good that you came.
- Thank you.
For Annette. - Ah?
Glad to be helpful.
How are you, Francois?
- What do you want ?
- I missed you.
- Why am I here?
- I dunno
if you know it,
but I made a name for myself.
Maybe not worthy yet
yours, but I'm working on it.
They will be proud of them
the day they cut off my head.
In my family,
we usually finish on the scaffold.
My brother, my father...
five uncles, seventeen cousins ...
The tribute of Wenger to the Revolution.
And I spare you women.
I was baptized
with the blood of mine.
I am a child of the Terror, François.
My place is on the guillotine.
And yours ?
- It's up to you to answer me.
Why am I here?
- We'll enjoy the show.
I love markets. It reminds me
of my childhood in Strasbourg.
Christmas markets.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
In fact, I have a present for you.
He sniffs.
Cries of panic
You must beware
habits.
It's easy. You almost all
sent them to the galleys.
There was more than finishing your job.
I'm even going to get his men back.
- What do you want from me ?
- Look.
Those.
And the others.
The people.
They are ours. All.
I have traveled since our getaway
in the water: Austria,
England, Prussia.
I even lived in Switzerland.
But nothing beats Paris.
- Move, please! - Circulate!
- Nothing to do! - Go back!
- Go back to your stalls!
- Go back!
- We'll have to organize.
That you rub with the prefecture.
It's clever. But in the forest
from Senart, we were face to face.
It needs more than that to happen again.
Do you agree?
You keep picking up the amateurs,
and I make us emperors of Paris.
- There will never be more than one emperor.
- Not if we team up.
- I travel alone.
I've told you yet.
- I thought we were friends.
He whistles.
Orchestral Music
...
- Thank you.
I'll go there... Live here.
- Sorry.
Thank you.
- Thank you.
- we.
- And long live the Emperor!
The hubbub resumed.
- Maillard and Fleur d'Épine
the same week, you go hard.
I would have preferred
arrests, but it's not worse
like that.
- Let me introduce Annette.
- I'm glad you agreed
to be here today.
After all, you are not for
nothing in today's event.
- We had an agreement.
"I know, but the administration of
the Empire has its shortcomings.
Do not rush her,
that's all. Look...
me, for example,
I've been promised
this medal for years.
Today, I receive it.
Here it is, that's it.
It's like that.
I am living proof that
patience always pays off.
- What are these
secrets that you murmur?
Some state secret?
- I present you the Baronne de Giverny.
A friend. - You look better
than the first time we met.
Would you have forgotten?
- Oh, I do not forget.
- I've heard a lot about you.
Rarely for good, certainly.
Is not the essential thing
to make talk about oneself?
- No, it's to survive.
The living always have the last word.
- You get a lot of assets,
but I did not know you philosopher.
- Yes... I'm lent a lot.
- I steal the hero of the day,
time to get him what to do
shudder these ladies.
- Baronesses
like that,
I see it every day on the sidewalk.
Frankly, do you believe his number?
She's mincing.
- We do not always show his true face.
- But you, yes.
It's you they should decorate.
- Ah yes ? That they already
give me my letter of grace!
Exactly...
Here I come back.
Stay here. You are the most beautiful.
- Dubillard, we say you were in Austerlitz.
It is true ?
That's it!
And I who took you for a junk!
You know what ?
I'm proud we're colleagues.
Fouché is in full reading.
...
- Sir!
I will need to talk to you.
- You must be Vidocq, right?
- To serve you.
- I saw you taller.
You are told observer.
- Is not the human comedy
the most exciting of all?
- The human comedy?
The formula is pleasant.
You should give it to
one of our playwrights.
"His Excellency must know that I
have been promised a letter of grace.
- She was here.
The guillotine, she was here.
Have you ever seen a
public performance, Vidocq?
- Yes.
- Everyone should see
this once in their life.
The crowd screaming,
insulting, insulting,
who claims heads...
Heads and shoes.
For Marie-Antoinette,
it was their obsession.
They demanded his shoes.
They run a queen and they
think about their feet.
It is a serious mistake to
confuse the people and the crowd.
The people are sovereign.
It is the greatest
legacy of our Revolution.
But the crowd is a ferocious beast
to feed, manipulate,
dominate...
I saw dozens of heads rolling
on the ground from this terrace.
Royalists, Orleanists,
Jacobins, Girondins...
The screams of the audience were the same.
Nobody claimed grace.
All wanted blood.
- Yet it was the Empire that put
an end to chaos and restored order.
It must therefore be consolidated.
- Do you believe?
Louis XVI and Robespierre
were guillotined,
not for what they were,
but for what they symbolized.
I'm afraid the Emperor will
eventually become a symbol.
- Would the rumors be true?
- They are rarely
completely wrong.
Fouche would be wanting in the
Empire if he came to leave.
- The Empire is to the Emperor.
He is a man: he makes mistakes.
The important thing is France.
She will survive the Empire, and me too.
The strength of Napoleon is
to make them work together:
Bonapartists,
monarchists, republicans.
Without him,
we would still be in civil war.
This is also what I like about you.
You have a Vendee seeking
to recover her property,
an old Republican drunkard,
a Bonapartist walker
and an ex-convict obsessed with
the idea of redeeming himself
a place in society.
I deeply love your
conception of France, Vidocq.
You should be doing politics.
- I was promised this letter.
- The only question is:
will you really be useful?
The door slams.
- Napoleon,
what did you do with my arpions?
Pull-read-read-read-rantanplan!
Tire-lire-lire-lire
If I find them
I'll put them in the
Tire-read-read rump...
Long live the emperor !
Crac!
Dramatic music
...
... the crowd screams.
......
...
- You do not remember?
- Father...
I was two years old in confiscation.
- The 200 hectares of
forest, the three lakes,
the view of the plain
sober, powerful castles
like our house.
- My mother often talked to me about it.
- We were happy there.
And you too will be.
shouting
...
Shout
...
...
He yells.
Charles.
Charles?
Charles... Charles!
Charles.
(-Dad...)
- No...
No no !
Charles, no!
No ! No !
Charles!
"-It's not
"a simple decoration that is
given to you today, gentlemen.
"It's a cord.
"A cord red as blood spilled
to defend the homeland.
"A red cord like the
passion you showed
"to serve the Empire.
"A red cord
"like the one who connected
you to your mother.
"A red cord that will bind you forever
"to France."
gentlemen,
be worthy of this cord.
Be worthy of the Legion of Honor.
- I wish you did not
arrest anyone tonight.
I struggled for his medal.
Do not ruin the party.
- Thank you sir.
- Thank you sir.
- Thank you sir.
Applause
...
Opera music
...
- I have the impression that we
have known each other forever.
- Roxane Restovitch,
you served in the mother's harem Liébaut.
Croqueuse deputies under the Terror,
you were the bait of a certain Verdier
that you help to trap the
aristos on the departure.
You took three years in the
prisons of Saint-Lazare.
When you leave,
your protector is dead,
you have knitted with the fart.
You found there
a lover of youth,
a certain Maillard.
You then harpooned a
baron, the old Giverny,
that we found dead in bed.
- A happy ending.
- Unless we helped him.
Then you go to the courtyard
through the bed of
an empire general,
and since, you do in the trading of
favors, shall we say...
Have I forgotten something?
- Yes.
To invite me to dinner. Tomorrow?
You're Emperor of Paris.
I can render
services...
Get a letter of
grace, for example.
- What should I do ?
- Let's already be friends.
...
I'm not the only one
with a bodyguard.
...
...
- He wanted to live.
To serve his country, to be worthy of his name,
to cover us with honor. And you killed him!
You killed him!
The only thing that
interests you is revenge.
Make war on garbage that
sticks to your skin.
He is crying.
You despise them,
but you are not better.
You are one of them.
A brute.
An animal.
A scale.
He is crying.
...
- Open for Mr. Vidocq!
Mr. Vidocq.
- Where are they going?
- Toulon.
They leave for prison tomorrow.
- Snitch! - Snitch!
The prisoners insult Vidocq.
...
...
- Open.
- Do you want to come in?
They will gut you.
- Do what I tell you.
...
- Guys, I need help!
- Let me do it.
...
- What's the use of bawling?
It was when I packed
you that you had to act!
Now, it's too late!
You've gone to court!
There are more innocents here!
Your dirty mouths guilty!
Is there one here who can
claim that I worked with him?
Or that I betrayed him?
Huh?
Nobody.
I never gave anyone!
Simply because I have
always been alone.
And you know it!
And everyone I see here who has
already tried to make me skin,
whether in the prison
of Toulon or Brest,
What did you expect from me?
Solidarity?
That I let myself be accused?
Again ?
- Snitch.
Sigh
- I do not respect you.
For none of you!
But I've been here before.
I was in your place.
And I know what's waiting for you.
All I can tell you,
it is to hold on.
Someone knocked.
Who's going?
- I'm from the prefecture.
Mr. Henry was stabbed in his bed.
He wants to see you.
Wait for me.
- Sir? - Yes.
- Sir, you can not!
The man whistles.
- What is it ?
- Annette...
- Annette?
Dramatic music
...
... - Good evening, Annette.
... How are you ?
...
Annette Blows Cries
... He sneers.
......
He's laughing. The man screams.
......
...
... she spits.
...
... To laugh
...
... he hates.
......
...
... she's panting.
......
- I offered him to work with me.
......
... He pushed me away.
... She moans.
... Why ?
Annette halete.
Huh?
......
... Why did he do that ?
......
... hush...
... She moans.
... hush...
...
... Cries of panic
...
- Annette...
Annette!
...
... Explosion
... Cries of panic
...
Annette!
...
Sad music
...
shouting
...
Vidocq moaned softly.
- Hello Francois.
It's a Mehmet's cure. A decoction
of poppy flower.
(Go...)
There he is.
When I learned that, I was afraid
you were doing something stupid.
I warned him that if
anything happened to you
I will not forgive him.
He is very attached to me.
No ! Shhh...
He moaned.
You must not move.
You need heat.
Much heat.
You have to live, François.
Live.
- Monsieur le Comte
of Puymerans.
- Sir, it will be soon
three hours that I'm here.
Did you tell me?
- Yes Madam.
- Joseph.
Monsieur Fouché.
- What are you doing here, ma'am?
- We have subjects in pain.
A Legion of Honor
- Again ?
We'll end up giving it to anyone.
- And also the confiscated
property for which we had thought
that they could be returned.
- I have other priorities.
- I also wanted to draw your
attention to some people
which could be useful to us.
- Us?
- I meant...
- Times are changing, ma'am.
I do not have time to have fun anymore.
- I'm sorry, sir.
- Let Mr. Puymerans enter.
Bye Madam.
- How's that, gone?
- It's been weeks since we've seen it.
Since the fire.
- He would be among the corpses?
- No.
We saw him leave the building.
- So what ?
- And then, he can not be found.
Sigh
On the other hand,
Nathanael de Wenger has been located.
I'll bring it back to you
- I do not care.
I want Vidocq: find it!
I want it in my office or in the
galleys, but not free.
Not free !
- You took some time.
I thought my messenger had not found you.
wailing
Repeat what you told me.
- There is a passage at the bottom of the cellar.
- How many are they ?
- Ten, twelve... no more.
- And what are you doing here?
- I was coming for wine.
The bottles are near the gate.
...
Juror, spit... it's the truth!
He screams.
- You planned to tie it up?
- Vidocq.
The director would like to see you.
Now.
- How did you find us?
- You're not the only good policeman.
Are you two?
- Do you offer reinforcements?
Suspense music
...
...
Festive shouts in the distance
...
- Who's going?
- It's the pinard.
You help me ? - Yes.
Shout
He whistles.
Happy screams in the distance
...
- Go Poitou!
- Three pieces he does not ring.
Cries of encouragement
- Do not ring the bells!
...
- Make me win my bet
and I pay you a girl!
- Come on, guts!
- For Poitou!
- You're almost there !
- I got it !
Happy screaming
...
- That's my Poitou!
Happy screaming
...
- The whole thing is not to hesitate.
For the last one, we stopped the caleche
and I entered. Bam!
A bullet in the baby's belly.
You would have seen his eyes,
his uniform full of blood...
One less in Napoleon's army!
And there will be others, huh?
Festive Cry
...
- I warn you, this is your tour.
You need to spit
your venom.
She's screaming.
... - Shhh...
...
... majestic music
...
clatter
...
... the duke halts.
...
- Are you touched?
...
...
shouting
......
The duke screams.
He's coughing.
...
He screams.
...
He's coughing.
......
...
The music goes crescendo.
... he hates.
...
Fire
...
Go!
...
He gets the trunk.
- Go ahead, I do not need you.
...
He's coughing.
The music becomes softer.
...
They heave.
...
- What is your name ?
- Poitou.
- How old are you ?
The duke screams.
...
Go home, my boy.
Go away !
Go home !
Go away !
...
- So,
did you come to join your bastard?
The duke moans.
...
He's panting.
Dark music
...
- You were someone, François!
Look at you !
Who are you today?
Look at you.
A scale.
You are worse than a policeman.
A scale !
Vidocq halt.
I admired you, you know.
The eternal escapee...
Balance !
Vidocq screams.
shouting
...
...
...
He spits.
He yells.
Cries strangled
shouting
Cries muffled
...
Shout
Vidocq coughs.
François...
This is the perfect place
for a coronation. Come.
Come.
He's panting.
wailing
...
De Wenger halts.
...
He screams.
Vidocq halt.
...
Shout
...
De Wenger chokes.
You and me... it's the same!
...
Vidocq halt.
...
He is crying.
...
Soft music
...
- François,
when you receive this letter,
I will have left France.
Paris will miss me.
But I'm starting to
be a bit too popular.
And it becomes difficult
to keep a secret.
My past is chasing me.
And if anyone can understand
me, it seems to me it's you.
When will we meet again?
If only
you wanted it,
we could accomplish
great things together.
I miss you already.
See you soon, François.
In another country or
under another regime.
I kiss you.
Roxane.
- If at least we knew
why we were here...
I would like to know because
what a fool we are here,
waiting for two hours.
Sigh
Sigh
And then, look at that!
- What?
- Your boots! They are muddy.
We do not show up like that
in front of Mr. Fouché anyway!
Sigh
- Thank you.
- Ŕ you!
- Ah, even... - No, not you.
Mr. Vidocq.
- But...
- He'll see you later.
- What?
Dark music
...
- For your letter of
grace, I thought.
It's no.
...
- We had an agreement.
- Us?
- With Mr. Henry,
your director of safety.
- The former director of safety...
I still have to announce him.
Moreover, the position is to be filled.
I told you...
I have big plans for you.
- You did not have to leave?
- My enemies will have underestimated me.
And there is so much left to do.
You will have to choose, Vidocq.
Serve your country
or stay in the shade
and mediocrity.
I let you think.
Sigh
...
Enter the other two.
...
Sad military music
...
- Good day, Mr. Vidocq.
...
...
...
Military music
...
Majestic music
...
...
...
Soft music
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Who wants it?
Not approaching
The man moans.
- You will not be able to say
that you were badly received.
The man shouts.
Look, we're taking you to bed.
Metal scraping
He moaned.
- That's it, Vidocq?
Welcome aboard.
Cruel laughter
General Hilarity
...
- Come on stand up ! Standing !
Go!
Go!
Go!
- Tobacco?
Me, it's Courtaud.
- Vidocq. - Yes...
"The perpetual escapee".
Should be blind and deaf
to not know who you are.
- You sawed it! - No !
- With what ?
He yells.
With what ?
The prisoner screams.
Violent blows...
- If you want to escape, they throw you
overboard.
......
- Continue, you interest me.
- Come on, get him out!
The man screams.
...
- Who does what here?
- The chief is Maillard.
The other, over there.
Green hat. Like you, dangerous.
Sweat with the guards.
He's stopping the breakouts
and they've got it right.
Beware of him. howls
You do not want anything on board.
Cries of encouragement
...
- Come on! - Go ahead, bleed it!
...
- Go ahead, bleed it!
- The eel! - On Fleur d'Epine.
- Thorn flower.
...
- On the eel.
- Come on, Fleur d'Epine! Bleed him!
...
- Cutting!
...
- Bleed it!
...
- Come on!
...
- On the eel! - Kill him !
- The eel!
...
- Come on, Eel!
...
- So ?
- Bleed it!
Kill him, Thorn Flower!
Bleed him!
- It's time.
- Come on! Go, Eel!
...
- There's a reputation
for killing Vidocq.
My name is Nathanael de Wenger.
You owe me a life.
It was the first.
He will send you others.
You'll need someone
to watch your back.
My channels are ready.
If you escape,
I'm in.
- I travel alone.
...
- Come on, bleed!
...
Kill !
...
The clamor diminishes.
...
Maillard chuckles.
Snap of the fingers
Metal clang
Forced laughter
He sneers.
Maillard moaned.
The soldiers are screaming.
...
Shout
- Go back!
...
- Go back! - Go back!
- The bay!
Majestic music
...
...
...
...
Dark music
...
- The important thing is the
feeling under the finger.
Touch that! It is caressing that.
Or else,
I have just received a picture of Jouy.
Touch me this combed cotton.
Shut me those pretty eyes.
How sweet !
I have three colors. Look.
- It's good.
Six meters, you have?
- Yes. What color ?
- The Red. - Well, here!
Six meters of red.
Wise and elegant choice.
Bravo, ma'am!
- Ah, ah, ah... Annette!
Where were you ?
You have nothing for me? Spoken.
- I was looking for you...
- Ŕ others!
- Gentlemen...
Please.
You scare my clientele.
- You're not from here, you.
- I am a street vendor.
I am on the road.
- Your name,
your papers.
You do not move.
- Duval.
Jules Duval.
- Do you get yourself at Masin's?
- No. Rochefort in Valenciennes.
- He stole my watch. Thief !
- Me too, I was stolen!
- Give us the watches!
- Do not accuse me!
- It's you !
- I'm an honest man!
The whole market knows me!
- Exactly, how do you
explain that we were both?
Thief!
- It does not come
from England ? - Sorry ?
- It's not from England?
- Who do you take me for?
- I do not know, exactly.
- Thank you.
- You either tell me names,
or you go back to Saint-Lazare.
You understood ?
She spits.
- Poultry!
Valenciennes?
- Sorry ? - Or Cambrai?
In any case, you're from the North.
- Is it showing that much ?
- I feel it.
My mother was from Calais.
Lace.
- Ah yes ? - You must know,
if you are...
- What are you looking for ?
That's it ?
- Give me that.
- Hush...
- Give me that.
- That's knock. I leave it to you.
That one, I keep it.
- The pension is expensive.
- Eh yes !
You have to pay to learn, my dear.
- I need this watch.
- Calm down. I'm here a few days
and I need a room.
Do you know a landlord?
- Perhaps.
There is a room at the end of my hallway.
- Ah yes ? - I can ask the maul.
If you return the watch.
- What watch?
Hm?
- Stopped !
- Come on, come on!
You're pretty.
I offer you a scarf.
- Scarf ?
He sighs.
- You take it?
- Yes.
- For water, the fountain is outside.
But you have to change the holey pitcher.
- Okay.
- Are we going to warm up?
- Yes.
- After you.
Enter.
- I was there.
With Davout, Soult, Murat!
Ney!
They were all here. And the Emperor
who refuses to back down, standing
in the cemetery, in the light of all.
For the first time,
he has the imperial guard given.
And we held. Held! Held!
And then the earth began to shake.
It was Murat and his 12,000 horsemen,
slashing the Prussians, the Poles
and the Russians! The load of Eylau!
Courage ! The plume!
The blood of my brothers!
Long live the emperor !
- LONG LIVE THE EMPEROR ! LONG LIVE THE EMPEROR !
THE VICTORY IN CHANTANT
WE OPEN THE BARRIER
FREEDOM GUIDE OUR NOT
AND FROM NORTH TO MIDI
THE WAR TRUMPET
- Titine, it's thirsty!...
- Not for you,
you're not a soldier....
- The soldiers, it does not drink, it dies.
He's laughing.
KINGS OF BLOOD AND ORGUEIL
THE SOVEREIGN PEOPLE MOVES
TYRANS, DESCEND TO THE
CERCUEIL THE REPUBLIC CALL US
- She's good, my beer?
...
Cris...
......
A FRENCH MUST LIVE FOR HER
FOR HER, A FRENCH MUST DIE
Happy screaming
- Come on, sweetie. Come warm up.
- AH, WHAT HIS INTERVIEW IS
SWEET, THAT HAS MERIT AND GLORY
SHE LOVES TO LAUGH, SHE LOVES TO
DRINK SHE LOVES TO CHANGE AS WE
Tumult
...
- I saw that you had two watches!
- You hurt me !
- Who took you the watch?
- I do not know his name.
- Stop lying !
- I'm not lying to you!
- You're the queen of the liars!
- Give me the watch.
- It's you !
- I have only one, I tell you!
- Who took you the watch? Who ?
Annette screams.
- On the market,
they were several screaming.
- I got the other one!
- Who ? - What is going on ?
- What do you want,
you?
- That's it
What you are looking for ?
She says true. She had hidden
his junk in my stuffs.
I took it.
I return it to you,
If you want.
"If you are a draper, I am duchess.
You do not remember me ?
98. Bicêtre.
Perrin.
We were in the same chain.
- I do not see, no.
- You can keep the knockout. You can
take the girl too.
But we are teaming up.
- What's the matter with you ?
- It's Vidocq.
Huh?
You were told dead.
- I'm a draper.
- We're getting bourgeois
tonight, rue Saint-Honoré.
You want to be?
- Of course he wants to come
with us.
It would be wrong to learn
that the clothier is called Vidocq.
- Yes, you're not going
to let go of an old friend?
- I'm a draper. You are wrong.
Take back your belongings
and stay here.
Shout
- No !
She's panting.
Stopped !
Stop, I told you!
You will kill him.
Let him go.
Please.
Coup - Go!
... Go!
A dog barks.
The dog moaned.
Soft music
- You leave ?
...
... - Yes.
...
... - I do not care
to know your name.
...
...
- You, maybe, but others not.
...
... - I am coming with you.
...
- No.
... - Why not ?
... - You owe me
nothing, you know.
...
... - I know.
...
The music intensifies
... Sighs
......
Soft music
...
Shout
Vidocq moaned.
...
- Camille Desmoulins,
Mirabeau, Lafayette,
Olympe de Gouges ?
De Gouges, are you kidding?
- I must know everything.
The woman laughs.
- A hysterical courtesan.
She took the rights of man and
replaced "man" with "woman".
What an adventure !
When we went to fetch the king,
she held three kilometers:
she had pain in her feet.
Your library
deserves other women.
Madame Roland, Madame de
Stael, Theroigne de Mericourt.
Theroigne and her phalanges of amazons.
What initiative! What woman !
They interned her.
But I interrupted you.
- No no...
Simply, I wondered if...
Finally, about...
In end of...
From the Legion of Honor.
If you had time to... Laugh
- Ah, men and decorations!
Laughing embarrassed
I'll get a word from Joseph.
- Ah... the brother of the Emperor?
- But no ! Monsieur Fouché.
- Ah! Of course.
- Your superior. - Of course.
- Now, my friend, please...
Sit down and give
me news of Paris.
- What would you like to know ?
- What do you think we're
talking about women?
Campaigns of the Emperor?
She laughs.
Crimes, my dear Henry.
Nothing pleases the ladies
as much as the crimes.
I'm listening to you.
- So...
Someone knocked.
What is it ?
- Sorry to disturb you.
Mr. Dubillard is here.
- Right here ?
- He is not alone.
- Please excuse me.
What is it ?
- Mr. Director.
- What do you want ?
- Receive the scoop
of my last arrest.
It's not a show for a lady.
- I will recover.
- It's Sunday, God!
It could not
wait for tomorrow ?
Sigh Who's he?
- Vidocq, sir.
- Vidocq? - "The" Vidocq?
That's
a meeting that will please the court.
(It's good for your buttonhole.)
He sneers. Sir.
- I'm going with you. Sorry.
Come on.
- Hey !
I am innocent ! - Nobody
is innocent, you know.
I have to confess
that I never believed
at your death.
I thought you were
rather... in America.
- I did not do anything.
- Yes, but at the same time,
there is a person named Flandrin
who was found murdered,
rue Saint-Honoré.
You are accused of murder.
- Who, "on"?
- I dunno. The letter is not signed.
But that does not change the fact
that the so-called Flandrin is dead.
So this time...
It's the guillotine.
- I know the culprits.
- He is complicit.
- No ! They want
to make me wear the hat.
I give you my word.
Free me, I'll bring them back to you.
- Release Vidocq?
Laughs
And what else ?...
No, no... Take it.
shouting
clatter
He moaned.
- Let me go, I tell you!
- Outside !
The man screams.
Vermin!
...
...
He's panting.
... - No !
- Stopped !
Leave him.
...
- Francois.
- What do you want?
- That you spare him.
I need him alive.
What did he do ?
- He insulted my name.
- It's not true !
We were playing dice. And he started
explaining to me that the Republic
confiscated his
possessions and estates.
Given his blase, it made me laugh.
His name is...
- Duc Loďc from Neufchâteau.
- Ah yes...
- Captain at the 5th Hussars Regiment.
- So, why do you wear the uniform
of the Empire?
- Monarchy, republic, empire,
I serve above all France.
- Leave him alone and I'll
tell you: you have my word.
- The word of a convict?
- The word of François Vidocq.
- You were at Valmy.
- And Jemmapes.
- Remarkable battles.
For beggars.
- For soldiers of the Republic.
- Go back here one night,
you'll pay for your tour.
He moaned.
You are my debtor.
Sigh
- Do not trust what you saw.
I'm doing better than that.
We could team up.
- No.
You did your five years
where did you escape?
- I made my five picks.
Barely out that their
fucking army was calling me.
I had to blow up two
arpions to be quiet.
I'm not fighting anymore,
but at least I'm not a soldier.
Ask me what you
want, I am your man.
- Farge and Perrin, two souteneurs
of the district of Les Halles.
- Forget it, Francois.
- Except they swung
me to the cocks. So ?
- Do you remember Maillard?
- The gargoyle of Toulon? - Yes.
To laugh
He got it, his letter of thanks.
It's men to him.
It's a world to avoid.
They do nothing
without asking him.
They sold you with his agreement.
Do not ask me that.
- Farge and Perrin.
- POLICHINELLE! POLICHINELLE!
POLICHINELLE!
- POLICHINELLE! POLICHINELLE!
POLICHINELLE!
- POLICHINELLE! POLICHINELLE!
POLICHINELLE!
- POLICHINELLE! POLICHINELLE!
POLICHINELLE!
POLICHINELLE! POLICHI...
- If you miss our laws,
it will be my knife,
and no longer my nail.
Maillard laughs.
He is one of us.
Happy screaming
...
... - Farge and Perrin
got stuck!
- Explain yourself.
- I was with them.
- And you're free?
- He gave me a message.
- Who is that ?
- Vidocq.
The assembly burst out laughing.
...
- Speak.
"He says he'll send you back to the galleys.
To laugh
General Hilarity
- Did you let him say?
The man moans.
The assembly laughs.
...
- Farge and Perrin.
The assassins of Flandrin.
And their confessions signed.
- Do not be guilty,
it's not to be innocent.
There is not much. Finally Yes,
a little agitation, even a lot.
Still. It's these escapes
that wrong you.
That's it.
- I'm from Arras.
I like big spaces.
Laughing - At the same
time, you have not landed
in prison
by chance. There is
a complaint at the start. - Yes.
- What is the cause, the reason?
- The cause ? The reason ?
A duel with a jealous husband.
To laugh
I am guilty of this only.
- Yes...
- Capdeville,
Beaumont, Florentin,
like!
Those, I would have done it.
- All these shelves
carry the files
most wanted men from France.
- Hm? - Yes.
- And on this one, who do you put?
- This part is reserved
to dangerous men currently
under lock and key.
- It shows the effectiveness
of your policy. - Do not laugh
from my archives, good God!
They are unique in their kind.
- You need me.
- What?
- Let me do it.
Me, I fill you your shelf.
Criminals, I know that.
- I'm not yet recruiting
convicts!
- Nicolin! Said Boulange.
Assassinate his victims by thrusting them
flour in the throat.
Sensitive, he does not like shouting.
Begged in Ghent with Baptiste Spillman.
After four-five years,
he starts as a knight climber.
- Climbing knight, what...
- Robber of an apartment!
- Ah! Yes...
- Little respected by his family, the use being
not to kill the owner.
Henri Pinson!
Said Fleur d'Epine. Sobriquet
received during the campaign of Egypt.
A madman, a dangerous man, a pity.
He would have sawed the neck of a
priest in the light of a candle,
hoping to see his soul come out.
Knowing it, it seems true.
He would have become the
damned soul of Maillard.
- Another of your friends, Maillard.
- I did not get him
commutation of sentence.
He benefited from a grace.
You leave ransackers of bread
and you release this assassin.
- We intervened with the
minister without consulting me.
- Como Maillard!
Slaveryman in Santo Domingo,
slaughterer of September,
he makes a fortune with the guillotine
and leaves 44 prisoners
under his care.
He reigns over the fart like
the Emperor over the Empire.
We do not introduce
a fox in a hen house.
You will regret it.
- You go over the terminals, Vidocq.
You really know the lockers
of these men?
- Yes, their antecedents
and their faces.
I am not resentful,
but I forget nothing.
- So, go ahead: I beg you.
Go for it.
- Millet!
Broken nose, strong neck,
sewer, 4 years in Toulon.
Dupin! He misses the left lobe of the
ear, eaten by a rat.
He also has a woman's
tattoo on the left shoulder.
Mr. Director of Safety,
you do not know anything about it.
- You want me to send my
inspectors to the galleys
for them to learn slang?
And him here?
- Nathanael de Wenger.
Never heard of it.
- Yes, he's one of
your escape comrades.
- Alsatian? - Yes.
- He never gave me his name.
- He's about to make one.
It is said that he
would dethrone Maillard.
In London, he made a name for himself.
And here it comes back.
As if I did not have enough worries.
- To fight against such men,
you must know their
habits, their world.
- I forgot you were one of them.
It is true.
Light laugh.
- No, I'm not one of them.
- It's words all that.
- These are not words.
It's my life you're talking about.
I am not one of them.
- Yes... - So,
you need results.
I can provide them.
- But at what price?
- My letter of thanks.
- Just that ?
- I gave these men.
Now, Maillard will want my skin.
It's him against me.
Sigh
I want to redeem you my freedom.
- You are not in a position
to demand anything.
- All the same...
Tell me, is it yes or no?
- How many ?
- What, "how much"?
- Who says work, says salary!
- Do you hear what I tell you?
I offer you a reputation.
And your lunches!
- With what you engulf
yourself, you win.
- Yeah...
By the way, I am a little sought after.
Some blunders.
- My men will be pardoned.
Take the opportunity to redeem yourself.
So, you answer?
Hold on.
So,
you thought about it ?
- Napoleon returns their
property to monarchists
who did not carry
arms against France.
In these conditions, I am your man.
- I can not promise you anything.
- You will not make a deal
with this swordsman? - Leash...
- My son Charles.
Since it is a question of washing our
name, it will be ours.
- Very good.
Until now, Maillard wanted
my head. But if we hit him,
he will want yours too.
- Anyway,
my head never liked me.
- I admit that this vermin
here can murder as a traitor,
but your walker, she is supposed
to serve what?
- How do you do without
the ear of the street?
And the street is home.
- Ah?
- We'll only be
accountable to Henry.
Our results will determine
the price of our graces.
So ?
So ?
- Hey, Titine!
- What, Moon Maw?
- Two jugs of Navarre!
Monsieur regale.
He bursts out laughing.
- Long live the emperor !
- LONG LIVE THE EMPEROR !
- Long live the emperor !
Majestic music
...
A woman screams.
- The murderer!
Ŕ the killer!
...
He whistles.
...
- Pity !
...
...
- Shut up, shut up, shut up!
...
... Laughter satisfied
... the woman screams.
...
... Mrs.
...
Inaudible discussion
...
- I did not do anything, I tell you!
shouting
...
- A thief remains a thief.
- Yes.
And results are still results,
Dubillard.
- Mr Director,
the worst rumors circulate
on the account of Vidocq.
He's a mess with several bands.
- Yes, but I need proof.
No slanders, huh?
- We would have seen the so-called Courtaud...
- "We would have seen"?
He's laughing.
I want proof,
not conditional...
You're ridiculous, pitiful...
You know what you are? A eunuch.
A eunuch of seraglio.
Since you are powerless,
you think others are incapable.
You do not understand anything, Dubillard.
This man is hoping for his grace.
He's here in my hand. I control it.
I hold it.
He's laughing.
I understand that it
is easier to slander
rather than displaying the
effectiveness of a Vidocq.
Even multiplying your results by
five, six, eight,
you are not level.
Neither you nor anyone in this house.
Nobody !
- With all due respect...
- No, not now ! I have a date.
M. Fouche speaks of giving
me the Legion of Honor.
It's not thanks to you.
Cry in the distance
...
- There is no money up!
...
- Where is he,
the money!
Come on, talk!
howls
- Hey !
Hold me that.
- For me ?
I'll talk to you about the Empress.
I should be able to
get you that favor.
Excuse me, I have a part
to finish.
- My respects, Madam Baroness.
Sigh - I won again.
What is next?
- Where is she, Baroness?
- Get away, the Mamluk.
- Mehmet?
Sigh
Dear friend.
I already told you not to come here.
- Who do you think you're talking about?
Have you forgotten where you come from?
I did not forget.
When it was necessary to suppress
your husband, who did you call?
Who smothered the baron with the pillow?
Who allowed you to inherit?
Without me, you would have nothing.
I am at home !
- Less strong. - So,
get rid of Vidocq!
It can not continue
like that. He has cordoned
off about twenty of my men
and three of my lieutenants.
Mansart, Bransier and Dupin
languish in the dungeon!
At this rate,
I'm going to miss men!
Nothing's been going on for two months and you're playing
cards ?
Suck you want but get
him out of the police.
- Never touch me again.
- I will pay.
- Pay,
do you think that's the power?
Poor idiot !
You do not know what power is.
I have only one word to say
and you do not exist anymore.
- Help me. Talk to Fouche.
Tell him that Vidocq's
place is in prison.
- You got it wrong.
You'll have to fend for yourself.
Metal clang
Gunshot
The horses neigh.
- Not moving !
Send the trunk!
Get out!
...
...
- Hey !
He snaps his tongue.
- What will you do
when it's all over?
Sigh
- I dunno. We'll see.
- What I would like is
to see the countryside.
Because I never knew
anything other than Paris.
I was born next door.
- Hm? - And I never moved.
If I have kids,
I would like them to see
grass, trees, birds...
- Cows, chickens,
ducks, pigs...
- You make fun ? - Trout...
He's laughing. Aďe! Stopped !
No, not here! Hey !
Laughs
- No ! Go away !
Go away ! - Wheat fields...
Happy screaming
The man hisses the air of
"Next to my girlfriend".
...
...
- I'll tear you away
the tongue and I will open you in two.
Shout
Screaming crowd
...
Strangled cry
- Bye, Fleur d'Epine.
He screams.
Nathanael de Wenger: an
old friend of your man.
Annette halting.
- Thank you.
- Francois scares them.
They do not dare to confront it.
They are looking for a bargaining chip.
I would like to see him tomorrow
an hour to the monkey fountain.
She whispers.
- I have something to show him.
It will interest him.
Sustained breathing
Brouhaha of the city
...
- Hello,
Francis.
It's good that you came.
- Thank you.
For Annette. - Ah?
Glad to be helpful.
How are you, Francois?
- What do you want ?
- I missed you.
- Why am I here?
- I dunno
if you know it,
but I made a name for myself.
Maybe not worthy yet
yours, but I'm working on it.
They will be proud of them
the day they cut off my head.
In my family,
we usually finish on the scaffold.
My brother, my father...
five uncles, seventeen cousins ...
The tribute of Wenger to the Revolution.
And I spare you women.
I was baptized
with the blood of mine.
I am a child of the Terror, François.
My place is on the guillotine.
And yours ?
- It's up to you to answer me.
Why am I here?
- We'll enjoy the show.
I love markets. It reminds me
of my childhood in Strasbourg.
Christmas markets.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
In fact, I have a present for you.
He sniffs.
Cries of panic
You must beware
habits.
It's easy. You almost all
sent them to the galleys.
There was more than finishing your job.
I'm even going to get his men back.
- What do you want from me ?
- Look.
Those.
And the others.
The people.
They are ours. All.
I have traveled since our getaway
in the water: Austria,
England, Prussia.
I even lived in Switzerland.
But nothing beats Paris.
- Move, please! - Circulate!
- Nothing to do! - Go back!
- Go back to your stalls!
- Go back!
- We'll have to organize.
That you rub with the prefecture.
It's clever. But in the forest
from Senart, we were face to face.
It needs more than that to happen again.
Do you agree?
You keep picking up the amateurs,
and I make us emperors of Paris.
- There will never be more than one emperor.
- Not if we team up.
- I travel alone.
I've told you yet.
- I thought we were friends.
He whistles.
Orchestral Music
...
- Thank you.
I'll go there... Live here.
- Sorry.
Thank you.
- Thank you.
- we.
- And long live the Emperor!
The hubbub resumed.
- Maillard and Fleur d'Épine
the same week, you go hard.
I would have preferred
arrests, but it's not worse
like that.
- Let me introduce Annette.
- I'm glad you agreed
to be here today.
After all, you are not for
nothing in today's event.
- We had an agreement.
"I know, but the administration of
the Empire has its shortcomings.
Do not rush her,
that's all. Look...
me, for example,
I've been promised
this medal for years.
Today, I receive it.
Here it is, that's it.
It's like that.
I am living proof that
patience always pays off.
- What are these
secrets that you murmur?
Some state secret?
- I present you the Baronne de Giverny.
A friend. - You look better
than the first time we met.
Would you have forgotten?
- Oh, I do not forget.
- I've heard a lot about you.
Rarely for good, certainly.
Is not the essential thing
to make talk about oneself?
- No, it's to survive.
The living always have the last word.
- You get a lot of assets,
but I did not know you philosopher.
- Yes... I'm lent a lot.
- I steal the hero of the day,
time to get him what to do
shudder these ladies.
- Baronesses
like that,
I see it every day on the sidewalk.
Frankly, do you believe his number?
She's mincing.
- We do not always show his true face.
- But you, yes.
It's you they should decorate.
- Ah yes ? That they already
give me my letter of grace!
Exactly...
Here I come back.
Stay here. You are the most beautiful.
- Dubillard, we say you were in Austerlitz.
It is true ?
That's it!
And I who took you for a junk!
You know what ?
I'm proud we're colleagues.
Fouché is in full reading.
...
- Sir!
I will need to talk to you.
- You must be Vidocq, right?
- To serve you.
- I saw you taller.
You are told observer.
- Is not the human comedy
the most exciting of all?
- The human comedy?
The formula is pleasant.
You should give it to
one of our playwrights.
"His Excellency must know that I
have been promised a letter of grace.
- She was here.
The guillotine, she was here.
Have you ever seen a
public performance, Vidocq?
- Yes.
- Everyone should see
this once in their life.
The crowd screaming,
insulting, insulting,
who claims heads...
Heads and shoes.
For Marie-Antoinette,
it was their obsession.
They demanded his shoes.
They run a queen and they
think about their feet.
It is a serious mistake to
confuse the people and the crowd.
The people are sovereign.
It is the greatest
legacy of our Revolution.
But the crowd is a ferocious beast
to feed, manipulate,
dominate...
I saw dozens of heads rolling
on the ground from this terrace.
Royalists, Orleanists,
Jacobins, Girondins...
The screams of the audience were the same.
Nobody claimed grace.
All wanted blood.
- Yet it was the Empire that put
an end to chaos and restored order.
It must therefore be consolidated.
- Do you believe?
Louis XVI and Robespierre
were guillotined,
not for what they were,
but for what they symbolized.
I'm afraid the Emperor will
eventually become a symbol.
- Would the rumors be true?
- They are rarely
completely wrong.
Fouche would be wanting in the
Empire if he came to leave.
- The Empire is to the Emperor.
He is a man: he makes mistakes.
The important thing is France.
She will survive the Empire, and me too.
The strength of Napoleon is
to make them work together:
Bonapartists,
monarchists, republicans.
Without him,
we would still be in civil war.
This is also what I like about you.
You have a Vendee seeking
to recover her property,
an old Republican drunkard,
a Bonapartist walker
and an ex-convict obsessed with
the idea of redeeming himself
a place in society.
I deeply love your
conception of France, Vidocq.
You should be doing politics.
- I was promised this letter.
- The only question is:
will you really be useful?
The door slams.
- Napoleon,
what did you do with my arpions?
Pull-read-read-read-rantanplan!
Tire-lire-lire-lire
If I find them
I'll put them in the
Tire-read-read rump...
Long live the emperor !
Crac!
Dramatic music
...
... the crowd screams.
......
...
- You do not remember?
- Father...
I was two years old in confiscation.
- The 200 hectares of
forest, the three lakes,
the view of the plain
sober, powerful castles
like our house.
- My mother often talked to me about it.
- We were happy there.
And you too will be.
shouting
...
Shout
...
...
He yells.
Charles.
Charles?
Charles... Charles!
Charles.
(-Dad...)
- No...
No no !
Charles, no!
No ! No !
Charles!
"-It's not
"a simple decoration that is
given to you today, gentlemen.
"It's a cord.
"A cord red as blood spilled
to defend the homeland.
"A red cord like the
passion you showed
"to serve the Empire.
"A red cord
"like the one who connected
you to your mother.
"A red cord that will bind you forever
"to France."
gentlemen,
be worthy of this cord.
Be worthy of the Legion of Honor.
- I wish you did not
arrest anyone tonight.
I struggled for his medal.
Do not ruin the party.
- Thank you sir.
- Thank you sir.
- Thank you sir.
Applause
...
Opera music
...
- I have the impression that we
have known each other forever.
- Roxane Restovitch,
you served in the mother's harem Liébaut.
Croqueuse deputies under the Terror,
you were the bait of a certain Verdier
that you help to trap the
aristos on the departure.
You took three years in the
prisons of Saint-Lazare.
When you leave,
your protector is dead,
you have knitted with the fart.
You found there
a lover of youth,
a certain Maillard.
You then harpooned a
baron, the old Giverny,
that we found dead in bed.
- A happy ending.
- Unless we helped him.
Then you go to the courtyard
through the bed of
an empire general,
and since, you do in the trading of
favors, shall we say...
Have I forgotten something?
- Yes.
To invite me to dinner. Tomorrow?
You're Emperor of Paris.
I can render
services...
Get a letter of
grace, for example.
- What should I do ?
- Let's already be friends.
...
I'm not the only one
with a bodyguard.
...
...
- He wanted to live.
To serve his country, to be worthy of his name,
to cover us with honor. And you killed him!
You killed him!
The only thing that
interests you is revenge.
Make war on garbage that
sticks to your skin.
He is crying.
You despise them,
but you are not better.
You are one of them.
A brute.
An animal.
A scale.
He is crying.
...
- Open for Mr. Vidocq!
Mr. Vidocq.
- Where are they going?
- Toulon.
They leave for prison tomorrow.
- Snitch! - Snitch!
The prisoners insult Vidocq.
...
...
- Open.
- Do you want to come in?
They will gut you.
- Do what I tell you.
...
- Guys, I need help!
- Let me do it.
...
- What's the use of bawling?
It was when I packed
you that you had to act!
Now, it's too late!
You've gone to court!
There are more innocents here!
Your dirty mouths guilty!
Is there one here who can
claim that I worked with him?
Or that I betrayed him?
Huh?
Nobody.
I never gave anyone!
Simply because I have
always been alone.
And you know it!
And everyone I see here who has
already tried to make me skin,
whether in the prison
of Toulon or Brest,
What did you expect from me?
Solidarity?
That I let myself be accused?
Again ?
- Snitch.
Sigh
- I do not respect you.
For none of you!
But I've been here before.
I was in your place.
And I know what's waiting for you.
All I can tell you,
it is to hold on.
Someone knocked.
Who's going?
- I'm from the prefecture.
Mr. Henry was stabbed in his bed.
He wants to see you.
Wait for me.
- Sir? - Yes.
- Sir, you can not!
The man whistles.
- What is it ?
- Annette...
- Annette?
Dramatic music
...
... - Good evening, Annette.
... How are you ?
...
Annette Blows Cries
... He sneers.
......
He's laughing. The man screams.
......
...
... she spits.
...
... To laugh
...
... he hates.
......
...
... she's panting.
......
- I offered him to work with me.
......
... He pushed me away.
... She moans.
... Why ?
Annette halete.
Huh?
......
... Why did he do that ?
......
... hush...
... She moans.
... hush...
...
... Cries of panic
...
- Annette...
Annette!
...
... Explosion
... Cries of panic
...
Annette!
...
Sad music
...
shouting
...
Vidocq moaned softly.
- Hello Francois.
It's a Mehmet's cure. A decoction
of poppy flower.
(Go...)
There he is.
When I learned that, I was afraid
you were doing something stupid.
I warned him that if
anything happened to you
I will not forgive him.
He is very attached to me.
No ! Shhh...
He moaned.
You must not move.
You need heat.
Much heat.
You have to live, François.
Live.
- Monsieur le Comte
of Puymerans.
- Sir, it will be soon
three hours that I'm here.
Did you tell me?
- Yes Madam.
- Joseph.
Monsieur Fouché.
- What are you doing here, ma'am?
- We have subjects in pain.
A Legion of Honor
- Again ?
We'll end up giving it to anyone.
- And also the confiscated
property for which we had thought
that they could be returned.
- I have other priorities.
- I also wanted to draw your
attention to some people
which could be useful to us.
- Us?
- I meant...
- Times are changing, ma'am.
I do not have time to have fun anymore.
- I'm sorry, sir.
- Let Mr. Puymerans enter.
Bye Madam.
- How's that, gone?
- It's been weeks since we've seen it.
Since the fire.
- He would be among the corpses?
- No.
We saw him leave the building.
- So what ?
- And then, he can not be found.
Sigh
On the other hand,
Nathanael de Wenger has been located.
I'll bring it back to you
- I do not care.
I want Vidocq: find it!
I want it in my office or in the
galleys, but not free.
Not free !
- You took some time.
I thought my messenger had not found you.
wailing
Repeat what you told me.
- There is a passage at the bottom of the cellar.
- How many are they ?
- Ten, twelve... no more.
- And what are you doing here?
- I was coming for wine.
The bottles are near the gate.
...
Juror, spit... it's the truth!
He screams.
- You planned to tie it up?
- Vidocq.
The director would like to see you.
Now.
- How did you find us?
- You're not the only good policeman.
Are you two?
- Do you offer reinforcements?
Suspense music
...
...
Festive shouts in the distance
...
- Who's going?
- It's the pinard.
You help me ? - Yes.
Shout
He whistles.
Happy screams in the distance
...
- Go Poitou!
- Three pieces he does not ring.
Cries of encouragement
- Do not ring the bells!
...
- Make me win my bet
and I pay you a girl!
- Come on, guts!
- For Poitou!
- You're almost there !
- I got it !
Happy screaming
...
- That's my Poitou!
Happy screaming
...
- The whole thing is not to hesitate.
For the last one, we stopped the caleche
and I entered. Bam!
A bullet in the baby's belly.
You would have seen his eyes,
his uniform full of blood...
One less in Napoleon's army!
And there will be others, huh?
Festive Cry
...
- I warn you, this is your tour.
You need to spit
your venom.
She's screaming.
... - Shhh...
...
... majestic music
...
clatter
...
... the duke halts.
...
- Are you touched?
...
...
shouting
......
The duke screams.
He's coughing.
...
He screams.
...
He's coughing.
......
...
The music goes crescendo.
... he hates.
...
Fire
...
Go!
...
He gets the trunk.
- Go ahead, I do not need you.
...
He's coughing.
The music becomes softer.
...
They heave.
...
- What is your name ?
- Poitou.
- How old are you ?
The duke screams.
...
Go home, my boy.
Go away !
Go home !
Go away !
...
- So,
did you come to join your bastard?
The duke moans.
...
He's panting.
Dark music
...
- You were someone, François!
Look at you !
Who are you today?
Look at you.
A scale.
You are worse than a policeman.
A scale !
Vidocq halt.
I admired you, you know.
The eternal escapee...
Balance !
Vidocq screams.
shouting
...
...
...
He spits.
He yells.
Cries strangled
shouting
Cries muffled
...
Shout
Vidocq coughs.
François...
This is the perfect place
for a coronation. Come.
Come.
He's panting.
wailing
...
De Wenger halts.
...
He screams.
Vidocq halt.
...
Shout
...
De Wenger chokes.
You and me... it's the same!
...
Vidocq halt.
...
He is crying.
...
Soft music
...
- François,
when you receive this letter,
I will have left France.
Paris will miss me.
But I'm starting to
be a bit too popular.
And it becomes difficult
to keep a secret.
My past is chasing me.
And if anyone can understand
me, it seems to me it's you.
When will we meet again?
If only
you wanted it,
we could accomplish
great things together.
I miss you already.
See you soon, François.
In another country or
under another regime.
I kiss you.
Roxane.
- If at least we knew
why we were here...
I would like to know because
what a fool we are here,
waiting for two hours.
Sigh
Sigh
And then, look at that!
- What?
- Your boots! They are muddy.
We do not show up like that
in front of Mr. Fouché anyway!
Sigh
- Thank you.
- Ŕ you!
- Ah, even... - No, not you.
Mr. Vidocq.
- But...
- He'll see you later.
- What?
Dark music
...
- For your letter of
grace, I thought.
It's no.
...
- We had an agreement.
- Us?
- With Mr. Henry,
your director of safety.
- The former director of safety...
I still have to announce him.
Moreover, the position is to be filled.
I told you...
I have big plans for you.
- You did not have to leave?
- My enemies will have underestimated me.
And there is so much left to do.
You will have to choose, Vidocq.
Serve your country
or stay in the shade
and mediocrity.
I let you think.
Sigh
...
Enter the other two.
...
Sad military music
...
- Good day, Mr. Vidocq.
...
...
...
Military music
...
Majestic music
...
...
...
Soft music
...
...
...
...
...
...