Original subtitles

Nevers, 25 October 1 866

Bernadette, come!

Come with us!

Look, it looks like she's praying.

lt isn't really a place to pray.

She's not moving.

Maybe she's dead.

lf she was dead, she'd be lying down.

I am Iying down.

Bernadette, come on! Come with us!

Sister Maria Theresa quickIy, hurry.

Come, doctor.

Take it easy. Easy now.

Mother.

It'd be a huge Ioss for the congregation

if she died before

taking her vows.

Exceptions exist for the dying.

I know, Sister Mary Theresa.

WeII, what are you waiting for? Send for Monsignor.

CaIm down, my chiId.

I don't have the strength.

I won't be abIe to say my vows.

Don't worry, Bernadette.

I'II say them for you.

AII you have to say is ''Amen''.

I, Sister Marie Bernard Soubirous,

commit myseIf to God and promise

to fuIfiI the commitments of the vows

of poverty, chastity, obedience

and charity

as they are expIained in the book of the RuIe.

Amen.

That's it, my chiId.

Be brave.

Mother, Monsignor...

You beIieve I wiII die this night.

But I wiII not.

Shame on you!

You knew that it was not time.

You knew and you did not say anything.

And we disturbed His Grace.

I warn you, Sister Marie Bernard,

if you are not dead by morning,

I wiII remove your veiI.

You wiII never be anything but a troubIemaker.

MY NAME IS BERNADETTE

Eight years earIier...

Young girl believed to have catalepsy

arouses curiosity of the people of Lourdes

Let us through!

- You're throwing her in jaiI? - Poor girI!

Pest!

In the MiddIe Ages, peopIe Iike you were burned.

What got into you? Why did you do that?

I hate Iiars!

What wiII you do with her?

- Leave her aIone! - We can't Iet them do that!

- Let her go! - Leave her aIone!

Don't get up.

My dear Lestrade.

HeIIo, Jacomet.

Sit down.

You have nothing to fear.

I'm here to cIear things up.

To stop aII the rumours agitating the city...

As you know, peopIe tend

to invent aII kinds of fairy taIes.

But what I'm interested in

is what you have to say. Do you understand?

I want you to teII me in detaiI,

everything you saw and heard.

AIright?

You visit MassabieIIe Cave every day?

- Yes, sir. - What is your name?

Bernadette.

Bernadette what?

Soubirous.

Your father?

François.

Your mother?

Louise.

Can you read and write?

No, sir.

Don't you go to schooI?

Not often.

What do you do?

I heIp at home,

I mend, I mind my brothers and my IittIe sister.

You go to Sunday schooI?

Yes, sir.

So, Bernadette, you see the Virgin Mary?

I did not say it was the Virgin Mary.

Say rather that you saw nothing.

ProbIem soIved!

But I did.

I saw something.

When did you see it for the first time?

Last week, on market day.

Thursday February 1 1 ?

Pigouno?

Where can we find wood?

Up that way, near MassabieIIe.

Stop, Toinette! We're wasting time.

That's enough!

Oh, pigs!

Wait for me!

It's coId!

It's freezing!

Wait for me, I'm coming.

Bernadette, come on!

CarefuI of the rocks.

What does this Iady wear?

A white dress,

tied by a bIue ribbon.

She had a white veiI on her head,

a yeIIow rose on each foot.

And she was hoIding a rosary.

- She has feet? - Yes.

Hidden by the dress and roses. I onIy saw her toes.

And you say she is beautifuI?

Yes.

Very beautifuI?

Very beautifuI.

How beautifuI? Like Miss Dufo

or Iike Mrs PaiIhasson?

Much more beautifuI.

I see.

She's very beautifuI then.

So, to recapituIate:

''Bernadette Soubirous, daughter of François

''and Louise Soubirous.

''On Thursday February 1 1 , market day,

''BaIoum, my sister Toinette and I went to fetch wood.''

Is that correct?

''I Iooked towards the cave and there...

''the Virgin appeared to me.''

That isn't what I said.

''A girI in white about 20 years oId.''

I didn't give her age.

''BeautifuI as Mme PaiIhasson!''

I didn't say that either.

''Her hair resembIed a veiI!''

You misunderstood, sir. I couId hardIy see her!

What about the yeIIow rose at her waist?

There is a yeIIow rose, but on each foot!

That isn't what you said earIier.

It is! You changed everything!

I know what I'm saying. That's enough, Bernadette!

Come on, your daughter's in there! They came for her.

Hurry!

Let him through! It's Soubirous.

Let him through!

Out of the way! Open up, pIease.

Let him in!

They have no right. We won't budge!

This farce must end!

He wishes you no harm.

Everyone can make mistakes. Just admit it.

ExactIy! You are making everyone foIIow you.

I toId no one to.

Oh, you're so very gIad to show off!

You want to be a whore?

MassabieIIe Cave is a pIace of trysts

and the scene of debauchery. Didn't you know?

She acts aII innocent. You want to end up in jaiI?

Take it easy, sir.

WeII, now you wiII teII me who is behind this,

who is teIIing you what to do.

You can't do that. She did nothing!

Excuse me. What's going on?

Mr Soubirous...

he's come for his daughter.

They have no right to keep her.

We're staying put untiI it's sorted out.

We won't abandon her.

Who's that?

Jean Prevot, journaIist, Just in from Paris.

And what do you want here?

We don't Iike taIking to foIks who take us for fooIs!

It's Soubirous' father. She says she saw the Virgin.

Thank you. Can you teII me about the famiIy?

What d'you want to know?

Everything. I just got here.

- Look! - What's happening?

He Iet her out finaIIy! That's good.

Quiet!

Do you understand? If she returns to the cave,

I'II hoId you responsibIe.

You've been in prison. Do you want to return?

Go!

I'm sure she did nothing wrong.

What did I teII you, Lestrade? This girI is being manipuIated.

Her obstinacy is proof.

''On Thursday February 1 1 , on market day,

''beside the cave, the Virgin appeared to me,

''dressed in white, aged 20.''

ConfabuIation!

ManipuIation!

Come on!

Are you aIright?

I'm fine.

Why are you Iaughing?

The commissioner...

Did you see how furious he was?

The Soubirous are so unIucky!

The girI's got character.

You didn't see anything, do you hear?

She says she did, Louise. Bernadette never Iies.

It's her imagination, that's aII. Or the work of the DeviI!

Everyone knows spirits roam in MassabieIIe.

The DeviI's work!

He isn't beautifuI and doesn't say the Rosary.

The DeviI takes many forms.

You couIdn't see her feet.

The DeviI aIways hides his feet!

- Louise! - Anyway, I forbid you to go!

I am so afraid they'II put our Bernadette in prison.

Excuse me.

- Good evening! - Evening!

The Soubirous are unIucky.

Why d'you say that?

They work themseIves to the bone, but their chiId sees ghosts!

You can't reason with her.

She ought to be Iocked up! The Soubirous just don't see.

- We poor must keep quiet. - True.

I'm going home. I've had enough.

Good night.

l do not promise to make you happy in this world but in the next.

The probIem is simpIe, Lestrade.

Either the girI is acting at somebody's instigation

or she is suffering from haIIucinations.

In the first case, this scandaI must cease.

In the second,

it must be made cIear to guIIibIe peopIe.

Yes, but sometimes it is easier to identify the perpetrator of a pIot

than to demystify a mentaI probIem. That's how it is.

It's a conspiracy, beIieve me.

By whom? The famiIy or the cIergy?

Perhaps both, Mr Prosecutor.

You think the Church needs that?

Of course!

The common peopIe are turning to sociaIist theories

and abandoning reIigion.

Lourdes wouId be another ComposteIa.

The Church needs to keep its fIock

and feed its imagination!

But why use this young girI who can neither read nor write,

who's stiII at the Ietter A.

PreciseIy!

For aII these reasons, Mr Mayor!

Isn't that so?

Of course!

I want to ride on the cart!

- Stop it! - I want to get on. Stop!

That's enough! Leave him aIone!

That's enough, chiIdren!

Thank you, Bernadette.

AIms! Have pity on me!

Come.

What did you do when you saw her?

The sign of the cross, of course.

But...

I couId not bring my hand to my forehead.

My hand was shaking.

Then the Iady made the sign of the cross.

And it was better. I was abIe to take my rosary.

This Iady speaks to you?

The first time, no.

She just said her Rosary.

But her Iips did not move.

The second time,

she smiIed and nodded.

And the third time,

when Mrs MiIhet came with me

and asked me to hand her a pen and paper to write her name,

the Iady started Iaughing and said it was unnecessary.

She speaks as I speak to you now?

Yes. She speaks to me Iike a person taIking to another.

And she asked me to come every day for two weeks.

Father!

What is it, Pomian?

I must speak with you. The Soubirous girI...

What about her? What's wrong?

TeII me aII.

Something very important has happened.

It's Iike this...

She said a sound, Iike a gust of wind?

Yes.

Like the breath of God to EIijah in his cave

or the HoIy Spirit on Pentecost.

Since it happened, the girI returns there reguIarIy.

With a growing crowd.

They say it's a miracIe, the BIessed Virgin.

What shouId we do?

Nothing, of course.

What exactIy do you want? That I endorse what is going on?

Do you see me at MassabieIIe with the crowd, singing hymns?

If I yieId to pubIic pressure, this bIind enthusiasm,

what wouId my position be

when we discover that it was just iIIusions and Iies?

I prefer to ignore what is happening.

If we do nothing, we'II be criticised.

And if we act, we'II be heId responsibIe.

Such are the times!

We must wait.

We must wait.

''Bernadette beIongs to a poor famiIy.

''From birth, she has fought against Iife,

''against misfortune, Her father, François Soubirous,

''a bankrupt miIIer, was arrested in 1857 on charges

''of aggravated robbery.

''But the truth is, his onIy crime was poverty.

''As for her mother, Louise Casterot,

according to gossip she drinks.'' I'II be right back!

VoItaire, wake up!

We cannot be fooIed by a young girI!

Science took centuries to free us from obscurantism

this wiII set us back years!

What about miracIes?

There is no miracIe which science cannot expIain.

Excuse me.

Excuse me, sir.

Beware, Dr Dozous, it's contagious!

Isn't that right? Excuse me.

I toId your parents, if you agree,

you can stay with me, under my protection.

That ought to stop peopIe bothering you!

Thank you so much, but I'm fine at home.

Penance. Penance for sinners.

- I can't see anything. - Me neither.

She doesn't know what she's doing!

Excuse me.

What is she doing?

She thinks she's a goat!

I don't beIieve it.

She's insane!

What's she going to do now?

It's a farce!

She's mad!

This is ridicuIous! She's mocking us.

- She's my sister! - Leave her be!

She's my sister! Leave her aIone!

Poor Soubirous!

Her poor parents!

Come here, my girI. It's aII over.

Leave her aIone, pIease. Come on.

Out of the way. Out of the way!

Let us pass.

Stop! Leave us aIone!

Excuse me!

Doctor Dozous?

The journaIist from Paris?

Jean Prevot. It's about Bernadette.

You saw the freak, didn't you?

I imagine you wiII say that Bernadette is raving mad!

I have no opinion yet. I'm observing.

This isn't the first case.

The Virgin appeared in Montaussé. ConfabuIation?

I don't know! I have not thought about it.

But do you beIieve this girI?

AbsoIuteIy.

They say she has cataIepsy.

Who does? Your coIIeague of the Lavedan?

Instead of writing articIes, he shouId investigate!

I've known Bernadette for years.

She is a fragiIe girI.

She had choIera and suffers from chronic asthma.

But that does not make her insane!

But if you reject both fraud and mentaI iIIness,

then you beIieve in miracIes! A man of science!

And you, journaIist, do you beIieve in miracIes?

Good day, sir!

PeopIe are saying you're mad!

What possessed you to do this?

I did what she asked me to do.

She spoke to you?

And the grass that you ate?

It was bitter.

Did she ask you to?

Yes.

PeopIe didn't understand why you did it.

Why?

For the sinners, as a penance.

Open the door.

HeIIo!

I have come to take you to the ImperiaI Prosecutor.

I'II come with her.

My seats are waiting for you. Sit down.

No!

We might soiI them.

Sit down, pIease.

Damned apparitions!

TeII me,

ever seen a fairy?

Or a witch? In Lourdes, everyone sees fairies and witches!

Stop Iying!

Because you are Iying!

Is somebody giving money to you and your famiIy?

- Yes or no? - No!

WeII, if not money, then favours.

No, sir!

Mrs Soubirous,

you do housework for Mrs MiIhet?

Yes, sir.

I have been informed that she is quite weII off.

I do not know, sir.

It's not the sort of thing we ask.

I see. And you...

You have taken Mrs MiIhet to the cave

severaI times. - Yes, sir.

Each time you took advantage of her hospitaIity.

On the 1 8th,

the 1 9thh and the 20th.

It was she who came for me.

And now it's a Miss Peyret, president of the ChiIdren of Mary,

who does sewing work for Mrs MiIhet,

that you accompany each day.

WeII?

What?

I ask nothing of no one.

TeII me, Bernadette, some peopIe say you have powers.

You heaI the sick...

I've heaIed no one!

Do you reaIize the havoc you are causing?

It's aII over; you wiII never go to the cave again!

I wiII return.

What?

I cannot do otherwise.

I shaII have the commissioner arrest you.

You'II sIeep in prison! If you are Iocked up,

it wiII be harder to go there.

Don't cry, Mother. We've done nothing wrong.

Go! Leave!

Get out!

- What about prison? - Tomorrow!

WeII?

It's aImost beIievabIe.

Yes, there is water!

- It's a spring! - It's a miracIe!

- Water! Who was right? - You were!

Come see, Jeanne!

It's coId. He was right! There is a spring!

Water!

I can see.

I can see everything!

What are you saying?

I can see your eyes, your pretty eyes!

I see you,Jeanne. I can see you!

- You may go. - Thank you.

I can see, Doctor! I see with my eye!

What do you mean?

I can see with my bad eye! I'm heaIed!

ImpossibIe!

Jeanne wet my face with MassabieIIe water.

- An hour Iater, I couId see! - CaIm down!

I can see, Doctor. It's a miracIe!

FoIIow me.

Cover your right eye with your hand.

Right.

What can you read?

''Bourriette has...

''an incurabIe amaurosis. His Ieft eye is useIess.''

I can see!

- I wrote that two years ago. - I can see with my eye.

HeIIo. Here you go!

TeII us what you saw in the cave.

- No! - Don't go!

My grandson wants to see you.

He hasn't waIked since Christmas.

He hardIy eats. The doctors say it's incurabIe.

I don't have powers.

Since he heard about you,

he has thought of nothing eIse.

AIright. Lets go.

WeII then, Jean-Marie?

You don't want to get up?

Or eat?

Don't you Iike the food?

- I must go. - No, stay!

I want to eat and drink.

Thank you.

I'II come back.

Stop her! She'II kiII him!

Our Lady wiII save him!

What are you doing?

I am offering my chiId to Our Lady!

No. Stop! That's enough!

HaiI Mary, fuII of grace.

Tender and Ioving mother.

Mary ImmacuIate, Star of the Morning.

HoIy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners

now and at the hour of our death.

What do you think?

Did you see anything?

I saw nothing at aII.

Come, taste this chocoIate.

It's my husband's Iatest creation.

Do you mind if I take one?

DeIicious, Mrs PaiIhasson.

Exquisite!

But I think you are both too harsh, Iadies.

The young girI can see.

What harm is there in that?

I find you very naive, Mrs Loyson.

Have another chocoIate.

Let me ask you something.

Have you seen her at the cave?

Of course! Like everyone eIse.

And I can assure you it's an awfuI spectacIe!

AII those peopIe on top of each other...

It won't heIp the Church!

- After you. - Thank you.

Mr Mayor!

HeIIo, Mayor!

HeIIo, Iadies.

What do you think about the cave?

Later. Is Mr PaiIhasson here?

He's preparing new goodies for us. WouId you Iike one?

No, thank you. It's most kind of you.

Wait, a Iast one.

- Try this. - Thank you.

7km on foot to the cave,

pregnant as a whaIe,

with two IittIe ones cIinging to her skirt!

She kneIt beside the spring found by Bernadette

and then she dipped her handicapped hand in.

She uttered a cry of amazement.

Her dead fingers unfoIded.

- InstantIy? - InstantIy!

What did she suffer from?

Her name is Catherine Latapie.

The doctors had diagnosed an uInar paraIysis

caused by a brachiaI pIexus stretch injury.

No hope of recovery.

And this water heaIed her hand?

Can I count on your discretion?

Of course!

Are you Iooking for me?

Yes, Father.

Come in, come in.

What can I do for you?

StiII saying you see the BIessed Virgin?

I never said that.

WeII, who is it? A witch? A fairy?

Why do those who foIIow you say it's the Virgin?

I don't know!

You don't know!

Everyone wiII Iaugh at you, my girI!

Look, I have work to do. PIease Ieave.

Go through the courtyard.

I have a message from the Iady.

What message?

The Iady wants us to come in procession to the cave.

She aIso wants a chapeI.

No Iess!

Did she give you money for it?

And you have some?

Me neither.

TeII the Iady we want to know her name first.

If she has no name, she doesn't exist.

But when I ask her, she just smiIes.

We wiII not buiId a chapeI if we do not know her name.

And...

ask her to make the wiId rose bIoom!

There is one at the foot of the rock.

If she has a name and makes the rose bIoom,

we wiII buiId her a chapeI.

And it wiII be a great chapeI!

I'II teII her.

Go now.

Remember, the wiId rose!

She sees the Virgin Mary?

Right, here's the oId bridge,

the forest path and the path to the cave.

Those who can't reach the cave can stay on the rock.

If a stone faIIs, it'II cause injury.

In front of the cave,

there's about two metres because of the Gave.

With such a big crowd, if there is panic,

or even a simpIe scuffIe, it couId quickIy escaIate.

God forbid! There have been no accidents so far.

I don't know who's behind

this dangerous farce,

but I wiII stop them taking advantage of the guIIibIe.

Carry on, CaIIet.

The Church does not endorse the MassabieIIe apparitions.

Nor the aIIeged miracIe cures.

Very weII.

So why not try to stop her from going to the cave?

She accentuates the probIem!

That's her famiIy's affair! Why don't you?

You're in charge of pubIic order. I can't comment

on the chiId's reasons.

You have no intention of making her see reason?

I ordered my curates not to go there

or to get invoIved.

Is that so?

They haven't Iistened. Are you doubIe-deaIing?

Enough, sir!

I hear Father Pomian toId her,

''No one can stop you from going to the cave.''

There's no proof! He is the chapIain

of Bernadette's schooI.

He hears her confession.

It doesn't mean he encourages her!

Do not count on me to support these rumours

or invoIve the Church.

It is aIready invoIved Iike it or not!

And it's your fauIt.

Mind your where you waIk, sir.

I'm not bIind!

Hurry home.

Good evening! This way?

No, a IittIe further.

- What a stench! - Indeed!

It's unbearabIe! How can anyone Iive in this fouI pIace!

PreciseIy, sir.

This is it.

Go away!

Come in.

- Right. - Sit down, sir.

Are you afraid to soiI them?

No, thank you.

- This wiII not take Iong. - Indeed not.

I think we'II find a soIution.

We cannot stop the crowd visiting MassabieIIe,

but if Bernadette does not go

we can teII these peopIe that she has become reasonabIe.

Think about it.

What do you think?

We stand onIy to gain.

It's a question of pubIic order.

Is it not, Commissioner?

Of course!

Right...

You taIk to her for once.

But what more can I say to her?

5 five-cent coins, a two-cent coin,

an oId rosary

a bunch of... - LaureI.

... IaureI, with two rosebuds,

a banner with the image of Christ,

a niche decorated with moss with a statue of the Virgin.

- My God it's ugIy! - A medaI,

a woven wreath of fIowers.

- That's it. - Search everywhere!

Did you check up there?

Go on, then!

We're bound to find firecrackers or fireworks.

I'm sure they'II try to fooI us!

WeII?

Nothing!

There's reaIIy nothing?

- No, nothing eIse, sir. - That's done. What's that?

If onIy the weather wouId turn bad!

Come on!

Get rid of this stuff! I want it empty!

Why deny the obvious?

A miracle cannot be explained.

lt is experienced.

It's quite moving, this fervour.

You think so?

In any case, our efforts have not been in vain.

Bernadette won't come anymore.

I wiII teII them.

Listen to me!

What's going on?

What's this?

Touch my daughter.

Eugenie.

Take her to the spring

and bathe her eyes with water. - Thank you.

What's happening?

Stop it!

PIease, teII me your name.

- Nothing happened? - No.

WeII, nothing new or extraordinary.

The wiId rose has not bIoomed.

I see.

Was she disappointed?

No, but the crowd with her most IikeIy was.

It's better that way.

How can you say that?

Our churches have never been so fuII.

Nor have the confessionaIs.

True faith does not need foIkIore!

It is not measured by the number of foIIowers.

The crowds go for a reason.

And their fervour is sincere.

You wouId have seen that had you gone there.

I refused as much by mistrust

as to protect the chiId.

So she has touched you, too?

My heart is with her

but my mind must remain cautious.

It is preciseIy because I want her to teII the truth

that I prefer to caII her a Iiar.

Eighteen hours

to go from Bordeaux to Bagnères-de-Bigorre

and another three to get here! I'm exhausted.

- Come. - What a nightmare!

- The train wiII reach here one day. - ImpossibIe!

- Do you mind? - You're more than weIcome.

Now for serious matters.

The Soubirous girI?

A dove hovers over her head?

She heaIs the bIind?

You know SavignoI is furious with you.

Why?

AII the newspapers, Le SiécIe, Le Charivari...

without exception, are making fun of her.

And you, as naive as her foIIowers,

aII you find to write is, ''The girI exudes

''the charm of a pure souI

''and one can onIy be troubIed by such a phenomenon''

I beIieve what I've written.

Are you serious?

These inexpIicabIe cures that'II be expIained one day?

I promise you...

Don't promise me anything.

What's got into you?

You've changed!

You, the incorruptibIe journaIist, the secuIar man!

Been touched by grace?

Maybe.

''The charm of a pure souI''!

Bernadette, what are you doing?

Going to the cave!

Bernadette, you'II get iII!

- Wait tiII sunrise. - I must go now.

My cousin is waiting for me.

- Cousin. - You came.

FoIIow me.

You see, I toId you she wouId come.

Come on.

Stay cIose to me.

Madam, I impIore you!

TeII me who you are.

TeII me your name.

Grace me with your name.

I beg you.

''Que soy era ImmacuIada Councepciou.''

It's the Soubirous girI!

Father!

You again! What do you want?

''Que soy era ImmacuIada Councepciou.''

What?

''Que soy era ImmacuIada Councepciou.''

What are you saying?

I asked the Iady her name and she said,

''Que soy era ImmacuIada Councepciou.''

Come on, come in.

You're wrong, or you're being fooIed!

No! I repeated it aII the way back.

Repeat, repeat, repeat!

That sentence means nothing!

She can't have toId you that!

It can't be her name! In you go!

You know about the ImmacuIate Conception?

No, Father.

No one has ever toId you?

Think hard.

Your confessor, Father Pomian?

No, Father.

Mrs MiIhet? Miss Peyret?

No.

Did you read it somewhere?

That wouId be hard!

Sit down.

Sure she didn't say,

''I am the Virgin''? Or ''I am the mother of Jesus''?

No. She said,

''Que soy era ImmacuIada Councepciou.''

- In patois? - Yes.

But how is it possibIe?

Bernadette, in a few weeks, you wiII do your first communion.

You shaII approach the hoIy aItar.

You know what that means? If you've Iied...

Admit someone toId you. I wiII not be angry with you.

But I have nothing to admit, Father.

- Does she stiII want a chapeI? -Yes.

She wiII have it!

But what is the ImmacuIate Conception?

When you want to get pure water

from a muddy spring, what do you do?

You fiIter it to get rid of the dirt

untiI it becomes perfectIy cIear.

That is what God did through Mary.

He gave her originaI purity

to give birth to Jesus free of aII sin.

Do you understand?

No!

You'II understand Iater.

''Jesus

''caIIed his tweIve dis...

''discipIes and gave them

''the power to ward off eviI.''

Excuse me a moment.

Yes, Bernadette?

Come on, teII me.

Why did the BIessed Virgin have to be pure

before giving birth to Jesus?

Because...

Because she had to be pure.

That's just the way it is. It couId not be otherwise.

Otherwise?

Otherwise...

Otherwise, nothing!

It goes without saying

that onIy a person cIeansed

from aII sin

couId give birth to the son of God.

Sit down.

Sister, I'm sorry to interrupt you.

I'm here for Bernadette Soubirous.

You may go, Bernadette.

Thank you, Sister. Come with me.

I'm taking you to the infirmary.

But I'm not sick!

I know.

Don't worry.

GentIemen, here is Bernadette Soubirous.

HeIIo, Miss.

Bernadette, I assure you

Dr BaIencie, Dr Peyrus and Dr Lacrampe

mean you no harm. Not so, gentIemen?

- Of course. - ObviousIy.

I shaII Ieave you.

Do you know what an haIIucination is?

No, sir.

- And an iIIusion? - No, sir.

Does this remind you of anything?

Do you suffer from headaches?

- No! - Never?

OccasionaIIy.

What is five times five?

Twenty-five.

And 1 7 times 38?

I don't know!

Do you?

WouId you mind, Miss?

Excuse me.

There we go. Right...

Yes.

You see, her head is a normaI shape?

NormaI but narrow.

Wait, wait.

What?

There. Yes. See for yourseIf.

What is it?

FeeI the bump?

It's a smaII bump.

A very smaII bump.

GentIemen, pIease!

I feII in the yard.

Is that so?

PIaying, naturaIIy...

Excuse me.

Open your eyes.

Yes, Iike that.

A strange Iook.

Yes, pecuIiar.

The eyes are IiveIy.

Indeed.

Excuse me.

Come on, my girI, Iie down, pIease.

CaIm down, my girI.

Breathe, pIease!

A faint wheezing characteristic of chronic asthma.

Are you being treated?

Doctor Dozous cares for me.

Good oId Doctor Dozous!

Says you're not Iying about seeing the Virgin.

- I'm not Iying! - So you see her?

Yes I do!

She speaks to me,

hoIds out her arms!

Why do onIy you see her?

- I don't know! - Lies!

- I don't know! - HaIIucinations!

Leave me aIone!

- Bernadette! - The HoIy Spirit!

I have no powers! Leave me aIone!

Wait.

Leave me aIone!

- Let me touch you. - Look at us!

Are you aIright?

Leave us!

- Did you see that! - Poor girI.

They're aII crazy.

They're fit for the asyIum!

Leave her be!

Leave us aIone! Stop!

Don't touch her!

Leave her aIone!

Stop!

Wait for us, Bernadette!

Leave us aIone!

No! Leave her aIone!

Bernadette, go to the Sajous.

No, enough! You will not come in!

HeIIo, Doctor.

Did you see? Dr Dozous is ignoring us.

It's IogicaI. We didn't consuIt him.

He isn't the scientist we once knew.

He has faIIen for it too.

And the report?

''The disease that we beIieve is responsibIe

''poses no risk

''to the heaIth of the chiId.''

Do you understand anything?

Nobody is wiIIing to take responsibiIity.

We cannot Iock up the chiId if she is not insane.

Father!

Did you send doctors to examine Bernadette?

Yes, Father, on the orders of Prefect Massy.

She isn't mad!

But with this treatment she soon couId be!

Had you taken an interest in her,

we wouId not be here now.

You opposed Prosecutor Dutour

when he required your heIp.

An important event has occurred since.

When it suits you!

TeII the HonorabIe Prefect Massy

Bernadette wiII not go to an asyIum!

From now on, she is under my protection!

If he sends his officers to take her,

I'II stand in their way!

They'II have to knock me down and trampIe on me

before they touch a hair on her head!

Your Grace.

Father, I've been expecting you.

PIease sit down.

I'm Iistening.

Every day, I receive dozens of Ietters

from France and abroad

begging the truth.

They wish to know the truth! But what truth?

The time has come for the Church to impose its own.

Are you usuaIIy patient?

No, Your Grace.

The chiId is being subjected to an intoIerabIe ordeaI.

I cannot accept a heavenIy message brought by an iIIiterate peasant.

I need proof, irrefutabIe proof.

I have brought you proof.

Second-hand evidence!

AII these sick peopIe who couId waIk again,

who recovered their sight, aII these desperate cases...

Why not?

The probIem is there are far too many.

How do we separate the good from the bad?

Order an officiaI investigation.

What a farce!

What a disappointment!

Did you see something?

No.

It's your fauIt, we shouId've come sooner.

You heard what Dr Dozous said? When the girI ''saw'',

she cupped the fIame with both hands

and feIt nothing.

When he checked, there was no sign of burns.

I'm sorry, but I stiII beIieve aII this is mass hysteria.

Nothing more, nothing Iess!

But Pierre!

- Don't you see what's going on? - Yes!

But what I see is not what you say!

This iIIiterate girI has been so manipuIated

by PeyramaIe and his acoIytes

that she has become a perfect manipuIator

and outstanding actress.

An actress wouId have put on a show,

a show of emotion...

But I do not regret coming.

The peopIe here are nice!

Why did this happen to me?

I'm not a saint. I'm normaI!

I'm just Iike everyone eIse.

No, Bernadette.

You're Mary's messenger.

You did nothing to be graced,

and it is perfect Iike this.

When she appears to you,

you turn white.

If she's sad, you're sad,

if she's gay, you're gay.

Do you think one day I wiII take the veiI?

You wouId Ieave your peopIe?

I'm not afraid to.

And your parents?

Father wouId not be happy. He wouId keep me forever.

Do you get aIong weII with him?

Yes.

But I Iove my mother too.

AIthough, I feeI cIoser to my father.

Maybe because he visited every day

when I was with my wet nurse.

I don't know why Mother visited Iess.

I too wouId Iike to become a nun,

but my parents are not ready.

Mother says I'm too young to Iive Iike a dead person.

She hopes I'II faII in Iove

and Iead a normaI Iife.

Why are you Iaughing?

Look at you!

You have everything going for you!

You're a teacher.

You can read, you can write.

You're so pretty.

Before the Lady appeared to me, I was nothing!

Bernadette...

Mr Prefect, after you.

Enough!

The ministers of justice and of reIigious affairs

have asked me to put a stop to this scandaI!

It is a vioIation of the Iaw

and the dignity of reIigion!

An aItar has been buiIt,

the pIace embeIIished,

access faciIitated!

You'II be hoIding mass next!

We wiII divide the road Ieading to the cave.

ArrivaIs on the Ieft, those Ieaving on the right.

But above aII, gentIemen, I ask you

to stay caIm and not yieId to provocation.

Break them up! Come on! Come on!

Everybody out of the cave!

Father?

WeII?

StiII not finished?

I got the test resuIts of the MassabieIIe water.

Contrary to what the pharmacist said,

the water is absoIuteIy cIear,

coIourIess, odourIess and tasteIess,

and above aII, it has no therapeutic properties!

WeII, are you coming?

Thank you, Sister.

HeIIo.

HeIIo.

Everyone's taIking about you,

even in Paris.

- Excuse him. - I know.

The papers mention your name.

Did you expect that too?

- Don't you read the papers? - I can't read.

- Doesn't it interest you? - No, not at aII.

Listen, Bernadette,

I have a proposaI for you.

Come to Paris. In three months, you'II be rich.

Let me make your fortune!

Thank you, sir, but I'd rather stay poor.

Don't taIk to her Iike that!

- The girI deserves respect. - What?

I was perfectIy honest.

An excIusive is worth a fortune.

What have I done wrong?

I'd have spIit the profits with her,

and even with you.

No entry. No bathing and no drinking.

We can't do anything!

Sign here, pIease.

- Sir, it's for the cave. - No!

It's important!

For the reopening of the cave.

It's important. Everybody's getting invoIved.

What's this about a petition? What are things coming to?

I even heard some armed themseIves

with iron bars and hammers to force entry to the cave!

It's important!

TroubIe is grist for the miII of those who want us

to Iock up Bernadette!

Don't you understand that? HonestIy!

Bernadette is one of ours!

She's persecuted by the rich and their poIice

and their doctors.

Look, it's not because she saw the Virgin,

but because she is poor!

What they want

is to keep the poor from the water of the cave,

in order to seII it for a high price.

But we wiII not aIIow it!

Let's go! Forward!

They've destroyed the barriers three times

and gotten away with it three times.

They thwart the watchmen

and we're not warned in time.

Get to work!

We wiII set up a permanent watch.

We wiII have the Iast word!

- Yes, Commissioner. - Execution!

You, foIIow me. Come on!

Remove aII that! Now!

- What? - Remove it aII.

Is this a joke?

- Carry on! - Stop!

That is an order from above.

The Emperor?

PreciseIy. The cave is to be reopened.

- So what do we do? - Go home!

- And who'II pay us? - See Inspector Jacomet.

None of this makes any sense!

The minister of reIigious affairs,

represented by Prefect Massy,

instructed us to end this scandaI

and by aII means!

''An aItar has been buiIt, the pIace improved...

''You'II be hoIding mass next!''

Those were his words, his very words!

Fine words! Now we must remove it.

No one asked you for your opinion.

- Just execute the order. - But, sir!

Execution!

Stop everything!

Stop everything! Go on!

UnbeIievabIe!

Go away! You have no business here.

Off you go!

Go on!

I have two pieces of good news for you.

First, our bishop, Monseigneur Laurence,

is to convene the EpiscopaI Commission

to examine Bernadette's case.

That's good news? What do they want to know?

They wiII ask you what happened at the cave.

Again? I have aIready said a hundred times!

You must do it.

The second is, we want Bernadette as a boarder at the hospice.

She wiII be safe and can continue her education.

The nuns wiII never agree!

They aIready have.

She wiII be a boarder.

Mother AIexandrine has agreed.

The City wiII pay for her as one of its own.

But I'm good at nothing. I'm aIways sick.

I don't want to go. My famiIy needs me.

I have rented the Gras miII for them.

At Lapaca?

Your father can resume his oId job.

Your mother wiII not need to work.

I wiII finaIIy be at peace.

What was she wearing?

A white dress,

a white veiI

with a rose on each foot.

Were the roses white too?

No, yeIIow.

YeIIow? Are you sure?

Yes. A yeIIow rose on each foot.

- WouId you Iike to rest? - No.

Thank you, I'm fine.

Let us continue.

How did you feeI when you saw her?

I feIt joy,

great joy.

Joy?

Yes, immense joy.

TeII us about when you found the spring.

What day was it?

I don't know. I don't remember.

Try.

The truth must be accurate.

But I am not a Iiar! I know what she toId me, not when.

Continue. You were about to drink from the Gave?

Yes.

But the Iady toId me not to.

She showed me another pIace,

There was no water.

Just pebbIes and dust.

What did you do?

I obeyed.

And how do you expIain

the vision ordered you to teII the priests

to make a soIemn procession to the cave the next day?

You never mentioned it before.

I'm tired.

I'm tired!

''Pictures and photographs of the Lourdes cave

''and portraits of Bernadette. AffordabIe prices for gifts.''

The Church confirms the apparitions and 7 miracIes,

processions are taking pIace...

Bernadette has onIy to hide behind her image!

Don't teII me you bought MassabieIIe water!

Yes.

You gave them money!

Yes.

What miracIe do you expect?

You're in perfect heaIth AII is weII, right?

I get it!

You hope this water wiII heIp you to find Iove.

You're awfuIIy shrewd.

One can hide nothing from you.

The cataIeptics.

What a pantomime!

AII it takes is for one to have an attack

and aII the others foIIow suit.

- Looking for someone? - EIise Prévot.

One of your patients?

She's my sister.

Nurse! Bring EIise Prévot.

How are you?

Here, Iook!

Take this.

Drink it.

Drink it and you wiII be heaIed.

I promise you'II be heaIed.

Mother AIexandrine is there.

Thank you, Sister.

Mother AIexandrine?

Excuse me.

- HeIIo Mrs Soubirous. - Thank you.

Thank you very much!

You have been kind enough to accept Bernadette...

Don't worry, madam.

I'm sure she wiII be weII behaved.

You see, Bernadette, they trust you.

Join the other girIs. I'II see you Iater.

Everything wiII be fine now.

Thank you, Mother.

Goodbye.

Come on, it's time. You may go.

In siIence.

- Goodbye, Sister. - See you tomorrow.

Bernadette?

What's wrong, Bernadette?

What's the matter?

I don't understand anything.

I wiII have to be made to swaIIow this book.

I don't understand!

You're tired of reading?

Try at Ieast Iearn to write.

Look.

Look.

You have modeIs here.

AII you have to do is copy them.

Try.

Try again. It isn't bad.

Is Bernadette ready?

Come on, that's enough now. Off you go!

Come with me.

KneeI down here.

That's it.

Hands together.

You moved!

No.

You did!

My knees hurt.

Eight minutes isn't Iong!

I'd Iike to see you try.

- What now? - It's easier without it.

That'd surprise me!

I'II put that there.

Right!

Do not move!

Imagine the Lady is before you!

Look thriIIed.

Like when you saw her.

Ready?

No, that's not it!

- What's wrong? - It won't do at aII!

You didn't Iook Iike that when you saw the Virgin!

She isn't here.

It's Iike this every day.

Bernadette is being very patient.

Make no mistake, Your Grace.

It depends on her mood.

She does what her heaIth aIIows her to do.

Of course!

As weII.

- HeIIo. - HeIIo.

I need nothing.

It is not for you, but for the poor.

You'II have the pIeasure of giving aIms.

Then give it on my behaIf, sir.

It is worth more than if I do it.

Thank you.

Good, Bernadette. That's very good.

Goodbye, madam.

Thank you for your weIcome.

Bernadette does it with such joy.

Not so, Bernadette?

Yes, Mother.

Thank you very much.

- Goodbye. - Goodbye.

You were very brave, Bernadette.

WeII, I prefer my attacks to these visits!

Bernadette?

Let's go.

FoIIow me.

Let's put the offerings away.

It's reaIIy very pretty.

Come on, girIs! Hurry up!

Time to go to cIass.

What are you doing?

- Give me that! - No!

What do you mean no?

It's Sunday. I can wear it to my parents.

We'II see about that!

Here, my girI, we wiII teach you obedience!

Go and join the others.

Thank you.

You know, Bernadette is a woman now.

And young girIs her age begin to dream

of a home, a husband, chiIdren.

One can easiIy fight against vanity and gaiety.

But how can we prevent Iove?

If she feII in Iove...

or if she had the desire to accept a marriage proposaI...

Here, this is a Ietter Bishop Laurence received.

It is signed by a RaouI de Choisne de TricqueviIIe.

He is finishing his medicaI studies

and wants to marry her!

What nonsense!

- He's never seen her. - You're surprised?

Here, he writes,

''If I shouId not marry her, ''I beIieve I wouId die.?

''I ask God's grace to die in soIitude.''

In soIitude!

What's wrong?

Look at me.

Aren't you happy here?

PeopIe taIk about you and admire you.

I'm afraid, Jeanne.

I'm afraid.

Afraid of what?

Everything.

MyseIf.

I feeI so confused.

I no Ionger know what is right or wrong.

I don't want to see anyone.

If I couId...

Join the CarmeIites?

Yes.

The bars.

The bIack veiI.

The siIence.

I wouId retire, I wouId be at peace.

Nobody wouId come and bother me!

But I cannot because of my heaIth.

I can't do anything!

VigiIs, fasts... It's just too bad.

You wouId be granted exemptions.

But I don't want exemptions.

I want to foIIow the RuIe Iike the others.

GentIy, gentIemen. GentIy!

It's very fragiIe.

Bernadette!

Come cIoser!

It's wonderfuI!

Here she is!

Right?

Sir...

Yes. What do you want to say?

Isn't it beautifuI?

No.

No?

That's not it.

Not it at aII!

She didn't Iook up.

But the BIessed Virgin aIways Iooks at the sky.

WeII, maybe.

When I was there, she Iooked at me.

She Iooked down.

But Bernadette...

You find her beautifuI, don't you?

She's magnificent.

Yes. But it isn't the Lady of MassabieIIe.

Let's forget the head.

Is it her or not?

WeII?

No.

It isn't her.

Bernadette...

That's not her, sir.

No.

I know what you're going to say.

I was wicked and proud,

and I'm good for nothing.

No, Bernadette, I do not beIieve that.

She chose you for a reason.

She showed you the way.

Monsignor Forcade wishes

to taIk to you about something.

Monsignor.

Sit down, my chiId.

What do you intend to do now?

Nothing.

What do you mean nothing?

We must aII do something in this worId.

I'm with the nuns.

Indeed, but...

you cannot stay forever.

I wouId Iike to stay forever.

We took you in temporariIy out of charity.

But we cannot keep you forever.

Why don't you become a nun?

A Sister of Nevers?

Have you thought about it?

Yes. A few times.

But I'm poor.

I'II never raise the dowry.

When we recognise a true vocation in a poor girI,

we do not hesitate, even without a dowry.

When you have decided,

ask the Mother to taIk to the Mother Superior.

I wiII take care of the rest.

Thank you, Father.

Thank you for what?

Thank you for everything.

Mother!

So this is it?

You go tomorrow.

I wiII join the Sisters of Nevers.

- Where's Father? - He's inside.

Father?

Father!

I shouId have stopped you going to the cave.

Why do you say that?

Nevers, Iate 1 866

It is deceitfuI, Sister Marie-Bernard,

to pIay tricks Iike that!

- You cheated your profession! - It is unworthy.

I have not cheated!

You were not as iII as you said!

Return your veiI!

I have it and I wiII not give it up!

I do not beIieve those eyes saw the BIessed Virgin!

Sister MathiIde Brusson.

You are assigned to our Institute for the BIind.

It is a great mission.

You wiII Ieave tomorrow.

Sister Victorine Bounaix.

You are to join our community in Mirande.

Your organizationaI skiIIs wiII be appreciated

by the nuns who manage it.

You wiII Ieave Sunday.

Sister Christine DaIias.

Today, you join our home in Yonne.

We need strong peopIe

to work on the vegetabIe garden.

There is no assignment Ietter for Sister Marie-Bernard?

Sister Marie-Bernard is a siIIy girI

who is good for nothing.

Sister Marie-Bernard, come here.

You are to be sent nowhere.

But you wiII pray for the others.

Is it true, Sister, you are good for nothing?

Yes, it's true, Monsignor.

Do you know the story of the tree that was ''no good''?

No, Monsignor.

WeII, it was the onIy tree in the forest

that the Ioggers wouId not cut down.

They said, ''Why? There is no point.

''Its branches have too many knots.

''They are aII twisted.

''We can not use it for fueI.

''Its smoke hurts the eyes.

''This tree is absoIuteIy useIess.

''That's why we haven't cut it down.''

Be Iike this tree, Bernadette.

Be useIess.

But don't worry,

your useIessness doesn't mean you're worthIess.

Be the Iast, if you wish.

Do not try to be what you are not.

Be yourseIf. That's aII.

Remain unnecessary and rejoice.

The greatest experience in Iife

comes not from what you do but what you give out of Iove.

From what is given out of Iove.

Oh dear!

Easy.

Can anyone heIp me?

Can anyone heIp me?

Sister Marie-Bernard, come. We'II Iift her.

HoId her under her arm. That's it.

FirmIy. That's right.

We'II waIk sIowIy.

You'II be aIright.

You'II be aIright, Sister.

Mind the step.

What are you doing, Sister Marie-Bernard?

This is not your job!

I asked Sister Marie-Bernard to heIp me!

Come on.

You promised that I wouId be happy in the next Iife!

I am aIready happy.

It's good to be useIess and to give to others.

l said many things.

But what must be remembered is what l first said.

l may have forgotten and others may have forgotten.

The simplest story will be the best.