Original subtitles

Thank you.

Je m'appelle Alma.

Lovely to meet you, Alma.

I live here.

Come in.

Alma.

Morning, Cyril.

I wanted to ask your help.

In a gift I wanted to make for Reynolds.

I want to make him a surprise.

If everyone left...

the house...

when he takes his walk on Thursday,

I will cook for him dinner.

And when he comes back, no one will be there but me.

I'll be waiting for him.

I will surprise him and we can have dinner

together, just the two of us.

Do you like this idea?

Would you help me?

It isn't his birthday.

I know.

I would advise against this, Alma.

Why?

Because he doesn't like surprises.

-He does. -Well, he won't like this one.

I'm trying to surprise him.

And love him the way that I want to.

Well, if you're looking for something kind...to do...

perhaps, you could think of something else.

No, I really must advise against this, Alma.

I don't think there could be a more

inappropriate time to try something new.

This is what I want to do.

And I think it will be very nice.

With respect to your advice, Cyril...

but I have to know him in my own way.

And this is what I want to do for him.

Good night.

Good luck.

Oh, Alma.

What is this?

I love you, Reynolds.

Yes, but, what is this?

It's a surprise.

Are you hungry?

Where's Cyril?

I've sent everyone home.

Where is Cyril?

She's left.

What time did she leave?

This afternoon.

I've made us dinner.

Let me collect myself... for a moment.

I'll just have a bath, I think.

This is very kind of you, Alma.

Would you like a champagne or a martini?

No, thank you.

Oh, is that your dress?

It's finished? Let's go look at it.

Hm.

It's rather interesting.

Very good work.

I'll just have my bath now.

When will Cyril get back?

Mm, tonight.

How was your appointment with the princess?

She's very beautiful like a sculpture of some kind.

Mm-hmm.

So, will you make her a wedding gown?

I have made her baptism,

her first communion, and confirmation dresses.

I made the dress for her presentation at court,

indeed, the entire wardrobe for her coming out season.

It's only right that I should make her wedding dress,

wouldn't you think?

No, but this is not...

what I wanted to say, I'm-I'm sorry, I don't know what I said, I...

This is meant to be nice evening.

Let me serve you.

Do you like it?

I do.

No, you don't.

You don't like it at all.

Usually, you always tell me what you think.

What is this?

You're lying.

As I think you know, Alma, I prefer my asparagus with

oil and salt.

And knowing this,

you've prepared the asparagus with butter.

Now, I can imagine in certain circumstances

being able to pretend

that I like it made this way.

Right now, I'm just admiring my own gallantry

for eating it the way you've prepared it.

I don't know what I'm doing here.

I... I don't know what I'm doing here.

I'm just waiting around like a

idiot for you.

This was an ambush, Alma. To what purpose?

This is not...

I know it's not going as I expected, I...

I didn't mean these things to come out.

I'm sorry, but it was meant to be nice.

Well, what did you expect?

I wanted time with you. I wanted to have you to myself.

You have me all the time.

-No! -What are you talking about?

I don't! I... there...

There are always people around.

And if not, then there's something between us.

Something between us?

-Yes. -What?

Some...

What?

Distance!

When did this happen?

What happened to make you behave like this?

Is it because you think I don't need you?

Yes.

I don't.

Why, that's very predictable of you.

Don't act so tough.

I know you are not.

Yeah, that's right, that's right.

If I don't protect myself,

somebody will come in the middle of the night

and take over my corner of the room

and ask me about their fucking asparagus.

Don't be a bully. You're being a bully.

There are other things I'd like to do with my time.

-It's my time. My time! -I have no idea what I'm...

doing here in your time.

What am I doing here?

I'm standing around like an idiot waiting for you.

Waiting for what?

-Waiting for you. -Waiting for what?

Waiting for you to get rid of me.

To tell me to leave.

So, tell me.

So I don't stand around like a

fucking fool.

Asparagus. Is this all about your asparagus?

No, it is not about asparagus.

What the hell is it about?

Are you a special agent sent here to ruin my evening

and possibly my entire life?

Why are you so rude to me?

Why are you talking to me like this?

Is this my house?

-This is my house, isn't it? -Yes, this is your house.

-Is this my house? -Of course, it's your house.

Or did somebody drop me

-on foreign soil -What a question.

behind enemy lines.

-You brought me here. -I'm surrounded on all sides.

It's you who brought me here.

When the hell did this happen? Who are you?

Do you have a gun?

You're here to kill me?

-Hm, do you have a gun? -Stop it!

-Where's your gun? -Stop being a child.

-Where's your gun? -Stop...

-Show me your gun. -playing.

Stop playing this game.

-I'm not playing a game. -I'm not...

Yes, mm-hmm.

-Uh-huh. -What game am I playing?

What game?

What precisely is the nature of my game?

You tell me.

Oh, this whole...

What?

All your rules and your walls

and your doors and your people

and your

money and all this clothes and

everything! This! This! This game!

Everything here! The whole pfff!

Nothing is normal or natural or...

Everything is a game.

"Yes, mister, no, madam".

Yes, uh...vu-vu-poo.

Well...

i-if it's my... -I don't eat this.

-If it's my life... -I don't drink that, I don't...

that you're describing.

It's entirely up to you whether you choose to share it or not.

If you don't wish to share that life

as apparently it's so disagreeable to you in every respect,

why don't you just fuck off to back where you came from?

Sometimes it's good for him...

to slow down his steps a little.

Would you like me to ask Alma to leave?

No, why?

Well, if you're going to make her a ghost...

go ahead and do it, but

please don't let her sit around waiting for you.

I'm very fond of her.

Oh, you're very fond of her, are you?

Well, in that case...

Well, don't turn it on me. I don't want your cloud on my head.

-Oh, shut up, Cyril. -Oh, you can shut right up.

Don't pick a fight with me.

You certainly won't come out alive.

I'll go right through you

and it'd be you who ends up on the floor.

Understood?

-Morning, Pippa. -Morning, Sir.

Pen, book, and glasses?

Yes, they're all there for you, Sir.

Morning, ladies.

-Morning, Sir. -Morning, Sir.

Excellent work, ladies. Um...

It's just not very good, is it?

It's ugly.

-Oh! -Oh!

You all right, Sir?

Reynolds?

Reynolds, are you all right?

Mr. Woodcock, he seems to be ill.

Who seems to be ill?

Mr. Woodcock, he's fallen over and he's damaged the dress!

I-I'm sorry, Biddy?

-Who's fallen over? -Mr. Woodcock.

He's fallen over and he's damaged the dress,

and there's stains on the front of the skirt,

and there's a hole, in the bo- in the lace and the bodice,

and there's shoe polish on the front of the dress.

Shoe polish from what?

From his shoe.

I'm fine.

Oh, I don't know what the hell came over me.

Must be something I've eaten.

Mm-hmm.

-You should lie down. -No, I'm fine.

Please lie down.

No, really, don't fuss, Alma, please?

-I... -Just don't fuss, whatever it is.

If you fuss, I'll die right here.

I promise, I won't fuss.

Let me do that, please.

I have to take these off.

Yes, I'll take them.

Alma?

Alma?

Yes?

Um...

Would you tell them I'll be down shortly?

Yes, of course.

Hello, Cyril.

Yes.

What is it?

I don't know what the bloody hell came over me.

I'll be all right in a moment.

Well, you don't look all right.

Where does it hurt?

It's all over.

Never really felt like this before.

Is it your stomach? Is it something you've eaten?

No, I don't think so.

I swore, it...

So please tell them I'll be with them in a minute.

No, you're not going anywhere.

Just stay here and rest.

Would you like me to do anything?

Just give me silence.

Shall I call the doctor?

No, Cyril, you certainly will not, please.

All right.

Um...

-Exhausted yourself. -Just give me silence.

Burning up.

Will you take care of the dress for me?

Yes, of course I will. It's all right.

Just...

-I just want to... -Shh, shh, shh.

That's it.

Come on, Alma.

I think I may be sick again.

We're gonna have to do a lot of work to get this dress

ready for tomorrow, you know?

We're gonna have to undo the front of the dress,

and replace the skirt.

We're gonna have to cut a new panel of the satin,

and there's also the organza piece...

Yes, I'll deal with that in a minute, Biddy, thank you.

Yes, I've got to change your pajamas.

I'm scared, Alma.

Yes, of course you are.

Do you think I'll ever get better?

Of course.

I take care of you.

Madame, there's a telephone call.

He's...settled now, sleeping.

-Doctor's here. -What doctor?

The doctor I sent for.

-Oh, no, but he's... -He needs to be examined.

-No. -Yes.

No, he's not dying.

He needs to be examined.

He's sleeping now, that's what he needs.

Let me be unambiguous.

Come out of the room and downstairs immediately.

All right.

Alma, this is Dr. Hardy.

How do you do, Mrs. Woodcock?

How do you do?

How's he feeling?

He's-He's better, he's sleeping.

Is he able to keep anything down yet?

He hasn't tried it. Uh, I was going to make some soup.

And his fever?

It has gone down.

Oh, would you like me to see him?

Yes.

Is that all right, Mrs. Woodcock?

Yes! It is.

Reynolds, Lady Baltimore sent her godson to see you.

Dr. Hardy.

Hello, Mr. Woodcock.

May I examine you?

Keep your hands off me.

Well, I just like to take your temperature.

Alma?

There's a strange boy in the room, can you get him out, please?

I admit, I do look young--

Fuck off.

Reynolds, please, just let him examine you.

Yes, fuck off.

I think this is clear, hm?

He wants you to fuck off.

I'm so sorry, Doctor.

I'm very sorry.

Not to worry.

I'll drop by tomorrow morning to see how he's coming along.

Nine a.m.?

-Yes. -Yes.

If his fever increases during the night, you'll telephone me?

-Of course, Doctor. -Of course, Doctor.

Good night, Mrs. Woodcock.

-Good night, Doctor. -Good night, Doctor.

Follow me.

When will it be ready?

I don't know.

Let me put it another way.

This dress will be ready by nine a.m.

because that's when it leaves for Belgium.

Ladies, I'm very sorry, but I'm afraid

you'll have to work late this evening.

The dress needs to be ready by nine a.m...

to make its journey to Belgium.

Do expect to be here...

for quite some time.

If you need to use the telephone,

please use the one in my office.

Nana and Biddy, what can I do to help?

Could you pin the ribbon on the hem there, please?

Thank you.

Ladies, I'm very sorry, but I'm afraid

you'll have to work late this evening.

The dress needs to be ready by nine a.m...

and I know there's rather a lot to do on it, still.

So, please, do expect to be here...

possibly for the rest of the night.

If you need to make telephone calls,

do so from my office. Thank you.

Are you here?

Are you always here?

I miss you.

I think about you all the time.

I hear your voice say my name when I dream.

And when I wake up,

there are tears streaming down my face.

I just miss you. It's as simple as that.

I want to tell you everything.

I don't understand what you're saying.

I can't hear your voice.

Your fever's gone down.

I love you, Alma.

I don't ever want to be without you.

I love you.

I have things I want to do.

I thought my days were unlimited.

The mistakes I've made...

I've made again.

They can no longer be ignored.

There are things nagging at me.

Things that now must be done.

Things I simply cannot do without you.

To keep my...

sour heart from choking.

To break a curse.

A house that doesn't change is a dead house.

Alma, will you marry me?

Will you marry me?

What the bloody hell are you thinking about?

Will you marry me?

No?

Yes.

Will you marry me?

Yes, I will.

Reynolds and Alma,

when you say these binding and contracting words,

you'll be looking at each other

after all, it is to each other you're marrying, and not to me.

Reynolds,

I call upon these persons here present...

I call upon these persons here present...

to witness that I, Reynolds Jeremiah Woodcock,

to witness that I, Reynolds Jeremiah Woodcock,

do take thee, Alma Elson,

do take thee, Alma Elson,

to be my lawful wedded wife.

to be my lawful wedded wife.

Alma, I call upon these persons here present...

I call upon these persons here present...

to witness that I, Alma Elson,

to witness that I, Alma Elson,

do take thee, Reynolds Jeremiah Woodcock,

do take thee, Reynolds Jeremiah Woodcock,

to be my lawful wedded husband.

to be my lawful wedded husband.

And it now gives me great pleasure to say...

Congratulations, you are now husband and wife.

And you may kiss the bride.

Cuckoo.

-See you later. -See you later.

Good time.

You too.

You too, have a good time.

None for me, thank you.

Dr. Hardy?

-Dr. Hardy? -Oh, hey.

Oh, excuse me.

Reynolds, do you remember Dr. Hardy?

Good evening, Mr. and Mrs. Woodcock.

Oh, hello.

How do you do, Mr. Woodcock? How are you feeling?

I think we met in a puddle of sweat, didn't we?

Yes, that's right.

I probably owe you an apology of some kind.

I seem to remember barking at you.

There's no need. I've been laid siege by much worse.

Oh, really?

You look very healthy. How are you feeling?

Didn’t I tell you to fuck off?

Yes, yes, you did.

Dinner is served, everybody.

Come on.

So that's your shifty-eyed godson.

Shifty-eyed?

He's got perfectly normal eyes.

I'm rather left smattering things in that story.

Really?

Thank you very much.

It's fallen off me.

Ooh, I'm so sorry.

It's very hard to tell sometimes.

Um...

Secrets nobody tells.

Your wife has got that gorgeous glow you get with a first marriage.

How long will you be in for?

It seems my godson's rather enjoying that glow as well.

So, what are your plans for New Year's Eve?

Oh, um...

we don't have any.

Well, you should come out to the Chelsea House Club ball.

I don't know what that is.

Well, it's not something I'd suggest

if I didn't think you'd have a wonderful time.

It's really something to be seen.

I'll pass it on to my husband.

But I think we'll stay in.

Change your mind.

We'll get him to change his mind.

Or whatever it takes. Now, please come,

I promise you the time of your life.

How do you know how my life has been?

I don't.

You're right.

I think this would be quite a fine time if you'd like to come.

She's barely looked at you this evening, has she?

I think they're well and truly shaken now.

What on Earth are you doing?

I rolled a three.

Yes, but that's the four pip.

Go back to the bar where you belong.

Oh, sorry.

Let's not start cheating at this stage, Alma.

I'm not cheating. I don't need to cheat.

Oh, good.

You do need to be able to count, on the other hand.

Backgammon, by the way, I get trouble the score

because you haven't got any checkers off the board.

Mm.

Pfff. Stupid game anyway.

Well, maybe it seems stupid to you now as you're currently losing,

but I dare say, if you were victorious,

I'm confident that you'd see it in a different light.

Now, they need your chair for my next opponent.

Next.

Me, please.

What?

What are you so cranky about?

Have fun with your next opponent.

Well, I-I think I will. A lot more than I did with you.

Gosh, she's really very rude, isn't she?

My heart breaks for you.

Oh, really?

Being married to a toddler.

I don't mean to be racist, but, I mean...

Is there some sort of custom at this time of the night

in her country where...

-I mean, what's she doing? -What's your point?

I don't know...

She's stealing things or attacking people, I mean...

I want to go dancing.

When?

Right now.

You're joking.

No, I'm not.

It's New Year's Eve.

Well, I'm not going dancing.

There's a party at the Devonshire Hall

to celebrate the New Year.

And I want to go.

We need to go dancing.

So, what are you going to do about it?

I'm going to stay right here

and I'm going to work.

And now, ladies and gentlemen!

Are you ready to welcome in a glorious, lucky New Year?

Are you ready?

Here we go!

Ten, nine, eight, seven, six,

Five, four, three, two, one!

Happy New Year!

How does it feel?

Well, I think it feels a little big.

Should we just take a little off the waist?

-We can take a little off the waist. -Yes.

How's that feeling?

I think that's better.

Would you excuse me for a minute please, Mrs. Vaughan?

I think it's...

It's not too tight?

No, it's comfortable. Fine.

Where has Henrietta Harding been?

She's been to another house.

Which one?

Why didn't you tell me?

Because I didn't want to.

Is there something that I'm unaware of?

Because as far as I can remember,

all I have done is to dress her beautifully.

I don't think that matters to some people.

I think they want what is fashionable and chic.

Chic?

Oh, don't you start using that filthy little word. Chic?

Whoever invented that ought to be spanked in public.

I don't-I don't even know what that word means.

What is that word? Fucking chic?

They should be hung, drawn and quartered. Fucking chic.

It shouldn't concern you.

It does concern me. It concerns me very much, Cyril

because it's hurt my feelings.

It's hurt my feelings.

So, what's all this moaning about?

I am not moaning.

I do not like to be turned away from.

Nobody does.

But I don't want to hear it because it hurts my ears.

I've made a terrible mistake in my life, Cyril. I've made a--

I made a terrible mistake.

I need you to help me.

What do you want me to do?

I can't work. I can't...

concentrate.

I have no confidence.

She does not fit in this house.

We built this house.

The two of us.

Now she's turning the whole bloody place upside down.

She's turning me inside-out.

She's turning you and me against each other.

Her arrival has cast a very long shadow, Cyril.

Mrs. Vaughan is satisfied with the dress.

No one gives a tinker's fucking curse

about Mrs. Vaughan's satisfaction!

Thank you, Alma.

Not at all.

What a model of politeness you two are.

There is an air of quiet death in this house.

And I do not like the way it smells.

Would you like a glass of wine?

No, thank you.

Can I make you a martini?

Nothing for me, thanks.

Water?

I want you...

flat on your back...

helpless...

tender...

open...

with only me to help.

And then I want you strong again.

You're not going to die.

You might wish you're going to die, but you're not going to.

You need to settle down a little.

Kiss me, my girl, before I'm sick.

I think perhaps...

you should telephone that...

boy doctor of yours, just in case.

You don't trust me?

No, I do trust you, it's just...

If you wish.

But I will make you well again.

I will.

I love you.

I love you, too.

And I think perhaps you should leave the room.

-Close the door behind you. -Yes.

I'll be right outside.

If he didn't wake up from this,

if he wasn't here tomorrow...

no matter.

For I know he'd be waiting for me...

in the afterlife...

or some safe celestial place.

In this life...

and the next...

and the next one after.

And for whatever there is on the road that follows from here.

It would only require my patience...

to get to him again.

You see...

to be in love with him makes life no great mystery.

-Say ah. -Ah.

Very good.

Sometimes I jump ahead in our life together.

And I see a time near the end.

I can predict the future and everything has settled.

And all our lovers and...

children and friends come back...

and are welcome.

And we have large gatherings where everyone is laughing and...

playing games.

I am older and I see things differently.

And I finally understand you.

And I take care of your dresses.

Keeping them from dust and...

ghosts and time.

Yes, but right now, we're here.

Yes, of course we are.

And I'm getting hungry.