Original subtitles

For heaven's sake would you tell me what you want?

Be quiet. Not a sound out of you.

Where are you taking me?

My mother is dying.

What do you want with me? I'm a Christian.

So is my mother.

( speaking Latin )

( speaking Arabic )

( bell tolling )

She was bathing naked.

She'd let her hair down, too.

Mademoiselle du Buc?

Look at me when I speak.

We strive to mortify the flesh, not glorify it.

As penance, you will not speak,

and no one will speak to you.

You will pray for guidance, and you will remain here

to continue your penance during the holidays--

you may not speak.

I don't think if you ever had to take a bath,

you'd be stupid enough to do it with your clothes on.

And it isn't fair because I've been

looking forward to the holidays all year.

And I want you to make the Mother Superior--

( women giggle )

And I want you to make the Mother Superior

change her mind and let me out of here.

And if you do that, I promise I'll do everything

the sisters tell me to do for the rest of my life, amen.

What a liar I am.

Good morning, Reverend Mother.

I have come to pick up my niece for the holidays.

She will stay with me at my château.

Well, I'm sorry, but Mademoiselle Aimée

has changed her plans.

She has duties to perform here.

What a pity.

I had planned on making a little sacrifice

for the work of God in my niece's name.

Woman: Aimée, he's gorgeous!

I wish he'd walk up to me and ask me to dance.

Don't you wish he'd walk up to you and ask you to dance?

Aimée, this is our dance, remember?

Oh!

Oh, I'm so sorry.

Well, you can't really dance with me like that, can you?

Oh!

Don't spill.

I think I shall, uh--

Sir Sebastiani is not here, what are you doing--

Ah, Sebastiani, there you are.

Your man said you were out, but I knew he must be mistaken.

How are you?

I'm so glad to see you've met my niece.

Charming girl, isn't she?

Very well-connected, too, even if she is from Martinique,

one of the first families there, you know?

A virgin, too. Charming.

Did you have a wrap, my dear?

Goodnight, Sebastiani. Hope to see you again soon.

( door closes )

Uncle: I think the Reverend sisters

have done very well by you, my dear.

You've learned the a great deal in France, perhaps too much.

I'm sending you home to Martinique.

( yawns ) These late nights are killing me.

I'm not meant to be a chaperone.

You can't!

I don't want to go home.

You can't send me back.

I won't go!

( men shouting indistinctly )

Tina?

Tina, wake up. Something's happening.

( laughter and shouting )

What do you want? Do you want money?

I have money. Do you want jewels?

Will you go away if I give you jewels?

Take anything you want, just leave us alone.

- Don't hurt us. - Nobody hurt you.

Too valuable.

What do you mean? What are you gonna do to me?

Algiers!

Take you to Algiers.

I don't want to go to Algiers.

Why are you taking me there?

If any of you bastards touch her,

I'll have your balls.

She's worth a fortune.

- Go! - Agh! Tina!

I must say your brother was most prompt with the payment.

Appreciate it.

Have you out of here in no time at all.

Sir? Sir? What did you do?

Did you get him out?

I want you to get me out, too.

Of course you do.

There's absolutely nothing I can do for you, my dear.

After all, you have been bought and paid for,

don't you see?

I've been what?

Stupid little bugger.

Ain't got no clue how bloody lucky she is.

Off to the harem to await the pleasure

of his Highness' royal member

shoved between those pretty little thighs.

It makes you want to heave, don't it?

( gasps ) No.

No. No! No!

Mademoiselle, Mademoiselle, Mademoiselle! No!

No, don't kill Mademoiselle! Mademoiselle!

( speaking foreign language )

( quiet conversations and laughter )

Look at her. You need to wash your hair.

You speak Greek, huh, do you?

How long has it been since you've taken a bath?

( laughter )

Come with me.

Come!

Take off your clothes.

I told you to take off your clothes.

No!

Strip her!

Look! She's as hairy as a goat!

Stop it. Stop.

Look at this dirty hair.

Let go of me.

She has the body of a boy! Look at that.

Stop! Stop.

( laughter )

Get away from me!

Get away!

Stop it! Don't!

Stop. Stop it.

Get away from me.

Agh! That hurts!

All right. All right.

Do you understand?

Stop.

Stop. Stop!

What are you doing?

Don't worry.

What are you doing?

It's all right. Don't worry.

Don't touch me!

Be quiet!

I'm only trying to be nice to you.

Stay away!

No! Agh!

Help me!

You said nothing would happen to me!

What are you talking about?

Oh, you told me to do it!

I've never spoken to you before in my life.

Oh, you promised!

Oh!

You told me nothing would happen to me!

Oh, you promised! Oh, you promised.

What about that one?

She was asleep.

She did nothing.

( shouting )

Come.

I didn't do anything! I didn't do anything!

( sobbing )

Oh, please!

( splash )

You can't go out there! It's forbidden.

What are you doing? What are you doing?!

Let go of me!

Where... are you taking me?

Will you just let go of me? Where do you--

( grunts ) Let go!

Let go of me!

Don't you know where you are?

This is the harem of the sultan of the Ottoman Empire.

If you want to survive here, you'd better listen to me.

We have rules.

One-- no lady of the harem goes outside the harem walls

unveiled or unattended by one of us.

Two--no lady of the harem shows her face

to any man but the sultan.

Three-- no lady--

What about you?

I'm showing my face to you, aren't I?

I...

I am not a man.

I'm a eunuch.

What about that man out there who stopped me?

Is he the sultan?

Of course not.

He is Prince Selim.

You may not show your face to him either.

Three--

What right do you have to tell me what to do?

I am the Kizlar Aga,

chief of the black eunuchs.

After the sultan, I am the most important person in the empire.

You may call me Tulip.

( laughs )

Tulip.

I have just saved your life.

It's death to show yourself the way you did.

I am pretending you didn't do it.

Why?

I may be a eunuch,

but it doesn't mean that I can't feel love

for a person and try to be their friend

and not laugh at them because they're...

different from me.

Bradaya.

Saleha.

Zanef.

Ayshe.

And...

Naksidil.

My name is Aimée.

Naksidil.

Aimée.

Naksidil.

My name is Aimée.

Aimée Du Buc de Rivéry.

Yeyshen...

Zanef...

Tulai.

( quiet conversations and laughter )

No.

This one, eh?

( speaks foreign language )

He picked you.

Now go to the sultan,

bow, and kiss the hem of his robe.

What's the matter, darling?

( all chattering )

I told you to bow to the sultan

and kiss the hem of his robe.

You didn't do it.

I think you need practice.

Bow to me.

Bow to me.

No.

Bow to me and kiss the hem of my robe.

I will not.

Now...

kiss the hem of my robe.

Bow to me.

Kiss it!

Kiss it.

Thank you.

Isn't she lovely?

She's gorgeous.

The sultan will be absolutely delighted.

Come.

The sultan is waiting.

I'm not going.

What do you mean you're not going?

They'll kill you.

Let them.

They'll kill me, too.

I'm sorry.

( knock on door )

No, it's not the executioners. They don't knock.

May I come in?

This is for you.

Maybe if you kill yourself, Abdul Hamid won't blame Tulip.

Did you know that we have a great deal in common?

I was born in France.

I'm also a Christian.

They made me sleep with Abdul Hamid.

I have a son by him.

His name is Mustafa.

He may be sultan one day.

Of course, I still feel guilty about what they made me do.

It's a sin, after all.

But power, it might be worth a little bit of guilt.

Or don't you think so?

I don't know what you're talking about.

All I know is that I will not go to bed with an old man

that I am not in love with.

You have three choices.

Sleep with him, let them kill you,

or do it yourself.

I have talked to her.

I don't know what she will do.

( muttering prayer )

( speaks Arabic )

Ahh...

the girl who wouldn't bow to me.

Come here.

Are you frightened?

No.

Not frightened.

Disgusted.

I could force you.

I have absolute power here.

But I haven't the power to make an old man

young again, have I?

I'm going to ask more of you

than I ask of the others they bring me.

I won't have you by force.

I will only have you by your own choice.

You can go if you want to.

It's all right. Nobody will stop you.

Nobody will hurt you.

What about Tulip?

Nobody will hurt Tulip either.

Can I go home?

No.

What kind of choice is that?

The choice not to sleep with me if you don't want to.

Do you have any idea what it means to be old

and to desire youth

and to want the youth to desire age?

No. Of course not.

How could you?

You are too young.

You are too beautiful.

I told you you could go. Why don't you?

Go on! Get out!

( man singing prayer in Arabic )

And I'm heartily sorry for having offended you,

and I promise I won't ever do it again.

I wouldn't have done it this time if they hadn't made me.

And I know he told me I didn't have to,

but by then, I was starting to feel funny.

I don't know what happened to me.

It wasn't my fault, and I won't ever do it again.

What a liar I am.

We do not eat tonight.

Understand?

No food tonight.

No food tonight.

Stop!

Turn them over.

We don't want his rice.

We'll eat his food when he acts like our friend.

Turn them over!

( all shouting angrily )

Out!

( men cheering and shouting )

Why did your men turn over their kettles?

My men want to fight.

No.

We can't afford another defeat.

We don't intend to be defeated.

You never do.

Another sultan would be delighted

at the possibility of victory.

Do you have another sultan in mind?

Well, do you?

You have my permission to leave.

- Can I come out now? - What is going on?

Tell me what is going--

will you tell me what is going on?

Are you pregnant?

Why does that man wear a spoon in his hat?

It's tradition so he'll never go hungry.

Who is he?

He's the chief of the Janissaries, my elite guard.

They also have a tradition of overthrowing sultans.

I'd better off if they all starved to death.

- Are you pregnant? - What did he want?

He wants to go to war with Russia.

Why don't you let him?

Because the Russians would destroy him.

But isn't that what you want?

They couldn't overthrow you then, could they?

Are you--

Yes!

Yes, I am pregnant.

( laughs ) Oh...

Oh, Naksidil.

( guards shouting, kettles banging )

( Aimée gasping and grunting )

( infant crying )

A boy.

Another heir.

The sultan will be very pleased.

( applause )

Abdul Hamid, your first son,

would like to congratulate you.

Kiss your father.

I want you to be careful about how much you use.

I don't want her to be hurt.

She meddles.

Shouldn't we kill her too?

Her meddling won't hurt me.

Her son might.

I hate you!

You let them make slaves out of people.

You let them kill people!

You could do something about it if you wanted.

You're the sultan!

You can do anything you want, but you don't do anything.

You... you like it, don't you?

You like making your slaves bow down to you.

You like the killing.

That's why you don't do anything,

because you like it exactly the way it is.

I hate you.

His name is Mahmud.

His mother died when he was born.

He is my son.

Now he is your son, too.

No.

He has been without a mother for nine years.

I want you to be his mother.

( all shouting )

( man speaking foreign language )

The Russians what you to surrender Azuc Castle.

They have it completely occupied.

He says you should avoid

the unnecessary spilling of blood.

Ask him if they'll lift this immoral siege

and avoid the spilling of blood that way.

( speaking foreign language )

No.

Much better to save faith than to save life, hm?

Aimée: Will they win?

Man: No.

Why not?

They have knives, obsolete weapons.

The Russians have modern guns.

Naksidil is becoming very beautiful.

Everybody notices.

Someone saw her with Selim.

Perhaps you should have him killed.

And then when I am dead, your son would become sultan,

Mustafa the sixth.

No, nobody is talking about dying.

You love Aimée.

Do you think so?

Aimée is very beautiful, but so are you.

I wonder why I haven't had you killed.

After all, you did arrange the murder of my son.

That's not true. I didn't--

I think I haven't done it because I am bored with death.

There have been too many of them.

So easy to kill.

The only death that interests me now is my own.

You should be careful, Sineperver.

Before I die, I might kill you

with my own hands just for the pleasure of it.

Go away, let me try to sleep.

If you want to kill me, you know where to find me,

at your feet

with my heart full of love and respect for you.

You do that very well.

Now go away before I change my mind again.

( military band playing )

What are you doing?

The Janissaries are making another charge.

I'm going with them.

It's foolish for you to do that.

You don't understand.

All my life...

I have been caught in a trap.

A soft trap...

lined with silk,

and baited with beautiful women.

It has made me impotent.

It has kept me from doing the things

I should have done for my people.

I'm through with it.

It's time for me to die.

And after I'm dead, I want you to go to Selim

and help him escape from the trap.

I-- but I love you.

Naksidil, having you with me is the only thing

that has made these last days of my life bearable.

Now you say you love me.

I believe you.

Thank you for loving me, even for a moment,

even out of pity.

you loved me, and I love you.

and I am satisfied.

( music stops )

( all chanting )

Uncle?

I've just spoken with Aimée.

What is all this talk of your dying?

Allah calls me, Selim.

I am too tired to bargain with him.

From the moment my father died, you've granted me my life.

And now I grant you something far more important

than your life.

Do better for our country than I did.

( military band playing )

Aimée: He's dead, isn't he?

Why are you doing--

Do you want the Janissaries to kill Selim?

They'd do it in a second if they knew the sultan was dead.

They want Mustafa to be sultan.

We'll be safe when we're out of their reach

back inside the harem.

( man praying softly )

( praying softly )

Now you can die.

( applause )

It's not fair. Why are they throwing us out?

Because you belong to the old sultan, sweetie,

and now the old sultan is dead.

I want you to stay.

I'll go with the rest.

If you won't stay for your own sake,

then stay for the sake of your son.

What about the protocol of the harem?

I can do what I want now.

Oh, that's right.

You have power now.

Are you going to use it to keep me?

Do you see this?

Sineperver gave me this in case I wanted to kill myself

rather than sleep with the sultan.

Will I have to use it now?

I loved Abdul Hamid,

but I can't stop thinking about Selim.

And he wants me to stay here with him

and be near him and see him every day.

And if I do that, I can't make any promises

about what might happen.

But it wouldn't be my fault because I--

That's nonsense.

If I stay, it'll be for Mahmud.

Oh, what a liar I am.

What a liar your mother is.

Back in the corner.

In the corner.

No that's too far, bring it up.

N-No, to the right.

No, the other way.

No, that's too-- no, too much.

Perfect.

Thank you.

Man: Never in the history of Turkey

have I seen such a disgrace.

They say he does not use his harem at all,

and I believe them.

He has not even fathered one son.

What kind of a sultan do you call that?

The minute I turn my back, you eat all my food.

I'm sorry I married your sister.

Today, everything in French, all right?

( Speaking French )

It's none of your business.

Because I love you.

Always.

( speaks French )

- First? - ( speaks French )

More?

( speaks French )

Why won't you love me?

Thief. Thief!

I didn't take anything!

- Grab him! - I didn't take anything!

It was somebody else! Look in my pockets.

I didn't take anything! It was somebody else!

I didn't take anything! I didn't take--

( screaming )

Aimée, don't!

They cut off his hand. Why didn't you do something?

The boy was a thief.

He said he didn't take anything.

But what if he did? They cut off his hand!

Don't be a damn fool! There's nothing to be done!

You're the sultan, for God's sake.

Why didn't you stop them?

There's nothing we can do.

It's been this way for centuries.

( door opens, closes )

You're beautiful.

So are you.

It's not right.

You belong to Abdul Hamid.

Until you die, you belong to him.

( chuckles softly ) I don't belong to anybody.

I love you.

What's wrong?

I...

can't stop thinking about him.

Who?

Who?

That boy.

They have the right to do it.

The Janissaries guard the bazaar.

Nobody has the right to do that.

Destroy the cruelty. Get rid of them.

And how do you suggest that I do it, hmm?

My uncle tried.

So has every sultan for the past 200 years.

The Russians killed many with their guns.

Why can't you just get modern weapons like the Russians have?

Good, I'll ask the Russians for their guns.

Don't make fun of me!

You just ask the French. They have plenty of guns.

I don't really think this is a very good place

for you to be, do you?

You've already had a son by Abdul Hamid.

You can't very well have one by Selim, too,

not a legitimate one.

And Selim really ought to have a son.

He can have a son by anybody he wants.

Good.

You can help me pick her out.

( grunts angrily )

Get out of here!

Put me down!

( speaks French )

Why do I have to wear this ridiculous robe?

From His Majesty of France to Selim,

all-powerful sultan of the Ottomans,

greetings.

My name is Horace François Bastien Sébastiani.

I'm a general in the French army.

I've come at your request to bring you guns

and military knowledge.

Selim: Welcome, General Sébastiani.

( men shouting orders )

Sébastiani: We excel in every discipline.

Military...

Our army is--

I have to talk to you.

General Sébastiani is my guest.

Well, tell him to leave.

You shouldn't have come in here. Put on your veil!

What for? He's seen my face before.

Don't you recognize me?

Aimée.

Aimée du Buc de Rivéry.

We thought you were dead.

What in the world are you doing here?

He tried to seduce me once.

( clears throat )

What is it you have to tell me?

The Janissaries are going to kill you.

They want Mustafa to be sultan.

You burst in here to tell me that?

That's hardly news.

But they're really gonna do it this time.

You've got to stop them. He can help you.

Use his guns.

One cannon and 24 rifles?

What good is that?

The sultan is right, Aimée.

What I brought, it's only a sample.

Perhaps later, perhaps when I return.

They're going to kill Mahmud, too.

If you don't stop them now, it'll be too late.

I'll decide what I do and when I do it.

I see.

( door opens )

Isn't it amazing?

I knew her in France.

I want you to remember your place.

I'm afraid you're becoming too active,

too helpful in certain matters.

You involve yourself in political decisions,

you influence military strategy.

Behavior like that may be entirely proper

in other parts of the world, but let me remind you,

it is not proper here.

You are, after all, a slave...

and a woman.

( Turkish folk music playing )

Aimée: I don't care. Just do it.

I would like to dance.

Dance with me.

( chamber music playing )

The Lady Naksidil begs permission to enter.

Thank you for seeing me.

My countryman is leaving.

I'd like to wish him goodbye and give him some letters

to take home to my family and friends.

I could go and see him in secret,

but I'd rather not.

In my own country among my own people,

such a visit would be both proper and expected.

You're free to go anywhere you like, Aimée.

( speaks French )

Aimée.

I'm glad you came.

I have some letters with me for France.

Will you take them with you?

Of course.

Why don't you come with me?

It's a waste, your wearing a veil.

You don't belong here.

You should be with your own people.

Selim won't know you're gone until it's too late.

He can't stop you.

You don't want to spend the rest of your life with savages.

You'll be happier back home.

I might be.

Surely you're aware

that you have an attraction for me.

Yes, I am aware of that.

I think...

I also have an attraction for you.

We can leave now.

I'll go make arrangements.

Don't!

You-- you better give me back my letters.

Please don't tell anyone in France that you saw me here.

As far as all of you are concerned, I'm dead.

Aimée...

it's dangerous for you to stay here.

It's ridiculous.

You don't belong here.

You don't have to stay here.

No, you're right. I probably don't.

But I can't leave.

I didn't think you were coming back.

Neither did I.

Aimée...

Naksidil.

Come back here!

Catch me if you can!

Mahmud, you're gonna get me in trouble.

Then catch me, you acorn!

Wait up, Mahmud! You're crazy.

- You peanut! - Don't go up there.

You're crazy!

Don't run so fast, Mahmud!

- Come back here! - ( laughing )

( growls )

You'll never be a sultan doing things like this!

Oh, yes, I will, and you shall be my servant!

Oh, be careful!

( all shouting and chanting )

( shouting stops )

( angry shouting )

Don't you people have any sense of history?

This harem hasn't been violated in 300 years.

That's 1,000 years old!

You're bleeding on the rug!

Be careful with this vase!

Don't!

The Kizlar Aga is the most important person

in the empire.

After the sultan.

You've often told me so, haven't you, Tulip?

He must be given the courtesy to run for his life.

Run, Tulip.

Run.

The Janissaries have killed Tulip!

Hurry, hurry!

Stay with me, all of you.

We've come to protect you.

Come with us, nothing will happen.

You're wasting your time on me.

You want the sultan? I'm no longer the sultan.

Go find Mustafa and tell him the throne is his.

You don't want me. You want Mustafa.

He's the sultan now. Go find Mustafa!

Aimée: Why did you do that?

Why did you abdicate?

Man: He did this for you.

It would have been easier for him to die.

Very nice.

But I think you should put some silk on the walls

and have some crystal chandeliers.

Big ones.

Why did we bother locking them up?

Don't they have to be killed?

I suppose they do.

What do you think?

Wouldn't pale yellow be nice?

I'm sorry.

For what?

For not understanding what you did,

for doubting you.

You were right.

I should have done what you told me to do.

I waited too long.

I'm sorry.

( door crashes open )

Aimée: No!

Oh, my God.

Open the window, go!

Hurry!

No!

( thunder rumbles )

Allah, save me!

Mahmud: They'll kill us too.

No. We won't let them.

We're not ready to be killed yet, are we?

Sineperver: Come down.

We're sorry about what happened to Selim.

The Janissaries hated him but they don't hate you.

Come down. You'll be safe. Nobody will hurt you.

Sineperver: Mustafa will wait for you inside.

He'll be all alone.

I'm going in, out of the rain.

My son will wait for you.

See?

I'm all alone.

Come down.

I don't think you should.

I have no choice.

Come.

Tell them to leave.

You're the sultan now! Tell them to leave!

Woman: With the death of Mustafa,

the power of Sineperver was ended

and Aimée du Buc de Rivéry,

a French schoolgirl born in Martinique,

ruled the harem of the sultan of the Ottoman Empire

for the next 15 years.

I wanna confess.

I'm glad you're here

because I've committed a lot of sins.

I'm afraid of going to hell.

Aimée du Buc de Rivéry died in 1817.

The reign of her son, Sultan Mahmud II,

was to continue for an additional 14 years.

His rule was marked

by the destruction of the Janissaries,

and by internal reforms that brought new rights

and freedoms to his people.

Aimée du Buc de Rivéry lies buried in a tomb in Istanbul,

which is inscribed with the name given her

in the harem-- Naksidil,

ornament of the heart.

There is no other name on the tomb.