Original subtitles

MASSACRE IN MONTSOU MINERS IN MONTSOU DEADLY RIOTS

THE TERROR

MONTSOU, THE MASSACRE

I couldn't even carry him to his grave.

That's nice.

It's not for us.

How much do they pay for that?

Five sous each.

You know they sell them for 50?

We have to eat.

It will never end.

The bosses will always be bosses.

And we'll always be slaves.

What about tomorrow?

We go back to the mine as if nothing happened?

No, never.

It would be like killing Maheu again.

I'll go.

You can't do that. We can always hope...

Stop dreaming.

The truth is that we lost.

Following these tragic events,

the company decided to grant two days' mourning

to all its workers.

In addition, we have withdrawn the charges against the prisoners

and granted a general amnesty.

Whatever their level of involvement, all workers will be re-hired.

Today, there are no longer bosses and workers.

There are only men and women,

victims of unspeakable violence,

who weep for their dead.

From tomorrow, we must return to work.

We need to rebuild, together, hand in hand.

I know that it's what the deceased would have wished.

Thank you.

How dare you speak for the dead?

They gave their lives for their rights and you massacred them like animals.

You killed my daughter, you bastards!

- Stop. - Justice for the martyrs!

Gentlemen, don't let yourselves be blinded by grief.

The company did everything to avoid the use of force.

We made dozens of offers, in many forms,

even when the strikers sabotaged Jean-Bart,

intimidated those who wanted to work,

and even when my own family was threatened.

That's a lie. That's a lie and you know it.

You had Bressan sent from Paris to use violence against us.

He even tried to murder me. Did you know that?

Did you know that? You can write that.

Enough. All Mr Bressan did, as head of security,

was protect the company's property and employees.

And he acted in an entirely moderate manner.

Moderate? Moderate, sir?

What about Maheu and La Mouquette?

I vouch for him.

You deplore violence, but it's you demanding more blood

while that of the victims is still warm.

I'll kill you!

I'll kill you!

- Let me go! - It's all right!

- Leave him! - Let go of him.

All right.

I sent to Pluchart to organise the continuation of the movement.

You haven't understood. There is no movement now.

The bosses are laughing at you.

We won't be bullied.

It's too late, Étienne.

The whole village wants to go back to work.

They think you've only made them poorer.

If you restart the strike they'll go for you.

Do you think the same?

You want to give up?

- After all we've suffered? - The opposite!

We want to hit back.

Jeanlin is watching Bressan. We won't lose sight of him.

You want to murder him?

- You can't be serious. - Don't you think he deserves it?

There's not a single night when I don't dream of butchering him!

- We've had enough deaths. - Shit, Étienne!

If we'd killed him before, my daughter would be alive.

You see where retreating has got us?

You've put these ideas in their heads.

It's nothing to do with me.

They've lost loved ones. They're hungry and tired.

They need a victory.

If you have the guts for it.

We'll wait for Pluchart's reply and then decide.

Is that clear? In the meantime, don't make trouble.

Thank you.

- Congratulations. - Thank you.

Have you read the papers?

Your speech completely discredited that Lantier bastard.

I mainly saved our reputation.

Now answer my question.

Why are you still here?

I find the air in the region invigorating.

I'm not joking.

Our employers sent me here to get operations restarted.

Until coal is in production again, I'm keeping an eye on you.

The last thing our employers need

is an article about your depravities in the local brothels.

I'm helping the local economy and everyone's happy.

Friends and relatives.

Cécile and I would like to thank you for being here.

You all know that recent months have been intense, to say the least.

And in such a storm one must keep to one's course.

In this respect, I particularly pay tribute to my uncle.

Whether it be in my personal or professional life,

he has always been a great support

and a role model.

And I will also need him in facing the ultimate adventure of marriage.

Sir. There's someone to see you. He says you're expecting him from Lille.

Thank you.

- And now a toast! - To future happiness.

To future happiness.

To future happiness.

- Are you sure? - As I see you here.

Let's go.

- Over here. - I hide nothing from my comrades.

We've been waiting for your reply while you collude with the bosses.

- I'm negotiating. - What are you negotiating?

Becoming a deputy or a council member?

I'm negotiating for the movement, for the workers.

This went much too far.

Public opinion has turned against us. Who can blame them?

A shopkeeper murdered, a soldier butchered.

Do you realise what shit the movement is in now?

You were my protégé, Étienne. I told them about you in Lille, Paris, London.

- I took risks... - I don't care about your reputation!

We were shot at! What would you do about it?

None of this would have happened if you'd kept me informed.

We could have used Bressan's actions

to put pressure on the bosses, to gain support from the public.

But no... You decided everything alone.

You wanted the victory to be in your name.

You sacrificed the cause for your vanity!

And now across the country

the miners of Le Voreux are just a bunch of bloodthirsty savages.

And you, who could have been a guide, a light,

here you are now...

the leader of a pack of dogs.

One more thing.

From now on, please don't claim to be part of the International.

We still believe in you.

Thank you, Rose. You can turn down the bed.

It's already done, sir.

Bastard!

You've nothing clever to say now?

He's all yours.

I knew you hadn't got the balls.

You're just a cry-baby, Lantier.

I saw that when you begged me to spare you.

Did you tell your men how you pissed yourself that night?

How you...

Don't worry.

You helped me with mine, I'll help you with yours.

We must dismantle it completely.

Absolutely. Let's do it.

Gentlemen, the priority before the workers return is Le Voreux,

not the Jean-Bart engines.

But they can be quickly repaired and we'll produce more coal here.

Would you leave me alone with Mr Deneulin for a moment?

I said alone.

I don't like you challenging my orders, Victor.

Yes, of course. I shouldn't have spoken in front of them.

Not in front of them or ever.

I give orders, you execute them. Is that clear?

And I want the workers you stole at Le Voreux.

Chaval, Desmaret, Jubeau, Barataud. You know the list.

What are you doing?

Are you leaving?

Listen...

I don't want to be a burden.

I've been enough of one.

So I'll go into town and find a job. Anything.

When I have a few sous, I'll send them.

I won't abandon you.

You know that, don't you?

Are you going now?

Tomorrow, at dawn.

Don't you want to sleep here?

No.

It's better this way.

It's like being in a Jules Verne novel. Journey to the Centre of the Earth.

For that, we'd have to go down.

- What are we waiting for? - Seriously?

It would be an unusual honeymoon.

No.

- What? - No, we wouldn't be safe.

Of course. Safety first.

Will you show me the offices?

Can I spend the night here?

I'll leave at dawn.

OK, guys, we're closing.

What? You're not chucking us out because of this rat?

Come on, come on. Don't make a fuss.

Go home.

Do you think someone was spying on us?

I'm going.

Bressan is dead and buried.

- There's nothing for me here. - Bressan is nobody.

Like Hennebeau, Deneulin. They're all just pawns.

You can kill them.

There will always be others.

What about me?

Am I a pawn?

You, Rasseneur, Pluchart...

You get intoxicated with your grand speeches.

You're just fighting about the colour of your cell walls.

I swear, Souvarine,

if I hear once more your refrain on the destruction of the system...

You'd rather I talk about equality, justice, the distribution of wealth?

All your verbose concepts repeated to poor, exhausted miners.

After 10 hours slaving, they had you going on at them with your nonsense.

But we tried to change the world.

Maybe we were too conceited,

too naive, or too stupid,

but at least we tried.

But what have you done, Souvarine?

Apart from laughing and saying the system must be destroyed,

what have you done?

You'll find out soon enough, my friend.

What are you talking about?

How to destroy the system.

You can't have done that! What about the people who went down?

Pawns, Étienne. Just pawns.

This isn't coal. It's just rocks.

You can't send this up. Get rid of this shit.

Are you kidding? The wagon's fine.

Who's the foreman? You or me?

If I say it's not coal, it's not coal!

Get rid of this shit, or you'll lose your wages.

What's his problem?

Me.

Look out...

Dansaert! Dansaert!

Dansaert! You must evacuate the mine!

- Dansaert! - What's he doing here?

- You must evacuate the mine now! - Stop him!

- He's making trouble again. - Boot him out.

Dansaert! Souvarine has sabotaged the mine.

Everyone must come back up. Now!

- Lies. You just want to stop the mine. - You couldn't find anything better.

You must believe me, Dansaert.

- Tie him to the pillar. - No!

We'll teach him to play tricks.

Let me go! Comrades! Evacuate the mine! Listen to me.

- What's going on? - It's Lantier. He stinks of booze.

Souvarine has sabotaged the mine.

- Souvarine? - He's an engine operator.

- Where is he? - I don't know. I haven't seen him.

He swore to destroy the system. That's why he sabotaged the mine.

Négrel, everyone must come up or they'll die down there.

We'll bring everyone up.

- It's rubbish. - We can't take the risk.

We'll warn the foremen one by one.

I don't want a stampede.

You can't do that!

- Come on, Dansaert. There's no time! - Let go of me.

Go on.

It's leaking.

The lift.

- Out of the way. - Don't panic.

Men, please. Women and children first. This way.

Let them through. Let them through!

Go on, stand back.

Stay here. Stay here! Women and children!

Evacuate the mine!

We're evacuating. Go back up.

Run to the lift. The mine's flooding. Hurry!

Leave your picks! Hurry!

Catherine!

- Go with the others. - What's going on?

The mine's flooding. We must go, quickly!

Stand back! Stand back!

Let her through! Stand back!

Let her through! Let the child through!

Stand back!

Stand back!

The emergency shaft!

Everyone to the emergency shaft! Follow me!

- Stand back. - Why can't we come in?

Let us in.

We need to find our children.

Please. I don't know where my husband is.

Please. My child is there.

We have orders.

I don't know.

Excuse me. What's going on?

I don't know.

- I want to see my husband. - Stand back.

- You must know something. - I don't.

Open up!

All this is you!

- Chaval, don't be stupid. - Antoine, we must go. Antoine!

Stop it, Chaval!

Stop! Stop!

Étienne.

- Are you all right? - Yes.

Come on.

This way.

Move the infirmary outside the site.

Warn the dispensary in Marchiennes. There'll be injured. Get out!

Tell the priest too. Paul!

There are still dozens of people down there.

You did the right thing. Without you they'd be dead.

Heavens above! What happened?

The tubbing was sabotaged.

My God! Are there men down there?

We're getting some out.

We're making a list, but the death toll will be terrible.

Right. Paul, you take charge of the rescue operations.

Victor, you estimate the damage and repair time.

I must send in the figures.

Philippe, the tubbing has given way. There is no mine.

Hold on to me.

- Has anyone seen my husband? - Seen my brother?

- What's your name? - Émile.

Did all your team come up?

- Marcel is still down there. - Marcel. Just one person?

We need help here!

- It's moving. - What's happening?

Get back.

Get back!

Get back! Get back!

Go, go!

Antoine Chaval, Frédéric Dernis,

Alphonse Gobet, Muriel Prêcheux,

Sylvain Beuringue, Fabien Mallet,

Catherine Maheu, François Cresson,

Jeanne Secrétan, Robert Sauveur.

73 missing.

And Étienne Lantier.

- That makes 74. - What?

He's the one who warned us. And he went down without hesitation.

Without him, we'd all be down there.

All of us.

The only possible way in is via Le Réquillart.

Le Réquillart is closed. It'll take days.

We have no choice.

I need all volunteers.

We'll supply equipment and rations. We start immediately.

Right. All volunteers report to me now.

Dansaert.

I heard you refused to go down to warn the men.

I had to organise the rescue at the surface.

Leave your cards when you leave. We don't need you.

- I need 20 strong volunteers. - Me.

We're continuing to house them and heat the houses for free.

And they've had advances on their wages.

After all this tragedy, we cannot shirk our duty of charity.

Your duty of charity?

We have always stood beside the miners.

That's enough.

- Here. This is for you. - Thank you.

- Here. - What is it?

- It's rice. - Thank you.

- Here. - Thank you.

- May I have another? - Yes.

Thank you.

Alzire?

Is that you, Alzire?

No, I'm Cécile Grégoire.

I let myself in. I brought you some sugar.

Are you all right?

Catherine...

It's over...

It's over.

I'm sorry.

I...

I wanted to save her.

I know.

Excuse me.

Étienne!

What are you doing? You can't go back down.

I can't leave.

I can't abandon you.

There are all the others. We fought together.

I can't leave when I know my friends are dying down there.

- I've seen too much to run away. - You think that will help them?

Will it help them if you die down there with them?

Will it make the wagons lighter?

If you really want to help us, go.

And continue to fight for those who can't.

The destitute, the starving.

Those who paid with their blood.

Go, and tell them in Paris.

Tell them how we live here.

Tell them what they burn in their fireplaces isn't coal,

it's our husbands, our children.

We'll die here. It doesn't matter.

It doesn't matter. It's our destiny.

But your destiny is to make sure that the employers can't sleep easy,

that they know that workers can't be pushed around any more,

and that an army is rising.