All language subtitles for LE DESERTEUR

FOR ODETTE

VIEWING THE SECOND WORLD WAR
AS A FOREIGN WAR

AIMED ONLY AT PROTECTING THE
INTERESTS OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE,

FRENCH CANADIANS MASSIVELY
REFUSED FORCED ENLISTMENT

IN THE CANADIAN ARMY.

AT THE OUTBREAK
OF HOSTILITIES,

WITH THE SUPPORT OF FEDERAL
LIBERAL MINISTERS IN OTTAWA,

THE PROVINCIAL LIBERALS
UNDER ADELARD GODBOUT

TOOK POWER IN QUEBEC

ON A PLATFORM OPPOSED
TO ANY FORM OF CONSCRIPTION.

Tomorrow, I'll go ask your dad.

A black, moonless night.

The city is quiet, motionless,

except for the civil-defence units
and war-effort factories.

SUMMER 1944

Asleep, these millions
of citizens

enjoy the hours of rest
they so well deserve.

Until suddenly...

the droning of air-raid sirens
tears through the night,

followed by a deep silence.

Then, far off
in the distance,

the muffled roar of AA guns
are heard.

Wait for me here.

Come on, Roger, it's much too early.
They don't want to see anyone.

My condolences, madam.

My name is Roger Vezina.
I work for a newspaper called The...

What do you want?

Mr. Guenette...

My name is Roger Vezina.

I'm editor-in-chief
of The Block newspaper.

I drove all the way from Montreal
to hear in your own words

what happened to your son.

You're tired. You probably
don't want to talk about it. But...

as you know, there are lots of rumours
and stories going around

about what happened.

I just want
to know the truth.

How do I know you're not
a fake and a liar?

It's Adelard Godbout and
Mackenzie King who are the liars.

They swore to your son,
on their honour,

that there would be
no conscription.

Everything you say to me,

every word,
will appear in my newspaper.

You can count on it.

THE DESERTER

"Last month, in Saint Lambert,
in the county of Levis,

"federal police murdered
a young conscript of 24

"named Georges Guenette.

"Was that young man
a French Canadian,

"gentlemen of the Liberal Party?

"Had the young man been mobilized
against his wishes?

"Did he make the fatal mistake
of taking your word?

"Did he trust your honour?

"You raised our youth
in fear and horror of conscription.

"Your oath, gentlemen,

"crowns 25 years of lies!

"Together, when we vote
in the elections on August 8,

"we will put an end to the
nightmare of the old parties

"and finally establish
a national-social regime

"that will treat men like men

"instead of hunting them down
like animals!"

OK, enough!

"Guenette's death is not
an isolated incident.

"It is a symbol."

"At Guenette's grave,

"the Liberals,
in their guilt,

"accuse Guenette,
the innocent victim."

"Guenette victim of traitors."

You see, Labonte,
we gotta do something!

This'll be on the desk of the editor
of every paper in the province

in three days.

The elections are in a week!

Two days, if you hurry.

The old man will never sign it.

We'll see.

SPRING 1942

Thanks.

Well...

Haven't you voted yet?

I'm going now.

So, Mom,
how was the plebiscite?

It didn't take long.
They sure don't stand on ceremony.

How did you vote?

That's none of your business.
It's a secret.

You'd better vote "No!"

Yeah, yeah...

You missed the Great War.

I know!

I remember in '1 7,

when they came for all the boys
in the parish and shipped 'em over.

It was a crime,
I tell you.

Leave him alone.
You're always lecturing him!

Georges Guenette.

- Here you are.
- Thanks.

"Are you in favour...

"of releasing the government

"from any obligations arising
out of any past commitments...

"restricting the methods
of raising men

"for military service?"

WINTER 1944

Hello, Mr. Neron.

What are you doing here, Georges?

I came...

I came to speak to you
about Berthe and me.

Are you asking me
for her hand in marriage, Georges?

We get along real well,
and we thought it was time that...

You know very well
it can't work.

She thought it was a good idea
for me to come see you.

Don't insist, Georges.
Don't insist.

Whoa!

You, soldiers,

defenders of our homesteads,

our churches and villages,

you are Canada's
second line of defence.

Welcome, sir.

Our first line is overseas,

fighting the enemy to make sure
he never reaches our shores.

But if by misfortune
he should succeed,

you are here
to stop him in his tracks.

But the day is coming
when you, too,

will be required to leave,

to fight,
far from home,

in order to spare your families
the horrors of war.

Today's young men are privileged.

They are called to serve
under the flag in a new crusade.

In Europe,

thousands of souls in distress
cry out to heaven.

We cannot let them die.

Though some of us must fall,

is there a more glorious death...

than to give one's life
for freedom?

The freedom of others.

What's wrong?

His girl got married.

How can I get
to the next village?

You have to go by sleigh.
I can take you there.

Know where I can find Herve Plante?

The horse is tired.
Wait for me here.

Take 'em off!

In case of other sleighs.
The road's narrow.

Take off those bells.
I know your tricks!

Come on, come on...

OK, louder.

Well, now!

Look who's here!

Lieutenant Guenette!

Aside from you,
did anyone else see what happened?

Some neighbours came round
when they heard the shots.

They were
in the entrance there.

He jumped from up there?

Yes.

OK. Don't move.

Take one of him by himself.

If you could just
stand more over here.

Hi, Dad.

What are you doing here?
Are you on leave?

Where's your uniform?

Georges!

What's wrong?

Nothing.

What do you mean?

You said you wouldn't be back
till St. Jean's Day.

Answer me!

I left the army.

What?

They didn't just let you leave.

You didn't run away?

Damn it, are you out of your mind?

This is for you.

What is it?

How long have you been gone?

Don't worry.
I have a place.

What are you going to do?

Stop, that's enough.

You'd best be getting back.
Your friends must be worried.

If I don't chop the wood,
who will?

Dad would gladly suffer another spell
just to make me feel bad.

Mind your manners!

If you knew how he worries
about you, you wouldn't say that.

That's enough now. Stop.

Tell him I'll be back
to finish the job.

You take care.

Whoa!

Is Herve Plante here?

Is he inside?

Herve Plante?

Is that your name?

It says here
you were sent three notices

telling you to present yourself
at the army training camp in Levis.

No way I'm going to march.

Get dressed.
Pack your things.

I told you, I'm not going.
I'm staying here.

Come on, Herve!

Get dressed and come along.

Mr. Plante, tell your boy
to come along.

He's old enough
to make up his own mind.

Do you want me to take you
in your long johns?

Go away!
Leave me alone!

Tell him to stop his nonsense.

Leave him alone!
He doesn't want to go.

I see.

He doesn't want to.

Get off me!

Take 'em off!
Take 'em off, you bastard!

Take 'em off me!

Take 'em off.

Go back to the village.

Go to a phone and ask to speak
to RCMP headquarters in Quebec City.

Whoa, whoa.

Fontaine?

- What is it?
- Come here!

What do you want?

I just drove a copper
to old man Plante's.

What? Was Herve there?

There was a tussle.
He cuffed him.

You were supposed to put
on the bells, you dolt!

Don't talk to me like that. I know.

He made me change the harness.
He's no idiot.

- Is Lemieux at his pa's?
- No.

What about Bernard?

They came Sunday,
him and Morin.

- OK.
- Hold on.

I warned you.
It's out of my hands now.

Give me a lift to Morin's.

I'm not headed that way.
I'm going back to the village.

Why, what's the rush?

I have to call the cops
in Quebec City.

How come?

He told me to.

Have you gone over
to the other side?

A cop tells me
to do something, I do it.

I don't want to be
in trouble, like you.

You'd be here, too, if your father
hadn't arranged a discharge.

Shit!

Giddyup.

Drop that.
Come on, move!

OK, guys, put on your masks.

You can't go in.
Come back later.

We just want
to talk to Herve.

He can't see you now.

Go away.

We just want to talk to him.
You can't stop us.

Your friend there...

I have a warrant for him...

under the mobilization law.

Beat it!
Herve wasn't home.

Tell your bosses that!

Tell me...

Roland Fontaine and Rene Morin...

have you seen them?

Or Placide Lemieux?
Edmond Bernard?

Get off me! Let go!

Stop! Have you gone crazy?

Beat it! Get going!

Get going!

For six months,
people kept telling me

I was fortunate that a man like him
wanted to marry me...

that I was just a poor girl...

that I'd never get
a better offer.

Are you still with me?

You OK?

They could've waited, damn it!

You'll get better eventually.

They preferred to pay you
your meagre pension than your salary

while you recover.

The investigation's going nowhere.

The boy you went to arrest,
there's no word of him.

His description was given
to the Provincial Police in Levis,

but those guys don't
seem too concerned.

It's pretty obvious.
They're kids from Saint Lambert.

They come from farms around there,
and hide out in the woods.

Look...

I'm in charge of the case now.

For three months I've been begging
to be on the investigation.

It won't drag on much longer.
I'll do whatever it takes.

Maybe it's true old man Plante
doesn't know those bums...

But the guy with the sleigh,
he's the same age as them!

Don't tell me that he...

They already questioned him.

Sure, and treated him
with kid gloves, too, I bet.

The boy doesn't want any trouble.

He won't rack his brains
to remember.

Don't do anything
that could get you in trouble.

Anyway, what'll it change?

I won't be here much longer.

That's just it!
It's a question of justice!

The guys who did this to you
deserve to pay.

Not just for you,
it's for the force.

See how the force treated me?

Take this.

You're as skinny as a rake.

If I left,
would you come with me?

We'd go down to the States.

Wait!

- I'm sorry!
- Keep it.

I can't.
What will you tell them?

You say there were three policemen
in the house.

Where was the fourth?

He stayed outside,
next to the chicken coop.

You'd never seen those policemen?

Never.

Aside from the day before.

Go behind the buildings.
You, watch the front door.

Joseph Guenette?

Himself.

We're looking for Georges Guenette.

Is he here?

He's in the army.

Do you take us for fools?

I don't know where he is.

Search the house!

Savard!

I won't be long.

Old man, where's your son?

We're looking for him
in connection with

the savage attack of a policeman
last winter here in Saint Lambert.

Do you know what can come
from lying to the police?

When you hear from your son,
tell him we're looking for him.

Where is Georges Guenette?

Guenette?

Been a while since
we've seen him around here.

Let's go!

My God, what happened here?

Help me.

Wait.

Straighten the mattress. Hurry!

OK, we'll stop after this batch.

Guys, guys!

Hide!

Anybody home?
Guys, are you here?

Guys, it's me!

What do you want?

Where are you?

Who's that?

It's Larochelle's boy.

What's going on?

Is Guenette here?
I have to talk to him!

What is it?

Aren't the sons of farmers
supposed to be exempt?

No, that's just it.

His father, Joseph,

he doesn't own enough land or livestock
to be considered a farmer.

These fields here all belong to me.

So they came for his son
to send him to war.

And the boy couldn't
just abandon his parents.

Lord, no!
He was a good lad.

No, them folk don't have a cent.

Joseph was poorly all his life.

He was never fit for hard work.

We had to group together
to collect the money

for a proper funeral for his boy.

At first, naturally, he refused,
said he could pay,

but he finally listened to reason.

Mr. Larochelle...

In your view,
was Georges Guenette dangerous?

- Come off it!
- No!

Never!

So the police had no reason
to take out their revolvers?

None whatsoever!

If they hadn't been cowards,

they could've arrested him
without gunfire.

How so?

There was a whole gang of them.

And you see how open
the fields are around here?

He couldn't get very far.

They're nothing
but cold-blooded murderers!

- Write that in your paper!
- Fernand!

Next time they come
to Saint Lambert, we'll show 'em!

"Hail Mary, full of grace..."

"Hail Mary, full of grace..."

- Who's there?
- It's me.

My boy, you gave me a fright.

How's Dad?

He's fine.

What? The doctor warned him
his next spell could be his last.

He's better, he's better.

Those bastards!

Taking it out on you
when it's me they're after!

The Gagnons finally paid
for their wood. This will help you.

You're lying to my face.

We know what you do
out in that cabin of yours!

Come on, Mom?
Don't you believe me?

That's moonshine money!

Take it. You don't have that much.

I'm not going to hide like this
for 10 years!

But, Son, you have to hold on
a bit longer.

The war will end one day.

Father Stephane said so!

Of course he'd say that.

Before, people were grumbling,
but now everyone's happy.

Nobody wants the old days
to come back.

You're talking nonsense.

It's only us folk
who always fare badly.

This is the Good Lord's plan for us.

I hate it when you talk like that.

Like we were powerless
to take our own lives in hand.

Hurry up, eat!

I'm going to turn myself in
to the army.

Shh! What are you saying?

That way they'll leave you in peace.

So you can get killed
in the old country?

What for?

I don't want you to have
any more troubles cause of me.

I couldn't stand it if they came
10 times like at the Fontaines'.

You're all we have, my boy.

Think of your dad.

I didn't mean it, Mom.

But I miss you.
I miss being home.

...Other planes followed.

Immediately the order
was given to open fire.

In less than a minute, the anti-aircraft
batteries came into action.

A merciless barrage of explosions
lit up the sky,

making it impossible
for the bombers to get closer.

You'll now hear part of the barrage

as recorded
by CBC soundman Lloyd Buhr.

It's been months since
anyone talked about conscription.

It's all bravery and victory.

This Guenette story
couldn't come at a better time.

People will be scandalized.

Think so?

I'm not so sure.

The war has reopened all
the factories and workshops,

the naval yards in Levis.

It's keeping these farmers alive.

It's taken 10 years
for the province

to get over the Depression of 1930.

Not sure that the problems
of a few conscripts

will make people want
to give that up.

Yes, but people forget that

the country is more in debt
than ever before.

No point in winning the war
if we're worse off than the losers!

I know, Alphonse.

I get the sense that people here
are tired of martyrs.

They're hungry for heroes.

And the warships bring back
dozens of those every day

to Halifax and Quebec City.

It can't be.

That's what they said.

You must have misunderstood.

Look, genius...

You're wanted by the police.

They won't send you to war,
but to prison!

You don't believe them, do you?

I was still in the barracks
in February, remember?

I couldn't have beaten up
that policeman.

- Then how did they get your name?
- How do I know?

Keep it down!

What's going on?

Everything's fine, Mother.

Anyway...

all you can do is hide out
and let 'em forget about you

as long as possible.

Just lie low a bit.

Leave your two bootleggers.

Find yourself another place.

I'm sure Amedee will take you on
this summer at the mill.

I'll have to earn
more money than that.

It's not with your chickens

and the few dollars Mom earns doing
housework that'll keep you afloat.

We've always managed!

Dad, even with the odd jobs I did,
we never managed.

It's not going to be easier now
at your age.

I may not bury you,
but I'm not dead either.

If only you'd married
the Neron girl!

Who'll have you now?
You've got to think of your future.

All I can leave you...

is this little patch of land
and my debts.

Like they say,

you inherit misery from your father
and pass it on to your children.

If you want to know, the Neron girl,
it's not because I didn't try.

What do you mean?

Forget it.

Spit it out!

Before leaving for the army,

I asked her father for her hand.

He said no?

Why?

You know why.

Look at us.
Look at the lives we lead.

Anyway, forget it.

The future's the last of my worries.
I don't know what I'll do tomorrow!

- Hold on.
- I have to go.

I don't want
to get back to camp too late.

Wait.

I have to go to the village.

We're low on a few things
for tonight.

Jesus Christ!

I understand the situation you're in.

I bet...

Listen, a man with a family

will be lame and impotent
for the rest of his life!

I don't remember.
I only caught a glimpse of them.

They were running away
when I got there.

Stop lying to me!

They were wearing scarves
and winter jackets.

What can I tell you?

It'll stay between you and me.
No one will ever know.

It'll come out.
Here it always comes out.

In the police,
when somebody helps us,

we protect him.

We make sure there are no problems.

I maybe recognized one of them.

Who?

What's his name?

Guenette.

Joseph?

Lizotte, cover the window.

- Joseph?
- Massicotte, go in back.

Open up or I'll break the door down!

Stop!

He escaped out the window.
Catch him!

There he is!
He's going into those woods!

Go, Savard!
I'm right behind.

OK, Lizotte!
I have him.

Go, go, go! Faster!

- Go, go!
- Guys, I have him!

OK, OK! I see him!

Stop where you are!

Guys, he's there! He's there!

Stop or I'll shoot!

Come on, come on!
Catch him!

Stop!

Stop!

My boy!

- Don't let him escape!
- Stop!

Don't shoot!

Georges?

Georges, Georges, Georges, Georges.

"It is wrong, deeply wrong,

"to involve the name of my son
in a political debate.

"It is cowardly and vile

"to drag into public

"the tragedy
that has struck my family.

"The two federal policemen
who shot my son

"are the only people responsible
for my son's death.

"And they will be judged
in court next fall.

"It is reckless to accuse
the Honourable Adelard Godbout

"for something
that is a federal matter.

"In the name of simple decency,

"I beg that this poor boy stop
being used for political reasons,

"when his untimely death
has nothing to do

"with the provincial government.

"I have but one wish,
and that is to be left in peace.

"Saintt Lambert, August 4, 1944."

$100, $200, $300.

Sign here, Mr Guenette!
You're starving to death.

It's your wisest choice.

You just have to
sign your name here.

You've made the right decision, sir.

No one will ever know
about the money.

Madame...

They still won't win
their damned elections!

Did you see that?

She must have known him well.
You should get her to talk.

No.

Leave her alone.

THIS FILM IS LOOSELY BASED
ON THE EVENTS SURROUNDING

THE DEATH OF
GEORGES GUENETTE, ON MAY 7,

IN SAINT LAMBERT DE LEVIS,
SOUTH OF QUEBEC CITY.

TWO OF THE POLICEMEN
THE FILM IS BASED ON,

RCMP CONSTABLES FERNAND SAVARD
AND ROGER LIZOTTE,

WERE FOUND GUILTY OF THE
SECOND-DEGREE MURDER

OF GUENETTE.

THIS SENTENCE
WAS UPHELD ON APPEAL,

BUT OVERTURNED
BY THE SUPREME COURT OF CANADA

ON NOVEMBER 28, 1945.

IN THE PROVINCIAL ELECTIONS
OF AUGUST 8, 1944,

ADELARD GODBOUT'S GOVERNMENT
WAS DEFEATED.

THE BLOC POPULAIRE,

THE PARTY WITH WHICH
ROGER VEZINA WAS AFFILIATED,

WON ONLY FOUR SEATS.

MAURICE DUPLESSIS'S
UNION NATIONALE TOOK POWER,

HOLDING ON TO IT
FOR THE NEXT 15 YEARS.

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