Original subtitles

Look at what you're doing.

Be careful, you clod.

What is the matter with this country?

I have found more civilization crossing the Gobi Desert.

My only pleasure in arriving at this misbegotten village

is to be rid of you.

No one has insulted Rosa Montebello as you have,

no one, you hear? No one.

To the stupid, dull, ignorant women

of your country you may be a gentleman,

but to me you are nothing but a... A farmer.

A bisonte, a clod!

Well, what are you standing there for, fool?

Help them.

Do not think you have heard the end of this.

The whole world will know

how you have treated Rosa Montebello.

American men.

Hi, Artie.

Artie.

Artie!

Jim!

Hey, buddy.

Ha-ha. How are you? Let me look at you, will you?

Oh, you look great, just great.

Well, you look pretty... Oh, wait a minute.

I can't hear a word you're saying. Hold on.

Now, what?

I was saying you look great yourself.

Oh, I don't know how that could be.

I tell you, I feel as though I've spent the last four days

inside a bass drum with ten men pounding on it.

Artie, who was that woman?

Oh, that was no woman. That was Rosa Montebello.

That name sounds familiar.

Yeah, opera.

Oh, of course, the famous Italian diva.

That's the one.

What's she doing in your car?

You better help yourself to a little wine.

I tell you this is a long story.

First of all,

La Bella Montebello happens to be the niece

of the minister from Italy.

In the second place, President Grant found out

that you were gracious enough to send the car up,

pick me up in Washington,

deliver me down here to New Orleans,

and in the third place, by a happy coincidence,

Miss Montebello happened to be booked

to sing in New Orleans,

so, naturally the, uh, president suggested

that it might be a very nice gesture on my part

if I just kind of gave her a ride down here.

Of course, I agreed.

James, from the minute that woman set foot on this car,

life has been absolute purgatory.

"The food wasn't good, the train was too noisy,

the wine was too cold, the wine wasn't cold enough."

She did nothing but scold, complain,

scream, yell, nag, nag, nag.

I may have nightmares about her for as long as I live.

Well, Artie, at least you're rid of her now.

Oh, I wish that were true.

You mean you're not rid of her?

The president suggested that in view

of the delicate negotiations between Washington and Italy,

it might be a very nice thing on my part

if I would act as official escort

to Miss Montebello during her three days down here

in New Orleans, and I have to start tonight,

taking her to the opera house

for her performance in Lucia di Lammermoor.

I come all the way

across your miserable country, and what do I find?

Nobody here to greet me.

Arriving at this miserable village.

My luggage has gone on ahead. The carriage is late.

So that is Rosa Montebello.

The beloved Montebello.

Is everything ready

at the opera house for tonight?

Yes.

Very well. I've seen enough.

Drive on.

Oh, and then there was this daughter

of this congressman from Arkansas.

From Arkansas.

Oh, I learned a great deal from her

about Arkansas.

It's a very progressive state.

You have no idea.

Excuse me.

Yes?

I have a letter for Mr. Artemus Gordon

from Governor Turnbull's office. Will you sign for it, please?

Yeah, sure.

Thank you very much. Thank you.

Ah, thank you, Jim.

I wonder what the governor wants.

"My dear Mr. Gordon,

"I have just learned of your arrival in New Orleans,

"and Mrs. Turnbull and I would consider it a great honor

"if you would attend a small dinner party

"in honor of our daughter Nancy

"to whom you were so kind

"during her recent visit to Washington.

"We will look forward to seeing you

at the executive mansion at 8:00..."

What's the matter, Artie?

The... The dinner's tonight.

Well, that's... That's too bad, Artie.

Here I have to give up a dinner with Nancy Turnbull

at the executive mansion in order to escort

Rosa Montebello to the grand opera,

and all you can say is "That's too bad"?

Oh, you're a real pal. Thank you.

Oh, that's too much.

I'm as patriotic as the next man,

but there are some sacrifices

that nobody should be asked to make for his country.

This is rubbing salt in my wounds.

Artie, why don't I take Miss Montebello

to the opera in your place tonight?

Hey, do you mean that?

You really mean you'd beard that female Genghis Khan

in her own den, and after you've seen...

Boy, you really are a pal.

There's just one thing.

I mean, uh, what if the president finds out,

you know, after he told me specifically to look after her?

I don't think the president would want you to risk

insulting the governor of Louisiana, either, do you?

You're right. You're absolutely right.

Oh, what can I say?

What can anyone say at a time like this?

You are a brave man, James,

and a true-blue friend,

and I'll never forget you for this, never. Never.

Uh, Artie, uh, I'd better dress before you have me in tears.

James,

you are a truly great man.

Go. Go now.

What is the meaning of this? Why has the curtain come down?

The performance is over, signorina.

Bring her along. Hurry!

Ah!

The ring.

The ring.

The ring? What about the ring?

How are you, colonel? Nice seeing you.

Yeah, fine, Jim. If you're looking for Artie,

he's on his way to see Miss Montebello

to tell her she's still in protective custody.

I don't envy him that job.

Oh, on this ring you gave me,

there is a code on the inside band.

It's in Italian,

"Ordine de Lucia."

Order of Lucia. Lucia, that's the role

that Rosa Montebello sang last night.

Come in.

Oh, Miss Collingwood, come in, come in.

Miss Collingwood is the secretary

to the chief of our bureau here in New Orleans.

This is, uh, Jim West, Miss Collingwood.

It's a pleasure meeting you, Miss Collingwood.

Thank you.

The local police have finally identified

the man who was killed last night.

He was Pierre Deluc.

He's been employed at the opera house for years.

He's in charge of wardrobe

and fills in as a supernumerary when needed.

Anything else?

Nothing. No home address, no friends or relatives.

Then all we know about him is he was a member

of the Order of Lucia here in New Orleans.

The Order of Lucia? That's strange.

What's strange?

Well, something has happened to every diva who's sung

Lucia di Lammermoor at that theater in the last five years.

Specifically?

There have been three. Two have disappeared.

Disappeared?

Vanished completely without a trace,

and now the attempt to kidnap Rosa Montebello.

Anyway, a lot of people believe

that the opera house is haunted

by the ghosts of the missing divas.

A ridiculous superstition, of course.

Of course.

Pierre Deluc was apparently a member of that order.

Do you know where we can find any other members?

Yes, you could try the Club Musique on Royal Street.

It's sort of a gathering place for singers.

I'd better head over there, colonel.

Would you have Artie meet me there, please?

Uh, Jim, I'm afraid you'll have to do without Artie.

President Grant made it quite clear that he wants Artie

to escort the great Montebello personally.

So?

Well, there's a reception being given

in her honor tonight,

a reception being given by someone named Crenshaw.

At Willow Manor? The Crenshaw brothers?

Well, yes, that's right. Why?

I don't know,

just some strange rumors about one of them.

About one of the brothers.

Do you think it's safe to let her attend?

I think New Orleans would be declared

a disaster area if we tried to keep her away.

Well, from what I've heard about Miss Montebello's feelings

towards the Secret Service in general

and Mr. Gordon in particular,

he may save New Orleans, but what about himself?

Well, I don't think you have anything to worry about.

He's indicated he has a solution.

Max, darling.

Rosa Montebello, welcome to Willow Manor.

Thank you. May I present my escort,

Colonel Vladislav Dirasha, the Duke of Corba.

Mr. Max Crenshaw.

An honor, sir.

Is it not a charming house, Vladislav?

Hm? Oh, yes, yes.

Yes, it reminds me of my gardener's cottage,

uh, in my estate outside of Budapest,

but of course this is much, uh, smaller.

♪ He's gone ♪

♪ He wants another ♪

♪ How I long ♪

♪ To discover ♪

♪ How a love ♪

♪ Once given freely ♪

♪ Oh ♪

♪ It turns to stone ♪

♪ Leaving me ♪

♪ In misery ♪

Another wine, monsieur?

Yes, please, and an introduction.

An introduction?

Yeah, that's right.

I'd like to meet some of the members

of the Order of Lucia.

The Order of Lucia, monsieur?

I do not believe any of the gentlemen

are here this evening, monsieur.

Well, I'll wait.

Maybe one of them will come in.

Who are you,

and where did you get that ring?

Well, my name is James West,

and I'm not sure I know what ring you're talking about.

Please do not play games.

The ring you showed Armad.

I got that ring off a dead man's body.

He was killed at the opera house last night.

Pierre Deluc.

You know him?

He was my uncle.

Well, my sympathies, Miss...

Angelique.

May I have the ring, Mr. West?

Why do you want it?

He was my only relative. I'd like it as a keepsake.

Angelique, did you know that your uncle

was involved in a plot to kidnap Rosa Montebello?

May I have the ring, Mr. West?

Did you know about that kidnapping plot?

No.

No, not about that.

About what, then?

Only that my uncle

was involved in something wrong,

something he didn't want to do.

He was afraid, I could tell,

but he wouldn't talk about it.

We can't talk here.

Then where?

The opera house. There's no performance tonight.

I'll meet you there at 10:00.

Ten o'clock.

♪ Buffalo gal ♪

♪ Won't you come out tonight? ♪

♪ Come out tonight? Come out tonight? ♪

♪ Buffalo gal Won't you come out tonight ♪

♪ And dance By the light of the moon? ♪

♪ Oh, buffalo gal Won't you come out tonight? ♪

♪ Come out tonight? Come out tonight? ♪

♪ Buffalo gal Won't you come out tonight? ♪

♪ Gonna dance By the light of the moon ♪

Hey, you sing pretty good.

Yeah, you play the guitar?

No, I don't.

Well, stick around and sing with us.

I'd like to, fellas, but I have to get to work.

♪ Buffalo gal Won't you come out tonight? ♪

♪ Come out tonight? Come out tonight? ♪

♪ Buffalo gal Won't you come out tonight ♪

♪ And dance By the light of the moon? ♪

♪ Buffalo gal Won't you come out tonight? ♪

♪ Come out tonight? Come out tonight? ♪

♪ Buffalo gal Won't you come out tonight ♪

♪ And dance By the light of the moon? ♪

♪ Buffalo gal Won't you come out tonight? ♪

♪ Come out tonight? Come out tonight? ♪

♪ Buffalo gal Won't you come out tonight ♪

♪ And dance By the light of the moon? ♪

♪ Buffalo gal Won't you come out tonight? ♪

♪ Come out tonight? Come out tonight? ♪

♪ Buffalo gal Won't you come out tonight ♪

♪ And dance By the light of the moon? ♪

♪ Buffalo gal Won't you come out tonight? ♪

♪ Come out tonight? Come out tonight? ♪

♪ Buffalo gal Won't you come out tonight ♪

♪ And dance By the light of the moon? ♪

♪ Buffalo gal Won't you come out tonight? ♪

♪ Come out tonight? Come out tonight? ♪

♪ Buffalo gal Won't you come out tonight? ♪

But just a short while ago

I had occasion to be with, well,

a world-renowned coloratura,

and indeed I found her to be vain, rude,

arrogant, shrewd...

Oh, completely the opposite of what you are, dear lady.

Oh, Vladislav,

I cannot tell you how meraviglioso

it is to be in the company of a... A real gentleman again,

a galantuomo.

Those American men have the manners of, um... uh...

Porco?

Esattamento.

You have not forgotten your promise

to allow me to show you the grounds,

have you, signorina?

Of course not, Max.

Uh, why do I not get you some champagne?

Oh, that would be divine, carino.

Oh, it is a bit warm, is it not?

All the more reason for a stroll in the garden.

Charming idea.

Shall we go here? Yes.

Champagne, sir?

Merci.

Oh, belle giardino, signor.

Oh, you have a beautiful home, signor,

fit for a king,

but, uh, do you not have any family

to enjoy it with you?

No, signorina.

Of course, there is my brother.

Your brother? Karl.

But why have I not met him?

Is he away?

No, he's here,

but he... Well, he stays to himself.

A virtual recluse.

He's only permitted myself and his man Igor

to see him since he suffered an affliction

which... Forgive me, signorina.

I know you'll understand

if I prefer not to talk about it

on such a happy occasion.

Certamente.

Tell me, signorina.

I've seen you in many of your roles,

but do you not consider Lucia the most difficult?

Oh, si.

This room is too hot,

and the dinner you brought to me tonight

was utterly without imagination.

Where does Max find his cooks?

They would be better serving pigs in the barnyard.

I tell you, the situation

is getting to be insufferable.

Why is he not here at this moment?

I'll tell you.

He is more interested in entertaining his stuffy

little provincial friends with his miserable music.

Every time I need him,

does he worry about me?

No. It's only himself that he cares about.

The fact that I remain here in this room

is of absolutely no importance to him.

He doesn't think of me. Max never thinks of me.

He goes his own way,

indulges in his own pleasures.

That isn't true. Max...

Don't tell me!

Look at them down there.

Tell Max I wish to see him.

Go!

Someone in this house is spying on us.

Come.

This way.

This is where my uncle lived the last five years of his life.

Before that, he was in the personal entourage

of Caroline Mason.

Caroline Mason?

Isn't that the singer that died in that fire

at the Palace Hotel in New Orleans?

Yes.

Uncle Pierre was never the same after her death.

What did he have against Rosa Montebello?

I don't know.

All I know is my uncle's strangeness

had something to do with this room.

In what way?

The fact that he slept here, that he would never leave it

unless he had to,

and once I remember that...

Who could that be?

Night watchman?

But there is none.

After the fracas at the opera house,

I returned to the club

to find out if anyone knew where the girl lived.

Mm-hm. The bartender had disappeared,

and no one, absolutely no one,

ever heard of a girl named Angelique.

Well, one thing we're sure of now

we didn't even know at this time yesterday.

This whole thing pivots around a woman

who's been dead for five years.

Artie, are you sure

that was a portrait of Caroline Mason?

Oh, absolutely, Jim.

I saw her do Aida in Boston, La Traviata in Chicago,

Carmen in San Francisco.

That's her portrait in the Crenshaw Home,

no mistake about it.

Come in.

Will I be drawn and quartered if I say good morning?

You'll be drawn and quartered if that's all you say.

"532 River Street, first floor, rear."

What's this? Angelique's address.

Artie, pour the lady some coffee.

I'm way ahead of you, Jim.

I hear you're taking Rosa Montebello

to a society bazaar this afternoon.

That's correct. Sit down, won't you?

Thank you.

Mr. Gordon, if you'll excuse me for saying so,

I think you and Mr. West should forbid Miss Montebello

from stepping foot outside her hotel room

until you've found the men who tried to kidnap her.

With a bazaar in her honor?

She wouldn't listen.

But you must make her understand

that her life is in danger,

that whoever tried to kidnap her

is undoubtedly watching and waiting

for another opportunity.

They undoubtedly are, Miss Collingwood.

In fact, uh, Miss Collingwood,

that's exactly what we're counting on.

What?

Mm-hm. Since her would-be kidnappers

are watching her every move,

I plan to set her out as a target

in order to draw them out into the open.

Mr. Gordon, you're not serious.

I most certainly am.

But don't you realize what would happen

to this country's diplomatic relations with Italy

if you were to use Miss... Miss Montebello

as a... A cat's-paw and something went wrong?

I know, Miss Collingwood.

I'm aware it is very, very risky,

but I have no other way for drawing them out into the open.

I have no other alternatives.

But that's awful.

Yes.

Unless, of course,

we can find someone else in place of Miss Montebello.

Someone else?

Yes, you know, as a decoy.

Sort of draw them out and at the same time protect her.

Of course. How marvelous.

Some young lady who's, uh, professionally accustomed

to placing herself in physical jeopardy.

Oh, that's a brilliant idea, Mr. Gordon,

an absolutely brilliant idea.

Thank you.

But where will we go to find such a young lady?

Oh, now, wait a minute, Mr. Gordon.

You said yourself it was brilliant, Miss Collingwood.

Yes, but Mr. Gordon...

And I have no other alternatives.

You remember that?

But, Mr. Gordon, you must remember

that my duties with the Secret Service

do not include my jeopardizing my...

Thank you, Miss Collingwood. Thank you for volunteering.

Oh, you look ravishing, signorina,

absolutely ravishing.

Grazie.

Heaven must have wanted to prove

it could achieve perfection

when it put such a beautiful voice

in such a beautiful woman.

Get in.

Are we being followed?

Oh, no, not yet.

Maybe the fish we're after are too smart to take the bait.

Well, patience, Miss Collingwood, patience.

Is something wrong?

No, not a thing.

The fish have finally risen to the bait.

We're being kidnapped.

Oh.

Of course, the trick is to act like we didn't expect it.

Driver! Driver! You're going the wrong way!

Stop this carriage!

Oh, there we are.

Mr. Gordon, I have the uncomfortable feeling

the fish are on the wrong end of the line this time.

Oh, nonsense. Everything's working out perfectly.

It is?

Yes, everything's just fine, believe me.

That's asking a lot, under the circumstances...

I have heard squeaking wheels

that sound better than you.

You're not an artist, you're a fraud.

You don't sing, you croak,

both of you.

And you had the temerity to try to sing Lucia.

Caroline Mason was beautiful. She was divine.

If you had heard Caroline Mason as Lucia,

you would have gone back to doing the only thing

that your voices are fit for,

calling hogs!

They say the mad scene is the most difficult aria

for a coloratura in all opera,

yet Caroline Mason sang it

with beauty and ease,

sang it as it was never sung before.

Or...

Or will ever again.

What made me think I could create another Caroline Mason?

I was a fool to think they could ever match

her technique, her tonal quality, her adroitcity.

Get rid of them.

But, Karl... I don't care how,

but make sure,

since they cannot sing for me,

they do not talk to the police.

Buongiorno, Signorina Rosa Montebello.

We are so glad you came.

I saw you in Lucia recently.

You were not great, but not bad.

If you had been, I would not have gone to the trouble

of having you brought here.

Uh, these.

Oh, I don't know why I've troubled for such a long time

with these braying jackasses,

but I shall not be as patient with you. Come.

Look at her, signorina.

Look at her and pray

that I can make you the singer that she was,

for if I can't,

Igor will dispose of you along with these two frauds

who blaspheme the memory of Caroline Mason

every time they open their mouths.

Lucia was Caroline's favorite role.

She sang it over 100 times,

and she always carried this dagger

in the mad scene after she has killed her husband.

And that is the part you shall sing for me now.

Please, remove your veil.

I said remove your veil.

You cannot sing with a rag over your face.

This is not Rosa Montebello, you fools.

How could you have made such a horrendous mistake?

Get rid of her.

All right, stay right where you are.

Caroline Mason.

Max, I...

I'm sorry.

This time she is dead.

What about the hotel fire?

I was with her. I rescued her.

It was her maid's body

that was identified as Caroline's.

And you just let it go at that?

You heard her voice, that hideous mockery

of what had once been the greatest coloratura

in the whole history of opera.

The vocal cords were irreparably damaged

by the heat and smoke inhalation from the fire.

He must have loved her very much.

Not nearly as much as she loved him.

She knew that without her voice,

she was but half a woman to him,

and she wanted to be whole again,

to give him back the one thing he had loved most about her.

Her voice.

Yes.

Even if it was the voice of another.

Darling.

Salud.

I can't help thinking how stupid

and unnecessary it all was.

If Caroline Mason could only have accepted

what happened to her voice.

But she couldn't.

Someone once said, "Nothing exceeds

the vanity of our existence but the folly of our pursuits."

Oliver Goldsmith in The Good-Natured Man,

Volume 1, 1759.

Someone also once said,

"A thing of beauty is a joy forever."

Oh, Monsieur West and Miss Collingwood,

how nice of you to come.

I am sure that with you here,

now every nationality in the world is represented.

Do enjoy the buffet and mingle, huh?

Oh, and, uh, all these people

are most charming and understanding,

so don't worry for a moment about feeling a bit

provincial, shall we say.

Do enjoy yourselves, and, uh...

Is something the matter?

I was just wondering if that Monsieur Gordon

is coming tonight.

Oh, I... I'm terribly sorry,

but Mr. Gordon can't attend tonight.

Ah. Oh, I am so sorry.

Do enjoy yourselves, eh?

Oh, carino mio, I have wonderful news.

That horrid man Artemis Gordon cannot come tonight.

Oh, I am so happy for you.

Of course, I'm terribly disappointed for myself.

You see, I have been standing here

dreaming up exquisite insults

to hurl at that villain.

Indeed, I was prepared to meet him

on the field of honor.

Oh, Vladislav, my love,

don't waste one moment thinking

about that rustic American peasant.

Tonight is ours.