Original subtitles

Timbaud, Jean-Pierre, Paris, Communist Union Secretary.

Vercruysse, Jules, Paris, Communist Union Secretary.

Granet, Désiré, Vitry, Communist Union Secretary.

Carrel, René, Nantes, Communist.

Grassineau, Robert, Nantes, Communist.

Gil, Joseph, Nantes, Communist.

Allano, Maurice, Nantes, Violence towards a German soldier.

Le Moal, André, Saint-Nazaire, Violence to a German soldier.

Ignasiak, Léon, Saint-Herblain, Communist.

Gardette, of Mau...

Gardette, Maurice, Paris, Communist.

Grandel, Joseph, Gennevilliers, Communist

Auffret, Jules, Bondy, Communist.

Gueguin, Pierre, Concarneau, Communist

Laforge, Raymond, Montargis, Communist

Bastard, Maximilien, Nantes, Communist.

Le Panse, Julien, Nantes, Communist.

David, Emile, Nantes, Communist.

Môquet, Guy, Paris, Communist.

This guy was shot, singing "La Marseillaise"

It's odd that they didn't sing, "The Internationale"

In this context "La Marseillaise" is politically stronger.

And Gardette?

A militant friend, in 1934 seemingly.

You knew him?

Yes

Laforge and Bastard...

of the Nantes section...

You'll be avenged Comrades!

After dialectical analysis, the Square in front of the Kommandantur is not practical.

I'll look for another place.

Excuse me, but if you kill a Boche here, other Comrades will be shot.

Starting with Gérard.

With the Hostage Code, he's top of the list.

The Boches take hostages to prevent us from acting.

Do you suggest we give up?

Then we give in to their blackmail!

Instead of Gérard, it could be me, it could be you, it's the same thing.

Any chance to spring Gérard?

No, we don't even know where he is.

Pardon my interruption, Comrade.

Please.

The Choice of Arms

As to the place we'll decide later.

The urgent problem is to find a weapon.

You're responsible for this mission, Comrade.

How do you see it?

It turns out Comrade Suzanne has an idea.

A good idea.

I thought you'd removed her from the Action.

The main Action, yes. But finding a weapon...

She told me about Madame Berthe's brothel.

Now reserved for German officers.

- Resume contact with Suzanne. - How do I get into Madame Berthe's?

You'll see that with Suzanne.

Brings us this weapon as quickly as possible, Comrade.

The clock's ticking.

What have you done to make such good coffee?

You're not hungry? You've worked all night.

The supply problems have ruined my appetite.

Goods are disappearing somewhere, and I can't find where.

Maybe I can help you?

Oh, you're kind, but I'm afraid this is a little abstract for you.

Oh, I'm not bad at calculation,you know.

At 15 I was already doing the accounting for my Grandpére.

Good. Here, are the supplies which leave Besançon for Villeneuve.

...and this is what actually arrives in Villeneuve.

It's classified by Canton and not by the same codes as Besançon, so...

So we have to calculate the total by Canton for each commodity.

...and compare with Besançon.

We don't have the totals by Canton, that's the problem.

The truck delivery notes must exist somewhere.

Yes, they exist, they're at the Mairie.

But we need to calculate it ourselves, truck by truck.

It's up to you, Monsieur le Maire.

- You're tickling me. - How are you?

- Aren't you tired? - I'm fine.

And you?

I'm on tenterhooks.

Because of the attacks.

There was another one?

An officer was killed in Bordeaux.

All leave is canceled.

Patrols have been doubled.

There are going to be difficult times, Lucienne.

I wish I could forget it.

Exactly. I've something important to tell you.

You know I've been highly rated by my superiors.

So Kollwitz has decided to reward me.

They've offered me a good job, training young recruits.

You'll be a teacher then, like me?

In Germany.

I know, I know. My first thought, obviously, was to refuse.

Then I thought about it.

Lucienne, would you be my wife?

I leave on the 1st for Germany, You could join me a few weeks later...

And we would get married. It won't be a problem to marry a French woman there.

My parents will be surprised, but when I tell them you're expecting a child, they'll accept it.

Germany.

I don't know. It would mean me leaving everything...

My job, my father. I'd never see him again.

With time, things will calm down.

The war will end.

- I don't speak German. - You'll learn.

It's a big decision.

- Give me some time, okay? - Yes.

The problem is Kollwitz expects my answer tonight.

You've the rest of the day to decide.

So quickly!

This may be our chance, Lucienne.

- 6...plus 11...plus 8... - And?

...carry 2...you were right!

There's a problem at the Saint-Roch depot.

They're missing 60 kg of butter, 50 kg of meat, and 200 liters of milk.

Yes. That's a lot.

I'll inform the Sous-Préfet at once.

Thank you. Really.

Oh I don't know what he has today but he's...grumpy.

Perhaps it's because we decided to change his food a while ago.

- Really, we decided...? - Yes.

Well, I decided.

As you're absent quite often these days, Sarah has to...

I understand.

Sarah, would you take him for a walk.

Right Madame.

What is all this stuff?

Diversion of goods to the black market.

And we just found where it came from.

You know your patients have been waiting for their consultation for over an hour.

The Villeneuvois have been waiting for butter and milk for months.

Darling, what's happened?

Where are we going, Daniel?

You share more things with the maid than with me.

- You exaggerate. - No!

No, but I'm wrong to blame you.

The problem is with me.

What are you saying?

The other day when I lied about Blanche...

- It doesn't matter. - I wasn't with Jean.

I was with Heinrich Muller.

He's my lover.

The school mistress is a whore who sleeps with a Boche

Monsieur Bériot?

Do you know where the music book is? I'm looking for it since morning.

I think I put it in the third drawer in my office.

That's not the usual place!

I apologize, I always make that mistake.

What is it? Aren't you well?

You've a strange look.

No, I'm fine. Overwork perhaps, too many letters...

You're alright, now?

Yes.

May I tell you...

Kurt asked me to marry him.

...and he wants to take me to Germany.

To Germany!

But it's...

It's very unexpected.

Do you think it's possible for a French woman to be happy there?

Listen, I've a cousin who went to work in Munich

A railway mechanic. He says it's not bad, the food is good...

But I don't speak German.

Well, you'll learn.

Lucienne, I'll miss you.

You too, Monsieur Bériot.

Well...if that is it...

Well, I'm off.

The children are waiting for me.

I've tried to return to you, Daniel...

...honestly, I've tried.

But with you everything is so painful, so heavy.

You carry the weight of the world on your shoulders.

- It didn't bother you before. - What would you know about that?

I've always been like that, Hortense.

Since nursery school. Remember I was like that when we met, more than 10 years ago.

I don't know. There's been the war, the occupation...

You take everything to heart. I feel all the world's misery in the living room.

But, you told me to accept the Mayoralty.

You said that nobody could do it as well as me.

Yes, it's true Daniel. No one else would have been as good.

It just tires me out. If you knew how it tires me!

What tires me, Hortense, is we're still talking about me, how I am, how I'm not.

But it's not me who went off with Jean, and today with someone else.

What's more, a Boche!

Have you only come to see me, to say there's nothing more between us?

To tell me that I took everything to heart except you?

If you take it like that, there's no point in arguing.

Yes, yes, let's talk instead of arguing.

You always accuse me of never saying what I think. I'll tell you what I think.

I think you're playing with my head.

I think you want to live the adventures of a girl, and can't even recognize it.

...understand it even.

It's never what you do, it's always what I don't do.

Go and live your girlish adventures, and stop blaming me for being what I am.

Can you hear how you talk to me!

I've had enough, I'm eating in my room.

Monsieur?

Do you need me?

Yes, Sarah, make me another of your wonderful coffees.

And bring me my gray overcoat.

Comrade.

Comrade.

So, in the end you didn't talk to Edmond?

No. I tried, but he's really unreasonable.

When he explains the Class Struggle, it's almost interesting.

You know, I've been thinking, since the other day.

You have to stop seeing this cop.

I mean definitely.

Cut him off.

But if I do that, it'll annoy him.

When do you see him again?

I promised to call him two weeks from now.

Listen, between now and then, the operation will take place.

We should all be gone by then, right?

It's Emilie.

She's the cleaner at Madame Berthe's.

- Good day Comrade. - Good day.

I don't have much time. My little one has a fever.

Explain how you see this thing.

Sit down.

It has to be tomorrow because Madame Berthe's not there.

How do I get in without being seen?

By the service entrance.

The door's locked, but I have a key.

You step straight into the bedroom corridor.

What if I meet someone?

Say you're the plumber.

- A plumber? - Yes, a blue work-bag will do the trick.

When they come to the brothel, do the Boches bring their guns?

Not always, but tomorrow Lieutenant Braun will be coming.

He always has his pistol.

With the holster in his belt like this.

What time does he come?

Nine o'clock, regular as clockwork.

Which is Violette's bedroom?

Number 7. When he's with her he leaves his jacket and holster on a coat rack near the door.

- They won't see you from the bed. - And what if they're not in bed?

You'll have to listen at the door.

Violette is sort of noisy.

If the girl sees me, the Boches will cut her to pieces.

You think it's risky for her?

We all risk something.

It's essential that I get this back early tomorrow, or I'm done for.

Is there another one?

Madame Berthe's. There was a third, but it's lost.

That third key is my safety net. Anyone could have found or stolen it.

Good, I'll leave you.

I don't want to leave my little one too long.

Good luck, Comrade.

Thank you, Comrade.

What do you think?

The idea of the third key will work.

But I'm afraid for the girl in the room.

Do you know her?

No.

So much the better.

I'm a bit surprised to see you here.

You know we're making casemates for the Boches here.

Are you well?

The same...and you?

Not very well.

De Kervern and Madame Morhange are very nice,

but we're on top of each other all the time.

I thought...

Is the farm still for lease?

Would you believe, Jeannine sold it!

She regrets it a bit now, because of the chickens.

De Kervern found Lorrain's grave.

Did he?

I went with the children, to pray.

I couldn't think of Lorrain left like that.

A small mound of earth.

Not even his name.

Not even a cross.

How did he die?

He died, that's what counts.

I need help Raymond.

I really need help.

If I find you a job, would it help?

It would be nice.

We got off to a bad start.

One to forget!

What are you thinking?

I don't know.

About life.

You're thinking about life!

What a strange idea.

I'm thinking of the guy we're going to drop with the gun.

If I manage to nick it.

- Yes. - Well?

He may be in bed whispering sweet nothings to a girl.

Yes, not like you!

I don't know if I could shoot.

In my opinion, you won't have to.

Yvon wants to do it himself.

I can't accept that to make life win, we have to give death.

Stop thinking for a while.

A good Militant never stops thinking.

In fact it's quite the opposite.

Too much thinking and you risk questioning the Party Line.

A good Militant doesn't think, he obeys.

So listen to me carefully, Comrade.

The Party Line of the day, because the Line often changes, is...

...shut up and kiss me.

- Monsieur Bériot? - Madame Schwartz.

I want to apologize for my outburst during the cake Competition.

I really wanted to win, I'm sorry.

Oh, listen, it's not serious. Well, I mean...

You should apologize to Madame Crémieux.

But I'm going to do that.

I'm going to do it.

In fact I intend to invite her to a literary talk at the Prisoners Reception.

But I thought you didn't accept Jews at your famous talks.

One can make an exception.

And then note there are Jews, and Jews.

Madame Crémieux behaves very well.

She's distinguished, and cultivated but not too...

An excellent pastry cook.

Will you come?

Why not?

Very good.

Otherwise, nothing special at the school?

- No. - No particular news?

Not that I know of.

You know me, I'm only the Headmaster.

If you'll excuse me.

- Well, I'll leave you. - That will be it.

- Well then, we must inform Supply Services. - Absolutely not!

This level of diversion, implies an inside job.

So what do you suggest?

We must make a raid on the Saint-Roch depot.

Trap the traffickers, and publish the story in the Villeneuve paper.

People will be happy to see us really doing something about the black market.

It's good to fight the black market.

Implicating Supply Services is hardly desirable,

It might undermine public confidence in the Maréchal.

So we'll perform this raid in the name of the Maréchal.

Larcher, we can't just claim it in the name of the Maréchal,

I must make a formal application.

And how long will that take?

As long as required.

Anyway right now I don't have the manpower.

With the attacks, the priority is Communism.

But, that's incredible. It looks like you want to protect traffickers!

Larcher, please.

Do you have worries right now, or what?

Excuse me, I didn't sleep last night.

But the priority is Supply, right?

No. The priority is to ensure that Germans don't start shooting with a vengeance.

So we don't do anything!

Leave me your dossier. As soon as things simmer down, I'll see what I can do.

Kurt, my answer is Yes.

Yes!

Tomorrow morning at 10:00 o'clock, I'll explain all the details.

I love you.

Mother.

I'm here, my love.

What's wrong, my little bunny? You seem upset.

It's Gustave, he talks to Hélène.

The Mistress punished me.

It's not fair, I have to write lines.

The Mistress punished you?

And you didn't say it was Gustave?

Yes, but she still punished me.

You should keep away from Gustave.

He has no education, no rules...

What can you expect! A father can't replace a mother.

Listen. As for your Mistress, don't worry...

Soon you'll have a new one.

- Really? - Hmm.

Will Mademoiselle Borderie be leaving?

It's possible.

Careful, this is a secret between us. Say nothing to Gustave. Promise?

Go on, take your bath.

You're home, big boy.

I'll get his gray suit from the tailor, Madame.

Do you want me to post your letter? It's on my way.

No, thank you, Josephine. That's nice but I'll do it myself.

Are you forced to drink that?

Do you want some?

You know, Monsieur le Maire...

I want to help you, but I've no right to act.

Remember Servier has suspended me.

That's why I need you. He's put a spoke in my wheel.

Really? That's strange.

A delivery?

He's left the engine running. Nowadays real deliverymen cut the engine.

A bad one, that guy.

No slip, no signature, definitely black market.

Now what do we do?

Stop the guy and shake him down

But I've no right, Monsieur le Maire.

I don't even have the right to go to the Commissariat

But I've the right to require any citizen to help in a public inquiry.

I need you.

As for the guy. Bring him to the Mairie.

- Champagne? - No thank you, Monsieur.

- Champagne. - Plumber?

Come on to me.

Kiss me.

All this is fine, Jérome...Michelet, but what do you have to tell me?

I want to know what I'm doing here.

When we stopped you, you had a pistol on you.

The streets are not safe.

What were you doing at the Saint-Roch depot?

I was walking, is it forbidden?

No, but we saw you receive goods.

Meat, milk, butter, everything.

Yes, it's...it's because...

I'm helping a friend, it's unofficial.

He's the owner of the warehouse.

What's his name?

Caberni.

Louis Caberni.

Where would we find this Caberni?

He disappeared a week ago.

Don't you pigs talk to each other?

You'd best change your tone with me, Jérome.

I've nicked you in the black market and you're in deep.

50 kg of meat, nearly 100 liters of milk. That's worth 5 to 10 years.

- It's not black market. - Oh, no? No delivery note, no meat stamp.

And by tonight, your driver will be in the same hole.

So instead of bullshitting you'd better grass on your contacts in Food Supply.

Can you explain this to me?

Yes. It's a blatant black market crime...and it's serious.

Shut up.

You continued to work while you were suspended.

I was requisitioned by Monsieur le Maire. It's completely legal.

I suspended you. A Préfectural Suspension takes precedence over any act of the Mayor.

Larcher knows very well he can't commandeer you.

And you know this individual!

I don't have to answer you.

You should be interested Monsieur le Sous-Préfet, because even suspended, I have a tongue.

...and the Mayor has ears.

This individual, as you call him, is my nephew.

And a pest.

I told you to shut up.

Do you want a taste of prison?

I think you should talk urgently with the Mayor, Monsieur le Sous-Préfet.

I know.

Thank you.

And?

How did it go?

Violette saw me.

How did she react?

She pulled the Boche up against herself.

Oh! Violette didn't invent gunpowder, but she knows how to handle men.

She'll get out of it.

Let's hope so.

- But you're right, the tax audit went well. - I'm always right.

Don't overdo it, though...

Exaggeration, Raymond, is all that's left to us in these troubled times.

That and women. Yours is doing well?

Very well. I've a small favor to ask you.

- I'm listening... - My old tenant's wife's looking for work.

She's a widow with two children. She's very good, practical and can do anything.

Why don't you employ her at the cement plant?

Because Jeannine doesn't like her.

An old story of chickens that weren't delivered in time for her birthday.

Well, I can't engage her officially.

- If I take her, it won't help the accounts. - Don't worry about that...

It will be a great favor.

The kind you never forget.

- Is she honest, good morals? - Yes, yes, yes.

She got 3 months in prison

Because her husband was involved in some Anti-National business.

That won't bother you.

Tell her she can start tomorrow.

Thank you, really.

Please.

Apart from that, a policeman came to see me yesterday.

Inspecteur Vernet. Asked lots of questions about you and Caberni.

He wouldn't tell me anything. Is there a problem?

Apparently Caberni disappeared a week ago, but OK...

We won't complain about that!

- See you soon. - See you soon.

You also Mademoiselle...Violette, is it?

Go ahead.

Put yourself in the position you were in. Go on, go.

And you, Mademoiselle Violette, obviously didn't see anything.

I was looking at the ceiling.

And you, Madame Estabet, you're the maid?

Yes.

Coming to work, you use the small service door downstairs, I suppose.

Yes. But today I wasn't working so I had nothing to do with it.

You've a key to that door?

Yes.

Because...I think the terrorist went through the door.

Who has a duplicate of this key?

Madame Berthe.

And that's it?

No, there was a 3rd, but we lost it a few weeks ago.

It was lost, or could have been stolen.

But we've found the third key. It was under the counter in the lobby.

Madame Berthe didn't tell you?

No, you must be mistaken.

Oh no, I assure you. It was me who recovered it.

And where is this key?

Next door.

You can go and look, please.

Go with her.

You see, everything is there.

Yes, everything is there.

Thank you.

Madame Estabet, I think we'll continue this interview in my office.

Jérome is my sister's son...

He's unmanageable, a spendthrift, a lout...

I recommended him to a business associate, a great guy...

...who mysteriously disappeared a week ago.

Louis Caberni.

How do you know him?

He was obviously the organizer of the traffic...

...and owner of the warehouse. Your nephew was only an assistant.

Better and better!

What do you want, Larcher?

What do I want?

Jérome is the son of my sister, what do you want?

I want to organize a major food distribution using the stolen goods...

...for the benefit of the most disadvantaged.

Always your obsession!

These are the people who support the regime!

And I want you to lift de Kervern's suspension.

He's an Anti-National.

As is your nephew, Monsieur le Sous-Préfet, and, to me, a much more serious one.

Ah how boring they are!

Worse than my in-laws.

- Monsieur Schwartz! - Yes!

Monsieur Schwartz? There's a gentleman...

Inspecteur Vernet, Sûreté Nationale.

Monsieur.

Do you...know Monsieur Caberni?

Louis Caberni.

He's a business associate.

There's been no sign of him for a week.

Since last Friday to be exact.

You saw him that day, didn't you?

Friday...Friday...?

In the late morning, yes, yes.

What kind of business did you do with him, Monsieur Schwartz?

He looked after the Aryanization of a company I bought, Crémieux Works. Albert Crémieux.

Yes, I know.

This relates to the Aryanization?

Something like that.

You know, Caberni is probably off on business. He travels a lot, I think.

That surprises me, Monsieur Schwartz.

We found his car in the forest this morning, with traces of blood in it.

Not far from here, too.

That's much more disturbing, then.

Why did you see him on Friday?

As I said, about an Aryanization.

It was signed two weeks ago, Monsieur Schwartz.

So why did he come to see you.

To offer me other business.

Another Aryanization?

I don't know, he didn't come again, so we couldn't discuss it.

And that didn't concern you?

I have so many appointments, and I don't need more business right now, so...

So what did you do that night?

I went to the ceremony for the return of the POWs at the Mairie.

Now, nobody came to see me, OK?

I don't suspect you, you know...

But isn't your job to suspect everything and everyone?

Thank you for your time, Monsieur Schwartz.

We'll stay in touch.

Many patients?

No, four.

Madame went out this morning.

She left with her beige traveling bag, that you brought her from Paris.

I asked her if she was returning for lunch, but she didn't answer.

She didn't say where she was going?

No, Monsieur.

Good day Messieurs, Mesdames.

I'm sorry, Monsieur.

Hello?

- Monsieur Larcher? - Yes?

Kreiskommandant Kollwitz here. I ask you to come to the Kommandantur immediately.

The theft of an officer's weapon at this time is extremely serious, Monsieur le Maire.

I'll have to take more hostages, advance the curfew...

cause many vexations to the population.

It's certainly an isolated act, committed by an irresponsible individual.

Are you not aware of what happened at Bordeaux?

Rouen, Liège? We're facing concerted action, and will respond accordingly.

What do you want me to tell you, Kommandant.

We've no influence on terrorists, as you well know!

You don't help us enough in the anti-Communist struggle, Monsieur le Maire.

We asked you for a list of pre-war activists, which you never produced.

We asked you for the identities of Communists you've arrested. You give us nothing!

You play the terrorist's game, Monsieur le Maire.

I will do everything I can, with our Police and the Sous-Préfet. I promise you.

Contact Heinrich Muller of the SD with the information as soon as possible.

What's making you laugh?

Nothing.

- You've a problem with the SD? - No, no.

Monsieur le Maire...

If you want our relationship to suffer the least possible harm you'd better tell me what it is.

It has nothing to do with...

This is a private matter.

Private? That doesn't exist in wartime.

Heinrich Muller...

is sleeping with my wife, Kommandant.

So I'll have a little difficulty working with him.

- Good morning. - Good morning.

- Feldwebel Wagner was supposed to bring me the music scores today. - Yes, so...?

He hasn't come.

You haven't seen him?

No, Madame.

Well, these scores are very important to me. I need them.

So...?

Is he ill?

Kurt was summoned to the Kreiskommandant's office.

This is not good at all.

I think it's because of you.

You told your husband about us?

Yes, I couldn't do otherwise. I thought it dirtied our story.

He obviously spoke to Kollwitz.

Are you sure?

Kollwitz demanded that I immediately cease to see you.

And...?

So, no question. I obey the Wehrmacht asshole.

Why are you playing with me like this?

Why did you talk to your husband?

No, no. no. Don't answer, you have your reasons.

You had a real falling out?

- Yes. - And the baby?

I'll see him tomorrow.

...or the day after tomorrow.

In the meantime I don't know where to sleep.

Go to the Hotel Moderne, say you were sent by Henri.

They won't ask you questions and they'll give you a nice room.

And I'll come and find you later.

- Okay? - Yes.

I have work to do.

- Go. - See you soon?

So Madame Estabet?

Who did you give this key to?

I don't know what you mean.

I never let go of it.

How did the terrorist get in?

Are you accusing Madame Berthe?

- Violette? - No, I'm not accusing anyone.

Do you smoke?

No.

Madame Estabet, who did you give this key to?

I don't know what...

Do you like pain?

You'll talk, Madame Estabet. Everyone talks.

Sooner...or later, that's the only question.

So do you want to suffer a little, or a lot?

I haven't anything to do with all that, you're mistaken.

I wish I could believe you.

We've a visitor. Come on.

Come on.

You see?

So, what do we do now?

I get your son or you tell me what I need?

Let him go.

Later...who did you give the key to?

- A man named Paul. - Communist?

- Yes. - Good, Paul who?

I don't know.

Oh, no. Please. Let him go.

Later...his name?

The Mayor's brother.

Marcel Larcher.