Bel Ami Page #3

---

Why?

I don't know, to feed an army. Hmm?

To feed an army.

This is it.

This is it.

Who is supplying the grain?

Georges, that's the question.

Georges, I need to work.

Mmm. My brilliant wife.

All right.

Mado.

Mado, slow down. Slow down.

Mado!

Mado!

Look.

They're going to invade.

La Vie Francaise has found proof.

Oh, of course, it's Tuesday.

The Comte de Vaudrec

must be arriving soon.

Incontrovertible proof

of the government's true intentions

toward Morocco.

We've never talked about that, have we?

The Comte de Vaudrec.

The man

who arrives unannounced,

who knows all the servants

better than I do...

Buried deep amongst

the dreary columns

of our trade figures.

What is he to you, huh?

Where no one would think to look.

What is he to you?

Do you want to be the man

who brought down the government?

Or do you want to be a fool?

Ah!

We're just waiting for Laroche.

- You know my daughter, Suzanne?

- Oh!

So pretty.

And another for Bel ami.

It's what Maman calls you.

I have from time to time.

I hope you don't mind.

Call him whatever you like.

Ah!

Our foreign minister.

Go on.

Thank you, thank you, my good friends.

My excellent,

hard-working friends.

But I'm afraid I have bad news for you.

Our work has only just begun!

We have a great task ahead of us.

- Our achievements in government...

- Would you excuse me'?

...must dwarf our achievements

in opposition.

There will be battles.

There will be conicts.

But they will be fought

not on the sands of Morocco,

but on the oor of the chamber.

Hear, hear.

My first act

as foreign minister

is to recall General Boutin

from Algiers.

There will be no minister of war

in this government.

Hear this, my friends.

People of France...

I don't have to ask how you are.

I've been very pleased for you.

How's Laurine?

She still hasn't forgiven you.

She calls you Monsieur Forestier now.

She's too young to understand.

And you'?

You made a good marriage.

We all have to do it.

And I miss you.

Our love nest feels cold without you.

You kept it on.

I'm an optimist.

Once and for all!

Morocco is safe.

- What a formidable partnership.

- Very kind. Thank you.

Well done.

Thank you.

Come. Play a hand.

Sit.

Let my boy deal.

I warn you, I'm on a winning streak.

I'm more powerful than a king.

Not as rich.

Not yet, anyway

In a mere morning,

I emptied the Chamber of Deputies,

and filled it again

with men of my choosing,

with nothing more than words on a page.

They're not your words, though.

Are they?

How's married life?

How do you get along with Vaudrec?

He visits quite often.

I dare say it's only fair.

After all, he does own the apartment.

Duroy?

Yes, he set them up in the apartment

after he married Madeleine to Forestier.

He married Madeleine to Forestier?

Well, he introduced them

and then he paid the dowry,

so I suppose

that is how you would put it.

Vaudrec is a father to her.

Hmm.

Perhaps.

Why don't you go and enjoy the party?

I'm sure the ladies will want a dance.

Bel ami.

What brings you here?

You were caught in the rain?

No, I didn't come here by chance.

I don't mean to frighten you.

I expect nothing. I ask for nothing.

I don't even know what I'm doing.

I'm sorry if I've offended you.

No.

No, youre not offended me.

But we must talk of it no longer.

Shall I leave'?

Shall I stay? I...

Is there any hope for me?

You are trying to seduce me in a church.

I've never had a lover before.

Look at me.

Does your husband

tell you you're beautiful?

Virginie. Virginie.

Georges.

Whose arms are these?

They're mine.

- And whose lips?

- Virginie.

Whose lips?

They're my lips.

- Now, come on.

- Hmm.

Get dressed.

When will I see you again?

Please leave.

My beautiful Georges.

My darling boy, please tell me when.

- Tomorrow.

- Tomorrow!

Yes, tomorrow.

Well...

Georges?

Georges?

Hmm.

Georges?

Georges?

Madeleine will be wondering

where you are.

Madeleine?

Madeleine?

Where's my wife?

She's with the Comte de Vaudrec.

What?

He died this morning.

I have asked you here today,

Madame Duroy de Cantel,

to hear the will

of the Comte de Vaudrec.

The Comte has named you, madame,

as the sole inheritor of his estate,

the value of which stands at

one million, eighty thousand

and fifteen francs.

And 29 centimes.

There is one complication.

Uh, the nature of the legacy.

The nature of the legacy?

Uh...

If you'll forgive me, sir,

it is unusual for an estate to be left

solely to a married woman.

It would normally be left

to the husband.

And why is that?

To avoid any suggestion of, forgive me,

impropriety in the relationship.

What was he to you, hmm?

What was he thinking,

the stupid old bastard?

He should have left it all to me.

It would have been much better for you.

He must have known

what people would make of it.

He must have realised

how it would compromise you.

Unless it was done in innocence.

A fatherly gesture.

He was like a father to you, wasn't he?

A guardian.

I can't accept it.

I must protect my reputation.

I don't want a million francs.

Come on, let's not be hasty.

I'm sure we can reach some kind of...

But the will is there for all to see.

I can only redeem it by rejecting it.

But if I, your husband,

chose to accept it,

then who is to question me, hmm?

Mmm?

Indeed,

to refuse is to admit the shame.

Whereas,

to accept is to deny it.

Good.

Perhaps your old man

wasn't so stupid after all.

Don't speak of him.

What was he to you?

Tell me.

Tell me. I deserve an answer.

He is the man I have lost.

The man I am grieving.

You want it to be something small,

something squalid and contemptible.

He was my friend.

My father.

And my lover.

You loved him.

Ah!

How will I live?

How will I live?

You haven't been to see me for a while.

For a whole week

I've waited for a word from you.

Georges, my beautiful boy.

Don't call me that.

Make way there! Make way!

Make way!

They're not for you.

You're meeting someone else.

Take me with you. I need to talk to you.

- Just for an hour.

- Remember where you are!

Remember where you are.

You shouldn't have seduced me.

You should have left me where I was,

a happy and faithful wife.

Please, let me come with you.

Please, just for an hour.

I've got something

so important to tell you.

Something to your advantage.

It's about my husband.

Please.

If you're going to cry you should leave.

Please, Georges.

Oh, my darling Georges.

My beautiful boy.

I have been so clever.

So discreet.

I've asked all the right questions.

I've listened carefully.

Oh, come on!

What?

Our new government

is going to take Morocco.

Virginie, the new government

came to power,

I brought them to power,

on the promise that they would not.

That's the whole point.

Don't you see?

No one's expecting it.

My husband and Laroche have been

hatching this plan for a long time.

The first troops sail tonight.

Tonight.

But they would have included me.

They don't trust you.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes