Chocolat Page #3

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When could you come by my shop?

Oh.

I'm... I'm really sorry, but...

the comte forbids it.

He spoke to Mama this morning...

and a lot of others.

Whatever you say.

I wish I could. I really do.

Thanks for showing me your drawing.

Wait.

[Door slams]

Am I breaking any laws?

Tell me? Am I hurting anyone?

You're asking me my opinion?

What exactly have you been telling people about me?

Only the truth, mademoiselle.

Well...

if you're expecting me...

to just shrivel up and blow away...

you're going to be highly disappointed.

Let me try and put this into perspective for you.

REYNAUD:
The first Comte de Reynaud...

expelled all the radical

Huguenots from this village.

You and your truffles present

a far lesser challenge.

REYNAUD:
You'll be out of business by Easter.

I promise you that.

Aah!

Uhh!

Aah! Aah!

Uhh!

[Baby crying]

VIANNE:
How long have you been standing here?

I forgot to pay you for something the other day.

I'm sorry.

No, it was a gift.

No. People talk.

No, people would lie about me.

I don't steal.

Not on purpose. I...

VIANNE:
Yes, I know.

It's nice to see you.

Would you like to come in for some chocolate?

This is for you.

How sweet of you.

VIANNE:
Thank you.

Hmm, it's lovely.

I heard you don't go to church.

That's right.

You won't last long here.

JOSEPHINE:
People talk.

Oh, sorry.

I'm behaving badly, aren't I?

VIANNE:
No, it's OK.

JOSEPHINE:
You don't misbehave here.

It's just not done, did you know that?

If you don't go to Confession...

or if you don't dig your flower beds...

or if you don't pretend...

that you want nothing more in your life...

than to serve your husband three meals a day...

and give him children and vacuum under his ass...

then... then you're crazy.

You must think I'm stupid to stay with him.

No, I don't think you're stupid.

Well, I am. I'm weak.

I don't love my husband, and I lie.

Things could be different for you, Josephine.

Serge doesn't run the world.

He might as well.

VIANNE:
Is that what you believe?

I know it.

Oh.

Then it must be true.

My mistake.

You make the most wonderful chocolate.

[Sips]

Pantoufle wants to hear the story...

of grandmere and grandpere.

Ohh!

Don't say, "Not tonight.

" You always say, "Not tonight."

All right, all right.

Oh.

Your grandfather...

George Rocher...

was the young apothecary of

the town of Aulus-les-Bains.

STORYTELLER:
It was Anouk's favorite story.

STORYTELLER:
It was Anouk's favorite story.

Always told in the same words.

George was honest, prosperous...

and trusted by his customers.

But George was not content.

He felt there should be more to life...

than dispensing liver oil.

In the spring of 1927...

the Societe Pharmeceutique...

formed an expedition to Central America...

to study the medicinal properties...

of certain natural compounds.

George was the expedition's most eager volunteer.

But his adventure took a turn he did not expect.

One night, he was invited

to drink unrefined cacao...

with a pinch of chili.

The very same drink the ancient Maya...

used in their sacred ceremonies.

The Maya believed cacao held the power...

to unlock hidden yearnings...

and reveal destinies.

And so it was that George first saw Chitza.

Now, George had been raised a good Catholic...

but in his romance with Chitza...

he was willing to slightly bend the rules...

of Christian courtship.

The tribal elders tried to warn George about her.

She was one of the wanderers.

Her people moved with the North Wind...

from village to village...

dispensing ancient remedies...

never settling down.

Not a good choice for a bride.

George did not heed their warning...

and for a while, it seemed that he and Chitza...

might lead a happy life together in France.

[Wind blowing]

Alas, the clever North Wind had other plans.

[Banging]

One morning, George awoke to discover...

that Chitza and the little girl Vianne...

had gone away.

Mother and daughter...

were fated to wander from village to village...

dispensing ancient cacao remedies...

traveling with the wind.

Just as Chitza's people had done...

for generations.

VIANNE:
Just as Chitza's people...

had done for generations.

Will it just go on forever?

Night, Mama.

I appreciate your coming in, Armande.

What's so important that I had to postpone my nap?

I've got some chocolate cake.

Grandmother.

Grandmother...bonjour.

May I...

Would you like a cup of...?

No, thank you.

I'm just here to do a portrait.

Mm-hmm.

Whose?

Yours, actually.

VIANNE:
Is the light OK where she's sitting?

I have something for you, boy.

I've been carrying it around

since your last birthday.

It's a book of poetry.

Oh.

Thank you.

You don't like poetry?

Oh, no. Of course I do.

Yes.

Neither do I.

It's not that kind of poetry.

And in a moment of weakness...

I prayed to the Virgin Mother...

to soothe Charly's soul in his hour of suffering.

You understand an animal has no immortal soul.

I understand, mon pere.

Yet you flout God's law.

GUILLAUME:
I'm weak and a sinner.

PERE:
What else?

Impure thoughts.

GUILLAUME:
The woman who runs the chocolaterie.

Vianne Rocher?

She suggested I buy chocolate seashells...

for the widow Audel.

And, well...

I guess that got me to thinking

about the widow Audel.

At her age? At your age?

Yes. And yes.

And just what were you doing

in a chocolaterie during Lent?

It was for Charly.

Again you flout God's law.

Well, but if Charly has no soul...

then there's no harm in him breaking Lent.

GUILLAUME:
Isn't that so, mon pere?

Ten Hail Marys, twenty Our Fathers.

"Will she never have done, then...

"that ghoul queen of a million dead bodies?

"I see myself again...

"skin rotten with mud and pest...

"worms in my armpits and in my hair."

It's perfectly wretched, isn't it?

Perfectly.

VIANNE:
Would you like some cake?

Ahem. I'm not supposed to.

Don't worry so much about not supposed to.

ARMANDE:
Hmm?

Live a little.

Oh, her hair appointment's almost done.

I have to go.

-What about my picture? -Next time.

LUC:
Thank you for the cake.

Don't look so damn pleased with yourself.

[Knock on door]

Stay here.

[Pounding on door]

[Pounding louder]

JOSEPHINE:
I did it. [Laughs]

I did it. He...

He was so drunk.

[Giggles] He woke up.

He woke up. He saw me packing, but...

So he tried to come after me...

but I had already tied his

feet with his belt, and...

Ha ha ha ha ha.

Boom! Right on his face.

[Laughing]

Right there on his big, red face.

VIANNE:
Mmm.

VIANNE:
Oh.

Tsk. Ohh.

It is so stupid, isn't it?

I never blame him.

Sometimes I even forget what really happened.

VIANNE:
Now, now, now.

[Crying]

VIANNE:
Shh.

I saved her!

You remember her father

collaborated with the Germans?

Nobody wanted to touch her. Except for me.

And this is the way she repays me?!

Your anger is understandable.

Anger? Everybody's laughing at me!

REYNAUD:
That is not your concern.

Your concern is the sacrament of marriage.

SERGE:
Yeah, of course. The sacrament.

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