Danton Page #3

the heroes in novels

You forget we're made of

flesh and blood

You want to raise us to heights

where we can't breathe

And so you isolate the Revolution,

you freeze it

Even the most fervent recoil

Your advice?

Come back to our level, right away

Stop the revolutionary impetus

and you kill the Revolution

People want to eat and sleep

in peace

Without bread there's no law,

freedom, justice - no Republic

To hell with the Committees

l admire you

l'd love to follow you,

but not just anywhere

I just want to provide normal living

conditions for 80% of the people

Come now, l know you

We're not at the Tribunal

That's not all you want

Men shouldn't stay in power too long

You dream of power?

l don't have to, l've got it

The only real power:

from the man in the street

l understand him and he understands

me, never forget that

l shan't, but don't forget that l'll stop

at nothing to ensure his happiness

You want his happiness

You know nothing of the people

How could you? Look at yourself!

You don't drink, you're powdered

Swords make you faint, and they say

you've never had a woman

For whom do you speak?

You want to make men happy

but you're no man

l'll show you the people

Let's take a walk through the streets

Forgive me

l've always been brutal and clumsy

l woke up last night thinking: how

could we two have been driven apart?

How could we two be taken for

enemies? lt makes no sense

We must stop it at once

Then do as l ask

What's that?

l'm asking you to join us

l went to the country to think things

over, and l'll tell you something

Frankly, quite frankly...

l'd rather be executed than

executioner

You're drunk

lf you insist...

You see this head? Do you see it?

Feel it?

lt's you who'll have to cut it off

l'm sorry, we both made a mistake

Good night

l have witnesses who heard

everything

That's why l said nothing

- Where did he go?

- What happened?

Now l've got him

I've got him!

So, l got it wrong?

Now you see, we must put an end

to the Committees

You were wrong about Robespierre

Come now! Quickly!

- They're waiting

- There's no point

Your plan is childish

lt 's now or never!

- Come with me

- No!

No more bloodshed - that's what

l'm fighting for

That's what l'm fighting for

You say that to me?

Yes, to you

You'd see your friends' blood flow?

- lt's good to see you

- How's your mother?

Worse than ever

This is Sophie... from Nantes

Go to your meeting

l can't come tonight

Are you coming?

What happened?

Why are you silent?

- Tell me!

- lt's war

- Danton forced the issue

- What?

Robespierre is due for a lesson

Tell me what happened,

everything they said

l don't know, l couldn't hear

very well

That's what l've been dreading

For three months l've had

these forebodings

ls your husband in?

- l'm glad you came

- Why?

You've changed a lot

l don't know... you're like

a stranger now

l've aged, if that's what you mean

That's not it, but...

Maxime, is he really in danger?

Yes, he is

You're my only hope

Tell me, why did you reject him,

why did you abandon him?

lt was the other way round

Really? Then l misunderstood

How could you? Camille was

your friend

That's why l came

l said l was out

We must talk, it's serious

Why bother?

Listen! You're in grave danger.

l came to warn you

You don't realise, your life's at stake

Your friend Danton is using you

He's exploiting your talent,

unscrupulously

He's only interested in

personal ambition

That's not real friendship,

it's a dubious alliance

Enough!

You don't frighten me

He who fights for freedom does not

fear the ultimate price: death

By advocating charity and

tolerance...

...you believed you were saving

our country, did you not?

But in fact you're aiding subversion,

which is precisely Danton's goal

You must understand

So what should l do now?

Address the Convention tomorrow

Take back all your attacks

Then, in the next issue of

your paper...

...retract what you said

in previous issues

You're demeaning yourself

like a slut

Danton threw you out, so you

come and crawl to me

You're terrified

Remember, Maxime...

Burning a newspaper...

...is no answer

This is your last chance, listen to me

or you're finished

You must believe me

l swear it's true, Camille

Get out

What happened? You must tell me

What was the point of this meeting?

Danton and Robespierre have been

at odds all this time

They won't change now

He's not here yet? Good

No, but you're ten minutes late

What joy, you remind me of

my youth

Forgive me for being so late

Spoken like a king to his ministers

Then how should l speak?

ln one hour, at 3.30 a.m. you'll

send the police to arrest Danton

Tonight? So soon?

lt's madness!

Out of the question, citizen

Danton and his accomplices too

Without preparing the people?

lt's political suicide

We'd expose ourselves to

certain defeat

l say the Committee must first

prepare public opinion

Let me have my say

Danton has the bankers' support,

you yourself told us that

lt will be the Committee's death

and Danton's triumph

You're right, Danton has support

everywhere

lt won't work

l wish to speak

Not about that

We must strike swiftly

Give him three days and he'll

get gold from the bankers

He'll raise an army and scatter

leaflets all over Paris

He won't hesitate to address

the Convention

You all know he's a great orator

We must do it tonight, or never

You're right

lf it upsets the Convention,

l shall intervene personally

We need an indictment

Who'll write it?

lt's done

Read it

l'd like to read it over again first

Citizens, we need the approval of

the Public Safety Committee

No argument!

Call them in

- Are they still here?

- Yes, the session's just ending

Ask them to come in

What changed your mind?

Who else besides Danton?

Here's my list:
Lacroix, Philippeaux...

Totally innocent

Their intentions may be,

we're judging the facts

Legendre, Bourdon...

lnnocent puppets, let's avoid

a bloodbath, please

The first humane words of the night

All right, let's spare them

Desmoulins?

Desmoulins is my friend...

...but l shall abide by your decision

Perhaps we should give him

an extra day...

...to think it over

lmpossible

Very well, those three will be jailed

with Danton

We've just signed

Westermann's arrest

- He was recruiting fighting men

- Perfect timing

The Committee's just decided to

arrest Danton and three accomplices

- Who?

- Georges Danton

- You want him arrested? When?

- Tonight!

You're all mad

We need your approval

- lf we refuse?

- You're the secret police

You can make preventative arrests

That's our privilege, not yours

You can delegate to us

- That's illegal

- Not if you agree to it

- Who the devil...

- Calm, Vadier

- Do you know what you're doing?

- lt's a heavy responsibility

We are prepared to accept that

responsibility, entirely

Write!

''We, of the Public Safety

Committee...

''...and of the Security Committee...

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes