Louis Cyr Page #2

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"Mlina Cyr. "

I like the sound of that.

No money for the train. Or food.

They rolled up their sleeves and

began performing in the street.

So?

So... they went back on tour.

No. I mean, so what? Why

are you telling me this?

It doesn't change a thing for me.

No, but give me a chance,

will you. You'll see.

Good.

It took them six months before

they made it to Montreal.

First stop, the Mechanics' Hall.

We travelled through

30 towns in six months,

performed a hundred sold-out shows,

and they all ended

with a standing ovation.

People are the same everywhere,

Mr. Prfontaine. They'll come.

Who is your promoter?

My wife and I, we do it all ourselves.

That might work in the country. But

it's more complicated in Montreal.

To book a theatre like

this, i need some guarantees.

Mr. Lambert?

If he sets foot in

here... you throw him out!

Gustave Lambert?

Himself.

I bet those weights are empty.

How about you? Are you empty?

Louis Cyr.

Without a doubt.

Horace Barr.

I know you.

I saw you perform in St.

John's. It's an honour.

This way.

He told me i had to come see you

or he'd need a huge cash advance.

I understand.

But filling the Mechanics' Hall

is not the same as filling a barn.

I'm aware of that, thank you.

Are you in or not? That's

what i want to know.

Horace was impressed by what he saw...

but we're going to need more numbers.

I put the program

together, do the staging

and take care of

publicity. And i take 60%.

Fifty-fifty.

After my expenses.

Deal.

And i want to put out a challenge

to anyone who wants to take me on.

Fine. $200 out of my pocket

to the man who beats Louis Cyr.

You could make it $2,000.

There's not much of a risk.

Here.

I don't handle the

paperwork, my partner does.

By the way, I'll need a cash advance.

I was had once. That's enough.

Thanks.

Where is that from?

It's from Bryce.

From his family, actually.

He died last summer.

Well...

i have also brought

you something to read.

Fifty-fifty.

It could be worth $250 a show.

That's a year's work in Lowell.

I'm proud of you.

No, read it and sign it.

I'd like you to manage

my business. Our business.

All right.

This is to hold us until the first show.

Send half to my father.

You and Johnston...

nothing ever happened?

Bryce showed me that words

and poetry can lift our spirit.

That's all there was between

us. It wasn't nothing, mind you.

Come here, you big bear. I'll

show you who my husband is!

That's good, that's good.

That's good. It looks too easy.

It's not heavy. It's 200 pounds.

It doesn't look like you're trying.

People will think it's not a big deal.

Rule number one, put on a good show.

Rule number one, put on a real show.

It's entertainment, Louis. It

needs some spice, some drama.

You have to surprise

people, amaze the audience.

Something they've never

seen. That's what we need?

That's right.

Can i borrow that for a minute?

168 pounds!

186 pounds!

2,265 pounds!

Go ahead. You too.

One more!

290 pounds!

2,555 pounds!

An unprecedented feat of strength!

If anyone thinks they are able

to move this platform weighing

over a ton, step forward!

$200 could be yours!

$200 to the man who beats

Louis Cyr at this challenge!

You? You? You?

You have nothing to lose!

Aside from your pride, perhaps.

Nobody?

Ladies and gentlemen, Louis Cyr!

We said around 2,000 pounds.

Ladies and gentlemen, 2,555

pounds on the shoulders of one man,

Louis Cyr!

200 pounds? With one arm?

All right!

I think we get it!

I don't know...

He's right.

What do you want out of life, Barr?

Well, i want...

i want to be like you.

That's too bad. I want to be

the strongest man in the world.

There can only be one.

And i don't want to give

that position up to you.

How do you do it?

All that keeps me from being

a nobody is that dumbbell.

If i can't lift it, I'm nothing.

Forget about being like me.

Aim higher!

Come on you sissy, lift this.

Come on.

On the shoulder!

Good! You're halfway there.

Come on! Push it up!

It won't lift!

Think about a girl who caught your eye!

You want to impress her!

- I can't!

Then think of your mother,

you heartless brute!

Push! Push!

Think of someone you

hate! Think of Doc Sargent!

He just said you were

nothing! Are you nothing?

Push! Push!

That's it!

There you go. That's fine.

You're stronger than

you think big fella!

What is this?

- Two years of marriage, my love.

You're sorry. You

forgot. Like last year.

I'll make it up to you, i promise.

She's kicking.

She?

You're way too pretty to make boys.

Charmer...

Open it.

That's the Merrimack Bridge?

Turn it over.

Read it, it took me days to write!

You read it.

- No, it's too embarrassing!

So?

I don't know what to say.

Thank you.

You all right?

Yes. My damn ulcer

has woken up for good.

Do you have what i asked for?

- Yes.

When you combine a B... Yes,

that's it... with an A...

that makes "ba".

So if you add i-R after "ba",

that makes "bair", like a grizzly.

Well, no. The "air" in

"bear" is spelled E-A-R.

E-A-R?

- Yeah.

What's the deal?

I don't know. That's how it is.

But the air that we breathe,

that's spelled A-I-R.

So a hare - the

animal - is H-A-I-R.

No, a hare

is H-A-R-E.

But hair, like on our

bodies, is H-A-I-R.

Are you messing with me?

- Not at all...

OK. Let's continue.

He didn't catch on very

quickly, unlike you.

Does the name David

"Baby" Michaud ring a bell?

A soldier from Quebec City.

The first to challenge your father.

I remember it like it was yesterday.

He said Louis wasn't a strong

man, he was just an entertainer.

His promoter put up $500.

He had a belt made.

The belt for the

strongest man in Canada.

Next week? Forget about it!

I'll crush him with one finger.

- Normally, maybe.

But in your condition?

My God, we just cancelled

three weeks of shows!

How can we say I'm the

world's strongest man

if he has the belt?

They made up that belt!

- I don't care! I want it!

Why do you think he wants

to challenge you so quickly?

His promoter came to the gym

and saw that you were sick.

No! In a month, if you're better.

Mlina is due in a month.

I said i'd be there.

If you lose, it'll be a long time

before Michaud accepts a rematch.

Your career could really suffer.

Do yourself a favour, take

a few days to think about it.

Please.

Ready for your lesson?

Yes.

This came in yesterday.

It's from my father.

It's a telegram.

That i knew. Thanks, Horace.

Right.

What?

It's...

It's your mother.

She passed away.

Her funeral is...

Actually, it was last week.

If i can do anything...

You can't. I can.

LOUIS CYR VS. DAVID

MICHAUD QUBEC CITY, 1887

Welcome, ladies and gentlemen,

to this momentous event

featuring two extraordinary

forces of nature!

Up for grabs is the new Canadian

Strongman Championship Belt!

What's going on here?

We're ready, we're ready.

This is ridiculous! How

are you gonna do this?

Quickly.

And now, without further ado,

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