Louis Cyr Page #4

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I didn't say that, i said the strongest!

Stronger than Daddy!

That's the spirit, Lili.

I'm proud of you, my angel.

What do you mean, I'm not coming?

- I told you:
Our little girl.

My folks will take care of

her. They've done it before!

She needs her mother.

I've been dreaming about this trip!

You're not going to take it away!

We can't bring you along.

Mr. Fox promised us

tickets for the opera...

You can't, all right?

That's all there is to it!

Give me one good reason!

I'm your husband. I decide.

Is that a good enough reason for you?

The big one is you. The other one is me.

Wow, your dumbbell is bigger than mine!

That's my back lift.

Very nice. And what am i doing?

You're applauding.

I just don't know how to draw

someone clapping their hands.

It's hard.

Mommy read up to here.

Daddy has another idea.

He's going to tell you another story.

That way, you'll have two.

Do you know the story...

of the three little pigs?

That's it right there.

Well, Daddy's going to

think of another story.

Have i told you the story of

Louis Cyr versus Baby Michaud?

Again?

- Yes, again.

It was in Quebec city, and the

place was full of soldiers...

Another lesson before i puke again?

We're the ones giving

the lessons from now on.

I can't wait!

LONDON, England

Two months later, no one had showed up.

He was like a lion in a cage.

Fox would prevent him from

doing his best, you see.

He could lift just

enough to amaze the crowd,

but no more, lest he'd

frighten his challengers.

Back lift, 4,000 pounds.

They paid to see a

show, not half a show.

Sampson the Great!

He lifts an elephant, but

it's pulleys doing the work!

This bozo put out a

500-pound challenge.

His opponents try, then he

empties the dumbbell on the sly,

lifts it, and everyone swoons.

And this guy...

- Cyclops, i've seen him.

He breaks chains wrapped around

his arms, but they're pre-cut.

None of these guys can beat you.

Yeah, but our ship leaves in two weeks.

Listen carefully, Mr. Fox.

We trusted you. We

came all the way here.

I cut my hair and got dressed up.

I've held back so i

wouldn't scare people.

I've done my part. It's

time for you to do yours.

Right.

Think he got it?

Excuse me.

I don't know how to thank you.

You can thank me by kicking his butt.

What's that?

The news was in every newspaper.

Louis Cyr was to meet his

most formidable adversary yet.

Himself.

CRUCIFIX WORLD RECORD 971/4 POUNDS

ON THE RIGHT 88 POUNDS ON THE LEF WORLD RECORD ONE-HANDED

SNATCH 1881/2 POUNDS

WORLD RECORD ONE-HANDED

PRESS 2731/4 POUNDS

WORLD RECORD BACK LIFT 4337 POUNDS

WORLD RECORD TWO-HANDED

LIFT 1897 POUNDS

He, who could not

read, had just rewritten

the strongmen book of records

in less than two hours.

So? How does it feel reaching the top?

Sandow declared that I'm the one

who refused to go up against him.

It's boring! No one's

talking. Can i be excused?

She's right.

Are you going to be mad at

me for the rest of your life?

My circus idea with Horace...

we've decided to go for it,

the whole hog.

I'd like to include our daughter...

and do it as a family.

Breathe a little fresh air.

All together.

I don't want us to be apart anymore.

I'm sorry.

5 YEARS LATER

Has he seen the Sandow Kinetoscope?

I don't think so.

Have you seen the new Kinetoscope?

It's been replaced.

Have you seen the paper?

Sandow's coming to New York next month.

So?

- We'll be in Pelham.

It's not far.

Sit down. We're gonna write to Fox.

Again?

You should burn all this.

You'll drive yourself mad!

Don't start with me,

my back is killing me.

Fox made a $5,000 challenge

and the guy didn't budge.

What more can we do?

Put an extra $5,000

out of my own pocket...

Come on!

Daddy, it's your turn.

- I'm coming, Lili.

3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8...

Eight boxes in cart number three.

Son of a b*tch!

What now?

Move aside!

Get over it!

- No!

Get away, you!

Stay here, Lili.

Away!

Louis! Are you crazy? That's enough!

Gee, what's going on here?

Get back to work!

Will you tell me what's going on?

It's Fox. He's the one who

invited Sandow to New York.

Add "The Strongest Man on Earth. "

Lili.

Forget about your number.

Why?

The circus is over for you. We're

sending you to boarding school.

Never!

We can finish the tour first.

- You'll do as i say!

What did i do?

Sweetheart, go finish the inventory.

I'll talk to your father and

then I'll come find you. Go on!

You can't be against schooling! Not you!

You're so impressed by it!

If you've got a problem, talk

to me. Don't take it out on her.

She's not going to

wind up a circus monkey.

Not my daughter!

She won't get stabbed in the

back by high-society folks.

She's going to school.

Horace, contact the press

about the show in Portland.

Tell them they'll see something

they've never seen before.

She went back to

Saint-Jean-de-Matha...

with Lili.

I must say... i see her point.

And the press?

They're here.

Everyone's here.

It's not too late to

harness just two of them.

Our two biggest. That's

3,600 pounds. It's plenty.

Do what i asked.

I'm more beat up than you thought?

You're not so bad. You

should see the horses.

Fox heard about it.

He said you're the only man on

earth who could've held those horses.

Even Sandow didn't dare contradict him.

Lili received an offer

from the Ringling Brothers.

They think she could have...

Those are their words.

Let me see that.

You have no idea how

important this is to her.

Horace, I'm giving you my title.

It'll be up to you to defend it.

I don't think that's a good idea.

All i want to hear is that

you'll accept it like a man.

It's an honour.

You're going to school.

End of story.

It'll never fit through the door!

Open the wall, whatever

it takes. I don't care.

I want it in the living room by noon.

It'd been ten years since the doctors

had given him six months to live.

This family gathering

during the school year,

it was his own idea.

A way to make peace perhaps.

Happy birthday, Lili.

You've grown so much.

Happy birthday, sweetheart.

Did you have a nice trip?

- Yes.

You've gotten even prettier!

Come in. I have a

little something for you.

I had it brought here from France.

It's a Pleyel. Apparently,

they're the best.

Happy birthday, Lili.

Don't you want to try it?

If you want to hear your piano,

you'll have to take lessons.

Thanks for supper, but i can't stay.

Lili...

You should thank me!

Thank you?

For what?

For preventing me from

doing what i wanted in life?

Your father wanted to protect you.

- From what? Success?

Really, now! Look what you've become!

You're brilliant. You're cultured.

You're the best in your class in

literature, in music, in everything!

You're my pride!

Your pride, right.

What about mine?

Even if i draw you a picture,

you still don't get it.

Dcarie!

I saw in the paper that

Horace Barr is retiring,

which means that his title goes back

to the previous champion, Louis Cyr.

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