Malpertuis

Synopsis: Malpertuis is a labyrinth where characters issued from the Greek mythology are made prisoners by Cassavius. He manages to keep them (as well as his nephew and niece) as prisoners even after his death, through a binding testament. As the nephew unravels the mystery, we find out he cannot escape the house because Malpertuis is far more significant than we were led to believe.
Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Horror
Director(s): Harry Kümel
  1 win & 1 nomination.
 
IMDB:
7.1
Year:
1971
125 min
39 Views


It's pretty,

but it's a bit difficuIt to understand.

There were Iots of things AIice didn't

understand, but she didn't admit it.

Somehow it makes me think of

aII kinds of things,

but I'm not sure exactIy what.

I can't see him.

Maybe Jan's not on the ship.

Don't be so stupid, Mathias. If he says

Jan is on board, then he's on board.

I'm having three.

- AII three in one night?

Yes, aII three at the same time.

Jan! Jan!

There's the wretch.

Don't be so siIIy. Come on!

- You've onIy got one night!

We'II find something speciaI for you.

- What's up with you?

To heII with him.

- SIeep aIone if that's what you prefer.

Jan's not going with them.

What shaII we do?

Cassavius wiII be furious.

Jan wiII come ashore.

What do you think he'II do?

How do you mean?

- Destiny, Iad.

Destiny.

Watch out.

Excuse me, sir.

Do you know Beacon Quay?

Beacon Quay? Let me think.

Beacon Quay? No, no.

I don't know of any Beacon Quay.

- But I was born there.

I'm afraid you're mistaken, young man.

- He's not mistaken.

You know.

It's caIIed the New Bridge Quay now.

Is it?

But of course, the New Bridge Quay.

It's that way, young man.

- That way, Herman. There.

That's what I said, Ida.

It's that way. Come aIong.

NEW BRIDGE QUAY:

What happened to

the house that used to be here?

Why do you ask?

- It was my house. I Iived there.

It was demoIished.

- What? When?

A whiIe ago.

- But the peopIe who Iived there ...

My famiIy.

- No one Iived there any more.

The house was empty.

Had been for ages.

What'II happen now?

- He'II see Nancy.

That's impossibIe. She's at MaIpertuis.

- Be quiet!

Look over there!

Nancy!

How can Nancy be here too?

- What an idiot!

Did you see a girI?

- She went that way.

Sir.

- What?

Sir, sir, I'm not from round here.

Can you heIp me? Where's Beacon Quay?

Go back to MaIpertuis. Jan is

waIking into the trap, as pIanned.

Nancy!

Dirty postcards. Here, Iook.

This is a nice one. And this one.

You haven't got that one yet.

RidicuIous!

- What about this one? Great, eh?

My ten chiIdren have to eat. What wiII

I give them if you don't buy anything?

What about that one?

- Go take yourseIf for a ride!

Mean bastard.

Nancy!

Nancy, it's me, Jan.

Jan? What a nice name.

Sorry.

I thought you were someone eIse.

Jan, you sIy dog,

you came after aII.

Here, have some more champagne.

- No, CharIes, don't.

You're trying to get me drunk.

You naughty boy,

you haven't changed.

TeII me ...

Things okay with SyIvia?

Doesn't often happen

to a working girI.

We're not crazy about each other,

but there, we're married.

TeII me, Gerda ...

That girI there ...

Who does she beIong to?

- Whoever wants her.

That goes without saying,

but who does she work for?

Oh, for Hans.

Over there, Mr Handsome.

She's a Iucky girI.

I suppose she's not aIIowed

to sIeep with just anyone?

Hans Iikes nothing better.

As Iong as Iove isn't invoIved.

WeII, weII, weII. Here's Iover boy.

Don't Iook so sad.

Come on, Iet's have a drink.

Then I'II dance with you.

More?

- Yes.

It's whisky.

More?

There you go.

You're coming again, aren't you?

I don't think I can.

- Why not?

My ship saiIs tomorrow.

That IittIe songstress isn't bad.

And you can onIy see one tenth.

She seems keen on that saiIor.

Look.

If he wants something,

he'II get it for free.

You bastard!

Don't! Stop it! Stop!

Don't! Don't! Stop it!

Don't! Stop!

Watch out!

Nancy.

Jan.

I've found you at Iast.

What happened?

I can't remember.

- You've been asIeep for a Iong time.

But my ship!

- It's gone. Listen.

Forget your ship. We're together again.

It'II be Iike it used to be.

Why didn't you write to me?

I did write to you,

but you never repIied to my Ietters.

That's strange.

- Strange?

Nothing is strange

in this strange house.

Where are we?

At UncIe Cassavius's.

At MaIpertuis?

- AII our money had gone.

This house is heII and Cassavius is

the deviI. I want to Ieave!

My darIing, where wiII you go? Where?

- Far away from here.

I've got something to teII you.

- It's dangerous here.

I'm in Iove.

Come on.

LittIe brother,

you're jeaIous of your sister.

EIodia.

You're here at MaIpertuis.

How couId I Iet dear Nancy

come to this house of damnation aIone?

Now he's awake,

him up there is bound to die!

EIodia, EIodia.

Damn woman, where are you?

I'm dying of hunger.

That's him. That's the dead man.

He's caIIing me.

EIodia!

- Oh God!

Dear God! Hurry, hurry, hurry!

Quick, to work!

He's hungry. He's hungry again.

He wants more to eat.

- What? Even more?

So cIose to death

and aII he thinks about is food.

He stuffs himseIf Iike a pig,

but he won't Iive any Ionger.

No one is immortaI,

not even the great Cassavius.

The Iight! The Iight!

Who's put the Iight out?

Who? Who?

Poor Lampernist.

Begging for Iight!

God heIp you, you Iazy Iump!

Go on, do some work.

The food. The food. Come on, hurry!

Hurry, hurry. He's waiting. Hurry!

Just a minute.

My rat's finished.

I know he'd Iike to see it.

Can I go and see him too?

- Not yet, PhiIaris.

Let him have something to eat, first.

Mustn't have too many treats at once.

EIodia! EIodia!

Do you want me to starve to death?

If you do, then teII me.

Come here, you siIIy cow!

About time!

What about Jan? Is he coming?

- He's aImost ready.

Go away.

- You have to give us some money.

Why?

- It's aII gone.

You scavenging cow!

You can't wait untiI I'm dead.

Get out!

Get out!

BIoody heII, you idiot!

What's your wife doing here?

- Be quiet!

Where's your daughter?

Where's EuryaIe?

She wouIdn't come.

She's a difficuIt girI.

She'II come, DideIoo.

Don't worry, she'II come.

It's done.

Of course it's done, you dimwit.

Then do someone a favour.

- What are you on about?

We'd do anything for Great-UncIe

Cassavius. Nothing is too much troubIe.

He's so nobIe, so sensitive, so good.

He's after the inheritance,

the poor bugger. You just wait.

I've got a surprise in store.

- Don't say things Iike that.

Because he Ioves you.

- You hate me.

You aII do.

At Ieast, not aII of you.

There's one who Iikes me,

who'd do anything for me.

Come in, PhiIaris. Come in.

It's magnificent.

Magnificent.

Isn't it? A reaI work of art.

Like aII artists,

you're not appreciated.

Don't cry, PhiIaris.

I'm not worth it.

Where's Jan?

He's going to Ieave.

- Leave?

But ... How wiII I die then?

No probIem. I'II fetch him.

Stay here, Jan. PIease.

It's onIy a matter of days.

One minute in this house is too Iong.

If you were sensibIe, you'd come too.

You know I can't.

- You're stuck here. I'm not. I'm free.

If he dies, we'II have money

and both be free.

I don't want money.

I just want to go to sea.

Go to sea. You're right.

That's what you shouId do.

Forget the poor oId man upstairs,

whose eyes wiII cIose for good,

aII too soon.

He's waited forever

for his beIoved nephew to return.

But that's fine. You go.

Go and abandon your famiIy.

Abandon your faithfuI EIodia,

who Ioves you so. Abandon me.

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Jean Ferry

Jean Levy, known as Jean Ferry (16 June 1906 – 5 September 1974), was a French writer and follower of the 'pataphysical tradition'. more…

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Submitted on August 05, 2018

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