Passage to Marseille Page #5

Lorraine.

For me,

France will always be the great tradition.

Versailles, Joan of Arc,

statues and monuments.

Napoleon sleeping in greatness

in the Invalides.

Place Vendme.

Tradition that was too big for a boy of 16,

who was ashamed

to find himself a coward.

If it were to cost my life, I...

It would be a small price to pay

to redeem myself.

I would fight and die gladly

to make France free.

Who wouldn't?

I am past 65.

But if we can make sure

that here are four Frenchmen at least

who feel as I do about our country,

who, if they had the chance,

would fight for France.

If I can convince myself to believe you,

I might...

- You might what?

- I might,

even though I'm an old man,

still find a way to serve my country.

- But, tell me again, if you were in France...

- We would fight.

But what kind of talk is this?

We're not in France.

We're in this stinking hole.

What do we do? Grow wings to fly with?

- Or do we walk across the Atlantic?

- A canoe might be bought.

A canoe might float

down the river to the sea.

A ship might be boarded.

- Listen, old man, if you're joking with us...

- I'm not joking.

I want to be sure that you are the men.

How many I've talked to before.

Can I take a chance on you?

Are you lying to me?

Have you the courage

to beat the river and the sea?

Well, if we haven't, I know one who has.

And if he would be with us...

You know him.

- His name is Matrac.

- Can he get us through the swamp?

- That is the main thing.

- I know the swamp like my own hand.

- But the river and the sea?

- Matrac knows the ocean.

He escaped once in a canoe to Venezuela,

but they sent him back.

- Is this man a patriot?

- Yes, he is a patriot.

A greater patriot

than any of us can ever hope to be.

I swear it, he fought the Nazis

long before there was a war.

It was in 1938, during the Munich Crisis.

Daladier has just returned

by plane from Munich

where he, a Frenchman,

betrayed France to the enemy.

That's fantastic enough in all conscience,

but an even more fantastic thing

has just happened right here

at the airport. You getting that?

Go ahead.

Instead of being torn to pieces

by an outraged mob,

the mob welcomed him home a hero.

It's unbelievable.

From where I'm phoning, I can see

the litter of flowers on the runway

where the crowd pelted him not

with stones, mind you, but with flowers.

It's incredible, unbelievable.

Raoul? Can you print that?

Jean, please get out.

Jean! Jean!

Jean, it's no use!

Everything I've worked for

smashed to bits.

Did you see the them, the police?

The dirty Fascist flunkies.

Jean, it may be hard right now,

but you must remember

that they are still Frenchmen

who believe in the things we believe in.

They stood there,

just stood there watching,

just to make sure a good job was done.

Darling, you've been driving yourself

too hard. You need some rest.

I know the place, Jean. Romilly. You said

you wanted to go back there someday.

- Romilly?

- Yes. Remember?

Remember where it was we first met?

Right over there, beyond that bend.

This is the very spot.

You were wearing one of those big floppy

yellow hats and a basket on your arm.

Is that all? Must have been a warm day.

How long has it been, Jean?

Oh, when I think of what's happened,

it seems like a century.

Well, don't think about it.

You know, you're a lot prettier now

than you were then.

Really?

Wonder why

we never thought of getting married.

Oh, I've thought of it, Jean, very often.

But I had a rival.

France.

That's ancient history.

Think it's too late?

How's the knee these days, Jacques?

a va, Monsieur le Maire,

if you do not complain about it.

Now his two sons, both soldiers.

- Monsieur thinks there'll be another war?

- Will be?

We've already lost the first three battles,

the Rhineland, Vienna and Munich.

- But in a military way?

- Jean, no politics.

Madame is right.

No politics tonight, of all nights.

I guess I can still bend my knees.

They won't crack.

Happy?

- To us.

- Together always.

It's funny how much more you can say

with a few bars of music

than a basketful of words.

Jean?

- Let's go.

- Why? What's the matter?

- Nothing.

- You look as if you'd seen a ghost.

- Oh, I'm just a little tired from shopping.

- All right.

You know, you're a funny girl.

We just about get unpacked

and settle down,

and you wanna pack up

and run away again.

I'm going to get my wedding trip in

while I can.

Jean?

Remember the boat trip

we said we'd take someday?

You wanted to do a series of stories

on South America.

Yes. Guatemala, Peru.

- Seems like a long time ago.

- You know, we could still do it.

We could get visas in Marseille

for Portugal and sail from...

- What's the matter?

- Nothing.

Crazy kids.

- Oh, I can't...

- Look now. You can look now. Come on.

They missed us by that much.

- I can't go on any longer.

- Oh, come on, Paula.

I tell you it's all over. Nobody got hurt.

It's not that, Jean.

What are you talking about?

Darling, you've got to get away.

They're looking for you.

Who's looking for me?

What are you talking about?

The police.

You're wanted, Jean, for murder.

Yes.

There.

I'm not gonna run away.

There still must be some justice left

in France.

But, Jean, don't you see that the same

people who can pay for riots and killing

can hire courts, judges and juries?

They can't get away with it,

the dirty, murdering...

Please, darling, if you love me.

There's still room for the truth.

But you can't print the truth

on a smashed press.

No, but I can still talk.

I'm going back and stand trial. I've got to.

But you won't prove anything.

You'll get yourself killed.

I want you to fight, Jean, not be a martyr.

It's not just us, our lives,

it's the life of our country.

If we get away,

go to America or somewhere,

we can do something about it.

We can shout the truth

and tell people what's going on.

Jean, please.

All right, we'll go.

Jean?

Jean? Are you awake?

- Jean!

- Here I am. Out here.

Oh, darling. I was so frightened.

I couldn't sleep. I tried not to wake you.

- Monsieur Matrac?

- Yes.

You're under arrest.

"For the crime of inciting a riot

and for complicity in the events

"which led to the death

of one Raoul Dulaine

"and for other traitorous acts

against the Republic of France,

"I sentence you to 15 years

- "in the penal colony of Guiana."

- Oh, Jean!

I'll be waiting. I'll be waiting.

Can you doubt that this man is a patriot?

No. He is a great patriot.

He's the man to lead us.

But where is he? Where can we find him?

He's in solitary.

He will be there for another two months.

What was his offence?

Well, there was a letter

from someone very dear to him at home.

One of the guards made a dirty joke

and dropped the letter in the mud,

so Matrac knifed him.

Two months?

Men have gone mad in the chteau

in two days.

Not Matrac.

Marius could get word to him of our plans.

Sure, and he would be worth waiting for,

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes