Hotel Reserve

BELL CHIMES

Morning! Morning!

Another drink before lunch, Skelton?

Major, anything to improve Anglo-American relations.

I spent most of my life in India.

WOMAN SINGS ROMANTIC FRENCH SONG

BELL CHIMES

Why did you do that? I was enjoying it.

It bores me. You were singing it.

It's sentimental. Why not be sentimental on our honeymoon?

Oh, yes, of course, our honeymoon.

Happy?

You ought to know.

Come on. I'll buy you champagne for lunch.

There's an article here about the Australian Aborigines.

They catch their fish with some kind of wooden harpoon.

There's nothing wrong with my method.

YOU disturbed the fish. This has got to stop.

Day after day, as soon as I am about to catch a fish, you come by, paddling!

Hold it!

Thank you. That was perfect.

We're only too glad. Now perhaps you'd take one of me by myself?

Sorry, that was my last film.

< Mr Vadassy, will you be long?

I'm sorry, I couldn't miss those two. It's my last film.

Yesterday, it was lizards for your last film.

There must be something wrong with me. No, you're not such a good model.

You can't stand still. Because my hair gets in my eyes.

Why do you want hair? It's usual.

I'm terribly sorry. Forget it.

Let's go fishing this afternoon. I'd love that.

Good. I must run to the village. I left my negatives to be developed.

You'll miss lunch. I'll hurry.

Albert! Is anything wrong, madame?

How many times have I told you to decant one bottle at a time?

Now, don't let it happen again!

..Good morning. Madame. I'm glad my guests are punctual for their meal.

You set a good example. Always first to arrive. And last to leave.

..Morning, Major. Having fun? Rather, dear lady.

Morning. ..Madame. What have you been doing, M Duclos?

I've had a discussion on marine biology with our fisherman friend.

He has a theory that the whale is not a fish but a mammal. A mammal, I ask you!

You have so many interests, M Duclos.

Fools talk and wise men listen, eh, M Vogel?

M Duclos needs a gag. Ssh! Andre, he will hear you.

I don't care if he does. ..Albert!

Take this wine away. Champagne and ice, quickly. Champagne?

You heard. ..Cru '28, isn't it? Yes.

..Bring a bottle at once. Certainly, madame.

Ah, Miss...? Have you been fishing? No, I'm going later with Mr Vadassy.

Monsieur, pleasant morning? Yes, the Major and I discussed politics.

Politics? Yes, of course we have.

I still don't understand what a republican is.

Don't bother, Major, no-one does.

The same applies to the porpoise.

Everyone knows a porpoise is a fish.

No, they come inshore to breed. And stay at the best hotels(!)

I'm serious. In subtropical waters, the shallows are full of them. Impossible!

It's a biological fact. I don't believe in facts.

Mankind is nature's supreme achievement.

What have you done with your young man, Miss Skelton?

Mr Vadassy? He's not MY young man.

I never set eyes on him till yesterday. My wife is a great matchmaker!

He has betrayed me for a lizard. Her hair doesn't get in her eyes. < Lizard?

He spent yesterday afternoon taking her portrait.

He's gone for the photographs, so he's late for lunch.

At the Hotel Reserve, one is never late for lunch. I will speak to Mr Vadassy.

Anybody in?

Anybody in?

Yes, monsieur? That roll of film I brought in, can I have it at once?

It's not ready yet. Not ready?

But you said you'd have it this morning. It shouldn't take all that time.

When will it be ready? It's not ready yet. You haven't damaged the negative?

I wouldn't like anything to happen to it. Oh, no, monsieur.

If you'd be good enough to give me your name and address,

I'll send the boy with it. No, I'll call again.

It's no trouble. Your name and address, please.

Peter Vadassy. Hotel Reserve.

Peter...Vadassy...

Hotel...Reserve... It shall be sent round as soon as it's ready.

Monsieur Vadassy? Yes.

I must ask you to accompany me to the police station. What for?

A slight passport formality.

My passport is at the hotel. All my papers are in order.

I don't understand. You will.

DRUNKEN MUMBLING

Vadassy.

Peter Vadassy? Yes.

Your identity card? I left it at the hotel. Age? 32.

Profession? Medical student. Scarcely a profession.

I teach languages. You have a permit? Yes.

Give it to me. If it were necessary to have a permit to bathe,

I might have it on me(!) Don't be flippant!

KNOCK ON DOOR Come in!

You're German. No, Austrian.

Austrian? I don't carry my passport everywhere either.

We have your passport here. And all your other papers.

Have you any other professions besides the two you mentioned? Or other nationalities?

This is absurd. My father was Austrian.

My mother was French. I left Austria before Hitler came in.

In another two days, I shall become a French citizen.

I passed my final medical examination three weeks ago.

Back in Paris, I shall be assistant house surgeon at my hospital.

And your other activities?

I was only teaching to pay my way through medical school.

It's always been my ambition to be a surgeon and a Frenchman.

Teaching languages was my only means. Your sentiments do you the greatest credit.

Thank you. ..Now, please, may I go?

You are a photographer? It's my hobby. How many cameras do you have?

One. I can't see why... You're here to answer questions, not to ask them!

You say you have one camera.

What make is it? Contax.

That IS my camera.

Were these photographs taken by that camera?

Yes, those are mine. I took those yesterday afternoon. The light was good.

Contax is an expensive make. How much did you pay for it? 5,000 francs.

A lot of money for a teacher of languages.

Photography is an expensive hobby.

I saved to buy that camera, just as I saved for this holiday.

It's the first one I've had in five years. Calm down. I have my rights.

Your rights as what? A stateless citizen?

A doctor without a practice? A teacher of languages?

Perhaps as an amateur photographer?

Why pretend any longer, Vadassy?

I've got nothing to pretend about.

You took these photographs? I've said so.

Good. We will examine them together.

On the desk, here.

Take a look.

Lizards...lizards...

lizards...nothing but lizards.

Lizards...liz...

Come on, Vadassy, don't trouble to look surprised.

Curious lizards, eh, Vadassy?

I don't understand. You know that is an excellent photograph

of the new fortifications outside of Toulon.

I suppose you'll say you've never been to Toulon.

Yes, I spent two hours in Toulon yesterday.

But I left my camera in my bag at the station. Strange.

But I was only there a couple of hours.

Peter Vadassy, you are charged with espionage,

with taking photographs calculated to endanger the safety of the French Republic.

What's the charge? Espionage. That's why the chief of naval intelligence is here.

Exactly. That's the way it goes. That's the way it goes, my friend.

Sit down.

Cigarette?

Thank you.

Why did you admit taking those photographs?

I took all except the first ten. How do you explain that?

The spool must've been changed. By whom? I haven't the faintest idea.

My camera never left my suitcase until I photographed the lizards.

Do you recognise this? Of course. Examine it closely.

Do you find anything curious about it? It's exactly as I left it at the hotel.

Then why does your insurance policy give the the serial number as F2372?

But this isn't MY camera! This is Z44738.

Why were my photographs on that negative?

The Toulon exposures were made before you photographed your stupid lizards.

The cameras were changed.

Then why do you keep me here?

You were in possession of photographs calculated to endanger France.

You face a long term of imprisonment, deportation

and your naturalisation papers will not be granted.

France will lose an undistinguished citizen

and the Third Reich will gain one. This is grossly unjust.

You know I am innocent. Possibly.

Vadassy, there are ten guests at the hotel and Madame Koche.

The guilty one has your camera - a Contax identical to that.

It is impossible for us to arrest the entire hotel and search everyone.

Inquiries must be made by someone whose presence would arouse no suspicion.

I see what you mean.

Yes. It's a pity for both of us that you're the only person who can help.

But, M... Beghin, is the name. Michel Beghin.

But I've got to return on Saturday to Paris.

You will remain at the hotel till you're permitted to leave.

If you try to leave, you'll be re-arrested,

you'll be deported straightaway to Vienna

and your dossier will be handed to the police there.

Get this into your head - the quicker you find out

who took those photographs, the better for you.

Don't try any tricks. Don't write any letters.

If you do, imprisonment...

deportation and the Gestapo.

Here is a list I made out for you.

Your fellow guests. Take it!

M Vadassy, you are back! Nothing serious, I hope.

The police were here before lunch. Nothing serious.

Just a ridiculous mistake about my passport. However, they apologised.

I apologise to you for having missed lunch. You know what the police are.

They took a long time to clear up such a small matter.

There was a delay in getting through to Paris.

I thought the police had priority, but you can never trust the telephone.

Anyway, I'm back now. That's the main thing. Yes.

M Vadassy, when are you leaving?

We had agreed Saturday morning. Oh, yes, the day after tomorrow.

The weather's so splendid, I might stay on a day or two.

Oh, I'm afraid... If the police have no objection and if you have a room.

I'll see what can be arranged.

Hello. Remember me?

Oh, yes, of course. The girl by the boat you photographed this morning. Yes.

Where have you been all afternoon? A date with a lizard, I suppose.