The Thief of Paris (Le Voleur)

Some thieves go to any lengths to avoid harming the furniture.

Not me.

Others carefully put everything back in place before they leave.

I never do.

It's a messy business I'm in.

But there's a reason.

I do it messy.

Besides, I have no time to waste.

For a house such as this...

to look it over completely, sort it out, pick and choose...

it takes the whole night...

and then some.

I know what I'm talking about.

I'm a thief. That's my life.

We don't choose our destiny. But I'm not complaining.

Don't bite your nails.

If you must bite nails, use other people's.

Yours are your property. You must respect your property.

I was an orphan.

I grew up with my cousin, Charlotte,

and Uncle Urbain, her father.

He had taken me in and watched over my interests.

One day I would be rich, everyone kept telling me.

Idleness is wicked, young man, and work is honour.

My children, he needs the advice more than the charity.

I hated my uncle, but I loved Charlotte.

I swore to myself I'd marry her.

Fourteen years passed...

in college, the army, in dormitories and barracks.

Fourteen years behind bars.

And then freedom, homecoming, Charlotte.

Georges.

What's wrong?

I have a fiancé.

I'm getting married.

Georges, I was fond of your father.

A charming gentleman, an artist.

But in financial dealings, a total failure.

He made errors, overestimated his fortune.

Verify it yourself. I did all I

could to repair the damage he caused.

Georges, hear me.

If I gambled with your money, I did so for you.

Unfortunately, I was victimised by unscrupulous rascals.

It's deplorable, but who knew that

the Bank of Europe would go bankrupt?

Would you have guessed that? Would I? Never.

You lost a total of 600,000 francs.

Six hundred thousand?

I myself have not been spared.

The other 200,000, where did it go?

It's here.

They're Panamanian. You know that they are worthless.

It's possible. But I paid a lot of money for them!

I have your bills, if you'd like to check.

Can you see what the wealthy are up against?

Why are you robbing me? - What are you implying?

Is it for Charlotte's dowry?

Charlotte? What does she have to do with this?

Are you questioning my word?

I am, Uncle.

- Then you can sue, if you want to.

If you have time and money, you have

one chance in a hundred to succeed.

You have thought of everything!

Where do I sign?

Careful now. Do you know what you're signing?

You renounce in perpetuity, all redress.

Are you feeling remorseful? - Me? Don't be foolish.

But you look as if you're making me a gift. I don't like that.

Don't believe in looks. You could be mistaken.

You have a fiancé for Charlotte? - We've arranged a superb match.

Are you surprised?

Are you disappointed?

What a pity!

You're right, Uncle. I'm not a suitable match for her.

I will try to control myself.

Several days later, the Montareuils...

honoured the engagement of their son Armand to Charlotte.

We are off on the right foot, Mademoiselle.

One might say it was fate. - Armand, you're right.

You're so joyful and carefree. So am I.

I am joyful, but I'm shy.

Allow me the time to become accustomed to you and you to me.

The Montareuils, once very rich...

still retained remnants of their famous jewellery.

Madame de Montareuil had taken them out of the bank...

for my cousin to choose her engagement ring.

My sweet Charlotte.

Champagne?

Father, give me back those matches.

Marguerite!

And get to bed, it's late.

Heartbreaking old man. A peer

scolded for stealing some matches.

La Margelle. Félix La Margelle, at your service.

Delighted. But I don't see the

harm in snitching a box of matches.

Unless one's a pyromaniac.

Monsieur de Montareuil's last ambition

is to see his son's house burn down.

I'm happy that we met.

I've known your uncle for a long time.

I hear he has returned the money left by your parents.

What's left of it.

I take donations for the

construction of churches in China.

Are you interested in assisting us

in our propagation of the faith?

Frankly, I'm not.

I admire frankness.

Father, please, we can use some of your wisdom here.

I shall come, Madame. Excuse me.

The Emperor gave this brooch to Armand's great grandmother.

Fancy that. - Amazing, isn't it?

What does it look like to you, Father? A flower? A butterfly?

No, Madame, it looks like 200,000 francs...

sufficient to build half a church in China.

Always joking.

Monsieur is leaving us so early?

Don't tell anyone, but I'm bored.

I'm bored, too.

That's the key to my room.

Where is it?

My room? You've got nerve.

Third floor.

The door facing the stairs. It has a green doorknob.

Thanks, Marguerite.

Are you going up?

Do you mind?

Please, don't make noise. I'll be right up.

Good morning, Marie-Jeanne.

- You look so drawn out this morning!

Good morning.

You got in late last night. - Did I awake you?

Of course not. I didn't sleep too well.

Did you enjoy yourself? Where were you?

I have dreadful news. Someone broke

into the Montareuils' last night.

The family jewels... All gone.

Charlotte, I fear this means the end of your engagement.

Why? - Why?

Why, their only tangible assets were the jewels.

I can't let you marry into a family

with no means. You'd never forgive me.

What if they find the jewels? - We can't live on suppositions.

Wait for me here. I'll go down to the police. I know someone.

We're going to get the facts.

Those jewels...

Was it you?

You're leaving? - As you can see.

Where?

Who are you going with?

It was you who stole those jewels.

Well, speak, answer me.

Don't leave, Georges.

Why are you going?

I need a change of air.

Your father makes the air here unbreathable.

I'll be left alone as I was before.

Come away with me.

You're crazy.

No, Georges, please, not here.

Father might walk in. Georges, no.

You're going with me, today.

Don't be a fool, Georges. You know you don't mean that.

You know very well it's impossible.

Because of your father?

Yes, because of my father.

Because of this house, everything.

If you'd married Montareuil, you'd have left it.

I'm afraid of you, Georges.

It was you who stole the jewels.

Do you want the jewels?

They're here, the whole lot.

The rings, the necklaces, the Emperor's brooch...

Charlotte.

Charlotte, I was correct. The wedding is cancelled.

The police have broken the case. They won't find the jewels.

Do they know who the thieves were?

"Who the thieves were?"

You mean who the thief was?

- Are you leaving? - Yes.

With my shoes, huh?

You may take them. They pinch my feet.

Well, tell us who the thief was.

Keep this to yourselves.

It was a soldier.

A rascal who had bedded down with Madame de Montareuil.

Your ex-mother-in-law-to-be had a lover of all things.

He was picked up today. - With the jewels?

I told you they were not found.

He had an accomplice

who fled without a trace.

A classic case.

To avoid a scandal, Madame de Montareuil dropped the case.

The affair is closed, is that it?

The police considers it so. Do you think that's funny?

Madame de Montareuil is a damned scoundrel. She led us on.

I stopped by to see her on the way.