Santos Dumont

Episode 2 The Deutsch Prize

Good morning, Mr. Dumont!

Good morning! Nice day for flying, isn't it?

Just great!

If all goes as planned, will we go celebrate at the brothel?

Flying is partying, Chapin. Now, come on!

I was just kidding, Mr. Dumont!

Monsieur Santos.

Miss de Acosta.

Sem!

I'm so nervous, I can hardly breathe.

Good to know someone's even more nervous than me.

You'll do just fine.

You've worked for this, you're ready, right?

- Yes, of course. - Great.

Let me have something nice to print on my paper tomorrow.

Thank you, Sem.

Boss, we're all set.

Yes, it's time.

- If you'll excuse me... - Please, go ahead!

Chapin, Nuno!

Santos...

Here we go. Careful now.

Let go!

Easy, Mr. Dumont, easy!

We've got it, Mr. Dumont!

- Keep your balance, perfect! - He did it!

He's doing good, Chapin!

Mr. Dumont!

He's going towards the Eiffel Tower!

Fabulous, Mr. Dumont!

Bravo!

Children, look! Come and see!

Hurrah for Santos! Bravo!

Bravo! Bravo!

What a feat!

Congratulations! And I think you owe us a speech.

Speech! Speech! Speech! Speech!

Please, don't.

Please, do forget your shyness for a moment.

Muster up some courage! Come on!

Ladies and gentlemen, please.

Asking our hero to make a speech

would be like adding subtitles to a Toulouse-Lautrec painting.

Let's let art speak for itself.

To celebrate the most French of all Brazilians,

two simple words to fully express our deepest gratitude will do:

Thank you! Obrigado.

- Hurrah for Santos Dumont! - Hurrah!

Come, let's go.

Very well deserved!

How does it feel?

Well, if I wanted to tell you everything I...

Actually, words cannot describe it.

- I can imagine. - I can't...

Excuse me.

Mr. Santos Dumont, may I have a word?

Yes, of course. If you'll all excuse me...

Let me start by saying you made me really proud today.

Thank you.

I'm throwing a party at the Aeroclub, next week.

It would be in your best interest to come, if you can.

- Then I'll be there. - I'm glad to hear it.

You're absolutely right, it's hideous.

It's so pedestrian!

- In any case, I didn't make it. - Of course not.

Miss, come by my office.

I'll offer you something you'll be truly proud of.

- Evening, Cartier. - Just a second!

Mr. Santos Dumont!

- How are you, my friend? - Good! How are you?

- I'm quite well too. - What can I do for you?

- I need your help. - You can count on it!

FRENCH AEROCLUB

You know? I've created The World Auto Show.

If it would please you, I could take you...

- Mister... Dion, right? - Yes.

Didn't you hit President Loubet over the head with a stick,

two years ago?

Well, on that, let me say

that Pres. Loubet wanted to set free Dreyfus, that traitor.

I'd rather avoid problematic acquaintances. Excuse me, please.

But, mademoiselle...

Mr. Santos...

Miss Aida, as usual, what a pleasure to see you.

They told me you would be here.

Yes, but... whose guest are you?

It's awful to have to admit it, but I can't remember his name.

One of them.

I myself will only remember those names I can't forget.

I'm glad you remember mine.

If you please! Please!

If you could let me have the floor for a few minutes,

I'd be most grateful.

You might be asking yourselves why this party, today.

Bottoms up, right?

I come from a humble background.

My father, when the chance presented itself,

invested in oil.

Today, we all know his move proved to be 100% on target.

That miraculous product

has allowed us to move forward by leaps and bounds.

And will surely allow us to push even further on.

In an aim to encourage work along those lines, I give you...

The Deutsch Prize!

Bravo!

Santos Dumont has shown us

you can come full circle, from the Eiffel Tower, aboard a balloon.

But we would like to run a speed test.

The first balloonist to cover that full circuit,

the 11 kilometers from St. Cloud to the Eiffel Tower, on a round trip,

in, or under, thirty minutes,

will win a prize of one hundred thousand francs!

Unless you make it, it means nothing.

I agree! Still, it's one hundred thousand francs!

So what? Here he comes.

- Excuse me, Mr. Secretary. - Yes?

Is it Mardi Gras already? What's all that brouhaha?

Nothing really important.

People are saying

the Aeroclub is not expecting to have a winner.

To do 11 kilometers, in thirty minutes,

I'd have to fly at over 20 kph. And that's impossible!

Sorry, I cannot help you there. Those are the rules.

- Gentlemen. - It's not enough time, Mr. Secretary.

It's more than enough, if you want that prize.

- How's that? - It would be an incentive.

It seems annual interest on said sum will go

to whoever... comes closer to the goal.

- That can't be. - That's how it is.

Excuse me.

Mr. Secretary General, may I have a word?

I'm sorry, Mr. Dumont, the time limit will not be changed.

I don't want to talk about that. I just wanted to say that...

I find we don't need to have inspectors along those 11 km.

What do you mean?

Flight or no flight, they'd have to be at their posts quite early.

Besides, their presence is a way of saying

some sort of unfair play could be expected.

And you don't think so?

As founder of the Aeroclub I know

that prize will be attained fairly and squarely.

May the best man win, Mr. Santos Dumont.

Excuse me, sir. Mr. Louis Cartier is here.

Thank you, Julien.

- Santos Dumont. - Cartier.

- How are you? - Good. How are you?

- Better, now. - Do come in, please.

After you. You have a beautiful place!

Thank you! And you'll always be welcome here.

Thank you.

- Sem! - Oh, the jeweler of kings.

Or the king of jewelers. Isn't that what they call you?

- Yes, it is. - Please, be seated.

Thank you.

By the way, Santos,

your Brazilian princess is in Paris, right?

Yes, she is.

It's a real shame the Brazilian monarchy was overthrown.

I could add another queen to my list of clients.

Louis, a client list made up solely of royalty

can dwindle pretty fast.

Well, that will not worry me.

The ruling hand will always be a bejeweled hand, right?

Now, going by what you said,

you need to be able to see the time without using your hands, right?

- Right. - Very well.

I've created something very special for you.

I give you the Santos Dumont watch.

Please.

I'd always thought a wristwatch to be a feminine accessory.

It looks like a bracelet.

Is there a necklace to go with it, Mr. Cartier?

Sem, always the joker.

There.

Well, that's it.

It works perfectly. It's exactly what I need,

and on top, it's a beautiful piece, Louis. Bravo!

Thank you.

Do tell me, don't you need a ring to hold in that hand, Santos?

I have heard you've been chatting up a young lady from America.

You have heard?

- Just the watch, please. - Very well.

I do admit being single is a lot more fun.

Workers on strike! Bourgeois, you're thieves!

We're paid hunger salaries!

On strike! We're paid hunger salaries!

Bourgeois, you're thieves! Bourgeois, you're thieves!

Look at them! Having fun, playing with their machines,

for a 100.000-franc prize,

totally ignoring their workers' labor rights!

- Nothing but thieves! - Bourgeois, you're thieves!

Bourgeois, you're thieves!

Bourgeois, thieves!

We're paid hunger salaries! Bourgeois, you're thieves!

Santos Dumont, good morning, sir.

Good morning, gentlemen.

A good day, with all that racket?

We were just discussing your comments on the issue of the inspectors.

Yes?