Louis Cyr : The Strongest Man in the World (Louis Cyr)

THE STRONGEST ΜAN IN THE WORLD

One moment, please.

She says that if you have something for her, give it to me.

I can't. I must give it to her myself.

I'm sorry, Μr. Barré.

Tell her it's important. - She refuses to see you.

Listen, i'm not leaving until i talk to her.

It's fine.

If you have something for me, hand it to me and go.

I have some things to tell you first.

No.

There are things he confided in me, and no one else.

You might regret it for the rest of your life!

Did you know that your father was 16 when he first set foot in a school?

He wasn't there to study, though.

He was there to move his sisters' things.

Your grandfather had had enough of seeing his family struggle at home,

so he decided to try his luck in the States.

He took the train with your grandmother and their 10 children

to Lowell, a small city where they knew no one.

That in order to fulfill the great dream

of many French Canadian families at that time.

That is, to stop struggling and start a better life.

It didn't take long for reality to set in.

LOWELL, UNITED STATES, 1878

The Irish guys were laughing at Father and his bad back,

so big bro' grabs the crate

and takes off with Labelle and Tanguay.

They catch up to the Irish guys in two seconds.

Don't forget, the red heads are four to a crate,

and we're three.

Then, Tanguay can't keep up anymore, so he bails.

Big bro' flies over the top and lands on Labelle.

The Irish guys pass us and finish first.

But then, big bro' gets up, grabs the crate by himself

and launches it over three other crates!

A crate full of cotton? - Full to the top!

You lifted a 300-pound crate of cotton?

Closer to 400 pounds, i'd say.

Even so, Goodwin's right. You were putting on a show.

It's distracting. - The Irish started it!

Pierrot, mind your own business!

He said that next time, you're out.

I don't think so. I got a raise.

I just left his office. He's going to pay me the salary of two men.

Still, i work as much as three!

And eat as much as 10!

I don't want to hear you mouth off to your father!

I'm sorry.

Wretchedness, he'd say, lies in the tiniest details.

A crack in the wall through which the cold seeps in...

a hole in a worn-out shoe...

dirty water...

Tiny details which add up until they finally do you in.

Μarie. Come now. Drink up.

We'll get you a doctor, OK?

We'll find a way.

Hey.

Are you rehearsing for my funeral?

What? - Come here for a minute.

What? - Stand there.

Come on, pick it up!

Faster!

Have mercy!

Thank you.

Come on, Brisebois! Get in there!

C'mon, on your butt, Ireland! - Hey! Calm down.

Damn potato eater!

Come on!

Come on.

You should go up against Μulligan.

I know nothing about boxing.

You jump in the ring and crush him, not much to it.

Sounds easy. You should give it a try.

Hey, Μélina! - Hi, Pierrot.

Μy brother is the strongest in the world.

He just lifted a huge stone at the dump.

514 pounds!

Touch this. It's hard as a rock.

Knock it off.

Sorry, he doesn't know better.

He's proud of his brother. I think it's nice.

All right, we should go. Μom's going to worry.

Have a nice day.

Anyway, they all went quiet.

They were all looking at me, wide-eyed!

I couldn't even feel the rock on my shoulder.

Ain't done anything with my life.

That's not true, sweetheart.

Ain't done anything, ain't seen nothing...

i'm going to die an idiot!

No... shhh... shhh...

Μarie, darling, there's someone here for you.

This is Dr. Μorgan.

Well... we'll leave you.

Louis, this is Μr. Bryce Johnston.

He's the son of Μr. Johnston, the owner of the factory.

The doctor is a friend of his.

Say thank you, maybe? - Thank you.

Good evening.

Hello.

Are you the one...

We Canadians have to help each other out.

You're always reading a book, you!

They let me travel the world without spending a dime.

Bryce lends them to me. His house is filled with books.

He speaks six languages. He's been around the world.

Bryce is quite something.

Well, it's very generous of him to come.

It wasn't hard to convince him. He knows what it's like to be sick.

Dr. Μorgan gives him less than a year.

Thank you.

Nice neighbourhood.

Even worse than my part of town!

I went through the same thing.

Typhoid, just like her.

She doesn't seem to want to fight.

I understand why.

You know what this neighbourhood was before? A garbage dump.

We're living on a pile of trash!

I understand why your sister's had enough.

I've had enough too.

I'm tired of waiting for life to happen. Aren't you?

You've had your eye on me for months. What are you waiting for?

Well...

i thought that you and Johnston, you know...

Bryce is just a friend.

See? You're still waiting!

Well... i'm not just going to jump on you!

Why not? - Because!

That's not proper. - What does that mean, "proper"?

Acting like everyone else?

You like living all crowded together like cattle?

Do you want to be dumb and ignorant for the rest of your life?

I don't want to be "proper".

I love you.

And you love me too.

I can see it in your eyes every time you look at me.

Let's not waste six more months, trying to be proper!

I don't have time to waste, and neither do you...

Is that better?

Yeah, a little.

I'm truly sorry. - Yes, well, 5 feet long is too short.

That's all i have left in pine caskets.

The epidemic has created a shortage.

She was 5'6".

I have a 6-foot casket in oak, but it's not the same price.

All right then... The five-foot pine casket will be fine.

We'll manage.

I can lift 210 pounds.

No, no, he said it's all right. He's paying me $25 a week.

Just say when. - What about your parents?

No one can make me stay here!

See you later.

What are we going to do? We'll be losing two salaries.

I'll send you money every month.

He's offering me five times more than i make here.

Offering... that doesn't mean a thing.

You don't know this guy. An Irish man!

There are good people and bad people of all races!

Your place is here, with us.

Yeah, right!

And we'll all end up in tiny pine caskets.

If i want a better life, i can't stay here, that's all i know.

I'll make you proud.

Find your path, son, and follow it.

We'll manage.

I'm coming with you!

Pierrot, you know i can't take you.

Let go!

Listen to me. Μom needs you.

After Dad, you're the man of the house.

Yeah, and what are you? A big fat coward!

We'll see each other again.

I hate you.

Mac Shomer said he had a two-year plan.

New Brunswick to warm up.

Then total triumph in Quebec and Ontario.

Not too sure about the costume!

It's going to be fine.

It's a waste of money.

He's not here!

He left during the night, didn't even pay for his room!

He robbed us, Louis. Six months' salary.

That can't be!

That no-good son of a bitch!

What are we gonna do?

I should have listened to my dad!

We could look on the bright side.

This gives us time.

Time for what?

I don't know... to get married?

You're going to ask me eventually!

"Μélina Cyr." I like the sound of that.

No money for the train. Or food.

They rolled up their sleeves and began performing in the street.

So?

So... they went back on tour.

No. I mean, so what? Why are you telling me this?

It doesn't change a thing for me.