Operation Lady Marlene (Opération Lady Marlène)

It may sound cruel,

but some children should not grow up.

I mean, grow up without rules.

You have to keep them in line from the start, like good students,

guided by good teachers,

like those we find in the deposit and guidance fund,

where they will flourish without threatening the planet.

Without control,

these little ones quickly become grumpy,

annoying,

aggressive,

and, eventually, dominant!

Thank God, sooner or later these types slip on a banana peel,

everyone relieved...

This is, in my opinion, the banana peel

that Adolf Hitler will eventually slip on.

Attention enthusiasts!

JUNE 1940

Champagne!

To our leader!

General,

a French soldier keeps shooting at us.

Impossible!

- Clovis! - Yes?

Retreat, for God's sake!

Come on!

You're putting the regiment in danger by doing more than necessary.

They had a timeout.

MARCH 1941

TOWN HALL

Well, well!

It seems the Germans want to take over here.

Long live Pétain!

Bastard!

You'll see!

Then I hit him!

No, hitting is not allowed!

"You'll see" was more than enough.

You always do more than what's asked of you!

Clovis, keep calm in front of the occupier,

for God's sake!

- What? - Have you...

No!

He said: Long live Pétain.

So? "Long live Pétain" is no reason to hit him.

Can I hide with you for six weeks? Two months?

Where am I supposed to hide you? In a cold storage room?

Yes, fine, let me know.

- Do you perhaps have... - No.

The train tonight? Okay.

We don't hit anyone anymore, especially not collaborators.

Why not?

They're more German than the Germans.

Promise, commander.

"Promise."

No!

So you're going to Paris?

Yes. How much do I owe you?

If you're going, nothing.

This is our way of saying "thank you."

Thank you.

- What was that about? - Clovis.

What's going on?

The war may be over.

Clovis is leaving.

- He's leaving? - Yes.

We no longer need to buy glasses,

fix the percolator, set up chairs and the billiard table.

Peace!

Where's he going?

To Paris. It'll be difficult if he can't get into Paris.

FISHMONGER

I was already expecting you - Any news, general?

We fear a German landing in England. - What?

They call it "Operation Lady Marlène."

We need to know everything about it.

It doesn't sound logical.

If the Germans had wanted to land there, they would already have landed in Dunkirk.

They could have infiltrated the troops returning to England.

Nobody would have noticed anything.

The question isn't why they didn't do it,

but where, when and how they intend to do it.

Yes, general.

- Hello Dutaillis. - Hello commander.

Good, that one's already filling up.

It's filling up, but slowly.

I'm doing what I can, general. Tomorrow you'll have everything you need.

- Montreuil and Maisons... Alfort? - No, they're filing a petition there.

Cowards!

They're not cowards, they couldn't cook for three days.

What did they want to cook? - Artichokes, general.

Less nutritious, but tastier when cooked.

They don't know you need the gas to get to London.

As far as we know,

a certain Kramer, Franz Kramer,

head of the radio, is going to Berlin today.

- Goodbye, darling. - Goodbye, Anita.

When is the wedding, Miss Georgette?

In two weeks.

Then I'll have to come back... with a little gift.

Thank you, Mr. Kramer.

- Goodbye, Mr. Kramer. - Goodbye.

We think this departure is connected to Operation Lady Marlène.

We also think Kramer will be absent for two weeks.

We have to search his pockets when he gets off the train.

If Germany invades England,

we have 100 years of occupation ahead of us.

I'm going to the hairdresser, ma'am.

Okay, but be quick.

Mr. Paulo is still coming to visit, isn't he?

My brother? He's stopping by.

There was no warning yesterday, ...but today...

if the weather stays good...

They're lost or they've run out of fuel.

That would be very unfortunate.

In any case...

As I told you, if the weather stays good...

Yes, well...

Quick!

Yes, captain!

AIR-RAID SHELTER - 35 PEOPLE

- Are you the caretaker? - Yes.

Caretaker or not, you can't stay here.

- Bombs! - Seriously?

Go take shelter while you still can.

I'll go have a look upstairs.

My canned goods were stolen!

- Hello, Marthe. - Paulo!

So the rabbit is still alive?

Yes, thanks to you!

My God!

Nice weather, certainly. That's too much.

It's not all for you.

Three jars are for Mrs. Clain, two for Simone's child

and the pâté is for Irene, the policeman's wife.

She'll come pick them up tomorrow morning, if she can stand on her crutches.

That poor woman! As a policeman...

he can't buy anything on the black market.

Idiots are everywhere. Greetings, and enjoy in moderation.

Be careful. You don't want to get caught with that.

That's for sure.

- And Paulo, my ham? - I can't find it.

The first one you find is for me, the price doesn't matter.

Still interested in silk stockings?

I'm warm enough with wool socks.

Too bad. Goodbye, Paulo. - Goodbye, commissioner.

Help him, he's probably not French.

Careful, his weapon may be loaded.

These boys are still at war.

Careful, boys.

With weapons like that, he could blow up the station.

Unfortunately.

- What's going on? - I have a prisoner.

Thank you very much.

This brave European soldier is eternally grateful to you.

I can also make him disappear.

Yes!

If they bother you, you should have done your duty when you had the chance.

As our marshal says.

Well damn!

German police. What's happening?

This man wanted to help your soldier friend...

because he is a European soldier...

and this Gaullist struck him down.

- What? - That's what happened.

Is that true?

Absolutely!

At one point he even said:

"Marshal Pétain is a bastard!"

- Yes. - Yes.

And Hitler too.

That's true.

And Mussolini too.

That's not true, I never said that. On the contrary...

Silence! You're both getting off to explain yourselves!

Out!

Hey, you've got my suitcase!

- Your suitcase? - It's mine!

- Come on! - Oh yeah!

That's my suitcase.

1ST CLASS - DESTINATION PORTE DES LILLAS

Thank you!

- Give me your suitcase. - All right, quick!

- Surely full of gold? - More or less.

Where are you going? - To a fishmonger in Asnières.

EXIT

They'll pull you out of there soon.

Maybe, but they're expecting me. - Call them.

Listen,

I'm warning you:

the bistro I'm taking you to is for military people.

A sort of canteen.

Yes exactly, a canteen.

Are those military men?

You didn't expect to see our troops from 1914, did you?

They have to eat too, don't they?

And do you see that? Look!

Officers only.

Blow this up and the war is over. - You said it.

I'll put my suitcase away and see you later at the bar.