My Uncle Benjamin (Mon oncle Benjamin) (Mon oncle Benjamin)

At the time I'm taking you back to...

...morals were full of charming self-indulgence and lovely simplicity.

The characteristic of that happy age was carelessness.

Everybody was yielding with their eyes closed to the currents of life...

...without thinking twice about where they would land.

Benjamin Rathery was a fine example.

Benjamin! Benjamin!

Benjamin! Benjamin!

Madam... There's nothing wrong with you.

Treat me anyway.

Very well. Shall I bleed you? No? I'll cup you then.

You're right: no circles on such a pretty body.

But, what to do? What to do...?

Nothing. Nothing, of course.

A doctor has done more than enough when he didn't kill his patient.

That is not my husband's opinion.

Dear Dr. Fata. He kills lots of them, that's a fact.

But I like him. Next to him, I can almost feel handsome.

But you're more than handsome, Dr. Rathery.

Now that's true enough.

I'm cheerful, poor, witty...

...not too dumb...

...affectionate, strong, eager...

...and in a hurry.

MY UNCLE BENJAMIN. The Man in the Red Coat.

I drink to the divine medicine of urine. I drink...

He drinks!

Let's drink our glass, goddam it, goddam you...

Let's drink our glass, let's drink generously...

Let's drink our glass, goddam It, goddam you...

Let's drink our glass, we'll piss heavily!

Benjamin!

- Manette, it's awful! - What is it?

- Well, you're a virgin. - Please don't always balk about that.

The trouble is you value, the silly little thing, too much.

- Not that much. - Well?

- Well, marry me! - You maidens think only of marriage.

It gets old after a while.

- My father... - A damn thief!

No one else sells Chablis for two louis a bottle!

He's right anyway. You only want my flower.

Your small capital, as he says.

Your small treasure. Your only dowry.

Tell you what: I'm going to abduct you right now.

- And marry me? - Again!

Well I won't be abducted.

Good! Abductions are tiring affairs and I'm exhausted.

I spent the whole afternoon cupping sick people.

So you say.

- The whole company has arrived? - Yes.

- A nice bunch of drunks your friend - A noble bunch of epicureans...

...carrying philosophy as far as drunkenness.

That's my point: drunks!

Let's drink our glass, goddam it, goddam you...

Let's drink our glass, let's drink generously...

Let's drink our glass, goddam it, goddam you...

Let's drink our glass, we'll piss heavily!

Do you know, gentlemen, that some people call us common drunks?

You, Dr Minxit, my esteemed colleague from Corvol. A drunk?

You, Parenta, the only poet bailiff in the country! A drunk?

Let's sing, let's laugh and be noisy...

...let's drink all night and make merry, so much that dawn...

...in the morning, will find us all here still feasting. - Bravo!

And you, Machecourt, my most excellent brother-in-law...

...joy of my sister... a drunk? - Never!

And you, dear Mr. Fata, the husband of such a beautiful wife...

...would you just be a drunk? - Slander!

On your knees, Christians! on your knees, Christians!

My friends! Oh, you, men of fork, drainers of barrels, I tell you this...

...drunkenness is one of Heaven's greatest gifts.

Drunkenness and celibacy! And I'm now drunk and a bachelor.

Benjamin. You're joking about this celibacy of yours.

I assure you I'm not.

There are marriages and marriages.

My daughter just came back from the convent...

...and you didn't come and see us yet.

I keep running from one patient to the next one.

- But you'll come, won't you? - As soon as I've time, that's a promise.

Amin... I've been studying wines for forty years...

...and I can barely distinguish the clear ones from the murky ones.

But I'm rich anyway So mark my words...

...you will marry Arab and succeed me!

- Thus I'll die in peace. - We're not there yet, Mr. Minxit.

What about Arabelle? Does she still make you good creamcheese?

Creamcheese... fish stew...

...fattened chicken... And the rest...

A woman who's good in the kitchen always makes a happy marriage.

My poor Machecourt, how badly you hold your drink.

Whether the woman ls good or not, the cooking ls more varied at the inn and...

...you can eat on credit.

Speaking of that, here's my little reminder, Mr. Rathery.

You big oaf, I'm defending your practice.

If I understand correctly, you're insulting your sister...

...who gave me five little Machecourt girls?

- Me, insulting your wife? - Her cooking. That's the same thing.

- Her cooking ls excellent! - Yes, but you'd rather eat at the inn.

- Did I say that? - You did! And you're going to answer for it.

- But she's my sister. - And she's my wife.

True. I'm your man.

Since we just have one sword here, mine, I give It to you.

And I'll use Mr. Minxit's walking stick.

- Let's share, my dear colleague. - Don't we always?

Oh, no! No! My ham! My... My ham!

Oh, no...

I killed him. I'm a scoundrel.

Little Machecourt host their uncle..

Let's go.

Brothers, humans who'll live after us,

Please do not harden your heart against us,

For if He has mercy on our damned soul,

God will have more on yours that are less foul...

Drunken dogs! Home!

- But, my very good friend... - Home! Go!

Let's drink our glass, goddam it, goddam you,

Let's drink our glass, we'll piss heavily!

Wine and wenches. Do you know where those lead, Benjamin?

- To the paupers' grave! - Yes. But I'll save you against your will.

Since Mr. Minxit wants you as his son-in-law, you'll marry Arabelle.

You'll ask her tomorrow!

Here you are at last, Mr. Rathery.

You must come to Sanbére. My son is very ill.

Sanbére? That is halfway to Heaven.

All right, I'll come and see you tomorrow.

If you don't come tonight, the priest with his black cross will come tomorrow.

My son has anthrax.

Of course you can't afford to pay a doctor?

In that case, it's a job for me.

Did you hear? Miss Arabelle will wait.

Let's drink our glass, goddam it, goddam you...

You drunk! Go home!

What will happen to the lad? Yeah...

- What's your name? - Gaspard.

- Do you know how to find birds in the nest? - Yes, sir.

- To make a catapult? - Yes, sir.

- To fish crawfish? - Yes, sir.

Just like me when I was your age.

- Tell me... can you read? - The big letters.

- Write? Count? - Is it hard?

Don't worry, I never could either.

Just like me when I was your age, I tell you.

Are you going, sir?

Hector of Pontcassé, of the King's chamber.

Guillaume of Vallombreuse of His Majesty's guards.

Benjamin Rathery, a doctor In Clamecy.

Gaspard, a bird finder.

My sword misled you, gentlemen.

I'm no nobleman... and wouldn't want to be.

Between you and me, gentlemen...

...why do you value so much the two letters you put before your name?

Does the particle preserve you from diarrhea when you've eaten too much?

It doesn't, does it?

Gentlemen! Your servant!

- What if we chastised him. - No. Leave him be.

- Such an insolent. - Yes. But it's so uncommon.

- What is this? - Gaspard.

Come. Go in my bedroom. Lie down and sleep. You needit.

Who is he?

The son of the poor devil who died in my arms last night.

- And the old woman? - She went back to her village, where she starves.

- What does that mean? - Just that Gaspard will now live with us.

Look, Benjamin, this is not possible. Or you've become mad.

Yes, I know: it's hard to have another mouth to feed.

But don't worry:i'll take care of that.

- But money is not all. - He can do a lot of things. He'll be useful to you.

If he's a good learner, we'll make a doctor out of him...

...when I'm old, he'll have my practice. - What practice?

And you've only got five daughters anyway. They need a brother.

I need a nephew and you need a son.

- I give him to you. - How good of you!

- Little sister... - Leave me alone.

You know, I couldn't leave him up there.

You can act generous all you want...

...you're forgetting about your creditors.

When you've got credit, you as good as rich.

And what do I need to get bad on my feet anyway?

A good little epidemic God is good. He won't let me down.

You can marry all the same!

And why would I many, tweedledum, tweedledum, tweeddledee.

Mr. Minxit wants to give you his daughter.

- And miss Arabelle is very pretty. - I saw her from afar the other day.

She looks nice, albeit somewhat flat-chested.

Flat-chested? You saw her from afar indeed.

Believe me: it's good to have a fresh and plump woman in your bed...

...and one who knows your ways. - Why don't you marry Arabelle.

You're old enough to settle down, after all.

And Mr. Minxit will leave you his practice.

I don't want to die a country doctor.

It's a great big world. And I don't know It.

- You know where you'll end up! - Ya. In the paupers' grave.

Oh no, no, no tears!

All right, I'll go and see Mr. Minxit tomorrow.

But I'll do it just to please you.

I'll go with you, in order to make you brave.

Good old Parenta. Do you, by any chance, come to sing:

"On your knees, Christians! On your knees!"

Of games and songs, Alas! The time has gone.

To wait for their money, creditors are not prone.

Good heavens! It's verse!

It is! I must indeed soften with poetry...

...of my harsh office the oh so painful duty.