Fantomas vs. Scotland Yard (Fantômas contre Scotland Yard)

FANTOMAS AGAINST SCOTLAND YARD

Sir Walter Brown, pleased to meet you,

I'm André Berthier.

I'm Lord MacRashley's secretary.

Dear Walter, Edward's waiting for you.

Come in!

Dear Walter, I'm so glad to see you.

Come in and take off your coat.

This brings back such memories!

Remember Oxford?

It seems like yesterday.

But time goes by.

I didn't realize it until my secretary reminded me.

Wonderful boy! Serious, tidy, organized...

and loyal.

In a moment, your husband will finally have life insurance.

The payment will be immediately made to you with no formalities.

In case of...

Poor darling!

May God keep him.

As soon as possible.

Let's get straight to the purpose of your visit:

the life insurance policy you sent me.

I read all the clauses carefully.

They seem clear and reasonable.

Except Clause 6, for which I need your advice.

It covers, in all circumstances and countries except China,

all risks of natural or accidental death...

but doesn't cover suicide,

which is excluded...

This is no time to play cowboys and Indians.

Let's get back to serious matters.

I want this clause to explicitly cover the risk of murder...

Come now, Walter.

Aren't we a bit old for these kinds of jokes?

Lord MacRashley...

Are you implying that Fantomas is a joker?

Fantomas!

Don't worry, I didn't come here to murder you.

Thanks...

Or at least not right away.

It'll depend on you.

You're the third-richest man in the world.

Not quite.

I hate false modesty and hypocrites.

I'm very proud

to be the world's top criminal.

In order to get close to you,

I took on the identity of your friend, Walter Brown.

This face is a mask.

But the mask is so perfect

that you were taken in.

Speaking of which...

Let me refresh your memory.

Two years ago,

in the guise of Fandor the journalist,

I took off into the sky with a fortune in jewels.

Here I'm pulling a holdup in the guise of Commissioner Juve.

Here I'm foiling my adversaries once again

in my pocket submarine.

Here's my secret laboratory.

I'm developing the means

to destroy this planet when I decide to move to another one.

But I won't be taking off in a flying car.

That was last year's gadget.

But I don't intend to liquidate this planet just yet.

It's the goose with the golden eggs.

I've decided to make humanity pay.

How?

I've borrowed the hackneyed old populist slogan:

Make the rich pay!

I'll make them pay a tax for the right to live.

What?

Don't I have power over your life?

- Well... - Might as well.

Yeah...

I've set up a system for direct taxation.

It's a collection department to levy a tax

on the most well-off for the right to live.

I drew up a statement on your behalf, just sign it.

Naturally I'll allow payment plans.

I could tax you over 2 years, 1 year or 6 months.

Except taxation by 6-month installments could get tedious.

And it would cost you a fortune...

Given your good health and rosy financial situation,

the best and most economical

is definitely the flat rate.

The flat rate?

3 billion francs or $6 million.

And you'll never hear from Fantomas again.

That's a fortune!

With the cost of living today, it's nothing.

And I'll give you a month.

As you see, any sum not paid by the deadline

will automatically have a 10% surcharge added.

- That would be $6,600,000! - Before taxes.

If you allow the second 1-month deadline to pass,

I'll send you one more warning before I execute you.

- Execute me? - Yes.

If you mention our contract to anyone,

your execution will be immediate.

You'll receive a registered letter with a receipt

setting out the modalities and place of payment.

What's that?

They're here to pick me up on your terrace.

If you want to use my gadget, the Movie Box,

the instructions are inside.

Don't bother seeing me out.

Good-bye, my Lord, see you soon!

Walter!

Darling, I can't decide which one for Page 3.

Not again!

Haven't you had enough of Fantomas?

It's obvious he killed Walter Brown.

There's no proof, besides I don't like the headline:

"Fantomas in Scotland."

Once a year, like a sea monster.

Thanks, I have my next article.

"The Loch Ness Monster is actually Fantomas."

You need a change of scene.

I'll get you airline tickets.

Maybe it'll give you better ideas.

COMMISSIONER JUVE

...that Fantomas was to blame.

You and your assistant are invited.

I actually speak very good French.

I studied in Paris.

Congratulations.

In the meantime, don't do anything silly.

You'll be in no danger with me there.

Don't tell a soul. I'll travel incognito.

This time, he won't get away.

See you tomorrow.

Delighted to hear your voice.

Me too, who's this?

I look forward to spending time with you in Scotland.

Me too, who are you?

Fantomas.

Have a good trip, and see you soon.

- Who is it? - Fantomas.

- Fantomas? - Ever heard of him?

Don't you remember?

Gentlemen, I've called this secret meeting

because we hold the largest fortunes in the world.

Fantomas has levied a tax on us for the right to live

at an exorbitant rate.

The Maharajah of Kinpoura requests the floor.

Go ahead.

His Excellency says he's the worst victim of Fantomas.

Every year, he has to pay him his weight in diamonds.

I can give the Maharajah of Kinpoura the name of a masseur

who can make him lose 50 kg before the end of the year.

Richard, we always appreciate your sense of humor,

but today's situation is no laughing matter.

You seem to forget that our friend Walter Brown

was murdered by the monster

and we all risk the same fate.

The Maharajah of Kinpoura has our sympathy.

The Maharajah gratefully quotes Rabindranath Tagore:

"Lightning strikes, but the rain makes the cherry tree bloom."

Very nice... Thank you, Excellency.

We've all been forced to sign this statement.

- I received a court order. - So did I.

But if even Hitler couldn't scare me,

Fantomas certainly won't!

It's not fear that kills you.

- Please excuse me. - As you wish.

But you're taking a great risk.

Maybe.

Have fun!

Here's what we'll do:

We'll trap Fantomas.

The trap will be my chateau.

Commissioner Juve, who's in charge of the case,

and Fandor, the journalist, and his fiancée will be there.

They'll be the bait in the trap.

Fantomas will certainly show up sooner or later,

they're his sworn enemies.

That's when we pounce on our prey.

Flowers! How thoughtful!

- Commissioner Juve? - Yes.

André Berthier, Lord MacRashley's secretary.

Is that Loch Ness?

We'll be there soon.

Does Lord MacRashley remember what happened?

No, he had a drink with his friend, Walter Brown,

then his memory's blank.

They drugged his drink.

Maybe it was just the shock.

You do your job, I'll do mine.

To avoid getting stuck in the fog,

I'll go through the woods.

It's a bit narrow, but we'll get to the chateau faster.

The locals don't like this road much.

They call it Three Hanged Men Road.

Why Three Hanged Men?

They claim that 3 men traveling on this road

were found hanging in the forest the next day.

- At least we're 5. - It's just a legend!

Watch out!