Germinal

When they touch one miner, they touch us all!

Yes!

Nobody's going down!

What's going on?

We can't work, sir. - What's the matter?

Company thugs tried to kill Lantier, a miner from Voreux.

I didn't know that, and it's deplorable,

but I have nothing to do with the company.

Aren't they good here?

We are in solidarity.

Are we in solidarity or not?! - Yes!

We can't work while our comrades are being trampled on.

Yes, I understand.

In Voreux they have women, brothers, it's important.

But I am independent!

Do you know how much I've invested in this mine?!

If you stop working, I'm going straight to ruin, and so are you!

And you will no longer be miners in solidarity,

they will be unemployed in solidarity, starving!

You and me.

We will not move.

We will not move! - We will not!

Going once and going twice!

That's it!

More, more!

The strike is over!

There's an agreement: today you work! Take all that away!

You will die! - You will die!

Careful, big guy, you don't know who you're messing with.

From Etienne!

I'm gonna get you!

Careful with your toy, you might hurt someone.

So we murder our own?

They are signing their death warrant.

Death?

Death is not what it used to be.

What's the matter?

You're not happy to see me, are you?

We have a message for your bosses:

there is a general strike. - General strike, yes.

Nothing will stop us now.

Let him go, Bouteloup. - How?

Will you let him go with what he did to you?

And the money in the box? Now you'll see.

Yes. - No!

We are not like them.

Let him go.

Get out! - You son of a bitch!

Get out of here! - Get out of here!

Etienne!

I need to sit down. - I need to sit down.

Virgin Mary,

pray for us.

Jesus, the Messiah,

your son God.

When your wrath

our faults he punishes...

It is urgent.

Excuse me, father. We'll continue later.

There's a strike again.

And this time it's a general strike.

The wells are stopped, even Jean Bart.

Lantier is back.

I will send a telegram to Lille

and call the army.

It won't do anything.

I beg your pardon?

He doesn't work for Jean Bart, as far as I know.

I don't think he understands the situation.

If the strike spreads like an oil slick,

it will reach all the towns in the region.

This is already beyond us.

I don't want to know what he did to end the strike,

but it has failed. It should instill a little humility in him.

We'll settle the score,

we must avoid contagion and restart the work.

On the contrary.

Jean Bart on strike, that's the only good news in this story.

Deneulin does not have the means to hold it.

You want to force Deneulin to sell? - That's it.

We let the strike settle on Jean Bart.

and then we negotiate.

Obviously, I have underestimated it.

He's not the only one.

And now keep your eyes open and let me know when anything moves.

I think that...

act for the good of the company, but isn't it too much?

It will end badly.

Not if everyone takes his place.

Your aunt and Cecile are going into town, you should go with them.

But I'll be more useful here. - No.

You'll be doing laps here.

I need calm.

Very good.

I don't know how you make the broth taste so good with nothing.

It's really good.

Did you hear that?

At least acknowledge my merits.

It's the fever, he's delirious.

Do you have the courage to come?

Please. I wanted to see how you were doing. I wanted to see how you were doing.

Come on in.

Here, I'll take it.

Thank you.

Sit down.

How are you, comrade?

You scared us, you know?

What scared you is that I would have gone with the box.

I'm not proud, Etienne.

I apologize.

Good.

It's a thing of the past. We're on the same side.

I've been thinking.

We should report what Bressan did to you.

If I go to the gendarmes, they will accuse me of disturbing the peace.

and they will lock me up.

When did Jean Bart stop?

No.

It's the last thing to do. - It's your turn to wake up.

There's a general strike, comrade.

The chimneys are out.

And this time Hennebeau will give in.

A general strike?

You know they won't allow it. - There is a right to strike.

Yes, but on paper. They will call in the army on any pretext.

Let's cut the telegraph.

Yes, that's a good idea.

It may work.

Can run.

Enter.

You called me? - Yes, Antoine. Sit down.

Are you going to buy me off with a drink?

I saw you among the strikers.

You tend to have your feet on the ground, don't you?

It's not against you.

It's not against me?

You do it against yourself.

What is this?

It was...

an ascent.

Your promotion

to the position of foreman.

Do you see it?

Your name.

The undersigned, Victor Deneulin, owner and operator,

appoints Antoine Chaval to the position of foreman.

I just had to sign.

What do I do now? Throw it in the fire?

I don't know what to say to her.

Look, Antoine, when you're single,

cologne is the best.

But I saw you with young Maheu, and she's serious.

Soon there will be a wedding. And then, children. She won't be able to work for a while.

And a salary, with three or four mouths to feed.

Better to be a foreman than to be unemployed, right?

I can't decide for others. - Talk to them, they will listen to you.

You have authority over them. I want you as foreman.

I'll raise five cents a wagon. Five cents! They won't turn it down.

Paul, what a surprise to have you join us.

Yes, I'll be your chaperon, in a way.

I didn't make you a lover

of lace

and fruit.

There are many things you don't know about me.

That's good to know.

Henri, faster! Come on!

What did he want? - To get back to work. I accepted.

Are you kidding?

I got a raise for everybody:

five cents more in two months.

And he promoted me to foreman.

No. Are you crazy?

What's that? An opportunity like this is not to be missed.

And did you think about those from Voreux?

What will I tell my parents?

They're counting on us to break them. - I don't care about the Voreux!

They'd kill for what I got!

You're hurting me! - I'm doing it for us!

For you!

Don't leave me now.

Don't leave me.

Guys,

gather round!

There's smoke!

There's smoke at Jean Bart's!

They'll be damned.

Oh, shit! - It can't be.

They just don't care.

Comrades, let's go!

No.

No way, you won't see the dress before the ceremony.

Come on, you won't stand outside like a soul in pain.

It's all right, I'll take a walk.

I'll be back in an hour?

Perfect.

That'll be two, more like.

Back to work at Jean Bart's!

They haven't kept their word!

Are you sure?

Yes, the picket men went out to beat them up.