The King's Daughter (2022) Movie Script
Once upon a time a
beautiful young girl grew up
hidden away in a convent
by the edge of the sea.
Marie-Josephe!
Marie-Josephe!
Her very existence was a secret.
For she was the King's daughter.
Marie-Josephe!
From a very early age,
she was drawn to the water.
Much to the dismay of
the convent's strict nuns
who did their best to shelter her
from the world.
How often have you been
warned not to swim in the sea?
Very often.
And to my previous punishments...
Revoking your riding privileges,
burning your beloved cello,
none were enough to detour you.
It is Satan's voice which
calls you to the unholy sea.
No Abbess, it is
a simple joy of nature.
- Silence. Silence, I said!
- It is.
Meanwhile, at the Palace of
Versailles, Marie-Josephe's father,
King Louis XIV, King of France,
had recently returned
victorious from an expensive war
that had dragged on for years.
Our troops have been fighting
with exceptional skill and courage.
It has been the greatest honor for me
to stand beside each...
France still had enemies.
My King
And that night, the man
also known as the Sun King,
learned that even he
would not live forever.
Now
Where was I?
A few inches to the right,
would have found your heart.
If France loses you,
it would be catastrophic.
Not to mention lonely for me.
There is a possible solution.
I've been investigating
certain properties
of an organ in a legendary sea creature.
A fish?
That's your solution?
If the question is the king's mortality,
this creature could hold the key.
And with that, the Sun King
commissioned a risky expedition
to find the
underwater lost City of Atlantis.
And its fabled mermaids.
Believing they held the key
to life everlasting.
Hold tight o', captain.
Give me some hand with this.
For this dangerous mission,
a courageous captain
was sent to search the
far reaches of the seas.
I think I saw it.
Due North.
Are you sure?
Only if you believe in the unbelievable.
Ready the barrel!
Ready the barrel.
Lower the nets!
Drop the boat, now!
Fire!
Fire!
Heave!
Heave!
Up!
They're gonna kill us all!
We only need the female.
Let the male go.
So, Captain Yves De La Croix
sent word of the amazing
capture back to Versailles,
on the wings of the Royal carrier pigeons.
Fantastic news, Your Majesty!
De La Croix's ship sails for home.
In possession of the miraculous cargo.
The coming eclipse is the perfect timing.
The books are clear about these matters.
And specify that the creature
must be sacrificed
right as the moon passes
in front of the sun
in order to transfer
its gift of eternal life.
Perhaps we should withhold
our glee, Dr. Labarthe,
until we have the proof that
your books are not just fiction.
Relax, father.
Surely the doctor wouldn't be risking his
reputation on these outlandish claim
unless he was feeling very confident.
Dead ahead, Captain!
The King's closest minister
had serious doubts about the
doctor's plan for the mermaid.
And as fate would have
it he had just requested
that the King's daughter attend the royal
celebration of the coming solar eclipse.
Father? A response
from the Convent of St Elein.
Give me the girl's files.
It seems the Abbess can't wait
to grant us our request.
And on the next day, Father La Chaise went
to retrieve the King's long lost daughter.
Thus starting Marie-Josephe's
great adventure.
She's become incurably defiant.
Immune to all discipline.
Now reports over the years
have told of a prodigious musical talent
so poised in devotion to God.
Throughout her childhood, yes.
But she's become...
Dear Abbess
I need to know whether her
talents might be welcomed
in court.
You are leaving us, Marie-Josephe.
Where am I going?
To a lavish and glimmering hell.
Where you will no doubt thrive.
Do you serve the King?
No, I work for the King.
I serve God.
Are you taking me to meet the King or God?
I've always heard the tales of Versailles.
Never imagined
it would be quite so
Magnificent?
It's definitely dreams.
Magali, please.
Marie-Joseph D'Alember.
- This is Magali.
- Bonjour.
Please show her to her room.
No, we're not in the chateau.
This way, Mademoiselle.
Sire, it is the hour.
Boring!
I could write better music than that.
Maybe you should compose
your own music, Your Majesty.
Maybe I should be my own priest.
Find me a composer who is fresh, fighting.
No hurry.
No hurry, meaning?
Immediately.
Shall we start our day?
Forgive me Father for I have sinned.
I shared my bed last night
with Madame Scarron.
Devereaux.
It was Madame Devereaux.
I don't think so.
Devereaux is an intellectual.
She is also a brunette.
Forgive me Father for I have sinned.
I shared my bed last night
with Madame Devereaux.
You should be forgiven.
To have earned private quarter
so quickly is a magnificent feat.
I doubt I've earned anything.
Humility will get you nowhere
at court, Mademoiselle.
Color and bravado
are the order of the day.
Look at those girls.
I don't fit in here.
It's my job to see that you will.
All ladies' chambers face east.
So that each awakens with
a ray of the King on her cheek.
It's the last piece she wrote
at the convent, your Majesty.
I am not the one to judge whether
or not her skills are good enough.
She's not without talent.
And remember she has no formal training.
I am speaking of talent,
the stuff one is made of.
I will meet her tomorrow.
And remember, no one must know,
she is my daughter.
So how long were you at the convent?
Since birth. I never knew my parents.
Were you taken from them
like I was from Mom?
No.
I was left there.
How poetic.
Trauma at the start of life
often inspires greatness.
Sometimes I think the trauma was greater
for the Abbess than it was for me.
Your Majesty,
first honor this morning is bestowed
on Monsieur Jean-Michel Lintillac,
son of the lace and export's baron,
Pierre Lintillac.
I feel a sense of awe standing
here in the lights of the Sun King.
- A light cast for all France.
- For all France!
I come to show my gratitude
Our nations gratitude for your
recent military triumph.
It is the God's triumph.
And
Our brave soldiers.
In honor of your upcoming birthday,
Your Majesty, let me offer this gift.
My father's dearest possession.
Forged from rare Chinese diamonds.
How I dislike birthdays.
They remind me of mortality.
They also remind you of your
soul's immortality, Your Majesty.
I'm not worried about my soul.
Well, not just yet.
So tell me, how is your dear father?
He's ready to pass from
this world to the next.
I see.
Perhaps there's more to do with the boy.
Meaning.
This war has depleted the treasury.
Why don't we just turn the boy upside down
and see what falls from his pockets?
He stands to inherit a fortune.
You are being secretive and enigmatic.
An inappropriate
behaviour for anyone but me.
Do you believe in coincidence?
Or fate?
Why is everyone staring?
Appearance is everything.
- Appearance?
- Yes, Mademoiselle.
They would rather gossip about you
than reflect on the
emptiness of their own lives.
Being kicked out of a convent
is hardly the making of a fairy tale.
Perhaps, but the fact
that the king had you brought here
makes you an object of intrigue.
Second only to some secret surprises he
has planned for the coming solar eclipse.
The King owns the eclipse too, does he?
I guess when one rules
over the moon and the sun,
he is entitled to schedule
their rendezvous.
- Do you have a favorite fountain?
- Yes, the Fountain Flora.
It's right over there.
Isn't she beautiful?
Mademoiselle, be careful.
Mademoiselle!
The King!
Allow me, Mademoiselle.
Marie-Josephe. Present yourself
before the King, if you please.
Might you remove that shock
from your face and offer a smile?
Do you have a genuine smile?
Hidden somewhere?
No regrets, mademoiselle.
That statue is of a woman who has
caused many to lose their balance.
Although
mostly men.
No need to bother, mademoiselle.
I have another one.
Move her to quarters
befitting my new composer.
Have we died and gone to heaven?
It think so.
We are now in the chateau,
among the truly privileged.
And I have been appointed
your lady in waiting.
It's all so magnificent.
If you could choose only one,
which would it be?
They are all so beautiful.
But
I choose my cello,
my freedom.
- Steady!
- Hold it!
The King built all of this,
bring water to Versailles from
the ocean via the Seine.
Those are a system of valves
that regulate the various fountains.
And there is the path to
the underground river.
Brings all the water here.
After the male was returned to the sea,
the female fell into a
dark and lethargic trance.
A seaman's drunken commentary.
There were two of them?
Yes, your majesty, but the male
is useless for our purpose.
Only the female possesses
the infinite light source.
What you propose,
doctor, is sacrilegious.
- What I'm proposing is revolutionary.
- Stop the bickering. Stop it.
I want to see the creature,
as soon as possible.
Yes, Your Majesty.
If this is real, we need it.
Which means we need him.
Why are you so anxious
to make him your enemy?
Self respect, perhaps.
My immortality secures
the future of France.
The only thing God gives you as immortal
is your soul and you only have one
of those to lose.
There must be something you will eat.
Captain!
Bring out the creature!
That's easier said than done, sire.
She remains in the bottom,
weakened and traumatized from her journey.
You speak as if it was human.
Cannot speak to such things, father.
I only meant she behaves like a human.
She's rebellious, she won't eat.
It's as if she's lost the will to live.
Interesting.
Do you think it chooses to die?
Nonsense. The creature's condition
is unacceptable.
It must be brought to health at once.
You are the doctor, I am a sailor.
Perhaps you should remember that,
before you speak with such insolence.
Captain Yves,
Do you understand that the creature
is the centerpiece of the celebration?
- Yes, sire.
- Good.
Then see to its full and robust
recovery in time for the eclipse.
In return you shall receive
a royal pardon.
- Majesty.
- However,
you fail me,
and a dark cell will seem like paradise.
I promise.
What are you doing?
No one is allowed in here.
- What is that...
- I ask the questions, not you.
- Now answer me.
- It called me here.
Who called you?
The creature, in the water.
- She called?
- Yes, with her music.
Can't you hear it?
I heard noise like
a dolphin or a whale,
but certainly not music.
I want to use her song in my music.
So that the King and the whole
world can hear in it what I do.
I'm not sure
which one of you is the more peculiar.
She has green eyes,
hair almost like ours.
And she called me from my chamber.
A beautiful hairy fish called
you from your chamber?
No, no. Not a fish.
I think she is a mermaid.
Like in the books.
Her music inspired this.
Don't fret, moussieres.
A woman's soul is as musical as a man's.
With perhaps, a touch more vibrato.
Sir, it is the hour.
A touch of melancholy.
Like nothing I've ever heard before.
Seems both off this world and another.
Invite our young composer to the ball.
Forgive me Father for I have sinned.
Yes?
I can't remember the exact
details of what happened last night.
I understand. You're forgiven.
At the convent we used to pretend to put
a makeup for an imaginary grand ball.
Mademoiselle, you spoil things.
Don't speak.
Now
Prepare to dazzle.
Magali!
What's wrong?
I look like a clown!
Nonsense, that's how all
the ladies will be painted.
Oh then maybe I'd rather look like a man.
That's also how the men will look.
Your Majesty,
may I present a somewhat
different version
of mademoiselle D'Alembert.
I like this unique look of yours.
- Perhaps others will follow.
- Oh, I doubt it.
You are something they can never be.
An individual.
In all things, I suspect.
Including your music.
I need your help.
Excuse me, Mademoiselle.
I need a brilliant suite for
the celebration of the eclipse.
Something regal, something spiritual
- Something befitting Apollo.
- And the Sun King?
Monsieur Lintillac.
Perhaps you can offer to dance
with this young mademoiselle.
I would be honored.
The two newest members of the court,
one, the dashing son of the
France's wealthiest merchant,
And an orphan, recently
freed from a convent defined by
humility and chastity.
Then I must humbly ask
whether such a virtuous young lady
would even know how to dance.
I'm afraid, Your Majesty,
I wouldn't know where to begin.
Well then, mademoiselle.
Allow me to take the lead.
A minuet. Three quarter time.
Down, up, down, up
Now, kick. That's it. Beautiful.
And away. Yes, to me. A spin.
Beautiful. And Kick
And kick.
And up And turn around
Well, and hold, that's it.
Back.
And down.
Now away.
To me.
And here we go.
I am so sorry.
You did fine, my dear.
She is very beautiful.
What she is, is an opportunity.
This one I don't fully understand yet.
Everyone, come and enjoy the fireworks!
It was so amazing.
The King is the most graceful dancer.
You would have loved the fireworks.
It was so spectacular.
Something about you scares her.
Perhaps it's because
you're feeding her dead fish.
- She told you that?
- Of course. Who else?
Who else indeed?
This place is so beautiful.
I love the water.
You don't seem to be afraid of it.
You don't seem to be afraid of anything.
Definitely not water.
I grew up by the sea.
It was the only place I could
go to escape the prison of my convent.
I feel the same way about Versailles.
Out there, beyond that gate,
is a sailor's favorite sight.
The shore line
disappearing in the distance.
Not knowing what's coming next,
other than grand adventure.
Sounds wonderful.
Have you ever been to sea?
Only in my dreams.
The Abbess considered
even swimming a crime.
A crime?
- Against who?
- Against God.
The life force has been confirmed.
As I predicted,
it emanates from the heart.
Once the water has been drained,
the creature will be killed
and the organelle removed,
placing the life force into our hands.
It's a lovely dress.
Interesting. With your eyes.
I have never seen anything like it.
It is wonderful to be here
with someone again.
A completely different experience.
I understand you have
company here from time to time.
A rumor.
Odd in a court so devoid of gossip.
It doesn't make it false.
The statue in the fountain
where you fell in
That was the last woman
who was here with me in the garden.
- Who is she?
- I used to draw her.
I'm not very good.
Her name was Louise de Valiere.
- Do I remind you of her?
- No one reminds me of her.
Till you.
I'm afraid I've abused my authority
I questioned some
of the nuns at your convent.
The ones you liked.
- Well, there's such a thing as privacy.
- Oh, I shouldn't think so.
They tell me that you like to ride
and are fascinated by spiders,
which is strange, because they
terrified you as a young girl
- after one bit you in the leg.
- You can't possibly know that.
I'm a King, you know?
And kings have a way of
knowing absolutely everything.
You have made a pledge of
two million livre.
That's a hefty sum, sir,
even for a duchy.
The cost is too great
to honor my father's life.
I see no reason to place the duchy
into the ground with your father.
The title "Duke de Lintillac"
should remain alive
as yours.
I am touched beyond words, Your Majesty.
You didn't tell me this fisherman was so
So
- Handsome?
- Exactly.
The creature seems to have recovered,
Your Majesty.
It will be in perfect health
for the ceremony.
Good servants of France.
In memory of the export
baron, Pierre Lintillac,
who has found safe passage
to the kingdom of heaven,
I present to you his son,
the future Duke de Lintillac.
Whose title shall be bestowed by me
in my supreme celebration
of the solar eclipse.
For all France!
For all France!
One barracuda is gruesome enough.
Ten will curdle your toes.
We hit a pod of 300 big ones.
Meaner than a slam boon
of drunken musketeers.
They were ramming the hull.
Bang!
Forcing us onto the rocks.
And just as they were about
to tear through the planks...
How frightening.
Now you'll be telling us you
tore them apart with your bear teeth.
We turned sail and
beat them with the wind.
The easy way.
I think it's the clever way out.
A man who fails to kill his prey
is either a weakling or a coward.
And a man who sees
only two choices is a fool.
- You're worthless commoner.
- And you merely behave like one.
That's enough!
Calm.
Your Majesty.
Forgive me, Your Majesty.
It was all my fault.
Serve the sixth course. Play on.
Marie-Josephe!
You should not be swimming in there.
Her tail is sharp enough
to cut through stone.
Luckily I'm not made of stone.
No, I suppose you're not.
Good shot!
Why do you hate him so much?
I used to sell lace to China
for his father.
On our last voyage, the Chinese
refused to pay for half
so our soon to be duke accused me
of stealing and had had me arrested.
Shame isn't it?
When lies obscure the truth.
Seems to be the way
things work around here.
Not with you.
You say what you think.
As do you.
Yes. And it gets me in trouble.
So you can ride!
Perhaps better than you!
The arm is badly broken.
I'm afraid we're going
to have to amputate.
No.
The bone will not heal itself,
mademoiselle.
This is the prescribed procedure.
Father, please,
don't let him take my arm.
God will protect me.
Put her arm back in the sling doctor
and review her condition in the morning.
You are out
of your element here, father?
If we don't act, the infection
will result in the loss of life.
Act how?
Your Majesty.
He wants to take my arm.
Surely, we can review the situation in the
morning before taking such drastic action.
- I'm not sure...
- Hold your silence.
May I?
Life is filled with suffering, my child.
And you have suffered with such grace.
Just rest.
Get out of there.
God is with her.
Even better than science.
Monsieur Yves.
She's not well.
The mermaid. She wants to help.
She told you?
Who else?
The fish also speaks to you?
Well, in a manner of speaking, yes.
If anything happens,
I'll never forgive myself.
Imagine how I would feel.
Could she possibly have healed so quickly?
Apparently she is capable of anything.
She produced a golden light, Your Majesty.
And I could breathe underwater.
Incontrovertible proof, Your Majesty.
Proof?
I assume, mademoiselle, you have heard of
the extraordinary powers of the creature.
I agree that something has occurred here
but what is not yet clear,
you're speaking of fables.
Everything is a fable until proven true.
And now the creature has chosen you
as the first to experience
her healing powers.
Don't call her a creature.
She has a soul, just the same as you.
Nonsense. She is a creature.
And her purpose is to serve the court.
Is that why she's here,
are you ill and in need of a cure?
- I must be excused.
- Sit, father.
No one's ill, child.
Your new friend is here to herald a brand
new day for all the servants of France.
You are the most
wonderful and generous monarch.
By using the mermaid's power to heal
the common people of France.
You have earned your place in eternity.
Well,
as long as it's earned.
And once she has completed
this wonderful task,
will you then set her free?
Her life shall be what God intends.
The mermaid was brought
here for the King, not for France,
just as I was and just as you were.
I have more faith in him than you do.
Perhaps, but you are too naive.
And you are too cynical.
With all due respect, mademoiselle,
what do you know of the world
that you've not seen from
the window of a convent?
Please do not assume that
that I have not lived as broadly as you
that I have not lived as deeply.
Besides, one day I will see the world.
I believe you will.
I meant no offense.
I thought you were going to show
me a different side of Versailles?
I am. Look.
What are people saying about the
mystery of the King's common girl?
Well, common girl, maybe.
Rumor has it she has ties to the King.
What kind of ties?
That is still a mystery.
Mademoiselle!
That's the fishermen's house
where Benoit and I live.
It's so sweet.
Sweet?
Sweet is not a word used for fishermen.
Dashing, courageous, fearless,
not sweet.
- You have a lighthouse?
- I'm afraid so.
It's only a few more steps.
The sight is so beautiful.
Yes, but
But out there, beyond the horizon,
where the river meets the sea,
that's where...
Every sailor gets his last look at France.
I can see you now,
at the helm of your ship.
Sailing into the sunset.
That's my dream.
Sail away from all this.
What's your dream?
I want the mermaid to return to her home.
- She's certainly not of this world.
- Nor am I.
I want to go with her.
To go with her?
Not really but,
I could swim in her light.
And I'd outrun the fastest ship.
One day I will have you
on the bow of my ship.
We will race the mermaid
and see who's the fastest.
Come, there's more to see.
This is amazing. What is it?
It's called the Temple of Love.
Built in honor of an woman, unnamed.
Rumor is that...
Thank you for receiving me, Your Majesty.
There is something I must
ask for, humbly. Respectfully.
But first, permit me to ask
something of you.
Something for France.
Anything, Your Majesty, even my life.
It's something a little less drastic.
I want you to accept the hand of my
daughter, Marie-Josephe, in marriage.
I'm overwhelmed.
This would be an honor.
Good.
Well.
Since you obviously
weren't listening at the door,
you must be completely in the dark.
Utterly.
- What do you think?
- Does she love Lintillac?
Does it actually matter to you?
Am I so
endlessly and infinitely self-centered?
It's worse.
Your power is so complete
you're never allowed to care about anyone.
And it's rather terrible.
- What are you doing?
- She called me.
I never knew I could feel like this.
Mademoiselle, stars in
your eyes becoming you.
Father.
Something amazing has happened,
I was just coming to tell you.
Later, little one.
The King has asked to see you.
You will step forward slowly.
And quietly.
Do you recall our
conversation in the garden?
About the woman of the fountain?
Yes, of course. The only woman...
You remind me so much of her.
At times I think you are her.
You are
the very spirit of your mother.
My mother?
She had a mind and spirit, all her own.
She was an individual.
She was not made for court life.
Any more than you are.
She left with the convent
before I knew she was with child.
She died giving birth.
You are my father.
Yes.
But I am a terrible man.
A very selfish man.
I have cared more for France
than about you, or even her.
Why are you telling me this?
Because there are sacrifices
you must make for France.
Sacrifice?
Our country's treasury is empty.
Enemies surround us.
Lies, treachery.
We need money, child.
The young Duke Lintillac
His money, when you marry him
No! No!
I won't marry that man! I won't!
You don't have to agree, child.
You have to obey.
Of course
Your Majesty.
For all France.
I prayed every night
as a little girl
for a mother and father.
And now I wish my prayers
had never been answered.
You must stop
hoping for a perfect world.
And we live in this one.
You understand things, don't you?
I have experienced something.
The mermaid has touched
the very fabric of my being.
Only God can grant us immortality,
unless you believe that
he has bestowed power on you.
I believe he's bestowed on me
the power to discover.
I'm speaking of the soul.
I love the King!
By murdering an
intelligent being in his name,
you are committing him
to eternal damnation.
Go back to your monastery, priest.
Worry about your own soul.
And stay out of my way.
I'm no more free than you are.
Heave!
No!
Everything is in order, Your Majesty.
The creature is in
peak condition for the procedure.
Good. Talk me through.
- Yes.
- Your Majesty
I can no longer keep silence.
How unlike you.
Sit, father.
I know your feelings.
You are contemplating
the greatest mortal sin.
This is not about sin, it's about science.
Science is not absolute, Your Majesty.
"He who searches the hearts of men,
will know the mind of the spirit."
Thank you for your nice line of scripture
but unless you've talked to God,
I don't believe you know his will.
Perhaps not, but I do know that
immortality is the province of God alone.
Then who placed the mermaid
in the sea for us to capture?
Who called upon me to carry out
his vision of a supreme France?
Do not confuse divine right
and divine guidance.
Then let him decide matters.
Command me, oh, Heavenly Father,
strike me down here and now
if I am about to commit a mortal sin.
Now father
If my communion with the
creature gives me eternal life
It will be God's will.
Carry on.
Benoit
They are going to kill her.
We need to warn Marie-Josephe.
Tomorrow a new age
will dawn for all but us.
- You need to make a diversion.
- I do. I do?
I do.
Mousierre.
Halt! Come back here!
- Doctor, I was hoping to...
- Save your breath, De La Croix.
You were in enough trouble, but sneaking
around the room of the King's daughter,
now, that's a capital offense.
Lock him up for the night.
Kick him.
There will be no music this morning.
Leave your instruments.
It is the hour, sir.
You cannot kill the mermaid!
I won't let you!
You won't let me?
Didn't the Abbess teach you any manner?
Here is my offer.
You return her to the sea and
I will consent to this marriage.
You can't haggle with your King
like some shopkeeper.
I can scarcely believe I was so blind
as not to see this moment coming.
You swim with her, you commune with her,
she is your pet.
No! She is all but human!
She feels her life just as we feel ours.
Maybe so.
But you are the one
who has proven the doctor right.
You think I want this
for my own immortality?
France needs a leader
who can protect her.
This is ridiculous! This is murder!
- Silence!
- Silence to you, father!
Your wedding is today.
Be ready.
Musketeers!
Who is getting married today?
Mademoiselle D'Alembert
is to marry Monsieur Lintillac.
Marie-Josephe?
Mademoiselle, you must calm down
and prepare for the wedding.
Magali, please go call Pere La Chaise
to come hear my confession.
You will do exactly as
you've been ordered.
Or you shall forfeit your life.
Drain the water.
Killing the mermaid will damn his soul
rather than save it.
You are the only one who can stop him.
- I can't.
- Yes, yes you can.
Sorry, I have tried.
The King has ruled for so long
he believes he's been given
permission by the Almighty.
Then free me from this chamber
so I may bid the mermaid farewell.
The King has forbidden for the contact.
Which is why I'm asking you.
No, I'm begging you, Father,
please help me.
Forget what's proper.
And do what's right.
My reasons may be different from yours
But the mermaid must escape the King.
No one will believe you
are going to a wedding
dressed like that.
My dearest Magali,
you have been a true friend.
I will miss you greatly.
I am frightened for you.
Weren't you the one who told me
that a little trauma
can inspires greatness?
It was just kidding.
I'm taking the girl to confession.
I have orders to hold
her here until the wedding.
And you dare challenge me?
This is a kiss I've always thought
I'd give to my father.
God has graced you with wings.
I only hope you know how to fly.
Secure the rope.
Hoist the net.
What? We haven't got all day.
Benoit.
- You can't possibly be doing this.
- We do what he says.
Whether we end up in the
Bastille or marry for money,
we do as are told.
I would never let him sentence me.
Why would you?
I swam with her last night.
She conveyed to me
that you were her captor.
Did you know you took her from her child?
- No.
- But you knew of her mate?
Yes, and we set him free.
Then you owe her the right
to return to whatever family she has left.
And have my men face the gallows.
I'm not asking them.
I'm asking you.
What makes you desire to sail the sea more
important than her right to live there?
- The King justifies everything?
- You mean your father.
I mean the King.
Are you no better than him?
You said
the King can't sentence me.
Did you mean...
I could never marry a man
I do not love.
Everybody out! Take the men.
Head for the ships and set sail
at once for the cliff of Le Havre.
What about you two?
With God willing we will see you there.
Let's go then. You heard the captain.
Let's move!
We're going to need to cross the bridge.
You'll ruin your dress.
So I will.
- You will follow the directions I gave...
- Doctor!
Yes?
It's the girl. She's escaped.
Her only chance is to go
through the underground river.
At least she is swimming to her freedom.
The water level is too low for
her to jump the retaining wall.
Can't you drain the water
from the chateau into the pool?
If we drain the canal and the fountains
all at once, it might work but
- But what?
- The pipes might not hold.
- What if they do?
- There is a tributary before Le Havre.
which will give safe harbor to the sea.
Can you communicate that to her?
She understands everything.
We should get moving.
We need to reverse the water pressure.
Stop them!
The creature!
It must not escape!
No!
We need it alive.
Yves!
You need to jump the wall!
Labarthe!
Yves!
Yves!
You've interfered enough!
Take Yves and go!
Now!
See you there, God willing.
The entire hydraulic
system have collapsed.
And what of the girl?
She was seen, riding off
the grounds, Your Majesty.
This way to Le Havre.
Order out the ships so there's no escape.
Momma, a mermaid!
Jean, you must have seen a fish.
Mermaids don't exist.
Marie-Josephe!
Stop.
Stay.
I will jump.
You can't mean that.
You are angry.
- I understand, but life is so precious.
- No!
You think you understand.
You don't.
Then tell me.
The only opportunity I've ever wanted
was to belong to someone.
I came here,
fell in love.
I met a mermaid who has become
the greatest friend.
And I found you
Father.
- But you don't care about me.
- Don't say that.
You don't care about anyone but yourself.
Give me the chance to prove you wrong.
How could that ever be?
Musketeers,
mark your target.
It's simple.
You take the mermaid, she gives you life.
You let her live,
she saves mine.
What's your choice?
Come get me.
No!
I have a clean shot, Your Majesty.
We're running out of time.
Stand down.
Are you all right?
Yes, are you?
She saved me.
Us.
You've always been a great king.
But now you've become a great man.
Signal the ships to retreat.
You were right.
It's something terrible.
To care for someone.
Bless me Father for I have sinned.
In the name of the Father
and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
You are forgiven.
Only love is immortal, Your Majesty.
So Captain Yves and Marie-Josephe
started their life together
in search of Atlantis
and their dear friend,
the magical mermaid.
We're close, I can feel it.
beautiful young girl grew up
hidden away in a convent
by the edge of the sea.
Marie-Josephe!
Marie-Josephe!
Her very existence was a secret.
For she was the King's daughter.
Marie-Josephe!
From a very early age,
she was drawn to the water.
Much to the dismay of
the convent's strict nuns
who did their best to shelter her
from the world.
How often have you been
warned not to swim in the sea?
Very often.
And to my previous punishments...
Revoking your riding privileges,
burning your beloved cello,
none were enough to detour you.
It is Satan's voice which
calls you to the unholy sea.
No Abbess, it is
a simple joy of nature.
- Silence. Silence, I said!
- It is.
Meanwhile, at the Palace of
Versailles, Marie-Josephe's father,
King Louis XIV, King of France,
had recently returned
victorious from an expensive war
that had dragged on for years.
Our troops have been fighting
with exceptional skill and courage.
It has been the greatest honor for me
to stand beside each...
France still had enemies.
My King
And that night, the man
also known as the Sun King,
learned that even he
would not live forever.
Now
Where was I?
A few inches to the right,
would have found your heart.
If France loses you,
it would be catastrophic.
Not to mention lonely for me.
There is a possible solution.
I've been investigating
certain properties
of an organ in a legendary sea creature.
A fish?
That's your solution?
If the question is the king's mortality,
this creature could hold the key.
And with that, the Sun King
commissioned a risky expedition
to find the
underwater lost City of Atlantis.
And its fabled mermaids.
Believing they held the key
to life everlasting.
Hold tight o', captain.
Give me some hand with this.
For this dangerous mission,
a courageous captain
was sent to search the
far reaches of the seas.
I think I saw it.
Due North.
Are you sure?
Only if you believe in the unbelievable.
Ready the barrel!
Ready the barrel.
Lower the nets!
Drop the boat, now!
Fire!
Fire!
Heave!
Heave!
Up!
They're gonna kill us all!
We only need the female.
Let the male go.
So, Captain Yves De La Croix
sent word of the amazing
capture back to Versailles,
on the wings of the Royal carrier pigeons.
Fantastic news, Your Majesty!
De La Croix's ship sails for home.
In possession of the miraculous cargo.
The coming eclipse is the perfect timing.
The books are clear about these matters.
And specify that the creature
must be sacrificed
right as the moon passes
in front of the sun
in order to transfer
its gift of eternal life.
Perhaps we should withhold
our glee, Dr. Labarthe,
until we have the proof that
your books are not just fiction.
Relax, father.
Surely the doctor wouldn't be risking his
reputation on these outlandish claim
unless he was feeling very confident.
Dead ahead, Captain!
The King's closest minister
had serious doubts about the
doctor's plan for the mermaid.
And as fate would have
it he had just requested
that the King's daughter attend the royal
celebration of the coming solar eclipse.
Father? A response
from the Convent of St Elein.
Give me the girl's files.
It seems the Abbess can't wait
to grant us our request.
And on the next day, Father La Chaise went
to retrieve the King's long lost daughter.
Thus starting Marie-Josephe's
great adventure.
She's become incurably defiant.
Immune to all discipline.
Now reports over the years
have told of a prodigious musical talent
so poised in devotion to God.
Throughout her childhood, yes.
But she's become...
Dear Abbess
I need to know whether her
talents might be welcomed
in court.
You are leaving us, Marie-Josephe.
Where am I going?
To a lavish and glimmering hell.
Where you will no doubt thrive.
Do you serve the King?
No, I work for the King.
I serve God.
Are you taking me to meet the King or God?
I've always heard the tales of Versailles.
Never imagined
it would be quite so
Magnificent?
It's definitely dreams.
Magali, please.
Marie-Joseph D'Alember.
- This is Magali.
- Bonjour.
Please show her to her room.
No, we're not in the chateau.
This way, Mademoiselle.
Sire, it is the hour.
Boring!
I could write better music than that.
Maybe you should compose
your own music, Your Majesty.
Maybe I should be my own priest.
Find me a composer who is fresh, fighting.
No hurry.
No hurry, meaning?
Immediately.
Shall we start our day?
Forgive me Father for I have sinned.
I shared my bed last night
with Madame Scarron.
Devereaux.
It was Madame Devereaux.
I don't think so.
Devereaux is an intellectual.
She is also a brunette.
Forgive me Father for I have sinned.
I shared my bed last night
with Madame Devereaux.
You should be forgiven.
To have earned private quarter
so quickly is a magnificent feat.
I doubt I've earned anything.
Humility will get you nowhere
at court, Mademoiselle.
Color and bravado
are the order of the day.
Look at those girls.
I don't fit in here.
It's my job to see that you will.
All ladies' chambers face east.
So that each awakens with
a ray of the King on her cheek.
It's the last piece she wrote
at the convent, your Majesty.
I am not the one to judge whether
or not her skills are good enough.
She's not without talent.
And remember she has no formal training.
I am speaking of talent,
the stuff one is made of.
I will meet her tomorrow.
And remember, no one must know,
she is my daughter.
So how long were you at the convent?
Since birth. I never knew my parents.
Were you taken from them
like I was from Mom?
No.
I was left there.
How poetic.
Trauma at the start of life
often inspires greatness.
Sometimes I think the trauma was greater
for the Abbess than it was for me.
Your Majesty,
first honor this morning is bestowed
on Monsieur Jean-Michel Lintillac,
son of the lace and export's baron,
Pierre Lintillac.
I feel a sense of awe standing
here in the lights of the Sun King.
- A light cast for all France.
- For all France!
I come to show my gratitude
Our nations gratitude for your
recent military triumph.
It is the God's triumph.
And
Our brave soldiers.
In honor of your upcoming birthday,
Your Majesty, let me offer this gift.
My father's dearest possession.
Forged from rare Chinese diamonds.
How I dislike birthdays.
They remind me of mortality.
They also remind you of your
soul's immortality, Your Majesty.
I'm not worried about my soul.
Well, not just yet.
So tell me, how is your dear father?
He's ready to pass from
this world to the next.
I see.
Perhaps there's more to do with the boy.
Meaning.
This war has depleted the treasury.
Why don't we just turn the boy upside down
and see what falls from his pockets?
He stands to inherit a fortune.
You are being secretive and enigmatic.
An inappropriate
behaviour for anyone but me.
Do you believe in coincidence?
Or fate?
Why is everyone staring?
Appearance is everything.
- Appearance?
- Yes, Mademoiselle.
They would rather gossip about you
than reflect on the
emptiness of their own lives.
Being kicked out of a convent
is hardly the making of a fairy tale.
Perhaps, but the fact
that the king had you brought here
makes you an object of intrigue.
Second only to some secret surprises he
has planned for the coming solar eclipse.
The King owns the eclipse too, does he?
I guess when one rules
over the moon and the sun,
he is entitled to schedule
their rendezvous.
- Do you have a favorite fountain?
- Yes, the Fountain Flora.
It's right over there.
Isn't she beautiful?
Mademoiselle, be careful.
Mademoiselle!
The King!
Allow me, Mademoiselle.
Marie-Josephe. Present yourself
before the King, if you please.
Might you remove that shock
from your face and offer a smile?
Do you have a genuine smile?
Hidden somewhere?
No regrets, mademoiselle.
That statue is of a woman who has
caused many to lose their balance.
Although
mostly men.
No need to bother, mademoiselle.
I have another one.
Move her to quarters
befitting my new composer.
Have we died and gone to heaven?
It think so.
We are now in the chateau,
among the truly privileged.
And I have been appointed
your lady in waiting.
It's all so magnificent.
If you could choose only one,
which would it be?
They are all so beautiful.
But
I choose my cello,
my freedom.
- Steady!
- Hold it!
The King built all of this,
bring water to Versailles from
the ocean via the Seine.
Those are a system of valves
that regulate the various fountains.
And there is the path to
the underground river.
Brings all the water here.
After the male was returned to the sea,
the female fell into a
dark and lethargic trance.
A seaman's drunken commentary.
There were two of them?
Yes, your majesty, but the male
is useless for our purpose.
Only the female possesses
the infinite light source.
What you propose,
doctor, is sacrilegious.
- What I'm proposing is revolutionary.
- Stop the bickering. Stop it.
I want to see the creature,
as soon as possible.
Yes, Your Majesty.
If this is real, we need it.
Which means we need him.
Why are you so anxious
to make him your enemy?
Self respect, perhaps.
My immortality secures
the future of France.
The only thing God gives you as immortal
is your soul and you only have one
of those to lose.
There must be something you will eat.
Captain!
Bring out the creature!
That's easier said than done, sire.
She remains in the bottom,
weakened and traumatized from her journey.
You speak as if it was human.
Cannot speak to such things, father.
I only meant she behaves like a human.
She's rebellious, she won't eat.
It's as if she's lost the will to live.
Interesting.
Do you think it chooses to die?
Nonsense. The creature's condition
is unacceptable.
It must be brought to health at once.
You are the doctor, I am a sailor.
Perhaps you should remember that,
before you speak with such insolence.
Captain Yves,
Do you understand that the creature
is the centerpiece of the celebration?
- Yes, sire.
- Good.
Then see to its full and robust
recovery in time for the eclipse.
In return you shall receive
a royal pardon.
- Majesty.
- However,
you fail me,
and a dark cell will seem like paradise.
I promise.
What are you doing?
No one is allowed in here.
- What is that...
- I ask the questions, not you.
- Now answer me.
- It called me here.
Who called you?
The creature, in the water.
- She called?
- Yes, with her music.
Can't you hear it?
I heard noise like
a dolphin or a whale,
but certainly not music.
I want to use her song in my music.
So that the King and the whole
world can hear in it what I do.
I'm not sure
which one of you is the more peculiar.
She has green eyes,
hair almost like ours.
And she called me from my chamber.
A beautiful hairy fish called
you from your chamber?
No, no. Not a fish.
I think she is a mermaid.
Like in the books.
Her music inspired this.
Don't fret, moussieres.
A woman's soul is as musical as a man's.
With perhaps, a touch more vibrato.
Sir, it is the hour.
A touch of melancholy.
Like nothing I've ever heard before.
Seems both off this world and another.
Invite our young composer to the ball.
Forgive me Father for I have sinned.
Yes?
I can't remember the exact
details of what happened last night.
I understand. You're forgiven.
At the convent we used to pretend to put
a makeup for an imaginary grand ball.
Mademoiselle, you spoil things.
Don't speak.
Now
Prepare to dazzle.
Magali!
What's wrong?
I look like a clown!
Nonsense, that's how all
the ladies will be painted.
Oh then maybe I'd rather look like a man.
That's also how the men will look.
Your Majesty,
may I present a somewhat
different version
of mademoiselle D'Alembert.
I like this unique look of yours.
- Perhaps others will follow.
- Oh, I doubt it.
You are something they can never be.
An individual.
In all things, I suspect.
Including your music.
I need your help.
Excuse me, Mademoiselle.
I need a brilliant suite for
the celebration of the eclipse.
Something regal, something spiritual
- Something befitting Apollo.
- And the Sun King?
Monsieur Lintillac.
Perhaps you can offer to dance
with this young mademoiselle.
I would be honored.
The two newest members of the court,
one, the dashing son of the
France's wealthiest merchant,
And an orphan, recently
freed from a convent defined by
humility and chastity.
Then I must humbly ask
whether such a virtuous young lady
would even know how to dance.
I'm afraid, Your Majesty,
I wouldn't know where to begin.
Well then, mademoiselle.
Allow me to take the lead.
A minuet. Three quarter time.
Down, up, down, up
Now, kick. That's it. Beautiful.
And away. Yes, to me. A spin.
Beautiful. And Kick
And kick.
And up And turn around
Well, and hold, that's it.
Back.
And down.
Now away.
To me.
And here we go.
I am so sorry.
You did fine, my dear.
She is very beautiful.
What she is, is an opportunity.
This one I don't fully understand yet.
Everyone, come and enjoy the fireworks!
It was so amazing.
The King is the most graceful dancer.
You would have loved the fireworks.
It was so spectacular.
Something about you scares her.
Perhaps it's because
you're feeding her dead fish.
- She told you that?
- Of course. Who else?
Who else indeed?
This place is so beautiful.
I love the water.
You don't seem to be afraid of it.
You don't seem to be afraid of anything.
Definitely not water.
I grew up by the sea.
It was the only place I could
go to escape the prison of my convent.
I feel the same way about Versailles.
Out there, beyond that gate,
is a sailor's favorite sight.
The shore line
disappearing in the distance.
Not knowing what's coming next,
other than grand adventure.
Sounds wonderful.
Have you ever been to sea?
Only in my dreams.
The Abbess considered
even swimming a crime.
A crime?
- Against who?
- Against God.
The life force has been confirmed.
As I predicted,
it emanates from the heart.
Once the water has been drained,
the creature will be killed
and the organelle removed,
placing the life force into our hands.
It's a lovely dress.
Interesting. With your eyes.
I have never seen anything like it.
It is wonderful to be here
with someone again.
A completely different experience.
I understand you have
company here from time to time.
A rumor.
Odd in a court so devoid of gossip.
It doesn't make it false.
The statue in the fountain
where you fell in
That was the last woman
who was here with me in the garden.
- Who is she?
- I used to draw her.
I'm not very good.
Her name was Louise de Valiere.
- Do I remind you of her?
- No one reminds me of her.
Till you.
I'm afraid I've abused my authority
I questioned some
of the nuns at your convent.
The ones you liked.
- Well, there's such a thing as privacy.
- Oh, I shouldn't think so.
They tell me that you like to ride
and are fascinated by spiders,
which is strange, because they
terrified you as a young girl
- after one bit you in the leg.
- You can't possibly know that.
I'm a King, you know?
And kings have a way of
knowing absolutely everything.
You have made a pledge of
two million livre.
That's a hefty sum, sir,
even for a duchy.
The cost is too great
to honor my father's life.
I see no reason to place the duchy
into the ground with your father.
The title "Duke de Lintillac"
should remain alive
as yours.
I am touched beyond words, Your Majesty.
You didn't tell me this fisherman was so
So
- Handsome?
- Exactly.
The creature seems to have recovered,
Your Majesty.
It will be in perfect health
for the ceremony.
Good servants of France.
In memory of the export
baron, Pierre Lintillac,
who has found safe passage
to the kingdom of heaven,
I present to you his son,
the future Duke de Lintillac.
Whose title shall be bestowed by me
in my supreme celebration
of the solar eclipse.
For all France!
For all France!
One barracuda is gruesome enough.
Ten will curdle your toes.
We hit a pod of 300 big ones.
Meaner than a slam boon
of drunken musketeers.
They were ramming the hull.
Bang!
Forcing us onto the rocks.
And just as they were about
to tear through the planks...
How frightening.
Now you'll be telling us you
tore them apart with your bear teeth.
We turned sail and
beat them with the wind.
The easy way.
I think it's the clever way out.
A man who fails to kill his prey
is either a weakling or a coward.
And a man who sees
only two choices is a fool.
- You're worthless commoner.
- And you merely behave like one.
That's enough!
Calm.
Your Majesty.
Forgive me, Your Majesty.
It was all my fault.
Serve the sixth course. Play on.
Marie-Josephe!
You should not be swimming in there.
Her tail is sharp enough
to cut through stone.
Luckily I'm not made of stone.
No, I suppose you're not.
Good shot!
Why do you hate him so much?
I used to sell lace to China
for his father.
On our last voyage, the Chinese
refused to pay for half
so our soon to be duke accused me
of stealing and had had me arrested.
Shame isn't it?
When lies obscure the truth.
Seems to be the way
things work around here.
Not with you.
You say what you think.
As do you.
Yes. And it gets me in trouble.
So you can ride!
Perhaps better than you!
The arm is badly broken.
I'm afraid we're going
to have to amputate.
No.
The bone will not heal itself,
mademoiselle.
This is the prescribed procedure.
Father, please,
don't let him take my arm.
God will protect me.
Put her arm back in the sling doctor
and review her condition in the morning.
You are out
of your element here, father?
If we don't act, the infection
will result in the loss of life.
Act how?
Your Majesty.
He wants to take my arm.
Surely, we can review the situation in the
morning before taking such drastic action.
- I'm not sure...
- Hold your silence.
May I?
Life is filled with suffering, my child.
And you have suffered with such grace.
Just rest.
Get out of there.
God is with her.
Even better than science.
Monsieur Yves.
She's not well.
The mermaid. She wants to help.
She told you?
Who else?
The fish also speaks to you?
Well, in a manner of speaking, yes.
If anything happens,
I'll never forgive myself.
Imagine how I would feel.
Could she possibly have healed so quickly?
Apparently she is capable of anything.
She produced a golden light, Your Majesty.
And I could breathe underwater.
Incontrovertible proof, Your Majesty.
Proof?
I assume, mademoiselle, you have heard of
the extraordinary powers of the creature.
I agree that something has occurred here
but what is not yet clear,
you're speaking of fables.
Everything is a fable until proven true.
And now the creature has chosen you
as the first to experience
her healing powers.
Don't call her a creature.
She has a soul, just the same as you.
Nonsense. She is a creature.
And her purpose is to serve the court.
Is that why she's here,
are you ill and in need of a cure?
- I must be excused.
- Sit, father.
No one's ill, child.
Your new friend is here to herald a brand
new day for all the servants of France.
You are the most
wonderful and generous monarch.
By using the mermaid's power to heal
the common people of France.
You have earned your place in eternity.
Well,
as long as it's earned.
And once she has completed
this wonderful task,
will you then set her free?
Her life shall be what God intends.
The mermaid was brought
here for the King, not for France,
just as I was and just as you were.
I have more faith in him than you do.
Perhaps, but you are too naive.
And you are too cynical.
With all due respect, mademoiselle,
what do you know of the world
that you've not seen from
the window of a convent?
Please do not assume that
that I have not lived as broadly as you
that I have not lived as deeply.
Besides, one day I will see the world.
I believe you will.
I meant no offense.
I thought you were going to show
me a different side of Versailles?
I am. Look.
What are people saying about the
mystery of the King's common girl?
Well, common girl, maybe.
Rumor has it she has ties to the King.
What kind of ties?
That is still a mystery.
Mademoiselle!
That's the fishermen's house
where Benoit and I live.
It's so sweet.
Sweet?
Sweet is not a word used for fishermen.
Dashing, courageous, fearless,
not sweet.
- You have a lighthouse?
- I'm afraid so.
It's only a few more steps.
The sight is so beautiful.
Yes, but
But out there, beyond the horizon,
where the river meets the sea,
that's where...
Every sailor gets his last look at France.
I can see you now,
at the helm of your ship.
Sailing into the sunset.
That's my dream.
Sail away from all this.
What's your dream?
I want the mermaid to return to her home.
- She's certainly not of this world.
- Nor am I.
I want to go with her.
To go with her?
Not really but,
I could swim in her light.
And I'd outrun the fastest ship.
One day I will have you
on the bow of my ship.
We will race the mermaid
and see who's the fastest.
Come, there's more to see.
This is amazing. What is it?
It's called the Temple of Love.
Built in honor of an woman, unnamed.
Rumor is that...
Thank you for receiving me, Your Majesty.
There is something I must
ask for, humbly. Respectfully.
But first, permit me to ask
something of you.
Something for France.
Anything, Your Majesty, even my life.
It's something a little less drastic.
I want you to accept the hand of my
daughter, Marie-Josephe, in marriage.
I'm overwhelmed.
This would be an honor.
Good.
Well.
Since you obviously
weren't listening at the door,
you must be completely in the dark.
Utterly.
- What do you think?
- Does she love Lintillac?
Does it actually matter to you?
Am I so
endlessly and infinitely self-centered?
It's worse.
Your power is so complete
you're never allowed to care about anyone.
And it's rather terrible.
- What are you doing?
- She called me.
I never knew I could feel like this.
Mademoiselle, stars in
your eyes becoming you.
Father.
Something amazing has happened,
I was just coming to tell you.
Later, little one.
The King has asked to see you.
You will step forward slowly.
And quietly.
Do you recall our
conversation in the garden?
About the woman of the fountain?
Yes, of course. The only woman...
You remind me so much of her.
At times I think you are her.
You are
the very spirit of your mother.
My mother?
She had a mind and spirit, all her own.
She was an individual.
She was not made for court life.
Any more than you are.
She left with the convent
before I knew she was with child.
She died giving birth.
You are my father.
Yes.
But I am a terrible man.
A very selfish man.
I have cared more for France
than about you, or even her.
Why are you telling me this?
Because there are sacrifices
you must make for France.
Sacrifice?
Our country's treasury is empty.
Enemies surround us.
Lies, treachery.
We need money, child.
The young Duke Lintillac
His money, when you marry him
No! No!
I won't marry that man! I won't!
You don't have to agree, child.
You have to obey.
Of course
Your Majesty.
For all France.
I prayed every night
as a little girl
for a mother and father.
And now I wish my prayers
had never been answered.
You must stop
hoping for a perfect world.
And we live in this one.
You understand things, don't you?
I have experienced something.
The mermaid has touched
the very fabric of my being.
Only God can grant us immortality,
unless you believe that
he has bestowed power on you.
I believe he's bestowed on me
the power to discover.
I'm speaking of the soul.
I love the King!
By murdering an
intelligent being in his name,
you are committing him
to eternal damnation.
Go back to your monastery, priest.
Worry about your own soul.
And stay out of my way.
I'm no more free than you are.
Heave!
No!
Everything is in order, Your Majesty.
The creature is in
peak condition for the procedure.
Good. Talk me through.
- Yes.
- Your Majesty
I can no longer keep silence.
How unlike you.
Sit, father.
I know your feelings.
You are contemplating
the greatest mortal sin.
This is not about sin, it's about science.
Science is not absolute, Your Majesty.
"He who searches the hearts of men,
will know the mind of the spirit."
Thank you for your nice line of scripture
but unless you've talked to God,
I don't believe you know his will.
Perhaps not, but I do know that
immortality is the province of God alone.
Then who placed the mermaid
in the sea for us to capture?
Who called upon me to carry out
his vision of a supreme France?
Do not confuse divine right
and divine guidance.
Then let him decide matters.
Command me, oh, Heavenly Father,
strike me down here and now
if I am about to commit a mortal sin.
Now father
If my communion with the
creature gives me eternal life
It will be God's will.
Carry on.
Benoit
They are going to kill her.
We need to warn Marie-Josephe.
Tomorrow a new age
will dawn for all but us.
- You need to make a diversion.
- I do. I do?
I do.
Mousierre.
Halt! Come back here!
- Doctor, I was hoping to...
- Save your breath, De La Croix.
You were in enough trouble, but sneaking
around the room of the King's daughter,
now, that's a capital offense.
Lock him up for the night.
Kick him.
There will be no music this morning.
Leave your instruments.
It is the hour, sir.
You cannot kill the mermaid!
I won't let you!
You won't let me?
Didn't the Abbess teach you any manner?
Here is my offer.
You return her to the sea and
I will consent to this marriage.
You can't haggle with your King
like some shopkeeper.
I can scarcely believe I was so blind
as not to see this moment coming.
You swim with her, you commune with her,
she is your pet.
No! She is all but human!
She feels her life just as we feel ours.
Maybe so.
But you are the one
who has proven the doctor right.
You think I want this
for my own immortality?
France needs a leader
who can protect her.
This is ridiculous! This is murder!
- Silence!
- Silence to you, father!
Your wedding is today.
Be ready.
Musketeers!
Who is getting married today?
Mademoiselle D'Alembert
is to marry Monsieur Lintillac.
Marie-Josephe?
Mademoiselle, you must calm down
and prepare for the wedding.
Magali, please go call Pere La Chaise
to come hear my confession.
You will do exactly as
you've been ordered.
Or you shall forfeit your life.
Drain the water.
Killing the mermaid will damn his soul
rather than save it.
You are the only one who can stop him.
- I can't.
- Yes, yes you can.
Sorry, I have tried.
The King has ruled for so long
he believes he's been given
permission by the Almighty.
Then free me from this chamber
so I may bid the mermaid farewell.
The King has forbidden for the contact.
Which is why I'm asking you.
No, I'm begging you, Father,
please help me.
Forget what's proper.
And do what's right.
My reasons may be different from yours
But the mermaid must escape the King.
No one will believe you
are going to a wedding
dressed like that.
My dearest Magali,
you have been a true friend.
I will miss you greatly.
I am frightened for you.
Weren't you the one who told me
that a little trauma
can inspires greatness?
It was just kidding.
I'm taking the girl to confession.
I have orders to hold
her here until the wedding.
And you dare challenge me?
This is a kiss I've always thought
I'd give to my father.
God has graced you with wings.
I only hope you know how to fly.
Secure the rope.
Hoist the net.
What? We haven't got all day.
Benoit.
- You can't possibly be doing this.
- We do what he says.
Whether we end up in the
Bastille or marry for money,
we do as are told.
I would never let him sentence me.
Why would you?
I swam with her last night.
She conveyed to me
that you were her captor.
Did you know you took her from her child?
- No.
- But you knew of her mate?
Yes, and we set him free.
Then you owe her the right
to return to whatever family she has left.
And have my men face the gallows.
I'm not asking them.
I'm asking you.
What makes you desire to sail the sea more
important than her right to live there?
- The King justifies everything?
- You mean your father.
I mean the King.
Are you no better than him?
You said
the King can't sentence me.
Did you mean...
I could never marry a man
I do not love.
Everybody out! Take the men.
Head for the ships and set sail
at once for the cliff of Le Havre.
What about you two?
With God willing we will see you there.
Let's go then. You heard the captain.
Let's move!
We're going to need to cross the bridge.
You'll ruin your dress.
So I will.
- You will follow the directions I gave...
- Doctor!
Yes?
It's the girl. She's escaped.
Her only chance is to go
through the underground river.
At least she is swimming to her freedom.
The water level is too low for
her to jump the retaining wall.
Can't you drain the water
from the chateau into the pool?
If we drain the canal and the fountains
all at once, it might work but
- But what?
- The pipes might not hold.
- What if they do?
- There is a tributary before Le Havre.
which will give safe harbor to the sea.
Can you communicate that to her?
She understands everything.
We should get moving.
We need to reverse the water pressure.
Stop them!
The creature!
It must not escape!
No!
We need it alive.
Yves!
You need to jump the wall!
Labarthe!
Yves!
Yves!
You've interfered enough!
Take Yves and go!
Now!
See you there, God willing.
The entire hydraulic
system have collapsed.
And what of the girl?
She was seen, riding off
the grounds, Your Majesty.
This way to Le Havre.
Order out the ships so there's no escape.
Momma, a mermaid!
Jean, you must have seen a fish.
Mermaids don't exist.
Marie-Josephe!
Stop.
Stay.
I will jump.
You can't mean that.
You are angry.
- I understand, but life is so precious.
- No!
You think you understand.
You don't.
Then tell me.
The only opportunity I've ever wanted
was to belong to someone.
I came here,
fell in love.
I met a mermaid who has become
the greatest friend.
And I found you
Father.
- But you don't care about me.
- Don't say that.
You don't care about anyone but yourself.
Give me the chance to prove you wrong.
How could that ever be?
Musketeers,
mark your target.
It's simple.
You take the mermaid, she gives you life.
You let her live,
she saves mine.
What's your choice?
Come get me.
No!
I have a clean shot, Your Majesty.
We're running out of time.
Stand down.
Are you all right?
Yes, are you?
She saved me.
Us.
You've always been a great king.
But now you've become a great man.
Signal the ships to retreat.
You were right.
It's something terrible.
To care for someone.
Bless me Father for I have sinned.
In the name of the Father
and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
You are forgiven.
Only love is immortal, Your Majesty.
So Captain Yves and Marie-Josephe
started their life together
in search of Atlantis
and their dear friend,
the magical mermaid.
We're close, I can feel it.