Chocolat
Anouska Pantoufle wants to hear the story of grandmere and grandpere.
Vianne Oh!
Anouska Don’t say, “Not tonight.” You always say, “Not tonight.”
Vianne All right, all right. Your grandfather… George Rocher… was the young apothecary of the town of Aulus-Les-Bains.
Narrator It was Anouk’s favourite story. Always told in the same words. George was honest, prosperous, and trusted by his customers. But George was not content. He felt there should be more to life than dispensing liver oil. In the spring on nineteen-twenty-seven, the Societe Pharmeceutique formed an expedition to Central America to study the medicinal properties of certain natural compounds. George was the expedition’s most eager volunteer. But his adventure took a turn he did not expect. One night he was invited to drink unrefined cacao with a pinch of chili. The very same drink the ancient Maya used in their sacred ceremonies. The Maya believed cacao held to power to unlock hidden yearnings, and reveal destinies. And so it was that George first saw Chitza. Now, George had been raised a good Catholic… but in his romance with Chitza, he was willing to slightly bend the rules of Christian courtship. The tribal elders tried to warn George about her. She was one of the wanderers. Her people moved with the North Wind, from village to village, dispensing ancient remedies, never settling down. Not a good choice for a bride. George did not heed their warning… and for a while, it seemed that he and Chitza might lead a happy life together in France. Alas, the clever North Wind had other plans. One morning, George awoke to discover that Chitza and the little girl Vianne had gone away. Mother and daughter were fated to wander from village to village dispensing ancient cacao remedies… traveling with the wind. Just as Chitza’s people had done for generations.
Vianne Just as Chitza’s people had done for generations.
Anouska Will it just go on for ever?
Vianne Night, Mama. Oh, I appreciate you coming in, Armande.
Armande All right, what’s so important that I had to postpone my nap?
Vianne I’ve got some chocolate cake.
Luc Grandmother. Grandmother… bonjour.
Armande May I… Would you like a cup of, er…
Luc No. No, thank you. I’m just here to, um, do a portrait.
Vianne Mm-hmm.
Armande Whose?
Vianne Yours, actually. Is the light okay where she’s sitting?
Armande I have something for you, boy. I’ve been carrying it around since your last birthday. It’s a book of poetry.
Luc Oh. Thank you.
Armande You don’t like poetry?
Luc Oh, no, no, no. Of course… I do. Yes.
Armande Neither do I. It’s not that kind of poetry.
Monsieur Blerot And, in a moment of weakness… I prayed to the Virgin Mother, to soothe Charly’s soul in his hour of suffering.
Pere Henri You understand an animal has no immortal soul.
Monsieur Blerot I understand, mon pere.
Pere Henri Yet you flout God’s law.
Monsieur Blerot I’m weak and a sinner.
Pere Henri What else?
Monsieur Blerot Impure thoughts. The woman who runs the chocolaterie.
Pere Henri Vianne Rocher?
Monsieur Blerot Er, she suggested I buy chocolate seashells for the widow Audel. And, well… I guess that got me to thinking about the widow Audel.
Pere Henri At her age? At your age?
Monsieur Blerot Yes. And yes.
Pere Henri And just what were you doing in a chocolaterie during lent?
Monsieur Blerot It was for Charly.
Pere Henri Again you flout God’s law.
Monsieur Blerot Well, but if Charly has no soul… then there’s no harm in him breaking Lent. Isn’t that so, mon pere?
Pere Henri Ten Hail Mary’s, twenty Our Fathers.
Armande Will she never have done, then that ghoul queen of a million dead bodies? I see myself again, skin rotten with mud and pest, worms in my armpits and in my hair.” It’s perfectly wretched, isn’t it?
Luc Perfectly.
Vianne Would you like some cake?
Luc I’m not supposed to.
Armande Don’t worry so much about not supposed to. Live a little.
Luc Oh! Her hair appointment’s almost done. I have to go.
Armande What about my picture?
Luc Um, next time. Thank you for the cake.
Armande Don’t look so damned pleased with yourself.
Vianne Stay here.
Josephine I did it. I did it. He… he was so drunk. He, he, he woke up. He woke up. He saw me packing, but… So he tried to come after me, but I had already tied his feet with his belt, and… Boom! Right on his face. Right there on his big, red face. It’s so stupid, isn’t it? I never blame him. Sometimes I even… for get what really happened.
Vianne Now, now, now, now. Now, now, now. Ssh.
Serge I saved her! You remember her father collaborated with the Germans? Nobody wanted to touch her. Except for me. And this is the way she repays me?!
Comte de Reynaud Your anger is understandable.
Serge Anger? Everybody’s gonna be laughing at me!
Comte de Reynaud That is not your concern. Your concern is the sacrament of marriage.
Serge Yeah, of course. The sacrament.
Comte de Reynaud Yes.
Vianne Dip the ganashbe into the white chocolate.
Josephine Like this?
Vianne Good. Yes, shake it… a little. Good. Put it on the parchment sheet. You’re doing great. Oh. I’ll be right back. Oh. Good morning. Can I interest you in some Nipples of Venus?
Comte de Reynaud Rumour has it that you are harbouring Madame Muscat. Is that true?
Vianne You make her sound like a fugitive.
Comte de Reynaud She is a fugitive… from her marriage vows which have been sanctified by God.
Vianne Josephine! Come out here a minute! Let His Radiance have a look at you, hmm? Is that sanctified enough for you? It’s not the first time.
Comte de Reynaud I’m truly sorry. You should have come to me. Your husband will be made to repent for this.
Josephine Tell him to repent on someone else’s head.
Comte de Reynaud Come on. In!
Serge Monsieur le Comte!
Comte de Reynaud I’m going to make an example of you. In there. He’s ready.
Pere Henri Well, but confession must be made in the spirit of contrition.
Comte de Reynaud Have you come in the spirit of contrition?
Serge Contrition, yes.
Comte de Reynaud He’s ready.
Dedou Licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, gluttony and drunkenness.
Pere Henri Correct. And what are the three conditions for mortal sin? Serge?
Serge Mortal sin… is the sin whose object is… committed by… deliberate… consequence.
Pere Henri Incorrect. Didi?
Didi Mortal sin is the sin whose object is grave matter, which is committed with full knowledge and deliberate consent.
Pere Henri Correct.
Vianne So how do you know if the coverture is properly tempered?
Josephine Er, first you check to see if it’s… at body temperature. Then you dip the palette knife, to see that the coverture hardens on it evenly.
Vianne Correct.
Comte de Reynaud Closer.
Narrator In the village, time passed. And the chocolaterie did not go out of business. The Comte de Reynaud felt himself being drawn into a strange crusade. His struggle to transform Serge into a gentleman, became more than an act of good will. It became a test… a holy war between chateau… and chocolaterie.
Luc Each time I, I tell myself it’s the last time. But, then I, I get a whiff of a hot chocolate. Or, it’s usually those moon things, or chocolate seashells.
Mme Audel So small, so plain, so innocent. I thought, well, just one little taste, it can’t do any harm. But it turned out that they were filled with rich, sinful…
Mme Marceau …buttery filling and it melts, God forgive me… it melts ever-so-slowly on your tongue, and tortures you with pleasure.
Pere Henri Against you alone, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight. Indeed, I was born guilty, a sinner when my mother conceived me. You desire truth in the inward being, therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.
Narrator Now, the Comte was no fool. Thought he hoped to redeem Serge, he knew that his redemption alone would not be enough to regain control over the village. He understood that some, larger lesson needed to be taught. Some greater problem needed to be identified and solved. Little did the Comte suspect, that his greater problem would arrive one quiet afternoon… in the dull green waters of the river Tannes.
Dedou You’re it!
Didi Hey, look!
Dedou I’m over here!
