Big Red (1962)

[bunniefuu]

[loudspeaker] Ladies and gentlemen,

in the centre ring,

Mr. Blake is now judging

best in show.

[another voice]

Mesdames et messieurs, au centre,

Monsieur Blake juge

le meilleur chien de la parade.

- Fine dog, Monsieur.

- Yes. Buy him.

- How high can I go?

- Up to five.

- $500. I don't think...

- $5,000.

Quli, Monsieur.

[whistle blowing]

[whistle blowing]

[harmonica plays]

[dogs barking]

[barking continues]

Shh.

[yelping]

Attends, attends.

Ne bouge pas.

Ne bouge pas.

Je veux te prendre.

Ne bouge pas.

Ah.

Attends.

Ah, ce n'est pas grave.

[g*nshots]

Reviens!

[barking]

Hey, arréte!

Hey, reviens!

Hey. Hey!

[barking]

Red?

How did he get out?

- Get him.

- Monsieur.

Matt! Patsy!

Come back here!

[blows whistle]

Le chien! Le chien!

- Ou est le chien, Monsieur?

- What?

Le chien rouge qui courait,

s'il vous plait.

[speaking French]

[barking]

Come on, méchant chien.

Pourquoi tu t'es sauvé?

On t'attend dans ta cage.

Son.

Just where do you think

you're going with that dog?

Le chien s'est sauvé

de la cage. Je 'emmeéne.

- Just a minute, laddie.

- S'il vous plait, Monsieur.

Emile, this boy

doesn't speak English.

Find out what he's doing

with Red.

Oh, I speak English,

Monsieur.

- But, uh... But, uh...

- But, uh?

Quand ca va vite,

je cherche mes mots.

He says he does speak English,

but when events move rapidly,

he cannot find the right words.

Events are moving

much too rapidly.

You weren't trying

to steal this dog, were you?

- Quoi?

- Steal. Voter.

Oh, no, Monsieur.

I was looking for le boss to ask for work.

- [chattering in French]

- Ahem. C'est...

C'est Monsieur

qui est le boss.

Oh.

Monsieur, I am

René Jean-Paul Dumond.

I am a strong worker.

I do not get tired.

I have lived with my uncle

who trap the fox.

But now my uncle is dead,

so I must work.

I am learning to speak English

from a book.

And I like animals

very much!

I see. And that's why you let the dog

out of his run, huh?

I did not

let him out, Monsieur.

J'ai ouvert la cage parce que le chien

avait la patte prise dans la broche.

- La patte? Excuse me.

- Oui.

What did he say?

Red's paw was caught

in the cage wire.

Which one?

- Laquelle?

- La patte gauche.

The left one, Monsieur. Stay.

- It is nothing, Monsieur.

- Good.

So, you want

a job, huh? Work.

Quli, Monsieur.

I am a strong worker. I do not get tired.

- I have lived with...

- My uncle who trap the fox.

And you're learning English

from a book.

Quli, Monsieur.

Okay, son.

You've got a job.

- Merci, Monsieur le boss.

- Show him what to do, Emile.

- Monsieur.

- Come on, Red. Come on, boy.

Well, first thing

you must do...

...is put on your belt

so your trousers do not descend.

Quli, Monsieur.

[René]

"Sleep, slept, slept.”

"I sleep, I slept,

I have slept.”

This is the new bed

where I sleep.

This is the window

in the new room

where I sleep.

This is a chair.

This is a desk.

This is a floor.

This is a table.

Good morning, Mr Jones.

Good afternoon, Mrs Brown.

Good evening, Mr Smith.

"Did you walk

to the railroad station?"

"Did he walk

to the railroad station?"

"Did we walk

to the railroad station?"

"Did you walk

to the railroad station?"

Merci.

"I am, you are, he is,

we are, you are, they are."

I am, you are, they are...

sleepy.

- N'est-ce pas?

- Good evening, Mr Emile.

- Thérése has fed you?

- Qui, Monsieur.

Your wife... Madame...

is a very fine cook.

Good.

Are you comfortable?

- Oh, oui, Monsieur.

- Good.

Because tomorrow,

you start working.

Come here.

All these here

will be in your care.

To keep clean, to feed,

to tend when they are sick.

Quli, Monsieur.

But especially this one.

Do you know how much

this dog is worth?

Worth?

Combien vaut le chien?

- Oh, how much is cost.

- Oui.

That "how much"

is $5,000.

- Vous voulez rire, huh?

- Mmm.

I do not make a joke.

$5,000?

One dog?

- [whistling]

- Come here.

- Do you know what a dog show is?

- Non, Monsieur.

Well, no matter.

I'll show you pictures in the morning.

Anyway, there is such a show

in New York City next month.

Now, if he wins this show,

he'll be the best dog in North America.

Perhaps in the whole world.

And that is what Monsieur Haggin

wants more than any one thing.

- Tu comprends?

- Qui, Monsieur.

Be sure that you do,

because this is very important.

Well, you go to bed now.

Our day begins at 6:00.

Bonsoir, Monsieur.

Dors bien.

Good night, Mr. Jones.

Good night, Mrs. Brown.

$5,000.

It is an honour to sleep

in the same room with such a dog.

Good night, Mr Smith.

Mmm?

Gently.

Ah. Voila.

- Emile!

- Qui, Monsieur?

- Bring out Red, will you, please?

- Coming, Monsieur.

Monsieur wishes Big Red.

Outside.

Here you are.

Go! Go outside.

- Quickly! Outside.

- Oui, Monsieur.

No, no!

Not that way!

I am sorry, Monsieur.

The boy did not know.

It's all right.

Well, let's get to work, huh?

Come on.

Thanks, Emile.

Now be tough on him.

That Westminster show

isn't so far off.

Yes, Monsieur, I will be

all the tough judges rolled into one.

Red, stay.

Ready, Monsieur?

Begin, Monsieur.

Red, heel.

Monsieur.

The head.

Head up.

Heel.

Head up.

Non! Parlez-lui avec douceur

et il va faire...

...tout ce que vous voudrez.

What?

What did he say?

Nothing, Monsieur. The boy does not

understand these things.

- Go back inside and work.

- Just a minute, son.

Come here.

- Pas de baisers.

- Think you can handle the dog better?

- Non, non, Monsieur.

- Then what did you say?

I said, Monsieur,

perhaps if...

if Monsieur would speak

to the dog...

- avec douceur.

- Huh?

With gentleness, Monsieur.

With gentleness, Monsieur.

That is all I said.

I see.

Love conquers all, eh?

Look, son, a dog is an animal.

He's governed by

conditioned reflexes.

Dogs are not people.

They don't have human reactions,

and the only way to handle them

is with a firm voice and a tight lead.

We'll try again tomorrow.

Thank you.

One does not

speak out to Monsieur?

Unless one wishes

to join the ranks of the unemployed.

Well. Here.

Take him for a run

in the fields. Uh...

but do not, under

any circumstances, let him off the lead.

- Qui, Monsieur.

- Go.

- Oh, René.

- Qui, Monsieur?

The next time Monsieur calls,

the front door, if you please.

Quli, Monsieur.

[barking]

[laughing]

Whoa! Hey!

Pas trop vite, pas trop vite.

$5,000

and yet you cannot even walk

as Monsieur Le Boss wishes.

Bien sur. It should not be

difficile for a dog like you

a dog of such worth.

Come. We will try.

[groaning]

Come.

Droit. Heel.

[clucking]

[barking]

Come here.

You want to be

a hunting dog, eh?

To be useful and work

with Monsieur Le Boss, no?

In that case,

there is much to learn.

One does not become

a hunting dog overnight.

[barking]

No, Red!

Red!

Come back.

[speaking French]

Whew.

Come on.

Now... stay!

The rabbit, no.

The pheasant, yes.

Tu comprends?

There. Thank you

for the feathers, Thérése.

Taste.

Mmm. ltis, uh... It is,

uh, magnifique, Thérése.

I agree. Sit.

- You will have a bowl of soup.

- No, thank you.

How can one put flesh

on your bones

when all the time you are running,

running with that big red dog?

- It is the red dog, no?

- Oui.

And this, I suppose,

has to do with him somehow?

Oui. This is called

the lure.

I will not ask

what that means. I'm too busy.

It is for hunting,

you see? To teach him.

And he is waiting

for me to begin.

It will take only five minutes

to eat a bowl of soup.

There is nothing

I would like better, Thérése, but...

Oh, go.

As La Rochefoucauld has said,

when a man has something on his mind,

he wants nothing in his stomach.

It is very fine soup,

Thérése.

Go and run

with the big red dog.

I will save the soup

'til you come back.

[barking]

All right, all right.

Enough running for today.

Sit.

Now, I have something

to show you.

This is a bird.

All right,

this is not a bird.

But for you,

it is a bird.

Now, the bird will always

be hidden in a bush.

Comme ca.

But you will not know in which bush.

So, you smell the air.

Voila.

You have it.

Now, you advance slowly.

And point. So.

Compris?

Ah. I give up with you.

You will never be

a hunting dog.

Go. Go walk around in dog shows

for the rest of your life.

But don't come

to me for help.

Al right.

I accept your apology.

We will try again tomorrow.

Now, we go home.

[harmonica plays]

[Thérése humming]

J Mon amour perdu

J Ou es-tu?

J Ou es-tu?

J Je te cherche en vain

J Tu m'as quitté

- J Que t'ai-je donc fais?

- J Que t'ai-je donc fais?

J Mon amour perdu J

Oh, René, that song

is so beautiful.

And sad.

It makes me happy sometimes

to be sad.

Yes. But now,

we will be g*y.

Okay, René?

Alors.

Okay.

Un, deux, trots, quatre.

J Dum, dum, dum

diddly-diddly dum, dum

J Di-diddly

diddly-da da-dum

[+ ditty continues]

Enough! Enough of that noise.

I can hear nothing of the music.

It is the spoons

that is the music.

You hear that, boy?

My husband of many talents speaks.

Well, without the spoons,

what is he?

A very fine young man who plays

an excellent harmonica.

Well, I'm a very fine

older man who plays superb spoons.

Okay?

Un, deux.

J Dum diddle lum

diddly-diddly dum, dum

[+ ditty continues]

I will settle this.

Woman!

Oh, no, no. Please, go right ahead, René.

It sounded fine.

- [René] It was nothing, Monsieur.

- [Emile] We were disturbing Monsieur.

No, of course not.

I was just taking a little walk.

- Red isn't in his kennel.

- He is here, Monsieur.

Huh? Oh.

Oh, yes, yes.

- Well, you see...

- It was my idea. I suggested...

No, no, no, wait.

Hold it, hold it, hold it.

It's perfectly all right.

I was just wondering where he was.

It is my fault to bring the dog, Monsieur.

He was, uh... s'ennuyait.

-Uh...

- He was lonely, Monsieur.

- Ah. Ah, yes.

- Oui. He was lonely.

I asked to bring him up here, Monsieur.

I will take him back.

Come on, Red.

Come on, Red. Thérése,

perhaps Monsieur would like a cup of...

- Coffee.

- Coffee.

- No, don't bother, Thérése.

- Oh, no bother, Monsieur.

I was just thinking of

having one for myself.

Well, thank you very much.

You're very kind.

So, uh,

the dog was lonely, huh?

Quli, Monsieur.

I think the music

was good for Big Red.

- Oh. Improved his coat, huh?

- Perhaps.

Has not Montaigne said,

the happiness inside

cannot help but show on the outside?

I guarantee Montaigne

never said anything as foolish as that.

It is never foolish,

Monsieur, to speak of happiness.

I think it is a good thing

that the boy and the dog have each other.

One should never be alone,

even when one has...

great wealth,

big house...

- Now, Thérése...

- I was just about to say, Monsieur,

that one must forget

that which has passed.

- One must go forward.

- You know, this is awfully good coffee.

Quli, Monsieur.

What good are all the riches of the world?

- Thérese.

- Qui, Monsieur?

You know something?

I should have gotten rid of you

five years ago, before you learned to cook.

[barking]

Slow down. Red! Slow down!

Red, wait!

I have lost my boot.

[barking]

Red!

[barking]

Red! Come back here. Red!

Red!

Red!

Red!

Red!

Red, qu'est-ce que c'est?

Red!

Red!

Red, you...

It was my fault, Monsieur.

I am sorry.

If Monsieur wishes,

I will quit le job.

I will not ask the full week of pay.

This would not be fair.

Never quit le job, son.

Just tell 'em you're unhappy

and ask for twice the money.

- You take the front. I'll take the rear.

- Qui, Monsieur.

- This is no good for his coat, huh?

- That's right.

- It will spoil the showing?

- Huh? The show?

No, no, he'll be

all right by show time.

But, uh, from now on,

let's be careful, huh?

You see, son, he's not like

our other dogs.

This dog

is what is called a bench dog.

Well, that means that, uh,

that his kind aren't used for

any practical purposes any more.

Yeah. Well, now,

once, his kind were great hunters.

But they're so good to look at

that the hunting points were bred out.

I guess you might say

that they've lost their most important point:

the sense of responsibility.

And yet Red is still

of such great value?

$5,000!

Yeah. And if he wins

best in show next month,

he'll be worth $10,000.

Got something here

I want you to see.

Look at that.

How do you like her?

- She is beautiful, Monsieur.

- She's for him.

To start the Wintapi Kennels

when he wins best in show at Westminster.

- [René] Not too bad, huh?

- [chuckling]

Where is this cabin

of your uncle where you used to live?

North. Twenty,

twenty-five miles.

- Oh, up in the big pines.

- Yes.

I used to hunt up there.

That's pretty rough country.

Where did you go

to school?

You never went to school?

But you can read and write.

Quli, Monsieur.

My uncle taught me.

Also, we had several books.

There was geography,

the arithmetic...

Well, that's all very fine,

but it's not school.

You know that school

is very important, don't you?

Quli, Monsieur.

School is most important.

But for me now,

it is necessary to work...

and make my way

in the world.

Well, you won't get very far

without an education.

- If you want to be a success...

- A success?

Yes, uh... Well, uh...

- You know, make a lot of money.

- Oh, money.

That's what you want,

isn't it?

Quli, Monsieur,

but most of all,

I want to be useful.

That, I think,

is the first thing.

Yeah.

Yeah, I guess

that is the first thing.

[Haggin] 'Morning, Spence.

- Mr Haggin.

- It's good of you to come up.

Emile, you know Mr Blake,

Montreal Kennel Club.

My handler, Emile Fornet.

- Emile.

- Monsieur.

Emile, bring out Red, will you?

- We're going to get an expert opinion.

- Monsieur.

Spence, I've got

a real problem.

You know I plan to show Red

at the Westminster next month.

Well, I don't know, but, uh,

he seems uncontrollable.

Just doesn't want

to perform any more.

That's funny,

an old trooper like Red.

Yeah. Well, you'll

see for yourself.

Thank you, Emile.

Red, heel.

[Haggin]

Head up.

Red, heel.

- [whimpering]

- Come here, Red.

- The boy takes care of him, doesn't he?

- Yes.

- You know what I think?

- I'm beginning to think the same thing.

René.

- Qui, Monsieur?

- Walk him.

Quli, Monsieur.

Faster, René.

That's it, all right.

Yeah, I should have known.

All right, René.

Emile.

Red is coming up to

the main house to stay with me

'til we leave for the dog show.

I don't want René to see him

for any reason whatsoever. Understand?

Quli, Monsieur.

- Do you understand?

- Qui, Monsieur.

- You'll stay for lunch, Spence?

- Thank you.

It happens that way sometimes.

They get attached to one person.

Well, we'll have

our lunch too, huh?

Thérése's good onion soup.

Come on.

René.

Pourquoi, Emile?

Why does Red

go to the house?

Because Monsieur wishes.

Come on.

But... pourquoi?

[sighs]

A quoi bon?

Because that big, foolish dog

likes you too much.

He does not obey Monsieur.

And if he does not obey Monsieur,

he cannot win the show.

And if he does not win the show,

Monsieur will sell him.

That is pourquoi.

Sell him?

Oh, no!

Oh, no?

Oh, yes.

Just... [snhap]

like that.

Well, come on.

Thérése has blueberries too. Come on.

[door opening]

- Fini, Monsieur?

- Huh?

Oh, yes. Yes, thank you, Thérése.

It was delicious.

[harmonica plays]

René!

There you are, Mademoiselle.

You are now

in your own home.

Chez vous.

If you wish for service,

you have only to ring.

[chuckling]

René!

- Here.

- Ah. Regarde.

Mademoiselle...

soon to be Madame, we hope...

Mollie O'Day, permettez-moi

de vous presenter

Monsieur René Jean-Paul Dumond.

Monsieur Dumond,

Mademoiselle Mollie O'Day.

Ahh, she's

quite a dog, huh?

[René] Oui.

Mmm, with this one

for Big Red,

the Wintapi Kennel will be

the best in the world, huh?

Oui.

Qu'est-ce que tu as?

Huh?

What is the good

of all this talk of kennel?

You said yourself if Big Red loses

the showing, Monsieur will sell him.

Then where's

the kennel?

Yes. But Monsieur Haggin

is not a man who loses, René.

They are not judging

Monsieur Haggin.

Ah, Big Red will win.

I have confidence.

- Emile?

- Huh?

It is tomorrow they go

to New York, no?

Oui.

Would it be permitted

to see him tonight?

Just to say goodbye?

No.

For two minutes, perhaps?

For no minutes.

Red is now content,

and he will remain so.

Mademoiselle,

when you have rested,

there will be

something to eat.

[whining]

[whining]

Hello, Big Red.

Comment ca va?

No, I cannot come in, Red.

It is not permitted.

Red, you will be

good in the show

for Monsieur

and... pour moi?

S'il vous plait, Red.

- S'il vous plait.

- [barking, scratching door]

- Au revoir.

- [whimpering]

[Red barking]

[barking]

Red!

- [barking]

- What is it?

It's Red.

Red, come here. Red!

- [yelps]

- Red!

- Put him to sleep.

- No! No, Monsieur!

René, I don't want

to hear any more.

Do not k*ll him, Monsieur.

It was all simply...

Emile.

Je vais prendre soin.

You knew this dog's value, and you

were told not to come to the house.

Oui, Monsieur. It is my fault.

I have already said so.

But please, let me

take care of him, Monsieur.

Go ahead, Emile.

No, you cannot do this!

- You don't want him to suffer, do you?

- Non, Monsieur.

Neither do I.

I think it is better

if you go to the kitchen, huh?

Was it so bad, a boy who wanted

to say goodbye to a dog?

Oh, but I have forgotten.

He disobeyed Monsieur.

And this is terrible.

In all of history, no boy

has ever disobeyed a man.

Even one he respect

and admire.

He didn't respect and admire

anybody except the dog.

Oh, but, Monsieur...

- I don't want to talk about it, Thérése.

- Very well, Monsieur.

I know Monsieur does not like

to show what he feel.

For as Descartes has said, to

wear the heart on the sleeve...

Thérése, it's over and

done with. Understand?

Quli, Monsieur.

Have Emile varnish over those claw marks.

I'd like it done this morning.

Good morning.

Comment ca va?

Not too good, huh?

Well, breakfast will

make you feel better.

This is the cabin

of my uncle.

You will stay here

'til you get well.

We have everything here.

Everything we need.

Even this.

[+ plays a note]

[+ plays]

Well, the appetite

has returned, huh?

Now, we will try something.

C'est ca.

C'est ca.

Good.

Do not feel badly.

Your muscles

are stiff and sore.

We will fix that.

That's it.

Come on, Red.

Come.

One more step.

It is all right.

It is all right!

In no time, you will be

running like the wind!

Come on.

Come on, Red.

Ah, that's a boy.

Come on. Give me that stick.

[laughing]

Hey, stop that!

Hello, Molly, old girl.

Who let you out?

They think you needed

a little exercise, huh?

Okay,

when I finish here,

we'll take a little turn

around the fie...

Wait a minute.

You're not Molly.

Red, for the love of Mike,

where did you come from?

He was staying with me,

Monsieur.

At the cabin of my uncle.

Well, René,

I'm glad to see you back.

You did a fine job

with this dog.

He was practically dead.

What did you do?

I took care of him,

Monsieur.

Now, I return him to you.

Well, uh, I guess I can't thank you

with a lot of idle talk.

Tell you what.

You take him down to the kennel.

Tell Emile you're back,

and I'll tell Thérése you're hungry.

No, thank you, Monsieur.

I am not hungry.

Then we'll both go down.

Let Emile see this.

He'll never believe it.

You're as good as new, old boy.

He'll take that New York show next year.

- No, Monsieur.

- Huh?

Well, he's still valuable

for stud.

Guess we can't have

everything, can we?

René.

Never quit le job.

Sometime it is necessary,

Monsieur.

Not necessary at all.

- Emile needs help, and you want work.

- Monsieur.

I think it would be better

if I find other work.

Well, I can't force you

to work here.

However, I feel

I owe you something.

You owe me nothing,

Monsieur.

Okay.

Okay.

[Red whimpering]

Go back, Red. You must stay

with Monsieur. Go back.

Go back!

Come on, Red.

Yes, that's right, Jim.

I'm shipping both dogs this morning.

Just sell them for me.

Oh, Jim, Molly's having

Red's pups in a couple of weeks.

So keep one if you like

and sell the rest.

[bottle clattering]

No, no.

I don't think so.

Yeah. All right. See what you can do

and call me. Thank you.

No comments, Thérése.

What is to comment?

Monsieur sells the dogs.

- Thank you.

- A dog, a goat, a cat.

What is the difference?

- After all, a dog is only an animal.

- Thérese.

And if the dogs remind one

of a certain person,

that is unfortunate.

The dog

is a closed subject.

Quli, Monsieur.

There are many closed subjects

in this house. I know that.

[Red whining]

[Red barking]

I'm coming. I'm coming.

Ah, there.

That is better, no?

Oh, my.

What good is the water here

if you are there?

I'I fix it.

[speaking French]

What kind of a lock is this?

Is made to close,

but not to open. Oh, I'll get it.

- Ha, it's coming.

- [train whistle blowing]

[brakes squealing,

whistle blowing]

Qu'est-ce qui arrive?

Wait for me. I'll be back.

[whistle blowing]

[whistle blowing]

[whistle blowing]

[moose bellowing]

Oh, no, not again.

Monsieur Le Moose,

Madame La Moose. Allez.

No, this is not the same one.

Try the whistle

once more, Victor.

She is the same one,

and I have made my last whistle.

It is up to you.

Vas-y.

This is a thing without dignity.

You should not ask me to do it.

[Louis] She's holding up

the entire schedule of the railroad.

- What if our passengers should see?

- Edouard.

Should one be ashamed

of a most remarkable talent?

When a moose is a moose,

that is one thing.

But when a man

is a moose...

.voila.

Especially a man of your age.

[chuckles]

- Louis, please.

- Edouard, the railroad waits.

En avant. Marche.

All right. I will do it.

[snorting]

[imitating

moose bellowing]

[snorting]

[bellowing]

[snorting, bellowing]

- [bellowing]

- [bellowing]

[moose bellowing]

Ha-ha!

[moose bellowing]

[bellowing]

[bell clanging]

[René shouting in French]

Ah. I should have known

I'd find you here.

So, the grass

is more green in this place, huh?

[chuckles]

Alors. We go home now, Madame.

Regardez!

Madame, you are trespassing on

the private property of Monsieur Le Boss.

This is not permitted.

[bellowing]

That's all right, René.

- Good morning, Monsieur.

- Good morning.

- Your cow, René?

- Uh, no, Monsieur.

She belongs to the farm

of Monsieur Mereau,

where I am working.

- I will bring her home.

- Oh, uh, René, how's it been going?

It goes well enough,

Monsieur.

Shh. Come.

Come.

- Go on, get! Come on.

- Thank you.

- Monsieur?

- Yes.

[bell clanging]

How is he, Monsieur?

Is he well, Big Red?

Red, uh, ran away, René.

Over a week ago.

With Molly.

They were being shipped

to Montreal for sale

and got out

of the baggage car.

Up in the Laurentians,

near Mount Tuledeleau.

Who went to look

for them, Monsieur?

I notified the forest rangers,

but I don't think

there's much of a chance...

Someone must look for them.

René, two kennel-bred dogs

wouldn't last a week in that wild country.

Red is different, Monsieur.

Believe me,

I'm as sorry as you are.

I can understand, Monsieur.

It is too bad

to lose all that money.

Impossible.

One could lose a thousand elephants

in those woods and not find them again.

Two thousand elephants.

My uncle has taught me

how to follow the tracks

of the fox and the wolf.

- A dog is no difference.

- Impossible.

- It has rained since.

- There will still be signs.

Sometimes a piece of fur

on a twig.

Or the grass will lie down on the field

where they have gone through.

Impossible!

Of course,

when I was your age,

I never heard

of that word either.

[train whistle blowing]

We arrive at the place.

Boone chance.

I hope you find the red dog

and his lady.

Merci, Monsieur.

But do not be too hopeful.

[harmonica playing

in the distance]

[harmonica

grows louder]

[harmonica]

[barking]

[barking]

[barking]

[brush rustling, growling]

Red!

Red, I thought

you were a wolf!

You old wolf-o!

I go to find you,

and it is you who finds me!

Sit.

Now, let me take

a look at you.

Ah, ce n'est pas bien.

You are nothing but bones!

But I have something

for you.

Here, eat.

Well, eat. It is for you.

Smoked meat from the farm

of Monsieur Mereau.

Red, come! Red!

Red!

Red.

So, this is

a better place to eat, eh?

Molly! So that is why

you took the meat.

- For her.

- [Molly whining]

Qu'est-ce qu'on a ici?

Ah, Madame.

Ca c'est tres bien.

Monsieur Papa, congratulations.

Your first-born!

[Molly whining]

But I do not think

it will be the last.

Stand back, Red.

A father is only in the way.

Good morning, Madame.

So you are awake, eh?

The family is well, I hope.

I went for this.

Now we have everything we need.

[pup whimpering]

Bonjour, P'tit Rouge.

Comment ca va?

But breakfast is over here.

With your permission, Madame,

I have named this one,

P'tit Rouge.

Little Red.

Bon appetit.

And when you are

big enough to travel,

we will all go home.

But that will be a while.

You and I will hunt,

eh, Big Red,

and bring them

good things to eat.

He is tired, that one.

You would think

he had the family.

My mother used to say

about my father,

I can only remember her

a little,

but she used to say

always

that the man rests after

the woman has done the work.

[bell clanging]

Good morning, Madame.

How are you? I wish you'd eat

your breakfast elsewhere.

Come on here.

Come on.

[Mereau calling in French]

[shouting in French]

Over here,

Monsieur Mereau.

Ah.

You found her, that daughter of

a thousand devils.

So, that's how she got in.

This is not

a very strong gate, Mr. Haggin.

I'm terribly sorry,

Monsieur Mereau.

[speaking French]

You were lucky to catch her.

She was eating my bush.

- Your bush?

- Yeah.

I don't like the look

of that bush.

Tu peux t'empoisonner.

Might poison her.

To say nothing

of spoiling her milk.

I'd say that she's

in better shape than my bush.

Well, if she is poisoned,

it's possible I'll have to take steps.

In our province,

both the rich and the poor

are equal before the law.

Well, I'm very glad

to hear that, Monsieur Mereau.

Ah.

- Monsieur Mereau?

- Yeah.

I thought the young boy René

was tending the cow for you.

That young

René Jean-Paul Dumond.

He is no longer in my employ,

Monsieur Haggin.

But, Monsieur...

He's no longer in my employ

for the simple reason

that he has not come

to work for two weeks now.

Perhaps he has gone to

that cabin of his uncle

to sit all day

and play the harmonica.

It's not impossible,

you know.

You haven't seen him

for two weeks?

I have my work to do,

Mr. Haggin. Goodbye.

Whoa.

Whoa!

And if this cow

gets away again,

I'll have a good idea

where to place full responsibility, sir.

Good day, sir.

Ah. Up with the birds

this morning, huh?

And preparing to fly away.

Ah. But before you

leave me forever,

can I have my breakfast, please?

You should travel to Paris.

La Comédie-Francaise

is missing a great talent.

[chuckles]

What's this? For Monsieur?

Who else?

Monsieur's going

into the woods to hunt at this hour?

Oui.

What would he find to hunt?

Deer season is not open.

One medium-size boy,

if he's lucky.

Quoi?

One medium-size boy.

René?

Do we know some other

medium-size boy?

But yesterday Monsieur said he was

closing Wintapi to travel to Europe.

That was yesterday.

When I came down, Monsieur stands

there where you are standing...

- I am sitting.

- You are sitting.

So, he stands there

where you are sitting.

Please, don't spoil the story.

He stands there,

and then out of nowhere,

he says, "The boy has left the farm

of Mereau. No one knows where he is."

"I am going to the cabin of the boy

to see what has happened.”

To the boy's cabin?

Did I not say just that?

To the boy's cabin.

- So I said, "Monsieur..."

- I do not understand people.

- Sol said...

- Yesterday he was closing Wintapi...

So I said, "Monsieur..."

I said, "Monsieur,

I am very worried

that no one knows

where René has gone."

"Perhaps he lies helpless

in the forest

with a terrible sickness."

- You didn't say that?

- In French.

Well, I will get my things

and I will go with Monsieur.

You will go nowhere.

But it is many miles

to the boy's cabin.

This is a journey of the emotions.

There is no room for two.

Take this to Monsieur.

Vite! Vite!

[barking]

[barking]

All right. Don't make so much noise.

We will soon be there.

Whew!

It is a good thing too, Molly.

I think your family is increasing

one pound with each step I make.

[horse whinnying]

Hey!

Hey, hey.

Take it easy, Mike. Take it easy.

What's the matter?

Just your imagination, as I thought.

Come on. Let's go.

Come on, boy.

- [snarling]

- [whinnying]

Mike! Steady, boy!

Steady, Mike, steady!

- [snarling]

- Mike!

[coughing]

[snarling]

[snarling]

Shh.

Red has seen something.

[barking]

Well, he is going hunting again.

It is too bad.

Red likes so much to hunt,

but he never

catches anything.

[rocks sliding]

Red!

Come here, boy.

Come on, boy.

Good old Red.

Red, fetch the r*fle.

Fetch it, Red.

[cougar snarling]

- [barking]

- No, Red. Let him alone.

[snarling]

Red!

Red, don't push him!

- [barking]

- [snarling]

[René] Red!

Watch out! Red!

Pretty good shot, René.

Monsieur's all right?

Monsieur may be all right

if you can get this rock off his foot.

Quli, Monsieur.

Say, that's quite a family.

Molly did herself proud, huh?

Oh, oui.

I will try to be careful, Monsieur.

Monsieur will appreciate that.

Ah, thank you.

You know, René,

I was wrong about him,

about Red.

I said he was irresponsible,

but he was ready to get himself

k*lled for me. Ouch!

Pardon, Monsieur.

Now, we'll try this.

[grunts]

Monsieur, there is something

I wish to say.

Save it.

Monsieur,

I have been thinking.

I have made

many mistakes, Monsieur,

and those mistakes

were by my own foolishness.

I have caused Monsieur

much trouble.

Forget it, son. It's all

over and done with. Fini.

- Fini?

- Yes, fini.

Does...

Does Monsieur...

Would Monsieur want me

in his employ again, perhaps?

No, Monsieur would not want you

in his employ again, perhaps.

René.

- Qui, Monsieur?

- You're going to school.

You'll live with me at Wintapi,

and then you'll go to school.

- Oh, no, Monsieur.

- Don't you "oh, no" me.

I figured the whole thing out

while I was riding up here.

I'll probably have to help you

with your lessons until you catch up.

Monsieur, I could not accept

such a generous offer.

Why?

Look, son, let's cut

this horsing around.

I came up here because

I was worried about you.

- About me?

- Yes, you.

Now, you don't have

to accept this deal,

but at least let's talk

about it sensibly.

"Deal"?

What is a "deal,"

Monsieur?

Well, uh, a deal is a...

A deal's an arrangement

where both parties benefit.

Both parties?

Both parties.

- You need an education, and I... What?

- Monsieur.

You are right about this,

uh, "horsing around.”

There is nothing

I would like better in the whole world

than to stay with you at Wintapi

and go to school.

Okay?

Okay.

Get our pups

and let's go home.

You tell me

if I lean too heavily.