The Necklace (1982)

[music] [music] [music] [music] [music] She was one of those pretty and charming girls born as [music] if by an accident of fate into a family of clerks. With no dowy, no prospects, no way of becoming appreciated [music] by a rich or distinguished man, she finally allowed herself to marry a petty clerk in the Ministry of Education. But she suffered ceaselessly, feeling she was born for luxury. The sight of the little Breton peasant girl who did her housework awoke in her sad regrets and wild daydreams. She dreamed of [music] servants sleeping on deep couches, of quiet rooms hung with old silks, graceful furniture and priceless brick of [music] brack. [music] When first I saw you, I I felt as though I was transported to a promontory with the waves crashing miles below my feet. >> She dreamed of a small, stylish, scented sitting room just right for the [music] 4:00 chat with intimate friends. >> But the rude sea grew civil at her song >> with distinguished and sought after men whose attention all women envied and desired. between heaven and earth. All on Ah, it's a good stew, huh? There's nothing better. When dining at her plain table, [music] she would dream of elegant dinners, of shining silver and exquisite food served on precious china. of secret smiles and whispered compliments. But in reality, she had no evening clothes, no jewels, nothing. And these were the things for which she yearned. She longed to be fascinating, envied, sought after. >> I'm glad you could come. >> She had a rich friend, a former schoolmate whom she called on occasionally. [music] >> I've missed you. You're looking very well. Is that a new dress? I haven't seen it before. >> Yes, it is new. I just received it. It's the first to arrive of a group of things that I've had to sign. I'm very excited about it. >> After a time, she could no longer stand [music] to visit her friend. She would weep for days afterwards from despair, regret, >> disappointment. >> Cornwall for the spring and uh by packing up the children and we're making this journey. Matil, I have something for you. >> The Minister of Education and Madame Gor Rampino beg Msieur and Madame Voil to do them the honor of attending an evening reception in Ball on Monday the 18th of January. What does this have to do with me? Well, I thought you'd be happy. You rarely get a chance to go anywhere. This will be a wonderful affair. >> Dear, I went to a great deal of trouble to get that invitation. Not many clerks got one. All the best people will be there. >> What do you think I have to wear? >> The dress that you wear when we go to the theater. I think it's very pretty. What's wrong? >> Oh, nothing. Only I don't have an evening gown. Well, surely it's not that important. >> It's impossible for me to go. Give your invitation to someone at the office whose wife is better dressed than I. >> Well, how much would a new gown cost? One that's not too fancy that could be used for other things. >> I don't know. Maybe 400 Franks. >> 400 Franks. I was hoping to get a gun for hunting. >> It would last forever. >> All right, I'll give you the 400 Franks. >> Try to buy something pretty. What's wrong now? You have your beautiful new gown and you still seem unhappy. >> I don't have a single jewel to wear with my gown. I'll look like a popper. I'd rather not go. >> Well, you can wear flowers. Flowers are very fashionable this season. For 10 Franks, you can get two or three lovely roses. >> There's nothing more humiliating than to look poor among rich women. I won't go. How >> stupid we are. Go to your friend Madame Festa. She has plenty of jewels. Ask her to lend you one. We know her well enough for that. >> It's true. I hadn't thought of that. >> Here we are. Matild, just pick something out, my dear. Have you nothing else? >> Oh, yes. Just keep looking. You see, I don't know what you want. >> Could you lend me this? >> Just that one? >> Oh, yes. Just this. Oh, nothing else. Oh, please. >> Of course. The great evening arrived. [music] [music] [music] She was a sensation, the prettiest woman there. She danced with enthusiasm, intoxicated with pleasure, thinking of nothing [music] in the glory of her success. [music] Heat. [music] [music] Heat. >> [music] >> They left around 4 in the morning. >> Excuse us. >> Excuse me. >> Excuse me. >> Have you received a letter from us? >> The shabviness of her rap clashed with the elegance of her gown. >> She longed to escape before being noticed by other women, so many of whom had furs. >> Did you get a chance to answer it yet? >> No, not yet. Well, if there's any way that we can help you, let us know. Yes, of course. But we have to go. Matild is very tired. >> Good night. >> Good night. It was over. What's wrong? >> I don't have Madame Forest's necklace. >> What do you mean? >> It's gone. >> Necklace? Well, it's not possible. Did you have it when we left? >> Yes, I felt it when we walked out. >> Well, if you dropped it in the street, we'd have heard it fall. It must be in the cab. >> Did you get the number? >> The number? >> Not the cab. >> No. Did you? >> No. >> Well, I'll go back over our route and see if I can find it. I went to the police and the cab office. Nothing. And I went to the newspapers and put in an advertisement offering a reward. You must write to your friend for STA. Tell her you have broken the clasp on the necklace and are having it repaired. That will give us a little time. At the end of a week, they'd given up all hope of finding the necklace. It >> must be replaced. >> That's impossible. >> It must be replaced. >> How? >> There's the name of a jeweler inside the box. We can start with him. I sold the box, but I did not sell the necklace. Unfortunately, I have no idea who did. >> They traveled all over the city, going from jeweler to jeweler looking for a necklace similar to the other. Finally, in a shop in the [music] Pali Royale, they found a diamond necklace they thought looked exactly like the [music] one they had lost. >> How much? >> 40,000 Franks. No >> mure because of these circumstances 37,500 >> 35,000 >> 36 I fear that's the best I can do. >> Will you hold it for 3 days? Certainly. >> And if by the end of February the necklace is returned, you will take this one back and refund 34,000 Franks. >> I agreed to that also. >> To raise the money, he borrowed 100 Franks [music] here, 60 there. He pawned his possessions. [music] He signed notes and made ruinous deals. He did business with Lone Sharks until he had [music] the entire 36,000 Franks. He compromised [music] the rest of his life. Then, terrified by the future, by the black despair he felt closing in on him, he went back to claim the new necklace. You should have returned it to me earlier. I might have needed it. >> If Madame ForestJ opened the box, would she notice the substitution? Would she consider Matild a thief? >> Thank you, Matild. They changed their lodgings. They sent away their maid. She now lived the life of the poor. The frightful debt had to be paid and she would help pay it. >> [music] >> How much for these? >> 50 soup. >> 50 for these carrots like >> that. Like a peasant woman, she haggled with the grosser, the fruit dealer, the butcher over every last sue of her money. >> 40. And in return she was insulted by them. >> Thank you. >> He worked nights balancing tradesman's accounts and did copying work at a miserable five su a page. This on top of his regular job. [sighs and gasps] And this went on for 10 long years until his last creditor was paid. Everything, exorbitant rates of the lone sharks, the accumulated compound interest, every debt was now paid back. Sometimes when she was alone, Matild would sit and dream of that long ago evening when she'd been so beautiful and so admired. [music] >> [music] [bell] [music] >> What would have happened if she'd not lost the necklace? Who can guess how strange and unpredictable life is? How full of change and how small a thing can bring [music] success or ruin. [music] [music] One Sunday when Matild had gone for a walk in the park, she noticed a woman. It was Madame Forest. Yay. Still pretty, still charming. >> [music] [music] >> Hello, Jean. >> Madam, I don't know you. >> I'm sure there must be some mistake. >> No, I'm Matild. Matild Wiselle. >> Oh, my poor Matild. how you have changed. >> Well, I've had some difficult times since we last met. Miserable times. And all because of you. >> Because of me? How is that possible? >> Do you remember that diamond necklace you loaned me? >> Oh, yes. Very well. >> Well, I lost it. >> Lost it? No, you returned it. I returned a necklace just like it, and it's taken us 10 years to pay for it. You can imagine it wasn't easy for those of us who have nothing, but it's over now, and I'm content. >> You say that you purchased a diamond necklace to replace mine. >> Yes. You never noticed it then. They were just alike. >> Oh, my poor Mel. Mine were paste. Why that necklace wasn't worth 500 francs? [music] >> [music] [music]