Darling, come here.
Do you like it?
Justice.
There will be a trial, a great trial...
before a powerful magistrate. And you, you will be guilty.
Beware!
Beware of the heat of the fire!
Comrade Chan Gong has come from Beijing.
Welcome her, please.
Comrades, students, revolutionary companions-in-arms...
I give you my proletarian salute!
I congratulate you on today's grand festival...
for which you have worked so hard.
Your cultural unit has done exceptional work.
I would also like to commend you on the children's presentation.
It made my heart rejoice.
The story of ''The Three Heroic GirIs'' was a vivid Iesson.
It galvanized our historic crusade! But some efforts are Iess successful...
unfortunately.
Sometimes the teacher must learn from his students.
Give it to me.
Capitalist expIoitation survived for centuries...
yet its ''cIassics'' are pitiful!
Foreign music is meaningless and empty.
What do they mean by ''symphony'', ''concerto No. 1, No.2, No. 3''?
This is empty formalism. It speaks nothing to the people.
What good is making music...
except to teach and inspire the people?
-Long live Chairman Mao! -Long live Chairman Mao!
-Overthrow the cultural establishment! -Overthrow the cultural establishment!
-Chou Yuan! -Present.
Why do you teach this instrument?
Comrade Chan Gong, what you say is true...
Louder, please.
Comrade Chan Gong, you are right.
Much of western music is unrefined, worthIess.
This is a fact.
Everything you said is true, but the music I teach...
Go on!
The music I teach is revolutionary music.
-Beethoven, Prokofiev... -Do you think so?
In his speech, Comrade Li said...
Comrade Li was purged and humiIiated.
Do you still want to quote him?
I didn't know.
-I have taught for many years... -That is apparent.
We believe in the rule of many voices.
-What should we do here? -Throw away that old junk!
Chou Yuan, just admit your guilt!
Let's challenge degenerate Western art!
Comrade, may I say a few words?
Of course.
Students, comrades, revolutionary Red Guards...
I'm not an authority on foreign music.
I have not studied like Comrade Chan Gong.
But in my opinion...
there's nothing as beautiful as our traditional music.
Chou Yuan also teaches the hu chin.
Could he not focus on that?
Comrade Xiang has shown her wisdom.
Put this down with the other ''great olds''!
To every probIem there is a solution!
I'm sure you can discover the probIems.
And I'm sure you can solve them.
Who is it?
Who's there?
Ming! You scared me. I didn't hear you.
It's a mess. I was tidying up.
What's that?
This is a violin...
a musical instrument from Europe.
From Europe? Is it a bad thing?
No. A violin itself is a good thing.
Here. Take a look.
We have to study foreign music so we can move on...
...as Chairman Mao said. -Dad asked if you're coming.
-He's waiting. -Yes, tell him I'll come right away.
As soon as I finish my work.
-Ming? -Yes?
What you see here... don't tell anyone.
I want you to listen.
This will be our secret, all right?
Go.
Ming? Ming!
-Was she home? -Yes.
-Is she coming? -No. She said she'd meet you.
-What? Is she coming or not? -I can't say.
-Why not? -I promised her to keep it secret.
What are you saying? I'm your father. You must tell me everything.
Papa, wait!
-Xiang Pei? -Papa, don't!
Xiang Pei, open up! It's me!
Where is the key?
Go.
Quiet!
Where is she?
Water! Water!
She's gone!
Is this her?
Look at the date: 1937. It must be her mother.
Chou Yuan!
-What do you want? -Please let me in.
-I've done nothing. -Let me inside.
-This is for you. -I don't want it.
It's for you. Take it.
It's a violin.
-A violin. -I remember.
Do you want it or not?
I'm an old man, but I'm not a fool. Where are your comrades?
-Are they waiting outside? -This isn't a trap.
I've changed. I don't need it now.
-I speak from my heart. -Enough!
And I don't need this.
It's from another time.
If you want it, you can have it...
or else no one will.
Do you want it or not?
I've no time!
No more arguments!
Take it.
I am a cadre in the Party, do you understand? I can't keep it.
I Iove the people. Do you understand?
Xiang Pei!
I will keep it safe.
-Let's go eat. I'm starving. -Go ahead. I'll wait here.
-I'm sure she'll be back. -Let's go, you all!
US$ 1,950 million.
And... sold to the lady on the left.
The last sale of the evening, lot number 72 on the turntable there...
and star of the night... Where is she?
The last violin of Nicolo Bussotti, 1681.
-A masterpiece of the Golden Age. -Do you see it?
-No, not yet. -If she will give us the pleasure.
And here she is now, lot number 72, the so-called ''Red Violin''.
-It's not how I remember it. -They've cleaned it up. It's better.
US$ 260,000. Good evening, Mr. Ruselsky.
-US$ 270,000. Suzanne on the phone. -Maybe if I heard it again.
US$ 280,000. Back to you, Sir. US$ 300,000 at the back of the hall.
US$ 320,000. Suzanne, I see you. 340, I have you. 380, Mr. Ruselsky.
The last card.
-Oh my God! -Courage, Madame. Upside down.
At this point in the spread, it might be good news.
I feel...
I feel the fast air sweeping around you...
carrying you, furious wind...
and then stopping.
Your journey will end. No question. I see it.
One way or another, your travels are over.
And there is trouble in this, like always.
But you... you are strong by now...
strong like a tree in the forest.
Where is he?
Upstairs.
You are not alone. A crowd of faces...
friends and family, enemies, lovers.
You will attract many admirers...
fighting to win your hand.
And money! Lots of money!
No, Madame. Don't be afraid.
In this card I see...
a rebirth.
-And how was your flight? -Very good. On time.
-Sorry to cut your holiday short, but... -It's all right. I'm excited, actually.
-Like Christmas. -Won't take too long.
-We've already assessed them. -Right. Ballpark.
-And I only want you to confirm it. -I got it.
-A second opinion. -I've done this sort of thing before.
Can't wait to see it, actually.
-This is Mr. Morritz, you know... -Bon jour.
-So, you're the expert? -From New York.
-You know what you're doing? -Yes, New York.
-You know what you're doing? -Why, yes. I certainly hope so.
These people from Duval's have given us some figures...
as the government of China.
-So, what we need now is... -A professional opinion.
-No, a signed affidavit. -That's what I'm here for.
-Show me to the Strad. -They all look the same to me.
Ah, but they're not. Please don't let me forget this.
Over there.
Ah, here she is. It's a beautiful specimen.
I'd say about... 1683.
-Reminds me of the Cobbitt. -These are the best quality pieces.
Over here, if you'd like to take a look...
are the Iess promising entries, some of them are pretty bad.
-So I see. -So, I guess I'll leave it to you then.
I've taken care of the luggage. I have a driver waiting.
All right. I shouldn't be long.
-Bon jour. -Bon jour, Monsieur Morritz.
-Everything is ready as you asked for. -Same room as always?
-Same room, but one story down. -Then it's not the same room, is it?
No, Sir, but it's the same as the other one.
-Sir, I have a message from your wife. -Merci.
Room 2.703.
New York City, please.
316-2799.
Carrie? CharIes Morritz here. I have a little gumshoe work for you.
Cremona. Bussotti. Get a pen.
Made a cast of this after we set the tabIe.
Swiss.
So, here we are. Here's the before picture.
Take a look at the corners. Not so bad. I don't think we have to touch them.
Some really nice perfling here.
Lot of work to get it this far.
Turn-of-the-century hackjob with some horse glue and a patch...
so I had to reset the neck. That was the big job.
Sound post, taiI piece. New bridge, of course.
But the body itself is remarkably good, so I'll strip back some varnish here...
-No, no, no. -No what?
I told you before. Don't touch the varnish.
-Well, that's not gonna be easy. -If there's a probIem, I'll do it.
Look, the auction's in two weeks. I have 16 other instruments.
Leroux is all over my ass. I still have a Stein I haven't even touched...
I want complete L.I.G.'s, a resonance test, mass specs...
and let's get some varnish samples off to the lab, okay?
This instrument is not a priority. Every minute of my day is full.
That's fine. We'll do this after hours, all right?
-These are the estimates? -No, the reserves.
-That we proposed to the Chinese? -Right.
And what about these?
Those are some contentious items you might not want to put on the block.
They're badIy preserved and hard to attribute.
-What about that red one? -Red one?
Leroux seemed to think it might be a Bussotti.
Yes.
It might be, but the label's obscured and the varnish is odd...
it's slightly opaque. And I'm afraid as it stands, with no documentation...
That's all you expect?
''With all my heart''.
You ever heard of the Red Violin?
Sure. The Frederick Pope Bussotti? Sure, I have, stories.
-How about copies? -One in London, the only one I know of.
Supposed to be a copy commissioned by Pope.
-You know who has it? -Some private collection.
You think I could buy it without tipping them off?
Tipping them off to what?
Well, we know for sure we have a Bussotti. I can date it within the year.
We still have this varnish that doesn't configure, but...
but we can run comparison tests and see if this is the source of the copy.
You know I should probably tell my empIoyer.
If what you're saying is any way true, people could get a little... excited.
-I could Iose my job over this. -Yes, I know.
You can go if you want to. I can finish this myself.
Madame Leroux says that she has to have the catalog proofs for today.
-Are you finished? -Yes, they're back at my hotel.
I've been working at night.
Is there something else?
Your wife called again.
Close the door, please.
Yes, is this the University of Montreal?
Well, may I have the Archaeology department, please?
Hi. This is CharIes Morritz over at Duval's.
I sent you some varnish samples on Tuesday.
Yeah, I wanted you to isolate an organic compound.
I'm sorry.
Can I have the manager, please?
Yes, the manager. Well, fine, put him on.
Yes, this is Mr. Morritz in 2.703.
Listen, I want to make something absolutely clear.
I don't want anyone coming to my room. You understand?
Not the maid, not to check the minibar, no chocolates on the pillow.
I'm giving the staff sort of a break. Understand?
No one is to come in my room unless I request it.
Thank you.
-Yes? -I got it.
It's coming. I just talked to London.
Well, a little bit of smooth talking, a little bit more money. Your money.
You better make those phone calls.
Yeah, yeah. Me too.
Well, actually, I had some ideas.
-Wonderful. -Yes.
I have the recording. Pretty good Strad, don't you think?
I feel it is a bit tight on the top.
A little bit strangled over the break.
To me it's very clean and precise.
Of course, it would have to be played by a master.
-What do you guess? -US$ 1,7... 1,8 million.
-Not bad. -Trust me on this.
-What else do you have? -That's about it. Thanks for coming.
I hope you don't have an orchestra waiting.
Well, they can wait. No probIem.
What about this here?
No, not that one.
-Nice little piece. -But not for you.
-I will try it. -No, no, no. Don't play it.
-Why not? -Yes, why not?
I just repaired it. It's still fragiIe. I don't even know why it's here.
I'll be very gentle. Don't worry.
Yes, I see what you mean. Nothing special.
How's it going?
What do you want me to do with that one... the Pope copy?
I'll take it back to the hotel with me.
Well, you got your money's worth. That is a very good copy. Nice violin.
But nothing like this one.
This is the single most perfect acoustic machine...
I have ever seen.
Amazing.
Guess I never thought I'd find it.
The ultimate... thing, as I see it.
The perfect marriage of science and beauty.
ImpossibIe thing.
Now what?
What do you do when the thing you've most wanted, so... perfect...
just comes?
-Do you have children? -What?
-ChiIdren. Do you have any? -No, but I know what you mean.
I would Iove to have this baby for myself.
Really? What would you do?
Take it apart, find out how it works.
Take some Eigenbaud readings on the individual plates...
-I don't think you get it. -Yes, I do. Take a look at this.
This is mode 1.06 kHz. Watch the response curve here.
I'll ease it up sIowIy for you.
Mode 2...
Stop it!
-Bon jour, Monsieur Morritz. -Bon jour.
Oh, and I have an envelope for you from University of Montreal.
This says this arrived at 7 o'clock. I was in my room.
-Yes, Sir. -Well, why wasn't I notified?
-Sir, you told us not to disturb you. -Not for a courier.
-I didn't know, Sir. -If a courier comes, you call me.
-If a fax comes, you call me. -Yes.
It's important. You get it? You knock on my door and you put it in my hand!
-I need you to acknowIedge. -Yes.
This is my business!
Mr. Morritz, I'm sorry. You'd better come up. They're waiting for you.
All right.
So nice of you to join us. I hope you don't mind us starting without you...
but there was the question of unusual expenses, both here in the office...
and at the hotel.
-Did you check my mini-bar too? -It is our card. We are paying.
You made me wonder, so we decided to come down and have a look.
And my... you have been busy.
With the courier bills and DNA tests...
Very curious procedures. Leroux has a theory.
Tell me if she's wrong.
Is our little red violin the Red Violin?
Yes. I just wanted to be sure before I told you.
-This is very good news. -I'll send off the press release.
Good work. Thank you.
Why don't you take these last few days off... before you go home?
No. I won't forget!
He lied! He lied to me!
And I knew it as soon as I saw it. And I said it.
This instrument should be mine.
Son of a bitch!
63...
56...
51...
Ladies and gentlemen, Duval's...
would like to welcome you to this awaited evening.
Our thanks to the government of China...
for entrusting us with this marvelous collection.
Thanks too to Madame Leroux...
who organized and made possibIe this auction.
Let me remind you that the conditions of sale...
are Iisted in the catalog.
Before we begin, it is my duty to direct you to the conditions of sale...
that you'll find at the front of the catalog.
I will not read them out Ioud at this point but consider yourselves warned.
Now, we'll begin with lot number one, showing on the turntabIe on my right...
a fine French cello. And we'll start with US$ 10,000.
US$ 10,000.
-Anything else? -No.
-Which airport, Sir? -Dorval.
There is one stop we have to make.
US$ 400,000 at the back of the room. The Stradivarius now at US$ 400,000.
Against the telephone US$ 420. US$ 450,000.
Against you, Sir, US$ 500 back to the front. US$ 500.
-Wait here. I'll just be a minute. -I might have to go around the block.
All right, if you have to.
US$ 1,100 million. US$ 1,100... US$ 1,200 million.
Is that a bid, Sir? Don't be shy. All right, then I'll take it.
US$ 1,300 million. US$ 1,400...
1,500. Yes, Sir, I've got you. US$ 1,600 million.
Not you, Sir? US$ 1,650 million.
US$ 1,675 million.
-M. Morritz. -Please don't let me forget this.
Against the telephone now. Against you, Sir.
US$ 1,810 million. US$ 1,850.
US$ 1,875 million in the room.
US$ 1,900? US$ 1,900 million.
US$ 1,900 million on the telephone. US$ 1,920 in the room.
I've got you, Sir. Thank you. US$ 1,940 million.
Not yours, ma'am. Neither of yours.
US$ 1,940 million.
-Son of a bitch. -I'll take ten.
Do you want back in, Sir? Is that a yes? No?
The Stradivarius now at US$ 1,940 million.
Not yours, ma'am. Neither of yours.
US$ 1,940 million. Against you all in the room.
Is that all, then? Fair warning.
US$ 1,950 million on my left. Down to you two now.
US$ 1,950 million. Not yours, Sir. Not yours, Paul.
-The bid is US$ 1,950 million... -Did you clean this?
Who's responsibIe for...?
Excuse me, I have to get the last lot now.
-What's going on? -Sorry, but we're going to have to...
And... sold to the lady on my left.
-The last sale of the evening... -Turn it on.
Wait.
-Where is she? -The tag!
...Nicolo Bussotti, 1681. -I put the tag on myself!
-If she would give us the pleasure. -Too Iate.
And here she is now, lot 72, the so-called ''Red Violin''.
-Here we go now. -Call security.
So we'll open the floor, and who'll start us off?
US$ 260,000! Good evening, Mr. Ruselsky.
US$ 270,000. Suzanne on the telephone.
US$ 280,000. Back to you, Sir. US$ 300,000 at the back of the hall.
US$ 320,000. I see you, Suzanne.
US$ 340. US$ 340 now in the front. US$ 400 at the back of the hall. 420...
500. US$ 500,000. Against the telephone now.
-500? -Stop it.
No? Against you, Sir? US$ 600,000. US$ 700,000.
US$ 800,000.
US$ 900,000!
One million dollars, Mr. Ruselsky!
US$ 1,100 million. US$ 1,200 million.
Not you, Sir? Ma'am?
-Are you sure? -US$ 1,300 million. 1,400.
US$ 1,400 million. 500. US$ 1,600 million.
-Mr. Morritz? -Down to you two now.
US$ 2 million, Mr. Ruselsky!
Mr. Morritz? Mr. Morritz!
US$ 2,100 million. US$ 2,200 million.
Mr. Morritz!
Excuse me. Is this what you're looking for?
-Down to you two. US$ 2,200 million. -Yes.
-Your coat. -US$ 2,200 million.
US$ 2,300 million!
US$ 2,400 million.
Merci.
US$ 2,400 million.
Is that all, then?
US$ 2,400 million.
-You may have it. -All done, then.
-Are you okay, Sir? -Yes. Take me home.
Right away.
Fair warning. I'm selling now at US$ 2,400 million.
And... sold to Mr. Ruselsky!
Congratulations.
Hey, baby, it's me.
Yeah. I'm sorry.
Yes.
Yes. Yes, I wanted to, every day, but...
Well, something came up, but it's over now, and I'm coming home.
Oh, yeah. May I speak to her?
Hi, honey. It's Daddy.
How are you?
I miss you too.
I'm coming home.
And honey? I'm bringing you something very special.
Madame?
Are you all right?
Is everything all right?
Yes, I'm sorry.
You have the visions.
No. I'd better go now. My husband.
Of course. Go to your husband.
Thanks, Cesca.